Frequently Asked Questions

Who can come to Writing and Communication Services?
If you are a member of the UofM campus community (student, staff, faculty), you can use Writing and Communication Services.

Will my professor or instructor know that I visited Writing and Communication Services?
You have the option of having an email that includes a summary of the topics we covered during your appointment sent to your professor or instructor to confirm that you visited Writing and Communication Services.

Is there a cap on many times can I visit Writing and Communication Services?
There is no official limit or "cap" on how many times you can visit during a semester. We do, however, ask that you only request two in-person appointments per week. You may request additional appointments online through our virtual learning platform.

Do I need to have an appointment to use Writing and Communication Services?
Students are strongly encouraged to schedule an appointment, but walk-in sessions may be available when Writing and Communication Services is open.

I'm having trouble making an appointment. Who do I contact?
Thank you for asking! Instead of reaching out directly to your consultant, please contact our office. During our in-person hours of operation (M-TR, 9am – 5pm; F, 9am – NOON), you can call us at 901.678.1694 to receive assistance over the phone. At any other time, please email us at casa-writecomm@memphis.edu for virtual assistance.

What if I just want someone to proofread my papers?
The Writing and Communication Services' staff is happy to assist you at any stage of developing your writing and public speaking projects, even if all you want is for us to review a final draft. Keep in mind, though, that our sessions are interactive, which means we won't simply tell you what to "fix" in your drafts. Rather, what we will do is offer feedback and help you develop strategies for improving your own work.

Do I have to have a draft of something in order to visit Writing and Communication Services?
Nope! We can help you from the very beginning of an assignment, whether it’s to better understand the assignment sheet, brainstorm topic ideas, draft an outline, or revise a draft if you’ve already begun your work.

What if I have other things to do during the time I made my appointment?
At Writing and Communication Services, we give clients our complete focus and energy, and we anticipate reciprocal attentiveness. To maximize the time and resources, we ask that clients be actively engaged with their consultants during consultations. This may look like having in-session discussions, note taking, outlining, oral practice of speeches, etc. So that both clients and consultants can remain focused and on-task, please refrain from using your cellphone or engaging in other distracting activities such as doing schoolwork for other classes or job-related tasks.

I'm afraid of public speaking. Can Writing and Communication Services help?
Absolutely. We can help you develop strategies for delivering your speech, and we also have a presentation studio where you can practice and record your practice session on your smartphone.

Can I bring something I'm working on that's not a school assignment?
For sure! If you are writing a statement of purpose for a graduate school application, presenting at a conference, developing a resume, writing a cover letter, drafting a letter to the editor, or working on any other type of composition or presentation, our consultants will be happy to offer you feedback.

How can I become a Writing and Communication Services consultant?
If you are interested in becoming a WCS consultant, please send Dr. Meredith Boulden a copy of your current resume or CV, a letter of interest explaining why you would like to work for the WCS, and a 300-500 word teaching or tutoring philosophy that details your approach to working with students. Applications from all students from any major will be considered, though preference will be given to upper classmen and graduate students from the Departments of Communication and English. Teaching and/or tutoring experience is a bonus, but not required.

My question isn't here!
Don't worry! Send us an email at casa-writecomm@memphis.edu.