If you’ve never visited the writing center before, please read this step-by-step breakdown of a tutoring session to learn more about how we work with writers.  

What You Need 

You will need a digital copy of your assignment sheet (or rubric) and, if you have already started your paper, your draft-in-progress.

How to Access Our Physical Location 

The writing center is located on the second floor of the Library & Learning Commons building. Walk-ins are welcome; simply come to the center during our hours of operation, 11-7 Monday through Thursday and 11-4 Friday. To schedule an appointment, click on our bookings link on Outlook.  Students can schedule face-to-face or online appointments with our tutoring staff. During your session with your tutor, you will be able to talk with the tutor and share your paper. You will also be able to edit your paper while you and the tutor are working together.

Setting Your Agenda

Your tutor will start the session by asking you a few questions about your paper: "What kind of paper are you working on?" "For which course are you writing this paper?" "What are the paper’s requirements?" "How far along are you in the writing process?" The tutor will ask these and other similar questions about your paper in order to assist you more efficiently.

The most important question the tutor will ask is "What would you like to work on during our session together?" Because you can accomplish only so much during a session, you should decide before even coming to your session what you and your tutor will work on for that particular day. If you tell the tutor, “Just help me with the whole paper,” the tutor won’t know where to begin or how to assist you. So you and the tutor will set the agenda together for your session. To do this, you must choose one or two parts of your paper to work on during your session, but choose them carefully. Recognize what you need assistance with at this stage of your writing process and communicate this to your tutor.  (If you have more time, you can always work on more parts.) You and your tutor will then review your paper together. While you review the paper, you will be able to make changes to your paper.

Working During Your Session 

During your session with your tutor, you will be able to talk with the tutor and share your paper. You will also be able to edit your paper while you and the tutor are working together. Once you have reviewed the draft, you and your tutor will then discuss how to address the parts of the paper that you want assistance with. If you’re having trouble articulating your thesis, for instance, your tutor might ask you to summarize the key points you wish to convey in your paper. If you aren’t sure how to conclude your paper, your tutor might ask you to think about how you want your readers to feel after reading the paper’s last paragraph. While you and your tutor are engaged in discussion, you will be able to make changes to your work.  

Concluding Your Session

As you close your tutoring session, you and your tutor will discuss what additions or changes you will make to your paper on your own. If you have time before your paper’s due date, you and your tutor might agree to a follow-up session to work on other parts of the paper.