Students wishing to take the CWE at the Wanaque campus this semester should arrange for CWE assistance or to register for one of the test dates below with Kathy Coffey in room W128, 973-248-3019 or kcoffey@pccc.edu.
Students from any campus may take the exam without prior registration on the Paterson campus Walk-In test dates. see
Fall 2010 Dates and Start Times
Theme for September: Careers and the Workplace
Monday, September 27th 11AM to 7PM Testing Room
Theme for October: Multiculturalism
Wednesday, October 20th 11AM to 7PM Testing Room
Theme for November: Consumerism
Thursday, November 18th 11AM to 7PM Testing Room
Most of us eventually seem to collect more books than we actually need or want. Donating books is a direct and cost-effective way to help students, schools, libraries, and literacy organizations.
The local library seems like a logical place to donate used or unwanted books.
While many organizations appreciate a donation to a used book sale or book drive, most libraries are very selective about how many and what kinds of books they will accept into their collections. It requires time (and therefore money) to process books into a library’s cataloging system, and each library has to balance its unique collection development needs with limited physical space.
One of the PCCC librarians, Joseph Petta, has actually created a guide to donating books. The PCCC Library regularly offers a cart full of books that have been weeded out of the collection and they are inevitably taken by students by the end of the day.
The PCCC Writing Center also has a free books effort with several shelves of quality fiction and non-fiction books that students may take when they visit the Center. Make the Reading - Writing connection and drop by to pick up a book!
The College Writing Exam (CWE) is an important graduation requirement for all PCCC students.
For the CWE, students are asked to write a five paragraph essay of at least 450 words from a general topic or a topic from their major that is given at the start of the test. Students will be given the theme (but not the actual question) of the general question when they register so that they may prepare some ideas for their essay.
Students are expected to use a computer to type their essay, but the computer will not allow you to use the spell check, grammar check or the Internet. You should allow two hours for the exam.
The Writing Center is offering workshops on Preparing for the CWE. This workshop is intended for students who have never taken the CWE.
We will review the exam requirements, how to register, strategies for planning the essay and information on how to prepare and practice.
Students who want help preparing for the College Writing Exam can also make an appointment at the Writing Center to work with a writing consultant. Though we recommend making an appointment to make the best use of your time, walk-in sessions are available if a consultant is free.
Any student who has take the CWE but not passed should review their failed exam with a writing consultant. You must make an appointment as the Writing Center will need at least 24 hours to obtain a copy of your exam from the Testing department.
The Writing Center now has a fan page where people can see updates, Center hours, and general goings on within the Writing Center. It also contains links to our website and the Writing Initiative website.
The page has followers from both in and outside of PCCC, including connections to writing centers at other colleges around North America. To become a follower of the PCCC Writing Center on Facebook, click the "Like" button below.
We created a Facebook page for the Center to increase our network of both students and faculty who have an interest in Writing Center work and the Writing Initiative at PCCC. Most of our students are on Facebook regularly, as are our faculty! This is an easy way to reach a large number of people at the same time. It saves us from having to print and post flyers, saves time, and keeps us from cluttering up people's in-boxes.
Updates will be posted regularly, so be sure to stop by and see what's going on!
Fall 2010 marks the first semester that the Writing Initiative will be present on the new Passaic campus.
The first Writing Intensive course to be taught at Passaic will be Introduction to Psychology, PS 101-P02. It meets Wednesdays and Fridays, from 11:45-1:00 and will be taught by Professor Thomas Page.
Writing support for this course and for preparing for the CWE will be available on the Passaic campus on Wednesdays, from 10:00AM-2:00PM, in room 113. The writing consultant for the Passaic campus this semester is Martha.
The Writing Center will have a presence on the Wanaque campus again this semester.
Students looking for help with their WI course assignments, WI students looking for writing help with writing in their other courses, and students preparing for the CWE are all welcome to come for assistance.
Traditionally, the Wanaque writing consultant can be found in the computer lab next to the library.
