Writing Center

Help with writing for college and for life

Help with writing for college and for life

Communicating clearly is an essential skill no matter if you are writing a research or opinion paper or conducting business. When you need help with school papers or want to improve your writing ability, our tutors can show you how!

At CGCC’s Writing Center, we provide:

  • Free one-on-one tutoring sessions with experienced tutors
  • Computer stations for writing as well as conducting online research and completing computer training modules
  • Access to handouts, books, workshops, and online resources
  • A comfortable, quiet study area
  • A great setting for small-group work
  • Drop by the Pecos and Williams Campus Writing Tutoring Centers today, no appointment is needed.
  • Schedule an online tutoring appointment via Cranium Cafe to connect live with a CGCC writing tutor.
  • Drop-in to the virtual tutoring lobby to connect live with a tutor, no appointment needed
  • Self-enroll in our free Canvas Course and submit your assignment to the Electronic Essay Review Services (EERS).
  • Ask a tutor a quick question and get same-day feedback. (Within center operating hours)

When CGCC tutors are not available, log into Brainfuse and use the Live Help option to connect with a Brainfuse tutor. This service is free and available to CGCC students; however, your time is limited to 2 hours per semester. To use Brainfuse, log in with your MEID and password.

Workshops

In addition to individual tutoring, our Writing Centers also offer workshops on related topics. Check back often to see what’s coming up.

Fall 2024

Write This Way: MLA
Date: Wednesday, September 4, 2024
Time: 12pm – 1pm 
Location: LIB237, Pecos
Facilitator: Shannon Lujan		 Description: MLA, that often required, seldom understood documentation style that keeps you up at night. Sleep soundly from now on! This workshop will guide you through proper MLA formatting and documentation to ensure your essay is presented how it should be.

Write This Way: APA
Date: Monday, September 9, 2024 
Time: 12pm – 1pm 
Location: BRID114, Williams Campus
Facilitator: Ashley Coogan		 Description: APA formatting and documentation can appear overwhelming if you haven’t used it before, whether you’re writing a lab report, psychological case study, or English research paper. No need to fear: the Writing Center’s got your back! This workshop will provide you with the basics for APA formatting and documentation requirements.

Applying and Writing for Scholarships
Date: Friday, September 27, 2024
Time: 11:00am – 12:00pm
Location: LIB237, Pecos
Facilitator: Maria Rodriguez		 Description: Come and learn about valuable strategies for writing your college scholarship essays. If you are planning on applying for a scholarship, this is an event you won’t want to miss!

Write This Way: APA
Date: Wednesday, October 2, 2024
Time: 9:00am – 10:00am 
Location: BRID114, Williams Campus
Facilitator: Shannon Lujan		 Description: APA formatting and documentation can appear overwhelming if you haven’t used it before, whether you’re writing a lab report, psychological case study, or English research paper. No need to fear: the Writing Center’s got your back! This workshop will provide you with the basics for APA formatting and documentation requirements.

Revision Strategies: Writing with Purpose
Date: Wednesday, October 23, 2024
Time: 10:30am – 11:30am 
Location: BRID114, Williams Campus
Facilitator: Brenna Ritzert		 Description: Have you been asked to revise your essay, but you’re just not sure where to start? In this interactive workshop, we’ll address how to revise your essay by understanding the purpose or goal of the assignment. You’ll learn strategies that help you recognize when and where to include necessary details, explanations, and sources.

In Your Own Words: Citing and Integrating Sources
Date: Friday, October 25, 2024 
Time: 2:15pm – 3:15pm
Location: LIB237, Pecos Campus
Facilitator: Shannon Lujan		 Description: What does it mean to integrate your sources and why is that important? In this workshop you’ll learn how to and the value of using supporting resources to strengthen your ideas. We’ll review how to paraphrase, summarize, and quote by introducing, citing, and explaining the source information.

MLA Workshop Series

The MLA Workshop Series consists of three videos referencing the eighth edition of the MLA Handbook. View these videos to learn more about MLA formatting and download resources and activities to help you practice what you’ve learned. Be sure to double-check with your instructor to verify that you are using the appropriate edition of the MLA Handbook for your assignment citations.

If your instructor is providing credit for completing these online workshops, bring the completed MLA Workshop Packet to the Writing Center (LIB230) to have a tutor discuss your work with you and provide a stamp of completion. You will need to watch all three videos and complete the three activities (MLA Format, In-Text Citation, and Works Cited Page), to receive full credit for the MLA Workshop.

1 - Format a Document in MLA Style with Microsoft Word 

After watching this video, you will be able to

  • Format any document perfectly in MLA style with Microsoft Word (desktop)
  • Formatting a document with Microsoft Word 365 (online version) varies slightly.
    * Since this video was posted, the online version of Microsoft Word has changed and some things may function differently than in the video. For more assistance with formatting, ask a writing tutor or go to the Computer Lab. We are working on creating a new tutorial.

Resources

2- In-Text Citations

After watching this video, you will be able to

  • Format a parenthetical citation using MLA style.
  • Give credit to sources used in your text.
  • Properly cite different types of sources or sources that might be lacking information.
  • Use a model to check your work.

Resources

3- Works Cited

After watching this video, you will be able to

  • Properly format a Works Cited page in MLA style.
  • Format a Works Cited entry based on the type of source you are using.
  • Use a model to check your work.

Resources