By Carolina Vela
sac-ranger@alamo.edu
After Christmas break, students might be out of practice with writing papers or have a little difficultly catching up with the first assignments this spring.
The writing center in Room 203 of Gonzales Hall offers tutoring, an open computer lab, workshops and English resource texts.
Walk-ins are accepted, but staff recommends making an appointment to avoid waiting.
Tutor Rhonda Jones said it is always better to come in as soon as students are assigned their work. Waiting until the last minute is discouraged.
For tutoring sessions, students should bring along the assignment instructions so tutors clearly understand the objective.
Also, students can come in even if they just need help brainstorming to get started.
The writing center awards frequent usage of the tutoring center.
For every three visits, a student will receive a dictionary.
Three visits also qualifies a student to enter a raffle for a Pulse smart pen at semester’s end.
After six visits, students receive a coffee mug, and after nine visits, a T-shirt.
Tutors help students understand assignments, generate ideas, create a thesis and statement.
The center’s tutors also offer assistance with the mechanics of language, such as organizing papers, making grammar corrections, learning proofreading techniques and, for those seeking a job, the center also helps with résumé writing.
All tutors at the writing center are certified.
“We are all College Reading and Learning Association certified at different levels, and we continue to advance throughout the semester,” Jones said.
The writing center offers a continuing education course for certification to students and staff. For more information, call English Professor Jane Focht-Hansen.
The center is open 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday and Thursday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday, and 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday.
To set a tutoring appointment, call 210-486-1433.