The ability to speak and write in a clear, organized and effective way is essential not only in school, but more importantly, in the real world. The Writing Assistance Center was established to help all NOVA students strengthen their writing abilities. The central focus of the center's services for students is peer review, provided through the writing conference program.

The Writing Conference

All writers benefit from sharing their work with a reader. During a writing conference, a Peer Writing Consultant will read your draft with an objective eye; give you feedback on its strengths and weaknesses; and help you revise the areas that need rewriting. Your Peer Writing Consultant will examine the structural features of your draft thesis, organization and the development of your argument. Your Peer Writing Consultant will also identify errors in grammar, mechanics and style and work with you to revise these errors.

You are an active partner in the discussion; at no time will the Peer Writing Consultant take over authorship of your writing.

When to Have a Conference

You are welcome to come in for a conference with any type of writing at any point in the process, from thinking about the topic to polishing a final draft. You may choose to meet with a tutor to:

• clarify your ideas, develop a thesis, organize your argument, strengthen specific paragraphs or sentences
• revise a paper after grading

WAC Staff

The center is staffed by an English professor and Peer Writing Consultants who are selected after 16 hours of training. Click here to see their profiles.

For more information about the Writing Assistance Center at NOVA's Alexandria Campus, contact:

Robert Gehl
Writing Center Coordinator
Phone: 703.845.6054
Email: rgehl@nvcc.edu