University of Delaware Writing Center

FAQs about Tutoring

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What services does the writing center offer?
  • Free one-on-one tutoring.
  • Online tutoring for distance learners.
  • An online “quick tip” service for short grammar and punctuation questions.
  • Handouts—online and hardcopy—on various grammar, punctuation, and composition issues.
  • University-wide workshops on various topics including MLA and APA documentation, how to take essay exams, specific ESL issues such as pronoun usage, and others.
What should students bring to the writing center?
  • They should bring everything related to the assignment, including the syllabus, the assignment and any related notes and drafts, pertinent texts, as well as any drafts the professor has commented on.
Will the professor be notified when a student attends the writing center?
  • No. All visits to the writing center are confidential unless the student gives permission to notify the instructor.  However,  many professors are pleased when students show initiative by attending the writing center.
How much does it cost?
  • The service is FREE.
How can students make an appointment for a tutorial?
  • Click here.
  • Call 302-831-1168 if you have any trouble scheduling online.
  • Drop by 016 Memorial Hall to see if a tutoring hour is available.
What happens in a tutoring session?
  • A typical session starts on the hour and lasts fifty minutes. A student can set the focus of the session, such as working on sentence variety, or he or she and the consultant can discuss the assignment and collaborate to improve the assignment and develop individual writing strengths.   
  • Because the goal is to help a student grow as a writer rather than just to improve a specific text, the consultant does not edit or proofread the paper but does show the student how to edit and proofread the assignment.
Is tutoring limited to students taking writing, literature, or English courses?
  • No, our consultants are trained to work on all types of writing.
Who are the consultants?
  • The consultants—faculty as well as graduate and undergraduate students—are all successful academic writers who are trained in tutoring writing.
Can the papers be on disc?
  • Yes.  The student and the consultant can look at the paper on one of the dedicated computers at the writing center.
Do consultants edit or proofread papers?
  • No, the writing center is an educational service.  Thus, a tutorial session is designed to provide students with additional skills or insights about the writing process.  However, the consultants do teach various strategies to edit and proofread papers.
What types of writing do the consultants work with?
  • Any and all types.  The consultants work with all types of academic assignments, as well as with non-academic writing such as cover letters, resumes, graduate school applications, and personal writing.
Is the writing center only for first-year students?
  • Absolutely not.  It’s for all writers: undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty.  After all, even professional writers regularly ask for feedback on their writing.  From the first college paper to the last project, everyone can benefit from another person reading and critiquing an assignment.  No matter what the skill level, people can always become better writers, and the writing center is the place to start.
Do consultants "fix" papers for students?
  • Our consultants don’t “fix” papers because a tutorial session is designed to provide additional skills or insights about the writing process.  However, they do teach various strategies to edit and proofread papers.
Is the writing center only for students with writing problems?
  • No, the writing center serves students at all stages of writing excellence. Many of our tutorial sessions involve students who want to make a good paper better or who are looking for someone to discuss various writing strategies.
Does the writing center work with students whose native language isn't English?
  • Yes.  Our consultants are trained to work with ESL students.
Does the writing center offer other writing assistance?
  • Yes.  Our website has downloable handouts, covering many writing tasks and problems—including punctuation and documentation issues.  You can also get many of these in hardcopy at the writing center (016 Memorial).
  • We offer campus-wide workshops on topics like MLA and APA citations and ESL problems.  Click here for further information regarding these resources.
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