Writing Assistance
Fall 2024 Writing Assistance begins Monday, September 16.
Looking to become a more confident, capable writer? We offer one-on-one appointments and writing workshops to empower BU community members with the writing support they need to thrive.
Appointments
Our Writing Assistance program offers BU undergraduates and graduate students a supportive environment to develop their written communication skills. During a Writing Assistance appointment, you will receive holistic guidance to support your growth as a writer!
Our Writing Fellows provide valuable guidance at all stages of the writing process, whether you are brainstorming, outlining, drafting or revising. It’s okay if you haven’t started writing, or if your writing is not as polished as you would like. Writing Fellows offer targeted feedback for building an effective argument, refining style and voice, integrating evidence and quotations, navigating feedback and more! They can also recommend tools for self-editing and proofreading.
Any BU undergraduate or graduate student can utilize our services for free!
Appointment Types
| Traditional Appointments |
Drop-In Appointments |
| 45 minutes |
20 minutes (max) |
| Virtual or in-person at 100 Bay State Rd, 5th floor |
In-person, 4-5pm at 100 Bay State Rd, Room 101 |
| Booked in advance |
First-come, first-serve |
Designed for:
- Holistic review
- Strengthening clarity, argument or organization
- Receiving more comprehensive feedback
|
Designed for:
- Limited review
- Specific concerns, such as the introduction, subject-verb agreement or topic sentences
- Receiving targeted feedback
|
What to Expect
Writing can be difficult, but you don’t have to tackle this challenge alone. We are here to help!
ERC Writing Fellows are graduate students with a strong background in effective writing who are trained to offer advice and strategies for your projects. To make the most of your appointment, come prepared with specific questions, ideas and goals you would like to work on with your Writing Fellow. Together, you will talk about your writing and what you are aiming to accomplish.
Learn About Our Writing Fellows!
Our Policies
What to Expect
-
Writing Fellows do not proofread your writing for mistakes; instead, they actively engage you in a collaborative effort to enhance your writing.
-
Writing Fellows are not necessarily familiar with the content of your classes. Their role is to help you articulate your ideas and structure your arguments effectively.
-
Be willing to view your work with fresh eyes and engage with your Writing Fellow about their feedback.
-
Writing Fellows can work on the same assignment with you a maximum of three times.
-
Students can make two appointments in each 7-day window. If you need additional help, attend a drop-in hour!
-
Writing Fellows will only help you with a take-home exam if you have written permission from your instructor.
-
For a group project, Writing Fellows will only discuss the writing of group members who are present at the appointment.
Cancellation & Missed Appointments
-
To cancel an appointment, send an email to wfellows@bu.edu at least 24 hours prior to the appointment. This way, other students will have the time to book that slot.
-
If you cancel with less than 24-hours notice, or simply do not show up to your appointment, it will count as “missed” appointment. If you miss two appointments in one semester, you will not be able to book further appointments until you meet with an ERC staff member. “Missed” appointments reset to zero with each semester.
-
If you believe you were erroneously marked “missed,” please email
wfellows@bu.edu.
Workshops
Current Workshop Offerings
Avoiding Plagiarism & Integrating Sources Sure, we all know plagiarism is bad, but why is it bad and how do I avoid it? This workshop trains you in responsible scholarship practices and provides tips & tricks for effectively integrating sources into your writing, so that your words & insights shine.
Dissertation Writing Strategies Whether you’re fresh off the prospectus trying to figure out what comes next, deep into your third chapter and desperate for a change of pace or just generally striving to make the dissertation phase less opaque and more approachable, join us to discuss how to brainstorm, draft and revise the components of your dissertation! Dissertating is a unique challenge – so come get unique solutions!
Editing Strategies From authors writing NYT bestsellers to friends texting in the groupchat, every person and every project benefits from editing. If you’re struggling to evaluate your own writing, or you’re likely to turn in your very first draft, or you’re invested in bolstering your editorial knowledge, join us for this workshop covering tips & tricks on how to successfully revise & proofread your own writing. From your emails to your term papers, leveling up your editing game will transform your writing and your confidence as a writer!
Handling Feedback It can be hard to receive constructive criticism, even when we know it’s how we build a better writing practice. And yet, the personalized, targeted feedback you receive is one of the most valuable offerings of your entire education – so let’s tap into that treasure trove together! If you’re prone to checking your letter grade and ignoring all the comments, or you feel overwhelmed looking at so much red pen, or you just want to expand your toolkit, come to this workshop to find out more on how to effectively engage with feedback on your writing.
Sharpening Your Personal Statement When you’re writing a personal statement, you have just a page or two to tell your story – what should you include? What should you not include? What message do you want to convey, and how do you get there without falling into cliche? In this workshop, we demystify the genre of the personal statement and provide tips for drafting and editing yours.
Writing a College Paper What is a college paper? What does it look like? What are the best ways to approach, organize and write one? And who can help? This workshop answers all these questions & more! Whether you’re new to BU, a junior taking your first essay-based course, or want a refresher, join us for insights into approaching the college paper.
Writing a Conference Paper Conferencing is key to success in graduate studies and beyond, but how do we transform our research into a digestible talk that will engage our listeners in our work? How do we empower ourselves to be confident speakers? And, especially, how do we limit our nerves? In this workshop, we consider the particular goals of a conference paper and how to reach them.
Writing a Seminar Paper Do you find yourself dreading the seminar paper? Is it your first time writing one? Or have you written several and are still looking to sharpen them, perhaps into something publishable? This workshop identifies insights on successfully approaching this unique graduate-level assignment.
Have an idea for a workshop that’s not on this list? Email us! We’re always excited to expand the support we can provide.