Writing

Welcome to Fall 2022!

Use WC Online to schedule an appointment with a writing tutor or writing counselors.

Log in to WC Online here or Register for an account.

MAX writing support featured in the Mac Weekly

The Mac Weekly recently profiled writing counselor/instructor Jake Mohan, whose efforts to integrate anti-racist pedagogy into the MAX Center’s tutoring practices were recently recognized by the SLAC-WPA Martinson Award for Innovation.

“Unlearning White Supremacy in Writing”

This spring, MAX Center writing tutors wrote and published an open letter in the Mac Weekly about how academic writing can be taught and evaluated in a more equitable and inclusive way.

Research into Writing and Equity

With funding from the Mellon Foundation, Writing Counselor Jake Mohan recently prepared two documents exploring the social, cultural, and racial dimensions of how we teach students to write. These two documents are intended for instructors and tutors who hoping to deepen their understanding of anti-racist and anti-oppressive pedagogy, and make their spaces of learning more inclusive and humane.

“Beyond Just: Toward an Antiracist Writing Pedagogy at Macalester” (Google Doc)

“Working with Multilingual Writers at Macalester College” (Google Doc)

Writing Tutors

Peer writing tutors are available to help with a variety of writing projects, from brainstorming to development to editing. You can bring in any writing project, such as a paper for your first-year course, a project proposal, your capstone, or a personal statement.

Writing tutors are available by appointment or drop-in.

For longer papers and special projects, you may also schedule appointments with our professional writing counselors, Alyssa Adkins (aadkins@macalester.edu) and Jake Mohan (jmohan@macalester.edu), through WC Online or by emailing them directly.

MAX Pairs

MAX Pairs matches students with peer tutors for a weekly session to provide consistent support to writers facing challenges due to a lack of confidence, proficiency, or experience with written academic English. These writers include, but are not limited to, multilingual writers—those who were raised and/or schooled outside of the United States prior to attending Macalester, and those whose home language is not English.

MAX Pairs is intended to increase students’ facility with and confidence in their written academic English skills, and to mentor students as they navigate the traditions and processes of American academic life.

Students interested in MAX Pairs can read more about it in this MAX Pairs Overview (Google Doc). To enroll in MAX Pairs, schedule an appointment on WC Online to discuss MAX Pairs with a tutor or writing counselor.

Works in Progress

Works in Progress is a peer-review program where writing tutors facilitate workshops for specific classes. Students meet in the MAX Center to respond to each other’s writing and develop strategies for revision. Faculty members interested in implementing Works in Progress in their classes should contact Julie Lucking at lucking@macalester.edu.

How Works In Progress Works (Google Doc)

Interested in becoming a writing tutor?

We recruit and hire new writing tutors every spring in late March and early April. If you are interested in working as a writing tutor, please contact Alyssa Adkins or Jake Mohan.

On Writing

MAX Writing Tutor and Media & Cultural Studies Major Alya Ansari ’19 made this short film about the MAX Center and writing at Macalester.