Writing Fellows

The Writing Fellows program is designed to assist students from all disciplines improve their writing. We focus on the writing process instead of your writing product, and we emphasize higher-order concerns, such as organization, use of evidence to substantiate arguments, and clarity of ideas.

• If a Writing Fellow is paired with your class, your instructor will inform you early in the semester, and the Fellow will visit to discuss your class's arrangement
• If you are taking a class with a Writing Fellow and the instructor has opted for a round of peer tutor feedback, you will submit a draft of your paper to a specified dropbox. The Fellow will read and make comments on your work and send the suggestions/notes back to you. Then, you can schedule a conference (usually one-on-one or in a small group) to discuss any questions or comments on the feedback provided. Through this cycle, we provide guidance during students' revising and editing, two integral aspects of the writing process.
• In some cases, Writing Fellows work as interpretive consultants helping students to comprehend and unpack instructors' feedback on their writing, such as between rounds of drafting - a valuable form of insight during revisions.

Want to get involved? Great! Please email Dr. Shimkus at jim.shimkus@ung.edu using your UNG email address. He can answer any questions and tell you when the online application will reopen each semester. If you’d like to speak with another Fellow before reaching out to the director, email the Lead Writing Fellow, Shea Barfield, at hjbarf7412@ung.edu. She’d be happy to meet up for coffee or tea and chat with you about the possibilities!

The Writing Fellows Program aids all students by providing a second opinion on a paper’s organization, flow, originality, and engagement. Even the most seasoned writers benefit from this specialized support and assistance.

Of course! The Writing Fellows Program is actually designed to be a tool and guide for students across all disciplines. We welcome all students to apply, regardless of major.

Although the writing center and the Writing Fellows Program both aid in the writing process, these organizations are different. The writing center accepts appointments for writing conferences and we, as Writing Fellows, stick around with your class throughout the semester, helping you and your classmates through the writing process. We are tutors embedded in your class just for you!

Once you submit your rough draft to the Writing Fellows, you will receive an email prompting you to schedule a date and time to conference with your Fellow.

You can contact your instructor (at least one month before classes begin) to suggest the possibility of requesting a Writing Fellow in the class. See sample request letter in the following entry.

Yes! There's no shame in it as we all want to become better writers. Fill out the _____ form to help you out.

Students can recommend utilizing the Writing Fellows Program by talking to their professor or sending an email.

Here is an example of an email you might send:

• Hi Professor/Dr. [Name],
  I look forward to taking your class in Fall 2020. A friend of mine mentioned that her class really benefited from the partnership between their instructor and the Writing Fellows Program. If this sounds like something you might consider, I would love the opportunity to work with a Writing Fellow on any writing we do for for this course. The Writing Fellows Program website has more information. If you decide to request a Fellow or have other questions, their director Dr. Jim.Shimkus@ung.edu can tell you more via email.
  
  Best wishes,
  Student

All writers benefit from a second set of eyes reading their work. The Writing Fellows Program allows you to engage in the writing process and think deeply about your paper’s organization and on other higher-level concerns.

You sure would! But the pay is more like a stipend, not an hourly rate. The director can clarify payment details with you during the interview stage. Payment depends on the project and and course-pairing assignments over the semester.

Come on over! All new Fellows are taught to tutor effectively based on pedagogical research. You'll explore english writing scholarship, teaching, and tutoring methods.

Thank goodness for technology, right? Although we highly recommend in-person conferences, we understand that scheduling can be difficult. We offer 15-minute Skype conferences for students whose circumstances prevent an in-person meeting.