The Hixon Writing Center (HWC) at the California Institute of Technology promotes excellence in writing and communication. The HWC operates on the premise that writing is a mode of discovery and learning as well as a tool for communication, and thus strong writing skills are fundamental to learning and success across disciplines.

We pursue excellence in writing and communication through working actively with Caltech students, faculty, and the Caltech community.

Supporting Caltech Students

We believe that all writers benefit from sharing their works-in-progress with trained, knowledgeable, and interested readers, so we provide one-to-one tutoring experiences for students that are collaborative and interactive. These meetings teach students composing strategies and introduce them to the many rhetorical choices available to academic writers. We also lead group workshops and presentations on topics of student interest. Additionally, our website contains many print and video resources on academic writing that will be useful to students.

Supporting Caltech Faculty

We also provide resources for faculty interested in developing their use of student writing in the classroom. We can consult with individual faculty on topics such as effective syllabus design, innovative assignment creation, using low-stakes writing in class to meet learning outcomes, and giving effective feedback to student writers. Our website also contains some information about the teaching and learning of writing for faculty.

Supporting the Caltech Community

Beyond our direct discussions with students and faculty, the HWC acts as a hub of intellectual engagement to foster and support a culture of writing at Caltech. To that end, we sponsor writing-related activities and publications that encourage student, faculty, staff, and community engagement.