1. 2011—2012
Faculty Guide to Dillard University’s
Writing Center
Dillard University Writing Center, Albert W. Dent Hall, Room 162, 504-816-4180
This guide, a resource for Dillard University faculty, provides general information about the Writing Center and its services.
If you need additional information, please contact the Writing Center Director, Danielle R. Tyler, at 816-4180 or stop by
Dent Hall in Room 162. We look forward to working with you and your students!
Dillard University Writing Center and Its Purpose
Dillard University’s Writing Center is part of the College of Arts and Sciences, but it services the
entire University. Its primary goal is to provide the academic support necessary to increase the
academic performance, retention, and graduation rates of all students. The Writing Center
provides free one-on-one writing consultations for all students for any academic writing purpose.
The writing consultations are designed to help student writers focus, develop, clarify, refine, and
organize their writing.
What Students Do in the Writing Center
Students attend 30-minute writing consultations with peer consultants. The 30-minute writing consultation can
take place at any stage of the writing process, from brainstorming to final editing. It involves a consultant asking
the writer open-ended questions about his/her writing assignment, reading a portion or the entire paper,
responding to the paper by picking one or two concerns to discuss, and collaborating with the writer on how the
writing may be improved. Consultations are non-judgmental and non-evaluative. Consultants help writers identify
areas to improve and develop specific plans to help the writer with his/her writing project.
Who Is in the Writing Center
The Writing Center staff consists of Director Danielle R. Tyler, MA, Instructional Assistant Angelle
Scott, MA, and trained writing consultants who are available to meet with students and answer
questions. The consultants come from various disciplines and have been selected because they
have strong academic writing skills and enjoy working with their peers. They are trained to
respond to writing assignments from across the curriculum.
The consultants are supervised by Danielle R. Tyler who specializes in professional and technical
writing. The instructors and consultants in the Writing Center will help students improve their
writing skills so that they become more confident writers in all classes and for all purposes.
“The Writing Center is committed to providing the best support for Dillard University students. Thus,
we will work to provide all students a learning environment that is accessible and non-evaluative.”

2. 2011—2012 Page 2
How the Writing Center Helps Students
Students from all courses will benefit from the Writing Center’s services. We offer weekly appointments, regular
one-time appointments, walk-in appointments when available, and writing-related workshops. The instructors and
peer consultants can help your students with:
 grammar, word usage, sentence structure, punctuation, and spelling
 prewriting and brainstorming techniques
 drafting and revising paragraphs
 identifying and integrating sources to support arguments or positions
 writing personal statements, cover letters, resumes, lab reports, research papers, and essays for all classes
Please note: The Writing Center services supplement the writing instruction that takes place within courses—our
services cannot replace the writing instruction in any course. Moreover, the Writing Center consultants will not edit
or proofread papers. Instead, consultants will point out common errors in usage so that the student begins to
recognize patterns in their mistakes, which they can then begin to correct on their own.
How to Refer Your Students to the Writing Center
You may refer your students to the Writing Center by completing the Student Referral Form for each student. Once
you complete the form, return it with the student or send it to the director via e-mail.
How You Will Know Your Students Used the Writing Center
If you assign Writing Center services to students, we recommend that you ask them to submit the original Record of
Session Forms along with their writing projects.
Other Resources Available for Students
Students have access to:
 Writing Handbooks (print and electronic)
 Writing handouts
 Study Areas

3. 2011—2012 Page 3
Workshops and In-Class Visits
The Writing Center offers writing-related workshops every semester. These workshops focus on grammar and parts
of the writing process that most students seek assistance. Moreover, these workshops are to support your courses,
not to replace writing instruction in your courses. Look for the workshop schedules at the beginning of the
semester.
The Writing Center also conducts in-class visits where we discuss our services and how we can help your students.
To request an in-class visit, complete the In-Class Visit Request Form and submit it to a Writing Center staff
member. After we have your information, a Writing Center staff member will follow up with you about your request.
Peer Consultations and Workshops During Final Exams
Peer consultations and writing-related workshops are not available during final exams. Since the Writing Center
staff is reduced to two during the final exam period, please keep in mind that your students may not receive
assistance at this time.
Send Us Copies of Your Course Assignments
Even if you are not working directly with the Writing Center, students from your class may want to seek our
assistance. You can help them by sending copies of your syllabi and assignments. We will review them and keep
them on file to help us clarify your expectations for student writing.
Recommend the Writing Center to Students
To Recommend the Writing Center:
 Make a statement about it on your syllabus; include the Writing Center’s phone number and location
 Mention it in comments on student papers
 Announce availability of the Writing Center to the entire class
 Invite the Writing Center Director, Instructional Assistant, or a Writing Center Peer Consultant to talk to your
class about our services
Stop By! We Are Here For Your Students
Dillard University Writing Center
Albert W. Dent Hall
Room 162
Phone: 504-816-4180
E-mail: dtyler@dillard.edu
Funded by Title III

