Writing Center
At the Writing Center, we're dedicated to helping you become a stronger, more confident writer. We focus on academic writing for courses and career-related documents. In addition to assisting you with your writing project, we'll help identify what you do well and what you should focus on in the future. We also offer workshops and presentations on writing topics.
Topics we address include:
- Understanding assignment prompts
- Brainstorming and research strategies
- Documentation styles (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.)
- Thesis development and argumentation
- Organization
- Grammar and punctuation
- Quote integration
- Clarity and coherence
Projects we can help you with include:
- Academic essays
- Personal statements and cover letters
- Websites and electronic portfolios
- Personal and creative writing
- Capstones, dissertations and theses
- Conference papers
- Speeches and presentations
Work with a Writing Consultant
Our writing consultants are NIU undergraduate and graduate students. They're pursuing degrees in a wide range of subjects and understand the nuances of discipline-specific writing. They receive training before they meet with writers. Learn about becoming a writing consultant.
Face-to-Face Appointments
During fall 2025, we offer scheduled or drop-in face-to-face appointments Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. that take place in Founders Memorial Library 152. We're closed on university holidays, during breaks and between semesters.
Virtual Appointments
We're offering virtual appointments during fall 2025 that can be scheduled through Navigate and take place on Zoom.
Appointments are available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. plus select weekend availability. We’re closed on university holidays, during breaks and between semesters.
Find a writing consultantGet Help from a Librarian
In addition to master’s degrees in library science, the faculty librarians at University Libraries have additional advanced degrees and experience in other disciplines. Among the many things they can help you with are:
- Refining your topic
- Selecting appropriate resources to consult
- Building effective search strategies in database resources
- Evaluating the results of your searches
- Determining how best to incorporate them into your research projects
The subject specialist librarians assist undergraduate and graduate students, as well as faculty and staff. They're available in person when the University Libraries is open, by chat or text during business hours via chat on the library's website, or by appointment over the phone, Teams or another format.
Find your subject specialist librarian Get live research help