Got the Grammar Blues? Writing Center to the Rescue!

             Do you remember the classic hit, “I Got the Grammar Blues?” It sounded great up until Comma Jack hit that sour note on his trombone. 

            If your writing is a bit hit-or-miss these days, don’t despair. The Writing Center’s team of coaches is standing by to help.

 

            In fact, the Writing Center will continue to operate entirely online through the Fall 2020 semester. 

 

            “We miss seeing you on campus, but we've worked hard all summer to make sure we are ready to provide excellent support from a distance,” said Jenna Caviezel, the center’s director and an associate professor of English. 

 

            Tutors are available for two types of appointments:

            *Live Online appointments allow students to have real-time video conferences or text chats with a tutor. This is ideal for those who miss the face-to-face, on-campus tutoring experience!

            * eTutoring appointments allow students to upload their writing assignments and receive written tutor feedback. There is no need to be logged in at the same time as the tutor, which can be ideal for students with very busy schedules or internet accessibility issues.

            Students and faculty can also take advantage of the information and handout bank available on the Writing Center’s Lib Guide: https://mscc.libguides.com/c.php?g=1004878

Home - Writing Center - Motlow Library at Motlow State Community College - Home - Home What is the Writing Center? The Writing Center is a free service available to the entire Motlow community. We support a dedicated team of tutors who are attentive and knowledgeable so they can provide exceptional guidance with any project at any stage of the writing process including brainstorming for an English essay, revising a lab report, or polishing a cover letter for a job application. mscc.libguides.com

 

 

            Here's what some students who’ve used the Writing Center had to say last year (on the center’s anonymous survey form):

            “The Writing Center has been my biggest support system during this Fall semester,” raved one student.

            “The Writing Center has been a lifesaver for me,” exclaimed another.

            “I would recommend EVERYONE use this resource,” praised a third.

 

            So, if you have the grammar blues (or any kind of writing woes), you know who to call. Rest assured that talented Writing Center coaches are ready, willing or able (or able, willing and ready).

 

            Happy editing!

Former Mass Comm Student Shoots YouTube Video About Building 3 Completion

         SMYRNA – Former Mass Comm student Anthony Czeluzniak recently posted a news video at YouTube about the completion of Building 3 on the Motlow Smyrna campus.

         The video, which was shot shortly before the new building was completed, features interviews with student Zion Williamson, Tennessee State Rep. Mike Sparks, and professors Jenna Caviezel and Charles Whiting. The third building was dedicated on Dec. 17, 2019.

         Czeluzniak, who graduated with honors in 2018, currently serves as editor-in-chief of the Collage and president of PRSSA at Middle Tennessee State University.

         To watch the video, visit https://youtu.be/tn5aTFrW7x4. 

International Write-In to Help Students Write Final Papers

                  SMYRNA -- Motlow's Writing Center will host its first-ever International Write-In on all four campuses from Dec. 5-7 to provide tutorial help to students who are writing their final papers.

                  "We will be joining about 100 schools from around the world by hosting the event," said Assistant Professor of English Jenna Caviezel. "It's essentially a final paper-writing party. All you have to do is show up and write."

                  Caviezel added that the Write-In will occur at Student Success on the Smyrna campus from 5-9 p.m. on Dec. 5 (Tuesday). Participants will work on their drafts, ask questions, and receive help from Writing Center tutors and a few volunteer English instructors. Students can post their work to social media using the hashtag #intlwritein17 to join an international community of writers. Complimentary pizza and snacks will be provided.

                  "We’d also love to have faculty, administrators and staff swing by, snag a slice, post to social media, or even stay a while and work on something of their own," Caviezel added. "Students are always so surprised that even professors have to work hard at writing and revising. Imagine how impressed they would be to see deans using the writing process!"

                  The Write-In will occur on other campuses at the following locations, dates and times: Fayetteville Library, 5-9 p.m. Dec. 5; McMinnville Library Lab, 4-8 p.m. Dec. 6; and Moore County Clayton Glass Library, 4-8 p.m. Dec. 7.

Writing Center Offers Answer to Midterm Blues

         Need help with a writing assignment but the Writing Center is booked solid?

         “Don’t despair!” says Writing Center Coordinator Jenna Caviezel.

         Even though the Writing Center can get very busy at certain times of the semester, especially around midterms, there are three things students can try:

         * Add yourself to the wait-list. If another student cancels his or her appointment, you may be able to snag that spot.

         * If no face-to-face tutors are available in Smyrna, you can sign up for an e-tutoring appointment with a tutor on another campus.

         * You can also try the new Live Online Tutoring, which is available in the evenings and can be accessed anywhere you have a good Internet connection.

 

         You can find more information about both e-tutoring and Live Online Tutoring at www.mscc.edu/writingcenter. And as always, try to avoid The Procrastination Monster. The farther in advance you can make your appointment, the better!

Writing Center Opens To Students

By Anthony Czelusniak

Motlow Buzz Reporter

                SMYRNA, Tenn. – The Writing Center opened in the Student Success Center off the STAH lobby in early September, allowing students to get help with any writing project.

                The Writing Center, which encourages appointments, is open from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Mondays, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1-6 p.m. Tuesdays, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesdays, 9-11 a.m. and 1-4 p.m. Thursdays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Fridays, and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays.

“This is the first time we have offered weekend hours, giving busy students a chance to get help,” said Assistant Professor of English Jenna Caviezel, who oversees the Writing Center on all four Motlow campuses.

Assistant Professor of English Jenna Caviezel encourages students to visit The Writing Center.

                If an on-campus meeting is not possible, students can now call on the Writing Center’s tutors for live online tutoring. The sessions take place using a microphone and a webcam and can be done from home. A non-live online option called etutoring, where the student sends in the assignment online and receives a commented version back, is also available.

Inside the Writing Center, students can meet with a tutor who has been handpicked by Caviezel from a list of applicants. The center’s tutors are typically sophomores who have already taken the courses their fellow students might be struggling with. Students may bring in any type of assignment to tutors for feedback. Whether it is a paper for a class, a PowerPoint presentation, or a short story by an aspiring author, all works are accepted in the Writing Center.

“We’re here to help with any project at any stage of the writing process,” Caviezel added.

  Each session lasts 50 minutes, and students are advised to bring all the drafts they have worked on, as well as the rubric or assignment prompt if applicable. After each session, students are sent a link to an anonymous survey about their experiences at the Writing Center. These surveys are used to improve the Writing Center, most notably helping tutors adjust to the ever-changing availability of students.

Caviezel says she and her staff are very pleased with the response they are getting from Motlow students. “We had over 1,000 appointments last year, and 98 percent of students who completed the survey stated they would recommend the Writing Center.”

For instructions on how to make an appointment and to receive more detailed information about the Writing Center, visit http://www.mscc.edu/writingcenter/ or email your questions to writingcenter@mscc.edu.