About the Referral System 

We partner with faculty to help students understand that even the most confident and skilled writers sometimes need feedback from a trained reader. Faculty can use our referral form to encourage students to visit the Writing Center. The referral system is a catalyst for engaging in quality conversations about the writing process.  It is not punitive; instead, it is meant to motivate student writers to recognize areas of concern and develop strategies to address those issues.

How It Works 

If you believe that a student would benefit from targeted assistance on a writing assignment, please complete a referral and present it to the student in hard copy format.  Encourage the writer to make an appointment to meet with a peer consultant as soon as possible.  Our staff will make a good faith effort to send you post-appointment feedback within 48 hours of the consultation.

What to Know 

Typical consultations last for approximately 60 minutes.  To make the most of their visits, students should come prepared with the referral form, assignment guidelines, work to date, and relevant texts.  While consultants strive to address areas of concern, an appointment is not a "quick-fix,"  and we are not a last-minute proofreading service.  Students who visit multiple times for each assignment will benefit most from the Writing Center.

Should I Encourage My Entire Class To Visit? 

Faculty often encourage their classes to visit the Writing Center, and some even offer extra-credit to students who take the initiative to meet with a peer consultant.  The referral system is not meant to replace those student visits.  Rather, we hope you will see it as a resource to gently nudge the struggling writer to seek much-needed, targeted support.  We strongly encourage you to convey your policy about Writing Center visits to your students at the time an assignment is distributed.

How Will I Know that My Student Has Followed Through? 

If you use the referral system, we will make every effort to email you within 48 hours of a student's appointment.  If you have questions about other students in your class who may have self-initiated a visit, please contact our director, Dr. Lorelei Wagner: 518-782-6510 / lwagner@siena.edu