If you’re an undergraduate student working on your senior-level capstone classes or a graduate student working on your thesis, be sure to stop by the new Writing and Communication Resource Center in VEC-128B.
The center is open Monday-Thursday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; and Friday from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. while classes are in session. Appointments are recommended, but walk-ins are available. Visit the WCRC website to book an appointment with a graduate assistant.
“Engineering is not just about developing technical skills,” said Maryam Qudrat, program director of the center, which opened last semester. “Engineers must also learn how to clearly express complex technical ideas in order to excel in both their academic and professional careers.”
The center’s graduate assistants are available to help all engineering students with writing assignments, oral presentations, and theses. The center also offers workshops throughout the Fall and Spring semesters to help students improve their writing process and oral presentation capabilities, and hone their thesis writing and formatting skills. Tutoring and individual thesis sessions are also available.
Each semester, the center staff will also hold a thesis colloquia to provide students with the opportunities to present topics, research, and methods, and receive feedback from peers and professors.
Last semester, center staff worked with students and instructors of three engineering classes. The writing assignments and oral presentations were worth one-quarter of students’ grades.
“We’ve had very positive feedback,” said Qudrat. “Now they’re getting the support.”
The center focuses not just on writing but oral communication too. “It’s a full dyad. We want them to gain precision in the entire process,” she said.
To find out more about the center and view writing and communication resources, visit the WCRC website.