Writing Tutoring
Tutoring Services provides a quiet, supportive environment with writing consultants available to help students generate and organize ideas, start the writing process, take a fresh look at existing work and assist with proper grammar and documentation. A one-on-one, 50-minute tutorial is the primary service. During this tutorial, students meet with a trained and experienced writing consultant who will read their writing assignment and discuss ways to improve the writing. Students can request that the tutorial focus on an area of particular concern or let the tutor determine the focus. Tutors will typically look for global issues first, such as audience awareness, organization, thesis, and development. If there is time, or over multiple appointments, sentence-level concerns such as grammar, mechanics and word choice can also be discussed.
Papers from all university courses are welcome, including but not limited to English, business, communications, nursing and engineering. Students can bring in essays, research papers, Master's theses, dissertations, technical writing, poetry, fiction or any other writing project. One-on-one writing conferences are not just for professional writers working with their editors, nor are such conferences reserved for remedial writers and their tutors. Writing conferences can benefit anyone.
A writing tutor can help students
- Get started on a paper
- Organize ideas
- Incorporate research
- Document sources
- Remember grammar and punctuation rules
- Fine-tune writing style and clarity
However,
- Tutors do not provide a proofreading service. A tutor will be happy to help students develop their own editing and proofreading skills during a conference.
- Tutors will not venture a guess as to what grade a paper will receive.
How does a writing tutorial work?
- Make an appointment by calling us, stopping by or emailing us.
- Bring any information about the paper, such as the assignment sheet from the instructor and any notes or drafts.
- Plan to spend about 50 minutes to one hour with the tutor. The consultant will discuss the student's concerns, read the paper and then collaborate with the student on one or two of the most significant issues. If time permits, the student will have a chance to incorporate any changes into the paper before leaving.
Resource Library and Handouts
Tutoring Services has a growing reference library of writing-related books, including the most popular style manuals (APA, MLA, and Chicago). We also have a large collection of quick-reference handouts on topics ranging from thesis statements to documentation.
Computer Access
Computers with Microsoft Word and the Microsoft Office Suite are available for students to use for writing assignments and tasks.
Writing Questions?
Tutoring Services can help virtually, via email. Click "Let's Talk" to submit your writing questions.
