The Writing Center offers four different appointments: in-person, email, live online, and drop-ins.
Try the different session formats and pick the kinds that work best for you:
- In-person (through scheduled appointments and drop-in hours)
- Online (through email appointments and live online meetings)
Knowing what to expect in each type of appointment helps you prepare to work with a tutor.
The Writing Center offers the following options for feedback:
In-Person Appointments
Schedule yourself for a 45-minute appointment to work one-on-one with a tutor. These appointments are typically held in CBSL 135.
• You can recognize Writing Center tutors since they either wear a name tag or display a sign that indicates they are a tutor. If you arrive before your tutor, make yourself comfortable until they arrive. Once there, your tutor will greet you and begin the session.
• One of the first steps in a writing center session is setting the agenda for what will happen during the rest of the session. You and your tutor will work together to discuss your goals for the session and determine the best next steps to take with your writing project. This is a collaborative process, so come with questions and small goals to work on during your time with the tutor.
• Your tutor may also ask if you have an assignment sheet or rubric. Having any supplemental information handy (such as professor expectations or directions) can be helpful to make sure you and the tutor are on the same page, but don’t worry if you don’t have these documents.
• The Writing Center can be a useful tool at any stage of the writing process, even if you are just starting a project and want to talk through your sources, brainstorm, or make an outline during the session. In-person and live online appointments are great for this. Feel free to bring whatever you have so far.
• If you bring a draft, you and your tutor will likely be able to get through about 5-8 pages in a single 45-minute session, depending on what your goals are. For longer papers, we suggest scheduling additional or back-to-back appointments.
• At the end of your session, you and your tutor will review what you have accomplished and discuss next steps for your project. The tutor may point you to additional resources or suggest additional appointments.
Email Appointments
Email appointments are a great option for commuters or those with busy schedules, since you do not have to be available during the appointment time.
• Schedule the appointment in My Success Network via Starfish.
• After your appointment is scheduled, you should receive a confirmation email with directions on where to send your paper.
• Send your project or draft as an attachment to the address provided in the confirmation email any time before your appointment is scheduled to start. (We prefer Microsoft Word/PowerPoint or Google Doc attachments, since PDF documents make it difficult to embed comments.)
• In your email message, tell the tutor a little bit about your writing project and explain what you would like the tutor to focus on during the appointment--for example, organization of the paper, thesis development, transitions, reference/works cited pages, etc. Attach any assignment directions or rubrics you think would help orient the tutor to your project.
• Your tutor will download your paper and spend about 45 minutes addressing your concerns. Since you are the author of your writing project, your tutor will not make changes to the actual document. Instead, they will embed comments for you to review, often including links to online resources for further help.
• The tutor will return the paper to you via email within two hours of the appointment start time. This is to allow for technical difficulties and unforeseen circumstances.
Live Online Appointments via Zoom
Interactive online sessions have all the advantages of a face-to-face meeting with the convenience of being available anywhere you have an internet connection.
• Before your appointment is scheduled to start, your tutor will set up an online meeting using a web-based conferencing program. Via email, the tutor will send you instructions on how to join the meeting.
• Once in the meeting, take a few minutes to
explore the technology if you have never used it before. Some of the available features are live chat, screen sharing, a virtual whiteboard, audio, and video chat.
• Use the tools that are most comfortable for you: audio via microphone, webcam visuals, whiteboard and screen sharing, and the chat feature. Contact your tutor with any technology problems or questions regarding the meeting.
Drop-in Hours
Drop-in hours are held during fall and spring semesters Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in CBSL 135. No need to schedule ahead! These sessions are typically shorter fifteen minutes that focus on a specific question. If you need more time, a tutor can help you schedule an appointment for a later time.
You can ask for kinds of help depending on where you are in your project, including:
Planning
- Analyzing a primary source
- Analyzing a scholarly source
- Brainstorming
- Creating a research question
- Developing a thesis
- Synthesizing scholarly sources
- Taking notes while reading and researching
- Understanding the assignment sheet and/or rubric
Drafting
- Connecting claims and evidence
- Creating transitions
- Outlining
- Refining a thesis
- Using effective summaries, paraphrases, and quotations
- Writing and revising topic sentences
Revising
- Clarifying and expanding the thesis
- Expanding and adding ideas
- Reorganizing draft
- Revising a draft based on feedback
Citing
- Using AMA style citation and formatting
- Using APA style citation and formatting
- Using MLA style citation and formatting
Editing & Proofreading
- Identifying grammar and usage errors
- Using style and tone that matches the assignment
Watch informational videos to learn more about the Writing Center
here.