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9:00 AM - 3:00 PM

WSP Appointment Activities 

Summer 2024 Writing/Reading support Activities

Click on this link to see a list of Writing Support activities.

*This list includes the activity title as they appear in Accudemia, the ARC's scheduling system. 

• Graduate School Application Essay Support @ the University Writing Program (UWP)  Click/Tap for more information.  ( https://uwp.ucr.edu/gradapp ) .
• NOTE: There is a maximum two (2) appointments per week with the ARC Writing and Reading Tutors.

Writing & Reading Support  (WRS)   serves UCR undergraduate students through 1 to 1 consultations and workshops. Our writing & reading tutors are undergraduate students from multiple majors across the UCR campus. We can provide you writing and reading assistance in any academic discipline during any stage of your writing process, pre-writing, to finalizing drafts. Writing tutors are a complement to in-class instruction and instructor office hours. How To Prepare for Your Appointment

To schedule an appointment for writing and/or reading support, please click on the blue Accudemia Login button at the left side of the screen to access our digital appointment system or call the ARC at (951) 827-3721. Only currently enrolled UCR undergraduate students may meet with ARC tutors. 

Registering for Workshops

Summer '24 workshops will be "in-person" = here at the ARC, or marked "Online" = held via Zoom. To sign up for a workshop, please complete the following steps: 

(These steps work similarly for 1 to 1 tutoring sessions.)

• Click on the   blue Accudemia logo  the left side of your screen.
• Log on to Accudemia. (First time logging in? Use your SID as both the User ID and the password.)
• Click on " Schedule Appointment " at the bottom of the page, or use the "Quick" dropdown menu at the top of the page and select "New Appointment." 
• For Service, choose "Writing Support - Remote " or " Writing Support - In-Person ."
• NOTE: If you have trouble, you can also search by date or tutor name. 
• You will have to use the "Prev" and "Next" buttons or the calendar icon to select the date. 
• Click on the the green box with the available time you want. 
• Click "Confirm" in the green box when you are ready to finalize the appointment. 

For online/remote workshops (and 1 to 1 sessions), you will automatically receive a link to the workshop in your UCR email.

NOTE: Workshops are co-facilitated by professional staff and trained tutors. 

Click the titles below to see the list of workshop topics and dates. 

Writing and Reading Workshops ( Beginning Week 1 )

Workshops are open to all UCR undergraduates. Summer  2024   workshops will be hosted via   "in-person" or online/Zoom.   Please  c heck each date for one of the two formats.   R egister through Accudemia to receive the Zoom meeting link. 

Writing 

Tl;dr: essay structure & writing process.

This 40 minute workshop/presentation will address the typical parts of an essay, what the parts do, and how to anticipate your audience's reading expectations. NOTE: We will be offering separate workshops focused on introductions, thesis statements, and conclusions. Feel free to bring essay prompts if you have additional questions.

Date Offered:

Wednesday, July 31, from 3:00 to 3:45   (In-Person at the ARC, Skye Hall, Room 156)

Using Sources

During this 30-40 minute workshop/discussion, we will address what plagiarism is , why it is a serious matter, and how you can avoid it . The session will begin with some informal discussion with attendees about their experience and understanding of plagiarism. We will then discuss the significance of reading, understanding, and citing sources. We will also address how to incorporate the sources (quote, paraphrase, and or summary) and what interpreting a source can look like. NOTE:   It is appropriate for attendees to bring in specific examples and/or general questions about citing sources. 

