Writing Workshop

About the 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.

FWS - WRIT 1370/80 & WRIT 1340

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

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"

Tutoring Programs

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 Writers

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.

FWS Writing Consultation

Because Cornell’s writing seminars may expect a greater range of writing abilities than many students have exposure to in high school, the Writing Workshop provides an opportunity for students to discover how well current writing skills fit into what Cornell expects.

During the FWS Writing Consultation, students submit short writing samples and meet with writing specialists for advice on which First-Year Writing Seminars are most appropriate for their learning styles and previous experience with academic writing.

How to participate

Students can participate in the FWS Writing Consultation in one of three ways:

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:

FWS Instructor Referral

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.

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