Writing Support

The Graduate School offers one-on-one writing assistance for graduate students from any department and at any stage of the writing process.

Our interdisciplinary group of Graduate Writing Fellows are here to support you in any writing relevant to your work as a graduate student, from first-semester assignments to the dissertation and beyond. Through in-person or online interactive sessions, we can help with idea development and drafting, organization and flow, style and grammar, and source integration and formatting. Please note that we are not able to proofread or edit your writing.

You are welcome to schedule appointments without a finished draft. If you do have pages for us to read, please submit them before the appointment so we can review in advance, ideally with at least three days of lead time.

Unable to find an open time? Have a request for further support or want to report an amazing session with one of our fellows? E-mail GraduateWritingCenter@IllinoisState.edu, and we will respond as quickly as we can.

Graduate Writing Fellows

Jakai Martin

Background: Hi, I’m Jakai! I earned my undergraduate degree in sociology from ISU with a concentration in queer studies and a minor in political science. I am now pursuing a graduate degree in communication, so I have a strong understanding of writing structure and formatting in the social sciences. My goal is to support all students in their writing journey by providing an inclusive, judgment-free space in which all voices are heard and validated.

As a researcher, I am currently studying how consent is discussed in polyamorous relationships. Feel free to schedule an appointment with me or contact me via email at   jlmar10@ilstu.edu  if you need a more flexible meeting time.

Skills:

• Academic writing support: citation help, brainstorming, problem solving
• General familiarity with social science research and writing
• Helping students develop voice and write with confidence

Appointment location: Milner Library, 5th floor

Schedule an appointment with Jakai

Shishi Liyanage

Background: Hello! My name is Shishi. I am a graduate student in the Department of Business Administration at Illinois State University, currently completing a STEM MBA. I hold a BBA in Finance from Japan and a Master’s in Applied Economics from ISU.

I have written several theses and am familiar with the dissertation process, from structuring chapters to managing citations. As a STEM student, I bring expertise in data analysis to ensure your work is thorough and well-organized.

Need assistance beyond listed hours? Feel free to contact me at  coe_ssliyan@ilstu.edu  to schedule a session.

Skills:

• Academic writing support: research papers, brainstorming, citations, and formatting
• Thesis and dissertation guidance: chapter structure, research integration, and cohesive presentation
• Data analysis: integrating quantitative findings into academic writing

Appointment location: Milner Library, 5th floor

Schedule an appointment with Shishi

Dr. John C. Hawkins

Background: Hello! As a postdoctoral writing fellow housed in the Graduate School, my role at ISU is to build writing support for graduate students across campus. I am passionate about making the academic writing process approachable for students from all backgrounds. My areas of expertise include writing anxiety and writer’s block, thesis and dissertation drafting, and the power of self-compassion and resilience in academic writing.

I earned my PhD in English, with a concentration in Women’s and Gender Studies, from Loyola University Chicago. My research focuses on political imagination in human-animal relationships, especially in U.S. fiction and media. I love to hear people’s animal stories!

Skills:

• Navigating the academic writing process
• Helping grad writers when they feel "stuck" 
• Providing tools and resources for long-term writing projects 

If you are feeling stuck in your writing, are working with a professor on a particular challenge, or want a friendly sounding board for your projects, feel free to contact me for a one-on-one appointment.

I also provide faculty consultations, class visits, and subject-based writing groups as requested.

If you would like to set up a meeting, please send a message to jchawk2@ilstu.edu.

Appointment location: Hovey Hall, 211A

Email Dr. Hawkins for an appointment

Additional Resources

Video tutorials on Thesis/Dissertation formatting

Milner Library's Guide to Academic Writing - Resource repository for topics related to academic writing including strategies for writing, grammar, punctuation, and avoiding plagiarism & self-plagiarism as well as information on writing literature reviews and abstracts.

Milner Library's Guide to Citing Sources - Style guides for APA, MLA, Chicago, and other citation methods, as well as source management/citation creation suggestions.

Graduate Student Canvas Site - Collection of resources related to writing support.