Dates Offered:  

Wednesday, August 7, from 12:00 to 12:45 (In-Person at the ARC, Skye Hall, Room 156)

Tuesday, August 13, from 2:00 to 2:45   (In-Person at the ARC, Skye Hall, Room 156)

Wednesday, August 21, from 12:00 to 12:45   (In-Person at the ARC, Skye Hall, Room 156)

Outlining Your Essay

This 30 - 40 minute workshop will address outlining strategies for approaching drafts of essays and papers. Attendees will practice developing main ideas, identifying evidence, analyzing the significance of the evidence, and connecting the analysis back to the thesis. Attendees are encouraged to come with questions or a writing assignment that they would like to develop an outline for.  (NOTE: Ask the tutors about reverse outlining. )

Dates Offered:

Tuesday, August 6, from 2:00 to 2:45   (In-Person at the ARC, Skye Hall, Room 156)

TL;DR: Introductions & Thesis Statements

This 30 to 40 minute workshop will focus on the purpose, or function, of introductions. We will look at such elements of an introduction as:  hooking the audience, establishing the range and relevance of the topic, establishing the purpose of the text, and writing a thesis statement. NOTE: Attendees should feel free to bring specific questions and/or drafts to the workshop.

Available for 1 to 1 appointments  (Online &  In-Person at the ARC, Skye Hall, Room 156)

TL;DR Body Paragraphs

This 30 to 40 minute workshop will focus on the purpose, or function, body paragraphs. We will look at “topic sentences,” supporting evidence, and explaining the connection between the evidence, topic sentence, and thesis statement.  Attendees should feel free to bring specific questions  to the workshop.

Tuesday, August 20, from 2:00 to 2:45   (In-Person at the ARC, Skye Hall, Room 156)

Wednesday, August 21, from 2:00 to 2:45   (In-Person at the ARC, Skye Hall, Room 156)

TL;DR: Writing Conclusions

This 30-40 minute workshop will focus on how to write well-rounded conclusion paragraphs. We will take a look at the four steps "typically" required of a conclusion paragraph – summary, synthesis, “So what?” and zoom out – and describe how to tackle each step, as well as what each step entails. Those in attendance should feel free to bring any questions or drafts they may have.

Tuesday, September 3, from 2:00 to 2:45   (Online/Zoom)

Writing Timed/In-Class Essays

This 30 minute workshop will focus on reading and annotating writing in-class writing prompts. We will address language that (1) contextualizes/situates the assignment, (2) directive verbs, and (3) how to clarify expectations for the assignment based on the prompt and writing situation. We will also be looking at outlining essay drafts (thesis statements, topic/controlling idea sentences, and evidence) to organize ideas you want to communicate. You should feel free to come with questions as there will be time at the end of the workshop to discuss specific concerns.

Thursday, August 29, from 12:00 to 12:40   (In-Person @ the ARC, Skye Hall, Room 156)

Thursday, August 29, from 2:00 to 2:40   (In-Person @ the ARC, Skye Hall, Room 156)

Wednesday, September 4, from 2:00 to 2:40   (In-Person @ the ARC, Skye Hall, Room 156)

Tuesday, September 10, from 2:00 to 2: 40   (In-Person @ the ARC, Skye Hall, Room 156)

Grammar Topics

Sentence structure .

This 30 to 40 minute workshop will present four common sentence types: 1) the simple sentence, 2) the compound sentence, 3) the complex sentence, and 4) the compound-complex sentence. Additionally, we address sentence chunks, such as independent clauses and dependent clauses. The goal is to increase awareness of sentence control and clarity. NOTE: Please feel free to bring drafts with you if you have specific questions. 

Wednesday, August 7, from 2:00 to 2:45     (In-Person at the ARC, Skye Hall, Room 156)

Wednesday, August 14, from 2:00 to 2:45   (In-Person at the ARC, Skye Hall, Room 156)

Wednesday, August 28, from 2:00 to 2:45   (In-Person at the ARC, Skye Hall, Room 156)

Wednesday, September 4, from 1:00 to 1:45   (In-Person at the ARC, Skye Hall, Room 156)

Using Commas

T his 30 minute workshop will review basic grammar like: parts of speech (ex. nouns, adjectives, verbs, and adverbs), BUT we will primarily be focused on comma usage and identifying comma errors. 

TBA Fall '24    (Online/Zoom)

Basic Grammar

T his 40 minute workshop will review basic grammar including: verb tenses, prepositions (ex. in, on, at) and punctuation (ex. commas, periods, and semicolons).  The goal of this workshop is to review some basic grammar terms and concepts that are essential to communicating ideas clearly.

