Writing Center Workshops & Appointments
The University Writing Center
The Writing Center offers support for the Written Summary and the Written Composition portions of the VCLA writing subtest.
Workshops: You can attend a workshop on the Written Summary or the Written Composition task (see dates and times below).
Each workshop provides
- an overview of the task and the criteria used to evaluate it
- examination and discussion of a sample prompt and model response
- strategies for completing the task in the test environment
- practice with a few of those strategies
- time for Q&A
Workshops are offered in Zoom and in-person formats. Both formats are interactive, but the in-person format allows for some individualized feedback and support that the Zoom format does not provide.
Individualized consultations: Bring in the summary or composition you have composed while taking a practice test, and go over it with a writing consultant. You and the consultant can identify areas of strength and address areas for improvement.
- Access an online VCLA writing prompt: Sample Practice test with passage and prompt
- Make an appointment at the Writing Center and bring your writing sample.
Additional VCLA resources:
- Quick-guides: You can consult the quick-guides on the Written Summary and the Written Composition on the Writing Guides and Tools page.
Workshop Descriptions:
VCLA Written Summary: In this workshop, students will learn strategies for completing the VCLA Writing Summary assignment. Participants will analyze the summary prompt and sample responses, identify features of successful responses, learn strategies for composing the summary, and practice some of these strategies during the workshop. This workshop is offered both virtually and in-person. The in-person format allows some individualized feedback and support that the Zoom format of the online workshops does not provide.
VCLA Written Composition: In this workshop, students will learn strategies for completing the VCLA Writing Composition assignment. Participants will analyze the composition prompt and sample responses, identify features of successful responses, learn strategies for composing the composition, and practice some of these strategies during the workshop. This workshop is offered both virtually and in-person. The in-person format allows some individualized feedback and support that the Zoom format of the online workshops does not provide.
| Workshop Title | Date, Time, and Location | Registration Link |
|---|---|---|
| Online Workshop: Preparing for the VCLA Written Summary Assignment | Thursday, Sept. 21: 6:00-7:30pm (Zoom) |
https://cglink.me |
| Online Workshop: Preparing for the VCLA Written Composition Assignment | Thursday, Oct. 5: 6:00–7:30pm (Zoom) |
https://cglink.me |
| Workshop (in person): Preparing for the VCLA Written Summary Assignment | Tuesday, Oct. 17: 1:30-3:00pm Located: JC 227E |
https://cglink.me |
| Workshop (in person): Preparing for the VCLA Written Composition Assignment | Tuesday, Oct. 31: 1:30-3:00pm Located: JC 227E |
https://cglink.me |
For questions, please call the Writing Center at 703-993-1200.
