What to Expect

Getting Ready for your GWC Appointments

During every appointment, our goal is to help you, a URI graduate student, grow as a writer. Our trained writing consultants will work with you to establish writing goals  and work with you to achieve those goals during each 50-minute block. You can meet with consultants at any point in the writing process from brainstorming to final draft. Come to your appointment on-time and ready to have a constructive conversation about your writing. No matter your writing ability or confidence, we are here to help!

Students may schedule up to two (2) appointments per week to ensure fairness and availability of our services for all students. Only one appointment is allowed per day (i.e. no back-to-back appointments). Visit our scheduling page for detailed instructions on making appointments. Contact us with any accessibility or accommodation needs or any specific questions about our services.

One of our most common misconceptions involves proofreading. GWC consultants are here to help you grow as a writer, not to ‘fix’ your paper! Consultants do not proofread or line edit documents. You can find a list of local editors for hire here.

Please note: the Graduate Writing Center does not assist with comprehensive or qualifying exams in any way. See sections 8.27.11 and 8.27.15 of the University Manual. 

Typical Writing Projects and Concerns

GWC consultants provide graduate students with support at any stage of their writing process. Our consultants help with everything from brainstorming to revision for all types of projects. Typical projects and concerns often include:

  • Seminar writing assignments
  • Thesis/dissertation proposals
  • Thesis/dissertation chapters
  • Seminar papers
  • Article summaries
  • Conference abstracts and talks
  • Conference posters
  • Research statements
  • Articles
  • Grant proposals (for persuasiveness, readability, and organization, not content or form)
  • Personal statements
  • Teaching philosophies
  • Resumes, CVs, and cover letters

We can also help with some common writing problems, including:

  • paragraph-level and sentence-level clarity
  • topic sentences
  • creating transitions between paragraphs/sections
  • considering audience, tone, and purpose
  • writing for a non-academic audience
  • formal/professional writing
  • using citation style guides

These are just some of the many topics we cover. We look forward to seeing you soon at the Graduate Writing Center!