TBA  (In-Person @ the ARC, Skye Hall 156) 

Reading Workshops

Reading for meaning/close reading.

This 30-40 minute workshop will focus on reading and responding to texts (ex. essays, articles, books, etc.). While reading a text, we might highlight ideas and words that stand out to us. When these highlighting marks and underlines begin to lose focus--yet look colorful--we need to be able to annotate the text with questions, phrases and words that help us make connections to the text, topic, author, and/or class situation we are reading it for.  This workshop will include strategies for annotating (assigned) readings and making relevant connections. 

Tuesday, August 6, from 1:00 to 1:45 (In-Person @ the ARC, Skye Hall, Room 156)    

Wednesday, August 14, from 12:00 to 12:45 (In-Person @ the ARC, Skye Hall, Room 156)    

Tuesday, August 27, from 2:00 to 2:45   (In-Person at the ARC, Skye Hall, Room 156)

Wednesday, August 28, from 12:00 to 12:45   (In-Person at the ARC, Skye Hall, Room 156)

Reading Research  Articles 

This 40 minute workshop will address the common organization of "original research articles" and "review articles."  We will be looking at pre selected STEM and behavioral science articles. Feel free to bring your own article as we will be looking at the purpose of specific sections. We will also be looking at the difference between an "original research article" and a "review article."

Dates Offered:  

TBA Summer B/E (In-Person @ the ARC, Skye Hall, Room 156)    

Sample Articles below:

Two sample research articles (Samples will be analyzed during the workshop.)

• Computer Science Research Article:  
• Psychopathology Research Article

Two sample literature review articles (Samples will be analyzed during the workshop.)

• Periodic Limb Movement During Sleep REVIEW ARTICLE  
• Computational Biology REVIEW ARTICLE

Sample science article for general audience

• New Position Statement Declares that Sleep is Essential to Health

Student Language and Conversation Circles (Spanish, Italian, English)

This 30 to 45 minute session is the idea time to ask a tutor questions about language usage in an informal conversation. The focus will be on topics identified by the students, and occasionally the tutors. The goal of this session is to develop comfort talking about a variety of issues, and for language circles in Spanish, Italian, or other language, the focus will include pronunciation, vocabulary, and maybe grammar.  Feel free to ask questions, share opinions, or simply listen to the surrounding conversation. We will address conversation strategies as needed.  (Walk-ins welcomed!)

TBA Fall 2024  (In-Person @ the ARC, Skye Hall, Room 156)

  MLA Citation Style

In this 30-40 minute workshop, we will address MLA "in-text" citations and the "Works Cited" page. Some attention will be given to paper format. However, the goal will be to highlight the format MLA prescribes and the function of the format. 

Thursday, August 8, from 2:00 to 2:40   (In-Person @ the ARC, Skye Hall, Room 156)

Thursday, August 15, from 2:00 to 2:40   (In-Person @ the ARC, Skye Hall, Room 156)

Thursday, August 22, from 2:00 to 2:40   (In-Person @ the ARC, Skye Hall, Room 156)

Thursday, September 5, from 2:00 to 2:40   (In-Person @ the ARC, Skye Hall, Room 156)

  APA Citation Style

In this 30-40 minute workshop, we will address APA "in-text" citations and the "References" page. Some attention will be given to paper format. However, the goal will be to highlight the format APA prescribes and the function of the format. 

Thursday, August 8, from 11:00 to 11:40   (Online/Zoom)

Thursday, August 15, from 11:00 to 11:40   (Online/Zoom)

Thursday, August 22, from 11:00 to 11:40   (In-Person @ the ARC, Skye Hall, Room 156)

Thursday, September 5, from 11:00 to 11:40   (Online/Zoom)

Writing Resources

Formatting styles.

