Writing Center Staff - St. Norbert College

Writing Center Staff

		Ryan Cordell Assistant Professor of English Director of the Writing Center Location: James B. and Miriam J. Mulva Library Room: 303 Phone: (920) 403-3754 Fax: (920) 403-4076 ryan.cordell@snc.edu Advice for Writers: Teachers can tell when you're engaged with a genuine question in a paper, and when you're going through the motions, or writing what you think we want to hear. When you're approaching a writing assignment, find a text, approach, or angle that actually interests you. You'll enjoy writing the paper more, and your teacher will enjoy reading it more. How do you get started on a writing assignment? Don't get hung up just because you're writing. You communicate all the time with your friends, teachers, and family. If you're having trouble putting your ideas down on paper, talk them out—with a friend if possible, or into a voice memo app on your computer or phone. Then, transcribe what you said in order to start your paper. You can clear up informal language and the like as you revise.				Caitlyn Dacyzk Senior; Consultant since Fall 2011 Major: English; Psychology Advice for Writers: You're never done editing your paper. You could have hundreds of drafts, but your paper will never be perfect. So do not assume the first draft of your paper will be the only one you need. Let your first draft be messy and unorganized-- just get all of your thoughts on paper. How do you get started on a writing assignment? Organize your ideas and the paper will come together. Obviously, you should not procrastinate; otherwise, you will only have time for that first draft. Moral of the story: Never turn in a first draft of a paper to your professor.

		Maria Dzurik Junior; Consultant since Fall 2010 Major: Biology Advice for Writers: Don't put writing off until the last minute. How do you get started on a writing assignment? I always start out with a detailed plan, where I write my thesis and find all my evidence. Once my plan is finished, I use that as a guide to write my paper.				Kylie Enright Senior; Consultant since Fall 2010 Major: English Education Advice for Writers: Try to write about something you’re interested in. When you’re excited about your topic, your readers can tell. How do you get started on a writing assignment? First, I read through the assignment. While that may sound like a no-brainer, it’s kind of an important step. You have to know the purpose of your assignment before you start writing, right? Then I start writing down any (relevant) ideas that pop into my mind. I just let the words flow. I think it’s easier to write when I’ve got momentum. I need to save a lot of time to revise later, though.

		Kari Fritsch Junior; Consultant since Fall 2010 Major: English; Theater Design Studying Abroad Spring 2012 Advice for Writers: Start working on your paper early and read it out loud. You'll be able to see any interruptions in flow in your paper much more easily. How do you get started on a writing assignment? I work on my thesis until I am confident in it before gatherin research and outlining. Sometimes, I need to edit my thesis due to my research.				Rachel Gintner Sophomore; Consultant since Fall 2011 Major: English Minor: Religious Studies Advice for Writers: eliminate all 'is's and 'are's; instead of blanket statements, focus on making the verb more descriptive of the message you are sending. How do you get started on a writing assignment? I mostly focus on the opening paragraph by pointing out a controversial topic so that paper is unique.

		Joanna Holzhaeuser Senior; Consultant since Fall 2010 Major: English/Secondary Education Advice for Writers: Don't be afraid to write. Just write. Your paper will reflect your attitude. How do you get started on a writing assignment? I read the assignment. Then I read the assignment. After that, I spend a little time reading through the assignment. I write out the key questions I have to answer from the assignment sheet and make sure I have an answer to all parts before I begin writing. I also have to have a working thesis and an outline before I start putting pen to paper (or fingers to keys). I believe that good writing is 75% thought and planning and 25% actually writing.				Nicole Jagielski Senior; Consultant since Fall 2010 Major: English Minor: Music; Business Administration Advice for Writers: Step away from your paper for a couple days. When you come back to it, you'll have a fresh perspective How do you get started on a writing assignment? I spend a lot of my time developing a thesis statement before I actually start writing. Then I roughly outline the rest of my paper and type away!

		Lindsey Jones Senior; Consultant since Fall 2011 Major: International Studies (Africa) Advice for Writers: Keep it simple. Write what you know. How do you get started on a writing assignment? Write down random thoughts and ideas in no specific order, just whatever pops into your head.				Miles Lamensky Sophomore; Consultant since Fall 2011 Major: Computer Science; Philosophy Advice for Writers: Be confident. There's no need to get discouraged. Writing is a complex subject matter but still remains an art. Express your voice through your words and the paper will have the necessary personal feel. How do you get started on a writing assignment? I try multiple approaches to my first paragraph as it sets the tone for the entire paper. I force myself to sit down with no time limit; the only objective is to finish the first paragraph and the rest will flow.

