Students needing help with a writing project can find that at the Communications Lab, located on the first floor of the Main Building. There, students can find many services to help students with writing projects, including special topic workshops, said Lydia Rucker, Communications Lab Assistant.

“Writing Basics” will take place at 11 a.m. and again at 6 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 6, in CU2. Each lasts about an hour, Rucker said.

It is one of the many workshops being offered this spring to help students get a better understanding of the writing process, she said.

“We’ll have handouts at the workshop as well as PowerPoint presentations to address thesis statements and thesis statement equations.

“This workshop is designed to create a foundation of writing,” Rucker said.

“We don’t have it available online yet, but it is something we’re working on.

“However, anyone can come in and request the information from any of our workshops and we will give it to them.”

Rucker said the Communications Lab also will present any of the workshops in class if professors request it.

“No matter what class you’re taking — whether it’s composition, biology or political science — you have to write essays,” she said.

“There’s a basic structure on how an essay is to be written. We help build this foundation and once you’ve got it, no matter what the class, you can build on it.

“There’s a lot of cooperative learning … hands-on work. No matter what the subject matter, you will have to write an introduction, a thesis and you’ll have to support that.

“That’s what we’re here for,” Rucker said.

“The most important point is that if students get this down, then they’ll be able to write any kind of essay out there.”

The Communications Lab is located on the first floor of the Main Building just outside of the Student Union.

Students can find more information at www.occc.edu/comlab/workshops.html or by calling 682-1611, ext. 7678.

To contact Yvonne Alex, email staffwriter3@occc.edu.