The Writing Lab for Faculty

The Writing Lab for Faculty

The Writing Lab at Midland is dedicated to working with faculty members to enhance student writing across the disciplines. Our student Writing Lab Consultants undergo substantial training in their positions. The adjunct faculty members, who work in the Writing Lab, are instrumental in developing excellent student consultants and improving our individual writing appointments. Our team of writing consultants is available to visit your class and provide a brief overview of the Writing Lab services and demonstrate how to create an appointment online. To arrange a classroom visit or discuss a collaboration with the Writing Lab, please contact Dr. Janet Lack (lack@midlandu.edu). 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FROM FACULTY:

Q: Can I refer a student to the Writing Lab?

A: Yes! Please encourage your students to utilize the Writing Lab. When a student comes to the Writing Lab for an appointment, the instructor will receive a summary report of the session (unless the student specifically opts out). It is helpful if you could reassure the student that our consultants are friendly and will not “judge” students who come in for help.

Q: What if I have a student who needs extra help?

A:  Perhaps you have a student whose first language is not English, the Writing Lab could be a tremendous resource for our ESL and International students. At the Writing Lab, we will also share resources that the students may find beneficial. For example, we like to call attention to the Online Writing Lab (OWL) from Purdue University. This resource has information specific for ESL students. OWL provides sample exercises to practice their writing skills.

Q: I would like my class to use the Writing Lab for a specific assignment. Can I do this?

A: Yes. In some instances, faculty members have “required” a visit to the Writing Lab to earn full credit for the assignment. This is entirely up to the faculty member. If you do have a “required” visit to the Writing Lab, please share your assignment sheet with Janet Lack (lack@midlandu.edu) so that the consultants will be prepared to support your students. Some faculty members have offered “extra credit” for attending a Writing Lab appointment. Again, this is totally up to the faculty member.

The Writing Lab is equipped with the latest versions of the MLA and APA formats. The individual student is responsible for their own paper and citations.