• APA Formatting Quick Points 
• Chicago Manual of Style Guide  (17th Edition)
• MLA Citation and Formatting Quick Points   

In-text Citations

• How to Cite Quotes and Paraphrases in MLA and APA
• Paraphrasing vs. Summarizing
• Formatting Long/Block Quotes
• A/An/The: Indefinite vs. Definite Articles
• Identifying and fixing "mixed construction"
• Sentence Structure

Understanding the Writing Assignment

• Prompt Keywords

Introductory Paragraphs

• Types of Thesis Statements
• Writing a Thesis Statement

Concluding Paragraphs

• Conclusions Video (8 min.)

Body Paragraphs

• Writing Topic Sentences Video (8 min.)
• Outlining Body Paragraphs Video (>5 min.)

Using Evidence 

• Using Quotes and Paraphrases Video (>5 min.)
• Also, see "Citations and Formatting" tab above.

Academic Papers

• Writing a Literature Review:     h ttp://guides.lib.ucr.edu/c.php?g=171030&p=1126747
• Abstracts: Using and writing abstracts (14 min.)
• "Who's Afraid of Peer Review?" by John Bohannon  from Science.org

Reading for Understanding

• This handout will provide a quick review of "parts of speech" with definitions and examples.  https://arc.ucr.edu/document/parts-speech-quick-review
• Click on this link for " Methods for Close Reading " handout.
• This essay provides strategies for  reading and understanding writing assignments .
•   Metacognitive Reading Phrases : Reading to connect with texts

Artices About Reading

• Reading like a writer
• Reading and understanding writing assignments
• The passive voice in scientific writing:   This 2014 article addresses the usage/practice of writing in the passive voice for scientific communications. 

Program Information

These information cards will help you use the Writing and Reading Support services. 

How to Prepare for Your Appointment

• Bring materials and information related to your writing task such as writing prompts, instructor feedback, drafts, readings/articles, etc. 
• If you have questions about your writing or the assignment, bring them to your appointment. 
• Be open to ideas, questions and suggestions about your writing. 
• Be willing to work with the tutor to improve your skills as a writer. 
• Use the "Notes" section of your "Appointment Details" to communicate with your tutors. 

Our Policies

• Appointments are one-on-one and last between 30 and 50 minutes.
• Students may only make two appointments per week with writing tutors , and the two appointments may not be back to back .  
• Students who miss 3 appointments in a quarter will be unable to make more appointments for the rest of the quarter.
•  "No Shows" do not count as cancellations. Cancellations have to be completed prior to 24 hours before the appointment.
• Students meeting with professional staff are limited to 3 appointments per project.
• Students should NOT contact the writing tutors using their email. Instead, use the "Notes" section under "Appointment Details" in Accudemia, or feel free to email Jay Spencer at [email protected]  and/or Susana Brower at [email protected] . 
• Graduate students should contact the Graduate Writing Center by going to gwc.ucr.edu

Cancelling an Appointment

(Only for 24 hours or more in advance)

To cancel a scheduled appointment in the  List view:

• Select the appointment(s) you want to cancel and click the Cancel Appt button at the top of the screen. 

To  cancel a  scheduled appointment in Appointments view: 

• Click on the appointment you want to cancel in the list.
• Now click the Cancel button on the top of this page.
• Select Cancel and the appointment will be marked as canceled. 

Interested in Working as a Writing and Reading Tutor?

Key responsibilities include the following:.

-Independently facilitate one-on-one tutoring sessions and small group workshops.

-Assess student’s level of content knowledge, comprehension, and study skills as well as offer appropriate recommendations.

-Utilize effective tutoring strategies including questioning techniques, positive reinforcement, active listening, and constructive feedback.

-Devise alternate support methods for students with varying abilities, skill levels, and need.

-Complete paid pre-term and in-service training to learn strategies that support student success and promote independent learning.

-Maintain accurate and timely records documenting student participation in tutoring activities.

-Communicate with supervisory staff as needed.

Qualifications

-Minimum of sophomore status with 2 quarters in residence at UCR.

-3.0 cumulative and quarter GPA with a 3.3 GPA or above in writing-related courses/subjects.

