The Writing Center is welcoming all students who wish to apply NOW for open spring positions!

Do YOU want to use your abilities to help others and work in a collaborative environment? The Writing Center offers much to its tutors, in that experiences with peer students are enriching and educational. Students from all disciplines and majors are welcome to submit an application that can be accessed from the Writing Center's website.

If you have further questions, please email the Writing Center staff at write@elmhurst.edu. Thanks!


posted by: Melina

This is just a quick down-and-dirty reminder about when to use an apostrophe. One way an apostrophe is used is to form a contraction. It’s when two words are combined to form one word such as the word “it is” to form “it’s.”
“It’s my book,” means “It is my book.”

Do not use an apostrophe when showing possession of something.
“Water is a liquid. Its components are hydrogen and two oxygen molecules.”

An easy way to check if an apostrophe should be used is to break up the “its” or “it’s” and read it as “it is.” See which one sounds like the correct usage.

The same rules apply when using “you’re” and “your.”
“Your grandmother is pretty.” You would not say, “You are grandmother is pretty.”
“You’re pretty,” translates to “You are pretty.”

Hope this helps you out in the future.




posted by: Debbie

Have an assignment and you just don't know where to start? Feel like you
don't know what the professor is talking about? Finding the idea of
writing a thesis too scary? Well, the writing center is here to help.
Here are some great tips to help you get that paper started.
1- Take a few minutes to organize. Get out the assignment, find your notes
from class, and get out any other materials you might need.
2- Break it up. Try to break the assignment into smaller, more manageable
chunks.
3- Free your thoughts. Take a few minutes to write out free-form what you
think of the assignment. What is it about? What do you already know about
that topic? What questions do you have?
4- Gather information. Most assignments will have you writing about a
topic, which in general you will need basic information on. Go through
your notes and highlight things that might be useful or mark pages in your
book. This will be very helpful as you write your paper.
5- Draft it. Do your best to write out a draft. This doesn't have to be
perfect. The idea of writing a draft is that you have a place to start and
something to build upon. Just start writing, because you can always
improve it later.
6- Keep trying. Don't give up. It is not uncommon for a well written paper
to take multiple drafts. Do your best, re-read your work, and keep trying.
7- Ask for help. If you are still unsure, you can always stop by the
Writing Center for more help!
Good Luck!




posted by: Sabrina

Somehow we have moved into the sixth week of classes already and the
papers are being assigned faster than ever. We have had record numbers of
writers in need of help come in to see us at the Writing Center this
semester. We are so glad to help! Here are some pointers to make the most
of your session with a Writing Center tutor:
1. Have a copy of the assignment or know exactly what your professor is
asking you to do so the tutor can help you fit that.

2. Whatever stage of the paper you're on, read through it yourself so you
can catch the typos that you know aren't supposed to be there.

3. Come with specific places in the paper or specific things you want the
tutor to help you with.

4. Remember that we are extremely busy, so if you have a lots of things
you need help with, make several appointments over a few days so other
students can get the help they need too!

Thanks everyone. Keep coming in to see us!



posted by: Stacey

If you are like me, you may often fall into the trap of writing in the passive voice. It’s an easy trap to fall into! You may write what may seem like a perfectly coherent sentence, but look a little closer next time to see if you really are being as clear as you possibly can.

For example, you may say, “Studies have shown that breast cancer is more prevalent among females.” While you may be providing an interesting point, the person or people who have done studies are not mentioned. Also, what are the statistics? Including these two elements will not only enhance the clarity of your paper, but allow you to establish credibility as a writer.

So, how do you know that you are writing in the passive voice? Look for clues such as “has been,” “was,” or “will have” followed by past tense verbs. It sounds better to say, “Bobby opened the door” than “The door was opened by Bobby.”

For more tips, visit Purdue's OWL.



posted by: Steffani