Writing Workshop

Located in 174 Rockefeller Hall, the Writing Workshop is the Knight Institute's home for writing support and services. Our team of writing specialists provides diverse types of writing support for students and faculty, including writing assessment, coursework, and tutoring.

The Writing Workshop offers two alternate route First-Year Writing Seminars:

• WRIT 1370 (Fall) and WRIT 1380 (Spring): "Elements of Academic Writing"
• WRIT 1340: “Introduction to Writing in the University,” (Pre-Collegiate Summer Scholars Program only).

These First-Year Writing Seminars are designed for students who may not have had robust formal writing instruction in high school, are less familiar with academic writing, have difficulty completing writing assignments, or feel a general lack of confidence about their writing.

Some sections of these First-Year Writing Seminars are designed for international students and multilingual writers and include special instruction on developing fluency in academic English and navigating new cultures of writing. 

Learn more about WRIT 1370/80 "Elements of Academic Writing"

The Writing Workshop provides multiple opportunities for students to work one-on-one with writing specialists. Most students schedule 60-minute appointments with the undergraduate and graduate writing tutors who staff the Cornell Writing Centers. A free service to all Cornell writers, the CWC is open 5 days a week and offers afternoon and evening hours in 5 campus locations.

Some students seek more  consistent support, and depending on level of need and depth of commitment, students may be selected to participate in the KNIGHT WRITERS Mentor Program to work with peer writing tutors or Faculty Writing Consultants in weekly tutorials, or to enroll in WRIT 1390: “Special Topics in Writing,” a credit-bearing course for students who need ongoing support to build writing skills or to develop substantial writing projects. 

Graduate and professional students, postdocs, and faculty can schedule occasional or regular appointments with writing tutors at the Graduate Writing Service, and international and multilingual graduate students and postdocs can also find coursework and tutorial support at the English Language Support Office.

Some students have questions about which First-Year Writing Seminar may be most appropriate for their learning styles and previous experience with academic writing. Our team of writing specialists are available to answer questions and offer advice.

How to participate

Students can participate in our FWS Writing Consultation online or in-person:

ONLINE

Enroll in the FWS Writing Consultation Canvas site and submit an essay: 

• a writing sample from a previous FWS or college-level writing course (through the first week of classes); 
• a short essay in response to one of our writing prompts (up to the first day of class); 
• the first essay in you current FWS (through Open Enrollment Add Period).

For more information about the FWS Writing Consultation process, students can attend INFORMATION SESSIONS during the Summer Scholars Institute, the PREPARE Program for International Students, and Cornell's New Student Orientation. They can also consult directly with Writing Workshop Director Tracy Hamler Carrick:

• email Dr. Carrick and/or
• schedule a 15-minute appointment with a Knight Writing Specialist

Occasionally, FWS Instructors recommend that students seek a FWS Writing Consultation. The FWS Essay Referral takes place during the first several weeks of the fall and spring semesters. If appropriate, the Writing Workshop Director can help students transfer to other courses or arrange for tutoring support.

Writers who need special consideration because of a disability or learning difference, a language barrier, a cultural misunderstanding, or are simply having trouble understanding and/or navigating their college writing requirements or Knight Institute coursework and supplemental writing support should communicate with us as soon as possible. 

We are grateful to all of the writers who have helped us see how our outreach and communication efforts can better resonate with individual needs or learning styles. Their experiences and the solutions we have designed together have invariably made the Knight Institute stronger and more accessible for all students. 

If you know of anything that will influence your participation in our courses or programming, please  contact Writing Workshop Director, Dr. Tracy Carrick so that we can carefully consider your situation and work toward better outcomes.