-Demonstrated record of leadership, maturity, and academic excellence.

-Demonstrated interpersonal skills and cross-cultural sensitivity.

-Ability to work effectively with diverse populations of students.

-Demonstrated capacity for discretion, diplomacy, and confidentiality.

-Demonstrated resourcefulness, problem-solving skills, and effective listening skills.

This position is only open to current UCR undergraduate students enrolled during the 2024-2025 school year. Visiting, Extension, or non-UCR students are not eligible.

Submit your application and materials here. 

PLEASE NOTE: Applications submitted solely through Handshake will not be considered. Please complete the application on the ARC's website submit application materials on the ARC Student Employment Form. You may also bring a hard copy of the application, writing sample, and your unofficial transcript to the ARC's front desk during operating hours.

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Division of Undergraduate Education

UCR's Hub of Innovation and Collaboration

University Writing Program

University Writing Program Administrative Office 1003 HMNSS University of California, Riverside Riverside, CA 92521 Tel: (951) 827-7760 Fax: (951) 827-7761

The University Writing Program offers courses that fulfill the UCR writing requirement. Students learn to write well, read closely, and speak formally in public. The University Writing Program helps UCR students make their way.

VISIT University Writing Program WEBSITE

The Entry-Level Writing Requirement (ELWR) is a University of California reading and writing proficiency requirement that all first-year students must satisfy. It must be satisfied either before beginning courses on a UC campus or during the first year of enrollment.

The Writing And Foster Youth Alliance (WAFYA) serves the current and former foster youth community at the University of California, Riverside. WAFYA is composed of University Writing Program faculty who are dedicated to building collaborative academic relationships with the campus’s current and former foster youth through mentorship and supplemental academic support.

WAC, or “W,” courses provide students with an opportunity not only to receive course credit in the discipline of the class, but also – if they earn a grade of ‘C’ or higher – to satisfy the campus’ third-quarter writing requirement.

The Inland Area Writing Project (IAWP) is a teacher-centered professional development organization hosted by UCR. The IAWP strives to improve the teaching of writing, and thereby to improve the writing ability of students in the Inland Empire.

University Writing Program

About the University Writing Program

The UWP offers courses that fulfill the UCR writing requirement.  These courses are designed to help students write effectively in other University courses and later in their professional lives.  University writing demands the ability to read carefully, to analyze what is read, and to draw conclusions about those data for both general and expert audiences.  Our courses help students learn to write well, read closely, and speak formally in public.  

University Writing Program Courses

• ELWR Courses
• English 1 ABC series

Other courses

Entry-level writing courses.

English Composition Courses

Student Resources 

On-campus resources.

Academic Resource Center 

Case Managers

Counseling Center

Career Center

Student Disability Resource Center

Guardian Scholars

Off-campus Resources

Writing Process Help

Colorado State University's Writing Guides

Purdue's OWL (Online Writing Lab) - Writing Process Help

Technical and Grammar Help

Purdue's OWL (Online Writing Lab) - MLA Help

Using English - Grammar/Language Help

Library Resources

Connect to Library from Home

Get Help with MLA Citations

Identify Scholarly Articles

Find Articles

Ask a Librarian

Faculty Resources

Teaching resources available for current Instructors and Teaching Assistants:

• ucrwriting.org

MFA in Creative Writing and Writing for the Performing Arts

World-Renowned Faculty & Excellent Funding Opportunities

About the Program

The Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing and Writing for the Performing Arts is a two-year program that offers study in fiction, poetry, nonfiction, screenwriting, and playwriting. The program is comprised of faculty from the Department of Creative Writing and the Department of Theatre, Film, and Digital Production.

Our program consists of workshops in a chosen genre, culminating in a final project (the master's thesis or manuscript) that showcases the writer's cultivated talents in the form of a poetry collection, novel, short story collection, memoir, essay collection, screenplay, or full-length play.