4. DILLARD UNIVERSITY WRITING CENTER
IN-CLASS VISIT REQUEST FORM
To give us a better idea of how we can help you, please give us the following information. After we have
your information, a Writing Center staff member will follow up with you about your request.
Contact Information
Name: _____________________________________________________________________________
Telephone: _____________________________ Cell Phone: ______________________________
Email: _____________________________________________________
Course Information
Department: ______________________________
Course: __________________________________
Class Location: ____________________________ Class Time: __________________
In-Class Visit Date
Ideal Date for In-Class Visit: __________________________
Alternate Date: __________________________________

5. Dillard University Writing Center
Albert W. Dent Hall
Room 162
Dillard University Writing Center
Student Referral Form
The Writing Center is here to assist students in becoming better writers. We offer writing consultations and
workshops to support your students’ efforts to learn to write more effectively. We meet with them individually
and in small groups to work on specific concerns while they complete regular course assignments.
Procedure for Referring Students to the Writing Center:
1. The instructor completes the Student Referral Form for each student he/she is referring to the Writing
Center.
2. The student takes the form to the Writing Center.
3. The student works with a consultant.
4. After the student has worked with a consultant, the student returns the Student Referral Report Form
to the instructor as proof of attendance.
Optional: Student provides a copy of the Writing Center Record of Session Form to the instructor.
If you have questions about this form, please e-mail Danielle R. Tyler at dtyler@dillard.edu.
TERMS:
Student Referral Form: The instructor completes when he/she wants to refer a student to the Writing Center.
Student Referral Report Form: The writer’s proof of attendance.
Record of Session Form: An account of the peer consultant’s session with a writer.
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6. Dillard University Writing Center
Albert W. Dent Hall
Room 162
Dillard University Writing Center
Student Referral Form
Faculty: Complete the information below and attach the writing assignment
Student Information
Date of Referral _______________
Student’s Name: _____________________________ Student’s Email: _____________________
Course Information
Referring Instructor’s Name: _____________________________ Phone: _______________
Course: ________________________________________________________________
Assignment: __________________________________________________________________
Type of Appointment
___ one-time ___ short-term (2 - 4 sessions) ___ weekly
Reasons for Referral
Place a check mark next to the area(s) of concern for this student:
Prewriting and Composing
___ Understanding Assignments ___ Brainstorming and Generating Ideas
___ Developing a Thesis, Claim, Proposition ___ Planning and Outlining
___ Developing Introductions and Conclusions ___ Writing Topic Sentences
___ Providing Support and Details ___ Maintaining Focus or Organization
___ Writing Clearly and Logically ___ Maintaining Unity and Coherence
___ Using Transitions ___ Other ________________________
Grammar, Mechanics, and Usage
___ Subject-Verb Agreement ___ Pronoun (Agreement & Reference)
___ Comma Splices ___ Sentence Fragments
___ Run-on and Fused Sentences ___ Faulty Parallelism
___ Possessives/Plural Nouns (‘s/s) ___ Verb Forms
___ Spelling ___ Modification (Dangling & Misplaced)
___ Shifts ___ Other _________________________
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7. Dillard University Writing Center
Albert W. Dent Hall
Room 162
Dillard University Writing Center
Student Referral Form
Reasons for Referral
Editing and Proofreading Research and Documentation
___ Strategies for Editing and Proofreading ___ Evaluating and Using Sources
___ Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing
___ Citation and Documentation
___ Note-taking
___ Avoiding Plagiarism
Other Writing-Related Concerns
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Writing Center Workshops
Please specify the workshops the student needs to attend:
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
Please provide any additional concerns or information you wish to share with your student’s consultant:
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Instructor’s Signature ___________________________________________________
****************************************************************************************************************
Dillard University Writing Center Student Referral Report
___________________________________ attended a tutoring session on __________________. If you have any questions,
please contact the writing center at (504)816-4180 or (504)816-4659.
Consultant’s signature: _____________________________________ Date: ___________________
Note: The Writing Center is not responsible for lost or unreturned forms. Instructors may contact the Center via e-mail or phone
for confirmation of the student’s visit.
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