Faculty FAQS

Check out our Spring 2025 Faculty Newsletter Here!

As faculty know, developing effective writing skills takes time and effort. Writing is not a straightforward technical skill; rather, it is a complex cognitive, culturally inflected, socially situated process that requires ongoing practice to foster its growth. By critically reading and discussing their writing with a consultant, graduate writers can learn to communicate their ideas clearly and confidently in a variety of contexts.

Exams: To consult on exams (course exams, comps, quals), we require written permission from a faculty member. Our policy is that instructor permission should be uploaded into the appointment form by the student prior to the appointment. This could be a PDF or screenshot of an email or other correspondence from the relevant instructor that clearly states that permission is granted. This documentation should also include the professor's name and email address or other contact information. If that permission is not uploaded, then the appointment will be canceled.

Please email our director staff with any questions regarding exam permissions.

Requiring a consultation as part of a course: If you wish to require writing center consultations as part of a class, please contact us. We have found that required visits work best when they are preceded by a class presentation or workshop. We can discuss what type of presentation will be most beneficial for your needs.

Syllabus Information: If you would like to include information about the GWC in your syllabus, we invite you to use the following text:

The Graduate Writing Center is an instructional support service for graduate students and post-docs.  The GWC supports writers working on written communication, including coursework, dissertations, theses, job documents, publications, and prestigious award and grant applications.

Writing consultations are 50-minute, one-to-one sessions.  

Consultants will help at any stage of the writing process—from understanding the writing task, to brainstorming, to polishing the final product.  

The center offers in-person, online synchronous, and asynchronous services.  

Make an appointment with the Graduate Writing Center by visiting www.grad.writingcenter.ttu.edu and selecting “Schedule an Appointment.” To learn more about the GWC’s consultations, as well as their other programming, please contact the center directly by emailing gradwritingcenter@ttu.edu or calling 806.742.2476, ext. 1. 

Visit Notifications: Students and postdocs have the option of notifying faculty of their visit to the Graduate Writing Center. These notifications are compiled and sent once monthly. If a student opts to notify you, you will receive an email with the student or students’ name(s) and the date of each visit, along with a list of our upcoming events. No specific information regarding the content of the consultation will be provided. 

If your notifications are time-sensitive because you require visits to the Graduate Writing Center as part of a grade or extra credit, please notify us at grad.writingcenter@ttu.edu so we can ensure that you receive this information by the relevant deadline.

Concerned about an individual student: The process of developing writing skills takes time and repeated practice. If you have a concern about a student's need for improvement in this area, our director or associate director would be happy to have a conversation about how the Graduate Writing Center can help.

Developing a thesis/dissertation plan for your student: If your graduate student is beginning the thesis or dissertation process, we encourage you to work with us to develop a plan. Contact us to set up a meeting with you, your student, and a writing center administrator.

Know a student that would be a great consultant?: If your graduate student is a strong communicator who works well collaboratively, consider recommending them to be a writing consultant. The GWC compensates graduate students through assistantships and hourly pay. Learn more on our consultant recruitment page. 

Writing Pedagogy Resources: Along with the TLPDC, the GWC is a resource for feedback on writing pedagogy, including writing assignment development and assessment. Contact us for more information. As an additional resource, we recommend the Purdue Writing Lab's Faculty Guide for Working with Graduate Student Writers.

In-class workshops

Would you like to schedule an in-class workshop for a course you are teaching? Learn more about the in-class workshops and orientations available for graduate students through the Graduate Writing Center. You can also request orientations for undergraduates or in-class workshops in undergraduate courses through the Undergraduate Writing Center.

Request a Workshop

Faculty Writing Support

The Writing Centers of Texas Tech University also offer writing support for faculty. For more information about our faculty writing group please contact Dr. Elizabeth Sharp (elizabeth.sharp@ttu.edu) or Dr. Brandy Pina-Watson (Brandy.Pina.Watson@ttu.edu). For other writing support for faculty, please contact GWC Director Dr. Jennifer Marciniak.