If you have any trouble making an appointment, please email gwc[dot]psu[at]gmail[dot]com.

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What writing issues can we discuss in a GWC appointment?

The focus of a GWC appointment can be almost anything you’d like to discuss, from “big issues” like

the organization or structure of your document
the logic or “flow” of your ideas
the appropriateness of your argument for specific types of readers (e.g., technical audiences vs. the “general reader”)

to narrower concerns at the paragraph or sentence levels, including

principles of English grammar, style, word choice, and punctuation
the “flow” of your sentences and sentence transitions
formatting issues (APA, MLA, and Chicago styles)

Consultants will not edit your paper by marking everything that is “incorrect.” Instead, we will look at your draft for examples of grammatical and organizational issues you might want to consider in revising your work. In fact, our goal in a grammar-focused session is to help you to become better able to revise your own document–both by discussing grammatical principles and by highlighting specific grammatical patterns to watch for in your writing. So, although you should not expect to leave a GWC session with a “corrected” or “edited” draft, you can expect to leave with a better sense of how to edit your draft on your own.

In addition to discussing written drafts, we can also talk about more general writing issues, including brainstorming and other idea-generation techniques; document planning, outlining, and drafting; revision strategies; and proofreading methods. In other words, you may come to the GWC for a friendly and helpful conversation about any topic related to your experiences as a writer!

What if I need someone to proofread or edit my document?

The GWC is a great place to discuss strategies for revising your work, but sometimes it’s necessary to get an important document edited or proofread quickly and efficiently. The GWC does not provide this type of editing or proofreading service, but writers are encouraged to hire one of the many editors and proofreaders available in Penn State and the surrounding community.

The GWC compiles a list of professionals, available here, who are expert proofreaders and editors of academic English. For a fee, an editor will generally take a copy of your document, type or write “corrections,” and return the document to you. These editors are not affiliated with the GWC.

If you think you would like to hire an editor, you are encouraged to contact people from the GWC’s list of editors early because they may not be able to accept clients on short notice.

How do I schedule an appointment?

Schedule an appointment here.

All GWC writing consultations will be held online for the Fall 2020 semester. For information on online consultations, please visit this page.

Note: The GWC follows PSU’s academic calendar and is therefore closed when classes are not in session.

Please visit the pages on In-Person Consultations and Online Consultations to learn more!