In this section:
The Center for Academic Reading
Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC)
What is WR or “Writing Intensive”? “WR” is a designation for a Writing Intensive course, which uses both formal and informal writing to teach the course content. Writing Intensive courses are marked on the Master Schedule and on student transcripts as WR.
Formal writing is writing for a reader; therefore, formal writing needs to be organized and edited. Additionally, it has to meet the minimum proficiency standards as defined by the discipline. Many kinds of writing satisfy the formal writing assignments. These may include short research papers, essays, reviews, letters, memos, evaluation reports, critiques, case studies, lab reports, annotated bibliographies, discipline-specific writing, and exam writing.
Informal writing is writing largely for oneself, and it need not be graded. Informal writing helps students to “think on paper”; it helps students to learn. This type of writing can take the form of a variety of short activities such as recalling on paper the subject of a previous class, clarifying an important idea, brainstorming, speculating, journal writing, listing, and so on. If needed, informal writing can be reworked into formal writing, organized, and edited for the reader.
What is the WR Option? The Writing Intensive (WR) Option is a unique educational opportunity. The WR designation is earned when a student completes 30 credit hours of Writing Intensive coursework with a B average. The student’s transcript will then be marked as “Writing Intensive.” A student who completes the WR Option and earns an associate’s degree will receive a seal to be affixed to his or her diploma. Such a designation will enhance the student’s MCC degree and increase his or her options for both transfer and employment.
Mary Jo Witz, Biology Faculty and Interim Dean of Curriculum
The Writing Center’s purpose is to guide students through the writing process and to provide support for faculty who assign written work. Tutoring sessions are interactive discussions that encourage students to make informed decisions about their writing.
The outcome of tutoring should be that the writer, not necessarily a specific piece of writing, will be changed. Tutors will not write, rewrite, or line-edit any portion of a student’s paper. Rather, they will assist with the writing process: prewriting, drafting, researching, revising, and editing. Most importantly, the Center aims to build students’ confidence and improve writing skills. Your writing is yours, and the Center wants to guide you through any stage of the writing process.
In the Writing Center, professional tutors work alongside students to help:
- Organize and develop ideas
- Develop styles
- Address grammatical errors/concerns
- Work on research strategies and documentation
- Work on editing and proofreading strategies
Professional tutors will not:
- Write or “fix” a paper for a student
- Proofread a student’s paper (though they will work with students on their proofreading and editing skills)
- Evaluate an instructor’s teaching style, written assignment, or grade given to a written work submitted by a student
- Predict what grade a written assignment will receive or guarantee that an assignment will receive a good grade
When you visit the Writing Center, expect to have a conversation in which you ask and answer questions about writing.
The Brighton Campus Writing Center is located in Building 11, Room 208. The Damon City Campus Writing Center is located on Floor 4, Room 4258 (the Integrated Learning Center). For more information, visit the Writing Center Web site at monroecc.edu/depts/writing.
Jean McDonough, Academic Support Services
The Center for Academic Reading
Stop by and check out the Center for Academic Reading (CAR) located on the Brighton Campus, Building 9, Room 231. The mission of the CAR is to support reading across the college by helping students:
- Strengthen analytical and critical reading skills
- Develop discipline-specific literacy necessary for success
- Apply reading and thinking skills to all courses
- Become self-reliant, independent learners
- Develop confidence in their abilities and a positive attitude toward learning
The CAR is open to support reading across the college and provides:
- Free individual and small group tutoring
- Access to computers and printers for course assignments
- Resources that support integrated reading and writing courses
- A productive environment in which students can work on reading-related assignments from all disciplines
Renee Dimino, Meghan Glaser, Judi Salsburg, and Terry Shamblin, TRS/ESOL faculty
The MCC English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Program serves more than 250 diverse student learners from all over the world. Most are immigrants or refugees from countries such as Afghanistan, Burma, China, Congo, Cuba, Dominican Republic, India, Iraq, Nepal, Somalia, Sudan, Turkey, Ukraine, Vietnam, and various West African countries. Sometimes as many as fifteen different ethnicities and languages are represented in one class.
Students are diverse in every other way as well: age, educational background, and educational goals. Some students come directly from high school; others have been in ESOL programs in the community; some have studied a lot of English in their home countries. There are students who have had professions in their countries and wish to update their skills or change careers. Younger students may be searching for the career that fits their personalities and values. Others participate in the program just to enhance their English skills. Whatever the goal, all students want to improve their English skills and continue on their chosen path as quickly as possible.
Free ESOL tutoring is available in the Academic Foundations Learning Center at Brighton and the Integrated Learning Center at Damon:
- On the Brighton Campus, the Academic Foundations Learning Center is located in 11-211. To schedule an appointment, drop by or phone (585) 292-3396. If you have any questions, please ask to speak with Martha Macdonald.
- On the Damon Campus, the Integrated Learning Center is located on the Fourth Floor in Room 262. To schedule an appointment, drop by or phone (585) 262-1556. If you have any questions, please ask to speak with Sandy Chamberlain.
Many MCC classes require the use of the internet and/or Microsoft Word for homework assignments. The Electronic Learning Centers at Brighton and Damon provide individual work stations with internet access, MS Word, and the ability to print for students without access to a home computer.
For more information about the MCC ESOL program, please visit our website at www.monroecc.edu/depts/esl.
Katie Leite, ESOL Program Coordinator
The MCC Libraries play an integral role in your writing, reading, and research by connecting you with a wide range of high-quality resources, services, and spaces on both campuses and via the Library website. Our knowledgeable and welcoming librarians and staff are here to help you get the most from your MCC experience by encouraging your pursuit of intellectual discovery. Our goal is to ensure that you are able to identify, locate, evaluate, and effectively use information in your academic, professional, and personal lives.
Librarians will assist you with your research by providing:
- Drop-in help (also available via e-mail or phone)
- More in-depth one-on-one research coaching (by appointment)
- Online research guides and video tutorials
- Classes that focus on honing your research skills and enhancing your understanding of the information universe
In addition, you can access research assistance via online chat on the Libraries’ website 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
As an MCC student, you have access to a vast selection of scholarly resources via the Libraries, including:
- Over 100 library databases that contain articles from scholarly journals, professional journals, magazines, and newspapers, as well as statistics, reports, encyclopedias, images, career information, and more
- Textbooks for in-library use
- Other books and e-books
- Streaming online video and DVDs
Our inter-library loan system offers you quick and easy access to articles and books from other libraries as well.
We encourage you to take advantage of the Libraries’ spaces and equipment devoted to supporting your scholarly endeavors. These include:
- Study rooms for individual or group work
- Lots of other areas for both quiet and collaborative work
- A Veterans’ Resource Center (Brighton campus)
- Desktop computers, laptops, printers, scanners, copiers, iPads, calculators, and more
Our librarians are happy to help you at any stage of the research process, whether you are just getting started or find yourself stuck somewhere along the way. Please do not hesitate to ask us for assistance; our goal is to ensure that you succeed and thrive at MCC.
The LeRoy V. Good Library is on floors 2, 3, and 4 of Building 2 on the Brighton campus. The Damon City Campus Learning Commons is on the 4th floor of the DCC campus. For more information, visit the MCC Libraries’ website at www.monroecc.edu/go/library.
Andrea Kingston and Alice Wilson, Library Services
