College Writing Program
Writing Fellows—Frequently Asked Questions
- What can I expect from a tutoring session?
- What should I bring to a tutoring session?
- What should I do if I come to the office and the tutors are busy?
- How long are tutoring sessions?
- What if my paper is due the next day?
- Will my work and personal information be kept confidential?
- Why am I required to come see the Writing Fellows for my Upper-Level Writing course?
- Can I apply to become a Writing Fellow?
- Do the Fellows provide online tutoring?
- My question isn't listed above
What
can I expect from a tutoring session?
The goal of the Writing Fellow is to provide critical feedback that will help you to edit and
revise your own work. You can expect Fellows to respect your work as your own,
which means that they will not write your paper for you. You are encouraged to come with these expectations in mind, and you will
definitely get more out of your session if you do.
Upon entering either the SBA 166 or Rush Rhees Library G121 office, you can expect to be met by a friendly peer tutor who is interested in your work. The Fellow will ask you some questions about your work and will enter information into the database that we use to track sessions. The rest of the session will depend on your specific goals and needs; the Fellow may ask you to read your paper aloud, or he/she may help you with grammar, organization, or brainstorming ideas. The session will end by the Fellow asking you to develop a plan for further revision of your work.
Please remember that Fellows vary in style and approach, and that Fellows are not the professors who will grade your papers. Fellows opinions are just that—opinions; you are free to take or leave these opinions at your own discretion.
Your Writing Fellow is there to help you learn to plan, draft, revise, edit and proofread your papers more effectively; they will not take over any stage of your writing process, but will help you take control of any stage. For example, Fellows will not write on your papers or reword them for you, but they will ask questions and explain principles that will prompt you to reword and rewrite for yourself.
What
should I bring to a tutoring session?
If you have a draft, an outline, or even notes for whatever you are writing,
please bring a hard copy so you can look over it together with the Fellow. Also, please
bring a copy of the prompt or assignment sheet to refer back to throughout
the session. Have as many questions as you feel necessary ready for us
when you come in; the more focus you have, the more will be accomplished is your session.
What
should I do if I come to the office and the tutors are busy?
If the Fellows are all in sessions when you arrive at the office, ask
when the next available slot will be. You are welcome to wait, try another office location, or come back in the specified amount of time. Please
keep in mind that we are a walk-in service, so depending on demand, you
might have to wait. If you prefer to make an appointment, you can schedule
one with a graduate student consultant at the Writing Center (Rush Rhees,
G-121), M-F, 9am-5pm.
How
long are tutoring sessions?
Your session will last anywhere up to an hour, depending on your needs
and our availability. It is a good idea to come on the hour, since that’s
when Fellows begin their shifts. That way you’ll be more likely to
get as much time as you need.
What
if my paper is due the next day?
You are encouraged to visit the Fellows well before the due date of your paper. This
ensures that you have as much time as you need to revise. However, you
are always welcome to visit the Fellows even if your paper is due quite
soon, although the session may not be as helpful as if you had come
earlier.
Will
my work and personal information be kept confidential?
Some of your personal information, such as your name and ID number, along
with a summary of the session, will be entered into the College Writing
Program's database. This information will not be available to your professors
or to anyone else outside of the Writing Program without your permission.
The data we collect is primarily used to track the needs of the students
who use our services.
Why
am I required to visit the Writing Fellows for my Upper-Level Writing
course?
Some upper-level writing professors have made arrangements with the Writing
Fellows to work closely with their courses. If this is the case for your
class, part of the course requirements may be to make an appointment with
one of the Fellows working with the class. The Fellows do not take any
part in the grading of the papers; they just serve as an additional resource
to make the writing process a little easier.
Can
I apply to become a Writing Fellow?
Yes! Applications are available at the Writing Center, Rush Rhees, G-121.
Do the Fellows provide online tutoring?
Yes! Writing Fellows offer an online tutoring service called Write-On. Write-On is a quick and easy way to get critical feedback on all or part of your writing project over email.
Learn more about Write-On or submit a paper online »»
My
question isn't listed above.
Please feel
free to contact the Writing Center Office at cwp@mail.rochester.edu concerning any questions you may have.