Graduate Student Services
Welcome to the Graduate Writing Center
The University Graduate Writing Center provides writing consultations for graduate students inside the Graduate Student Reading Room of the Marriott Library, Room 1180B. Funded by the Graduate School of the University of Utah and staffed by expert writing fellows, the new Graduate Writing Center is ready to help graduate students in all disciplines with their writing projects. Our goal is to help you become a more confident writer.
The Graduate Writing Center is open only to students pursuing Masters and Ph.D. degrees at the University of Utah.
Graduate writing consultants can help you:
- Develop your ideas
- Consider your audience
- Organize your thoughts
- Plan your project
- Form good arguments
- Improve the clarity of your writing
- Shape paragraphs to improve continuity and flow
- Polish sentences to improve style and interest
- Recognize and correct common errors
Graduate writing consultants have experience working with:
- Research proposals
- Grant applications
- Articles for publication
- Conference papers
- Abstracts for papers
- Personal statements
- Dissertations
- CVs and resumes
- Class papers
- Various citation styles (APA, MLA, etc.)
Protocol for using the Graduate Writing Center:
- Graduate students should be aware that consultants are not allowed to work through email and do not edit papers. If you haven't used the Graduate Writing Center before, select "Graduate Student Writing Center" schedule.
- Fill out the registration form on your first visit and enter your uID in all numbers: 0002233.
- After you have set up a user name and password, you will be allowed to make a 30-minute or 1-hour appointment.
- If you are already registered, enter your name and password to access the schedule.
- If possible, bring a hard copy of your paper to your consultation.
- Come prepared to ask questions and talk about your writing.
- You cannot make more than one appointment at a time, but once you have completed your appointment, you are welcome to make another.
- Cancellation Policy: we require 3-hour notice if you need to cancel your appointment. If you don't give adequate notice or you miss your appointment, you will be blocked from making appointments for one week.
Testimonials:
"Your writing fellow was prompt and helpful. She gave me the structure and feedback to get over a significant roadblock in my writing."
-Ben Springer
"Your writing fellow was integral to my success in science writing for several reasons. First, she helped me develop a plan for my prewriting and how to approach writing a full-length research proposal. Second, she helped me identify my weak points and gave me suggestions and other resources to improve those areas. With her help, my writing has greatly improved and I have the tools I need to successfully write my thesis and research articles. On a side note, my research advisor was extremely pleased with my achievements and has said numerous times that my writing has greatly improved. Without the help of the writing center, I would be a struggling writer today."
-C. Gritzen
"The feedback I received from writing fellow was extremely helpful. I am planning on requesting the Writing Fellow's help again." -Anna Fichman
"This program is fabulous, and I have recommended it to others."
-Heather
"[My consultations in the GWC] have helped with my writing confidence and focus."
- Taryn Springer, College of Education
Security Access Instructions
To be granted access to the Graduate Student Reading Room and the Graduate Student Writing Center Library Security will activate your UCard. Access the security form for the Graduate Reading Room, fill it out, and return it to the Security Desk on the main floor of the library. Your will have access to the Graduate Reading Room and Graduate Writing Center within 24 hours.
Access to the Graduate Student Writing Center will be active for one academic school year or for the remainder of the year following application. Access forms must be resubmitted each academic year beginning in August.