Writing and Speaking Center
The Writing and Speaking Center supports effective academic communication across all disciplines by offering free writing and speaking tutoring to all members of the University of Rochester community.
Our center is staffed by professional, graduate, and undergraduate writing and speaking tutors from the humanities, social sciences, and natural and applied sciences. These tutors provide individualized feedback and assistance on all types of academic writing and speaking.
To work with a tutor, sign-up for an in-person or online appointment using our scheduling system or visit drop-in hours.
Writing Tutoring
From brainstorming ideas to polishing a final draft, writing tutors can help you at any stage of the writing process.
Writers have the option of meeting with writing tutors who are current graduate and undergraduate students.
Writing Consultants: Graduate Students and Professional Tutors
Writing consultants are graduate students and professional tutors from a variety of disciplines. Consultants are educated in providing feedback on, and assistance with, all types of writing at any stage of the writing process.
Appointments are typically 50 minutes in length and are offered in-person or online via Zoom. To schedule an appointment, use our online scheduling system. We offer in-person and virtual appointments.
We also offer standing weekly appointments for students who would like to work with the same tutor at the same time every week. To request a standing appointment, email stefanie.sydelnik@rochester.edu.
To learn more about our consultants, see the graduate tutor biography page.
Writing Fellows: Undergraduate Peer Tutors
Our writing fellows are undergraduate peer tutors who work with students to strengthen their writing abilities. Tutors help students with all types of writing projects, from lab reports to graduate school essays.
Fellows represent many majors and have been trained by taking WRTG 245/ENG 285: Advanced Writing and Peer Tutoring. The writer directs the session and may choose to focus on anything from brainstorming, to discussing organization and flow of an argument, to working on grammar. Essentially, the tutor helps students discover the writing strategies and techniques that work best for them with the goal of developing their skills.
To work with a tutor, sign-up for an in-person or online appointment using our scheduling system or email wsap@ur.rochester.edu. The Fellows also offer in-person drop-in hours in G-122.
Online Asynchronous Feedback
Students have the option of submitting their paper through an online tutoring platform called Write-On. This platform is staffed by undergraduate writing tutors and allows students to upload their writing and receive detailed feedback about their questions and concerns within 48 hours.
This service is tailored to students who have clear questions about, and specific goals for, their writing.
Submissions are limited to eight pages of text that can stand alone.
Speaking Fellows
Speaking fellows are undergraduate peer tutors who provide critical feedback on speeches and presentations during every stage of the process, including brainstorming and outlining, practicing, revising, and polishing. Speaking tutors represent many majors and have prepared for tutoring by taking WRTG 247: Spoken Communication and Peer Tutoring.
Speaking tutors can help with many different forms of spoken communication, including speeches, presentations, networking practice, and casual conversation practice. Tutors can also help with visual aids and are trained to help students cope with speech anxiety. Students can also practice interviews, although they are encouraged to first visit the Career Center.
You can schedule to meet with a speaking tutor using our online scheduling system.
Please note: Priority is given to students who have appointments.
Speaking fellows are also happy to offer public speaking workshops for classes, groups, and organizations on campus. We can focus on general public speaking or can tailor a workshop to meet your specific needs. We can also send speaking fellows for shorter class visits, where they can explain to students who the speaking fellows are, what they do, and how to schedule a session. If you are a faculty member seeking a speaking fellow for a class visit or workshop, please complete this form and a fellow will reach out to you promptly.