About the UWC

About the UWC

The Undergraduate Writing Center is part of the Department of Rhetoric and Writing in the College of Liberal Arts at The University of Texas at Austin. We opened our doors in 1993 and now do approximately 11,000 consultations with undergraduate writers each year. We also offer presentations to campus groups, publish various writing resources online, and host discussion panels on different genres of writing.
For an appointment or for more information, call 512-471-6222. We are located on the second floor of the Flawn Academic Center (FAC 211).

Consultations

The Undergraduate Writing Center offers free, individualized, expert help with writing for any UT undergraduate, by appointment or on a drop-in basis. The writer works with a trained consultant to define goals for the session, for example:

• deciding on a topic.
• clarifying and organizing ideas.
• researching, drafting, and revising.
• improving grammar, punctuation, and usage.
• citing sources properly.

Consultants help students develop strategies to improve their writing. The assistance we provide is intended to foster students’ resourcefulness and self-reliance. Each student determines how to use the consultant’s advice and makes all decisions regarding his or her writing. We cannot guarantee better grades, nor do we proofread or edit essays for students; rather we encourage students to take an active part in the consultation and become more confident writers.

Any currently enrolled undergraduate at UT can visit the UWC for assistance with any writing project. Our services are not designed to fix writing “problems.” Instead, we support students as they hone their skills; getting feedback from an informed audience is a normal part of a successful writing project. We work with students from all UT colleges and departments, for both academic and non-academic writing. Whether a student is writing a lab report, a resume, a term paper, a statement for an application, or a work of creative writing, our consultants will be happy to help.

Presentations

In addition to working with students one-on-one in the center, UWC staff can visit classes and on-campus organization meetings to talk about the services we offer. We conduct longer presentations on college-level writing that walk students through the process of writing and revising a thesis-driven argumentative paper as well as short introductions that acquaint students with our services.

Writing Resources

The UWC creates and maintains handouts covering everything from apostrophes to tips on writing book reviews. Paper versions are available at the UWC, and HTML and PDF copies can be found on our website. The UWC also has an online writing guide called Virgil, which provides customized advice for a wide range of common writing projects and challenges.

Publications

Consultants at the UWC produce a biannual, online journal, Praxis, which publishes articles about writing centers written by consultants, administrators, and staff members at writing centers around the country. The UWC also has a series of white papers, in which members of our staff address a wide range of topics related to our philosophy and daily practice.

After Hours

The UWC presents a regular series of “UWC After Hours” panels, in which writers talk about their writing process and provide advice for students and members of the community. These events are free and focus on various genres of writing. Past events have featured screenwriters, children’s book authors, travel writers, and sports writers, among others.