Graduate Writing Center

Welcome to the Graduate Student Writing Center!  Our Graduate Student Writing Consultants are Ph.D. students at SMU trained to help you in your academic writing.  Our consultants can help you at any stage of the writing process, from brainstorming to the final draft.  Consultants can offer suggestions on the overall structure of your writing and general approaches to academic writing, in addition to sentence structure and grammar guidance.  We are happy to work with you on all academic writing, including:

  • Coursework or class assignments
  • Conference abstracts or presentations
  • Research papers or journal articles
  • Theses or dissertations

Students can work with the writing consultants by booking one-on-one appointments.  Individual appointments last for 30 minutes.  If you have a large writing assignment, plan on making multiple appointments over several weeks to continue working with the consultant. 

You are encouraged to submit a piece of writing you need help with when you book an appointment. You may also send your piece of writing directly to the consultant by email in advance of your appointment.  Appointments are available by Zoom or in person on the second floor of Moody Hall.

Schedule an In-person Appointment

Schedule a Zoom Appointment

International Graduate Students:  Additional writing support is available through the ESL Program.  You can schedule a one-on-one Zoom appointment with an ESL Writing Consultant.

One-on-one ESL Writing Appointments

Policies

  • This service is open to doctoral and master's students in Dedman College and the Lyle, Meadows, and Simmons Schools. 
  • Students must book appointments at least 12 hours in advance, and are limited to a maximum of two appointments per week. 
  • If you cannot make your appointment, you must cancel at least 24 hours in advance to provide others an opportunity to use the slot.  If you fail to cancel your appointment with 24 hours' notice twice in one semester, you will not be able to book an appointment for the rest of the semester. 
  • The consultants are not here to write for you - be prepared to learn from them and revise based on their guidance.
  • If discussing big-picture issues, a document of 10 - 15 pages in length is appropriate for a 30 minute appointment.  If requesting detailed copyediting assistance, the maximum document length is five pages per appointment.  
  • You have the opportunity to upload a document you'd like to discuss at your appointment.  If possible bring a printed copy to your session as well.  
  • If none of the available appointment times work for you, please feel free to contact the consultants directly.  They may be able to make an appointment with you at a time not currently available in the calendar. 

Meet the Counselors

Phillip Bax

Phillip Bax is a PhD candidate in English Literature at SMU. Long fascinated with the history and philosophy of science, Phillip earned a B.S. in biology and contributed to published developmental biology research before experiencing a last-minute conversion to the humanities during his undergraduate studies. This intellectual background shapes his dissertation project which investigates the colonial and racial logics structuring narratives about science and religion in nineteenth-century American literature. Phillip is eager to support the range of excellent writing projects his fellow students bring to the Graduate Writing Center. 

Office:  Moody Hall 246

Email:  pbax@smu.edu

Christopher Walton

Christopher Walton

Christopher Walton is a PhD candidate in History. His research explores American religious history from the colonial era to the early national period. More particularly, he examines the effects of the Revolutionary war on the religious ideas, experiences, and identities of Congregationalists in the Connecticut River Valley. With degrees in philosophy, American Studies, and History, Christopher enjoys interdisciplinary ideas and conversations. He has written and edited for academic journals and is ready to provide pointers to fellow graduate students for their writing. 

Office:  Moody Hall 247

Email: cwalton@smu.edu