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High Point University > School of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences > English > Writing Center

Writing Center
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The Writing Center provides writing assistance for any writer (student, faculty, or staff) at any stage in the writing process, from invention through revision.  This summer, the Writing Center is offering both online and face-to-face appointments. Please see our appointment schedule below for exact hours and locations. 

Writing Center consultants do not proofread or edit papers for writers, but they do work with writers to help them develop strategies for improving their writing considering their respective assignments, expectations, and writing styles. 

Bookmarks Take 2

The Writing Center will reopen August 29th. See you then!

To make an appointment, 

  • Go to https://highpoint.mywconline.com.
  • Create an account or log into your existing account.
  • Follow the prompts to select a location and time for your appointment.

Appointments must be made online. 

For more information,

Contact the Writing Center directly at writingcenter@highpoint.edu.

The Writing Center is directed by Dr. Justin Cook (jcook3@highpoint.edu).

Follow us on Instagram: @hpuwritingcenter

How Can We Help You?
  • We help you brainstorm, draft, and revise your writing.
  • We work with you in these processes.
  • We help with more than just grammar. We also help with higher-order concerns like organization, development, focus, rhetorical appropriateness, etc.
  • We help you see patterns of error so you can identify them yourself in future projects.
  • We provide resources for further writing development.
  • We have fun with writing and encourage you to do the same!
  • We do not accept drop-off papers.
  • We do not revise/edit/proofread or write your paper for you. We work with you and show you how to do it.
  • We cannot read your paper before the appointment as we have other appointments to help.
  • We do not just focus on your grammar and style. Although that is something we will help with, it is only one small piece of the writing process.
  • We do not promise you a better grade because you came to us. We help you build the skills to be more successful.
  • Make your appointment at least a few days before the project is due.
  • Arrive a few minutes early for your appointment so it can begin on time.
  • Bring a copy of the project/assignment description and a rubric/expectations if available.
  • Identify a few important focused objectives you would like to work on during your appointment.
  • If you need a report about your session sent to an instructor, let the writing consultant know at the start of your appointment.
Hear what others have to say:
I liked how she was willing to do anything to help me. She made herself familiar with my particular assignment, showed me awesome resources and helped me create an outline for my paper!
He offered great feedback and suggestions to help improve my current essay and future writing.
I like the flexibility and the engagement.
She helped me realize what I wanted to write about by talking it through with me. She also pointed out things that I have never been aware of in my papers. My knowledge of writing has grown so much ever since I started meeting with her.

General Writing Help 

  • Grammarly 
    • A live writing plugin for Microsoft Word, Google Chrome (which also services Google Docs), mobile phones, or iPads. While it is not always correct, it is a great way to get started on the path of improving your writing! 
  • Kahoot Playlists on Writing and Grammar 
    • Playlists of low-stakes quizzes for sharpening your grammar and writing skills. 
  • Khan Academy Grammar Module 
    • A video and quiz module with a point system on common grammar issues.  
  • Tips & Tools from the Writing Center at UNC Chapel Hill 
    • An expansive collection of pages on writing best practices. 
  • Podcasts about English Grammar 
    • A list of podcasts that address English Grammar. Listen at your own discretion. 
Keep Reading

Its vs. It’s  

  • Its = belonging to it  
  • It’s = contraction of “it is”  

To vs. Too vs. Two  

  • To = direction  
  • Too = also  
  • Two = number  

Your vs. You’re  

  • Your = belonging to you  
  • You’re = contraction of “you are”   

There vs. Their vs They’re  

  • There = a place  
  • Their = belonging to them  
  • They’re = contraction of “they are” 

Affect vs. Effect

  • Affect = verb meaning “to change”
  • Effect = noun meaning “result”

Led vs. Lead

  • Led = past tense of lead
  • Lead = type of metal or “to direct”

Accept vs. Except

  • Accept = verb meaning “to agree”
  • Except = preposition or conjunction meaning “to exclude”

Fewer vs. Less

  • Fewer = use with countable nouns like “gallons of water”
  • Less = use with uncountable nouns like “water”
  • “Be” verbs = am, is, are, was, were,   
  • “Be” verbs make your writing sound weak because they do not show action. This is called using passive voice.  
  • Use the find function to find all instances of “there is” or “there are” or “it is” and reword the sentence to remove them.
  • Try to stay away from verbs that end in –ing as much as you can because they need “be” verbs to accompany them.   
    • Example:   
      • Be Verb: It was raining sideways.   
      • Non-Be Verb: It rained sideways.  
  • Try to stay away from relative pronouns such as “who,” “which,” and “that” because they often need “be” verbs to accompany them as well.  
    • Example:  
      • Be Verb with Relative Pronoun: I was speaking with a graduate who was from HPU.  
      • Non-Be Verb without RP: I spoke with an HPU graduate. 
Keep Reading
  • Place a comma after an introductory clause.  
    • Example: By arguing that pineapple belongs on pizza, Jane Smith made a lot of people angry.  
  • Place a comma around extra information. 
    • Example: The author, widely considered to be an expert, argues that pineapple belongs on pizza. 
  • Place a comma before “but” if it is connecting two independent clauses.  
    • Example: Jane is a great writer, but I am doubting her judgment.   
  • Place a comma before “and” in lists of more than three.  
    • Example: Pineapple on pizza disgusts me, my family, and my friends.   
    • Incorrect Example: Pineapple on pizza disgusts me, and my family.  
  • Place a comma before quotes.  
    • Example: Jane Smith argues, “Pineapple belongs on pizza” (22).  
  • Place a comma when using a date. 
    • Example: Jane Smith was born on January 16, 1990. 

  

*For more comma rules, check out the Grammarly Blog. 

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Citations and Citing Help

*Remember: If you get a source from the HPU Library Database, it will create the citation for you. 

In-Text Citations 

  • Always check the rules for your specific citation style first. You can find that information at the links above. 
  • When you use a parenthetical citation (the number, year, or title in parentheses at the end of the quote), the period ALWAYS goes at the end of the sentence. Also, there is almost always an introductory clause followed by a comma.   
    • Example: Jane Smith argues, “The HPU Writing Center is awesome” (22).   
  • The only exceptions to these rules are: 
    • When you don’t have a citation as in the case of titles with quotation marks or common sayings. 
      • Example: The article was titled “Why I Love the HPU Writing Center.” 
      • Example: Some people say “live and let live.” 
    • When you are using a blockquote. Check your specific citation style (links above) for more information on how to format those.
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