Connecting with Student Writing Support: Benefits for Students, Strategies for Faculty

Students are often eager for feedback on their writing. While faculty comments on assignments are crucial, with limited time, faculty can’t always give as much support as students might like, particularly before assignment deadlines. Students can also find it nerve-wracking to approach faculty for help.

One excellent resource students can turn to for writing feedback is Student Writing Support (SWS) in the Center for Writing. In free 45-minute consultations, SWS consultants engage in individualized, collaborative conversations with UMN student writers about their works in progress and writing goals. As an instructor, you can play a pivotal role in connecting students with SWS. This month, we asked writing consultants to share what they’d like faculty to know about SWS. This post shares their perspectives and recommends ways for instructors to encourage SWS use.

What Is Student Writing Support?

Student Writing Support (SWS) offers collaborative one-to-one writing consultations to help UMN–Twin Cities student writers develop confidence and effective writing strategies. SWS consultants—trained students and professionals hired from across the disciplines—are prepared to support undergraduate and graduate students in any program. Consultations can focus on any type of writing and happen at any stage of the writing process.

Undergraduate consultant Siya described writing consultations as “conversation[s] between a writer and a consultant.” No matter the piece of writing, consultations are “student-driven” and tailored to the writer’s goals and questions, graduate consultant Alison explained. She explained that sessions might include “brainstorming, planning and outlining, reading through drafts or sources, talking about the writing process, writing and revising particular sections, considering how sources support main ideas, analyzing the ultimate audience or purpose of a piece of writing, and so much more.” Students can even sign up for accountabilibuddy sessions, where consultants and writers work on their own projects simultaneously for accountability and support—great for students struggling to get started or make progress on a writing project.

Consultants do not “fix” or rewrite papers for students; rather, they support writers in doing their own thinking and writing. As undergraduate consultant Janeth explained, conversations with consultants “help … writers put into words what they have in mind.” Consultants listen to writers’ goals and concerns, read and respond to their work, pose questions that help them clarify and articulate their ideas, and affirm the experiences and abilities students bring to their writing.

What are the benefits of SWS consultations?

SWS consultations provide individualized, tailored attention to students’ writing. Professional consultant Kimberley said she hopes faculty know,

“We are readers that will give your student undivided attention … We are flexible enough to work with your student in any stage of the writing process. We have a lot of practice reading and responding to writing of all kinds, and we enjoy it!”

Consultants also bring the benefit of an outsider perspective, which can make it easier for students to candidly discuss their writing. “It can be intimidating to show in-progress work to the person giving you a grade, so getting feedback from a peer … can lower the stakes of asking for help,” Alison explained. Students appreciate peer feedback and appreciate the insights they gain from peer readers. In an anonymous satisfaction survey, one student said that through talking to a consultant, “I am learning a lot more about how readers would feel … and how I would like the story as I continue to write it.” Another raved, “It was so good. I did not expect to learn something in such a short time. But I had an amazing experience with my consultant and I will definitely come back again.”

Consultant Siya explained, “The largest benefit I see to students visiting SWS is being able to better understand the paper/project requirements that faculty give.” Carefully studying an assignment with a consultant helps students “identify questions and concerns they have sooner rather than later.” Siya noted consultants can also support writers’ self-assessment by helping them “analyze how their work fits within the rubric provided” and plan revisions.

Alison noted that, in addition to helping students with specific assignments, SWS is uniquely positioned to support students with “larger questions about the writing process that a single course may not be able to address,” like struggling to get started writing or navigate revision. SWS is a resource that students can continue to return to throughout their undergraduate and graduate education.

How can faculty encourage students to use SWS?

While students can seek out SWS independently, faculty recommendations are a powerful motivator for many students to seek out this resource. Consider some or all of these strategies:

Share Information on SWS

Many faculty already include a statement about SWS in their syllabus—an excellent start! But taking just a few minutes to explain the service and encourage students to seek it out, particularly at points in the semester where students might especially benefit from support with their writing, can be even more impactful. You might show the SWS promotional video or invite a consultant to visit your class (for spring 2026, visits will be available starting Feb. 9). Integrating SWS writing resources in your teaching can help familiarize students with SWS.

Faculty can also lower barriers to entry by briefly familiarizing students with the process of connecting with SWS. While some drop-in hours are available, making an appointment is the best way to ensure students are able to meet with an SWS consultant. Students benefit from reminders that:

• SWS is a FREE resource for students.
• Appointments are available in person or on Zoom.
• 20- or 45-minute appointments are available. 45-minute appointments are always recommended for students bringing a draft.
• Appointments are scheduled online at z.umn.edu/sws—click on the maroon “Get a Consultation” button. Students log in with their UMN ID, select a time, and are asked to briefly share their goals for the appointment. 

Frame SWS Use Positively

Some students worry that using SWS means they are “bad writers” or need remedial help, and faculty sometimes unintentionally reinforce this idea by only recommending SWS when providing critical feedback on writing. To dispel this misconception, it’s helpful to proactively recommend SWS to all students, reminding them that all writers benefit from feedback. You might even share an experience where you sought feedback as you developed or revised your writing to help underscore that soliciting feedback is a mark of a successful writer.

Encourage a Strong Writing Process

It’s challenging for students to use SWS if they start assignments the night before they’re due. Encourage students to start early—in fact, “starting early” can include meeting with an SWS consultant to look at the instructions together! Even better, build a writing process into your assignments by sequencing and scaffolding large projects in multiple steps. Throughout the process, remind students that SWS consultants can help them develop and refine their ideas, talk through how they’ll respond to your feedback, and identify next steps in drafting and revision.

Incorporate Opportunities for Metacognition in Your Class

Since sessions are focused around students’ goals and questions, helping students reflect on and assess their own writing prepares them well for effective work with SWS. For example, you might integrate brief in-class writing activities focused on metacognition—‘Where are you in your drafting? What are your next steps?’ ‘What feedback on your writing would be most helpful?’ ‘What aspect of your writing are you most confident in? Least confident in?’ ‘What is feeling challenging in this writing process, and what kinds of support would be helpful?’ These moments of reflection are good writing pedagogy regardless—they keep students engaged in an assignment, spark thoughtful questions and discussions, and reinforce metacognition and reflection as important parts of the writing process. But activities like these also help set the stage for productive SWS consultations, particularly when paired with a reminder that students can bring their reflections and drafts to SWS.

Regardless of the strategies you use, faculty recommendations are a powerful tool to encourage students to take advantage of SWS. Consultant Joe estimated he’d worked with over 20 students this semester who came via faculty recommendation, and “all of them said they wanted to work on something and afterward said they found it useful!”

Special thanks to SWS consultants who shared their perspectives for this post. We encourage you to share your strategies below: how do you encourage students to engage with SWS? When you were an undergraduate or graduate student, did you make use of a writing center? What questions can we answer about SWS?