The MFA requires students to major in the genre they apply in, but encourages them to explore other genres as well, allowing for creative movement within disciplines. For example, structure and focus in screenwriting and playwriting can be applied to fiction and nonfiction and lyricism and metaphor in poetry can enhance description and dialogue in the other genres.

Students will also engage in supplemental coursework through seminars selected from other departments. Our students commonly take classes offered by such varied programs as comparative literature and foreign languages, English, Hispanic studies, and media and cultural studies, among others.

If you need further information beyond what is available on our website, please feel free to contact Interim MFA Coordinator Marcelina Ryneal at [email protected] .

Department of Creative Writing

Contests & awards, larb/ucr lifetime achievement award.

The Department of Creative Writing and the Los Angeles Review of Books jointly present an annual lifetime achievement award to writers whose body of works have significantly influenced the literary field and readership in the United States. This award is typically bestowed during the annual UCR Writers Week Festival.

2024:  Dave Eggers, Rigoberto González, and Quincy Troupe

2023:  Percival Everette & Mike Davis (posthumous)

2022:  Sandra Cisneros, Linda Hogan, and Ishmael Reed

2021: Rita Dove, Joy Harjo, and Juan Felipe Herrera

2020: Walter Mosley

2019: Margaret Atwood

2018: Maxine Hong Kingston

2017: Ngugi was Thiong'o

2016: John Rechy

Student Prizes

The Department of Creative Writing offers multiple writing opportunities for its students. Below are the various contests and awards available for Creative Writing undergraduates.

The Chancellor’s Performance Award – Up to $12,000 

The Chancellor’s Performance Award is a scholarship available to first-year students who major in Creative Writing.  Deadline: late April.  By internal nomination only.

The Ina Coolbrith Memorial Poetry Contest: Up to $100.00

A system-wide contest established by friends of the late Ina Coolbrith, former Poet Laureate of California, for the best unpublished poem or poems composed and submitted for this contest by an undergraduate student.  Deadline: early November.   Details . 

The William Henry Willis Memorial Poetry Prize: Up to $1200.00 

The William Henry Willis Memorial Poetry Prize is an annual cash poetry prize created by John Willis (’66 BA, ’68 MA, ’71 PhD, Physics) in honor of his father. William Henry Willis emigrated to the United States from Canada in 1949 and worked in a local factory for most of his career. During breaks while working the graveyard shift at the factory, he would find time to write poetry that captured and enhanced the events of his family life. Poetry was a creative outlet for Mr. Willis, and this prize was created to honor his love of poetry by encouraging this mode of creativity in future generations. Preference is given to a poem which touches upon family stories or immigrant communities, with humor and/or irony, and written by an undergraduate major or non-major at the University of California, Riverside”    Details .

The Abraham L. Polonsky Award: Up to $500.00 

This award was established by and is named after Abraham L. Polonsky, the noted author and screenwriter, whose scripts included  Body and Soul ,  Force of Evil ,  Mommy Dearest , and  Monsignor .  His novels included  The Enemy Sea ,  A Season of Fear , and  Zenia's Way .  In 1951, after he refused to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee, Mr. Polonsky was blacklisted in Hollywood.  Mr. Polonsky’s work often exposed the irony of class and social inequities in modern American life and the eroding effects of indifference to corruption.  The award is given to an outstanding short story published in the magazine  Mosaic .    Details . 

The Maurya Simon Poetry Award: Up to $250.00

This award, named after Professor Maurya Simon, is designated for an undergraduate student demonstrating unusual skill and great promise in poetry. He or she should be a Creative Writing major.

The Professor Eliud Martínez Endowed Scholarship Fund in Creative Writing: Up to $1500.00

CHASS Student Academic Affairs

Guiding Your Academic Success

Breadth Requirements Course List

The links below show a tentative list of courses offered that will meet the breadth requirements for CHASS.

Pre-Business Students Only : Please use the breadth course offerings list on the  Pre-Business Program home page . All Other Majors : Please remember that courses in your major discipline may not be applied to breadth requirements. See your  Departmental Academic Advisor  for more information.