Laurier Writing Services
75 University Ave. West Waterloo, ON, Canada

One of the hardest lessons a lot of students have to learn is that assignments aren't always going to be perfect by the time you hand them in. A lot of the time, even for the strongest students, this can come down to a simple concept: you don't know what you don't know. As you do more assignments and you develop your writing style within your discipline, your writing will grow stronger. They say that practice makes perfect, but you have to let yourself make mistakes along th...e way! Learning about what you don't know doesn't have to be and shouldn't be an isolating experience. Whether you're joining us for an appointment to go over a draft of your paper or you're popping into a workshop to master an important topic, reaching out for a helping hand can help you to learn academic writing concepts in a no-pressure environment. Remember, we're happy to help you improve on assignments that are already marked, as well! We can help you interpret and revise if you're getting comments like "so what," "awkward sentence," or "what's your argument."

Meet Victoria (in her natural habitat)! This is her first year with Writing Services and her fourth year at Laurier. Victoria is majoring in Communication Studies and North American Studies with a minor in Political Science. She is also an IA for PO101 and 102! Aside from school-related activities, Victoria enjoys knitting and crocheting, checking out local bakeries, taking care of her plants, and trying new slow-cooker recipes. When she isn’t doing any of those things, she’s usually curled up on the couch flipping through a cookbook.

Do you have an in-class or exam essay coming up? We are running a workshop on strategies for success when you are writing under tight timeframes! Sign up below for the session on November 25 at 3:00pm or the session on December 3 at 7:00pm. https://web.wlu.ca/studentsuccess/portal/index.php

Doing your best does not mean pushing yourself beyond your limits to succeed at your assignments. We hope that you are taking time to eat, sleep, care of your mind and body, and reach out to the supports you need. What self-care activities are you doing this weekend?

Though our appointments are booked for the rest of the week, you can join us for drop-in Thursday from 12:004:00! To access drop-in, follow the link below and log in using the same information you use to log into MyLearningSpace. Scroll down to "Waterloo Writing ONLINE Drop-In" and the Zoom link will be in the description! Also keep your eyes open for cancellations. We'll post any available appointments on our Instagram stories and Twitter feed every morning! ... https://web.wlu.ca/studentsuccess/portal/index.php

First drafts don't have to be good, they just have to be written! You can't get any better if you don't have the opportunity to learn from the mistakes you're bound to make. Need help getting started? Sign up for a workshop or a one-on-one appointment: https://web.wlu.ca/studentsuccess/portal/index.php

The differences between affect and effect are something that can stump even experienced writers! There are a few easy ways to remember which word you should use. To start, think about the acronym RAVEN: Remember, Affect is a Verb and Effect is a Noun! What does that actually mean? Well, an affect is something that is happening, while effect is the result of a change. Effect, as a noun, will also usually have an article in front of it: the, a, an, this, etc. Another way to re...member the difference is to look at the first letter of each word. Affect starts with an A, so it refers to an Action. Effect starts with an E, so it refers to the End result. For example... - Studying abroad had a positive effect on my confidence. - Higher fares will affect the subway's ridership. - This change will specifically affect students in Waterloo. - Changing the methodology had an adverse effect on the results. There are also some key exceptions to this rule. If you're in the humanities, you might be studying affect theory. This is related to emotion, and in the case of the theory, affect is a noun. Effect can also be used as a verb on rare occasions, usually related to a new policy. The easy way to remember the difference here is that effect as a verb means "to create" and affect as a verb means "to change." So, the government effects a new law, and that law affects the way you drive your car.

These next few weeks are the busiest of the semester for our peer tutors. If you're looking to book an appointment, it is best to try to do so at least a week or two in advance! We currently have only one appointment available this week: Monday at 5:00pm. Keep your eyes open for cancellations, as we'll post available appointments on our Twitter feed and Instagram stories! You can book an appointment, sign up for a workshop, or find the link for Drop-In Thursday by logging in here: https://web.wlu.ca/studentsuccess/portal/index.php

Every reading that we do (yes, even the boring and tedious ones!) teaches us something new. What are you reading for academics or pleasure this weekend?

Bad luck with writer's block? It is Friday the 13th, after all! We have several upcoming workshops that might help to give you some inspiration. In the next few weeks, we're running workshops on thesis statements, argumentation, and in-class and exam essays for undergraduate students. For graduate students, we're running sessions on writing clearly and concisely and approaching large writing projects! Reserve your spot here: https://web.wlu.ca/studentsuccess/portal/index.php