		Gaia Liang ESL; Consultant since Spring 2011 Major: English as a Second Language Advice for Writers: Writing is not easy, especially in a foreign language. Always be confident and keep trying. How do you get started on a writing assignment? Re-read the assignment sheet. Understanding your instructors' expectations is very important. Pay close attention to the structure of your paper. For many foreign writers, writing with clear framework is much harder than generating ideas.				Kevin McGillivray Senior; Consultant since Fall 2011 Major: Music Libral Arts Minor: Graphic Design Advice for Writers: Make progress, not perfection. It requires work, dedication, and time to take a paper from start to finish, so if at first you don't succeed, don't be surprised! How do you get started on a writing assignment? It varies greatly depending on the type of assignment, but usually I start by formulating a rough thesis statement after making sure I have a basic understanding of the topic. Then I sketch an outline and come up with some ideas for how to introduce the paper.

		Megan Monahan Junior; Consultant since Fall 2010 Major: Political Science; History with an emphasis in Middle Eastern history Advice for Writers: Always make a plan before you begin writing and take periodic breaks to re-read what you've written to make sure it's coherent and flows. How do you get started on a writing assignment? Have a plan and do all research well in advance. Have your notes organized.				Kimberly Niesing Sophomore; Consultant since Fall 2011 Major: English; Secondary Education Minor: Spanish; ESL Advice for Writers: You can't write a good paper if you don't have a good thesis. Your paper should be about your ideas, not a summary of what someone else said. How do you get started on a writing assignment? Come up with a statement or idea that is debatable, and not obvious. Make sure you can support your idea with specific evidence, and then write your conclusion.

		Gretchen Panzer Senior; Consultant since Fall 2009 Major: English; Women and Gender Studies Advice for Writers: Always think about structure. If you keep your outline in mind while you're writing, your paper is less likely to wander away from the thesis and weaken your argument. While freewriting is a great way to generate ideas, formal writing and stream-of-consciousness just don't mix. How do you get started on a writing assignment? When something catches my attention during class or in the assigned reading, I write it down (or highlight it in the book). Later, when it's time to start an assignment, I already have a list of ideas. This helps me choose a topic and saves me from being bored by my own paper.				Monica Platten Junior; Consultant since Fall 2010 Major: English;Spanish Studying Abroad Spring 2012 Advice for Writers: Write what you believe or are passionate about. Don't write something if you don't believe it. Also, don't procrastinate! Start on assignments ASAP. Even if it's just a little bit each day. Really. Procrastination will kill you. How do you get started on a writing assignment? I usually try to think everything through in my head before I start writing. But that never quite works, so after I can gather some thoughts around my main ideas, I write an outline. After my initial outline, my best ideas usually come when I'm laying in bed, or in the shower. So if I get stuck, sometimes I do one of those two things.

		Hannah Schmitt Junior; Consultant since Fall 2010 Major: English/Secondary Education Advice for Writers: Get as much input as you can for your writing but remember that not all advice is good advice. How do you get started on a writing assignment? Re-read the assignment sheet, re-read the work, and start thinking about any parts that either interest or don't fully make sense to you.				Chris Swietlik Senior; Consultant since Fall 2010 Major: English; Communications Advice for Writers: Don't be afraid to think outside the box. Professors respond to topics that they haven't read year after year. How do you get started on a writing assignment? I like to think about what would be the most interesting thing for me to write about. It is always easier to write about something you are passionate about, then something you think will help you meet the page requirement.

		Carrie Trina Sophomore; Consultant since Fall 2011 Major: Biology; Secondary Education Minor: English Advice for Writers: When writing a paper, remember who your audience is and always try to connect with them. This will make your paper more interesting. Writing is just like any other form of communication so let your personality shine through. How do you get started on a writing assignment? When I start a piece of writing, I like to decide on my main point before doing anything else. Then, I outline my paper, including details that support my main point. I use this to guide me as I write.				Sasha Zwiefelholfer Sophomore; Consultant since Fall 2011 Major: International Business Minor: Spanish Advice for Writers: Care about your topic. There's almost always a way that you can put a spin on your topic so that you're writing about something that you're interested in. How do you get started on a writing assignment? Just start writing; you can always go back and fix what you wrote. It's not absolutely necessary to start with your introduction.

		Kellan Zimmer Sophomore; Consultant since Fall 2011 Major: Accounting Advice for Writers: How do you get started on a writing assignment?