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A writing center facilitates student writing across the curriculum.

Article Excerpt
Abstract

Since Writing Consultants at the Learning Resource Center work with a wide variety of students, they have the opportunity to impact classrooms throughout the university by providing comprehensive writing instruction. A handbook for writing across the disciplines has been developed that includes information about the format and language specific to each discipline as well as instructor prompts and sample assignments for each of the university majors. Learning Resource Center writing consultants have been trained to identify and develop strategies for writing in specific disciplines. This paper discusses one university's attempt to transform student writing in the disciplines as well as train writing consultants to be discipline-specific.

Introduction

Prevailing sentiments conclude that Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) programs are a beneficial addition to academia. However, some colleges and universities have not implemented WAC programs, either due to lack of faculty and/or administrative support, or lack of funds [as is the case at California State University Northridge (CSUN), which currently does not have a WAC program]. This is where the Writing Center comes in. The Writing Center typically serves the university student population as a whole, not exclusively the English department or departments housing writing programs. This being the case, Writing Center tutors have had to adapt their practices to accommodate students from across the disciplines, learning the strategies and styles inherent in those disciplines, and changing from specialists in their respective fields--to generalists who possess at the very least a modicum of knowledge about writing across the disciplines--in order to enable less experienced writers to engage themselves in the writing process more effectively (Walker 28). The Writing Center is an important resource where...

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