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Responding to literature

How to write essays for your English literature courses

What does the Writing Centre consultant do?

Lansdowne and Interurban Writing Centres

The Writing Centre is a free resource available to students in every discipline.

Our focus at the Writing Centre will be on the following:

  • Have students met the assignment requirements?

  • Does the thesis statement provide an analysis of the text?

  • Does each argument in support of the thesis (stated in the topic sentence of each paragraph) include analysis?

  • Do students explain the reasons for their choice of evidence and show how it relates to the points that they are making to support their thesis?

  • Do students understand the entire scope of the argument and have they effectively added their voice to the academic discourse (conversation) on the topic?

  • Are the points organized in a logical and effective order?

  • If secondary sources are used in the essay, are they credible? Are they correctly integrated into the essay?

When these criteria are met, the academic writing consultant will

  • point out one or two examples of recurring mechanical errors

  • model examples of correct mechanics

  • recommend that students apply this new knowledge to edit their own work

Examples of mechanical errors include:

  • clarity, word choice, formality, and active voice

  • sentence and paragraph structure

  • punctuation

  • grammar and spelling

  • in-text citation and bibliographical information format

The Writing Centre consultant will not

  • edit or proofread an entire essay for mechanical errors

Writing support:

Interurban Writing Centre

Lansdowne Writing Centre (two consultants)

For face-to-face appointments at Interurban or Lansdowne, book online.

WriteAway is an online writing service open 7 days a week, except holidays. There is a 24-48 hour turnaround time for essays, so leave yourself enough time before your essay is due to receive feedback from your WriteAway tutor. Begin by setting up an account.

Adapted from the Research Essays LibGuide.

Schedule an appointment

Any Camosun student working on an academic writing assignment can use the Writing Centre. Students can schedule appointments up to two weeks in advance.

To make an appointment use our online booking system.

If you have any questions, please call 370-3491 or email writingcentre@camosun.ca

Students may schedule

  • one half hour appointment per week
  • appointments throughout the year, as required

Book an appointment  for any stage of the writing process including 

  • learning the basics of APA, MLA, CMS
  • understanding the assignment
  • brainstorming ideas
  • developing an argument
  • creating an outline
  • writing a strong thesis statement
  • reading scholarly sources
  • introducing, integrating and interpreting evidence in relation to your argument

Adapted from the Research Essays LibGuide.