Why Schedule an Appointment?
Any Writing, Any Stage
If writing is involved, you can take it to the Writing Commons. Our tutors can help you generate ideas for an essay, format your lab report, create an outline for a speech, overcome writers block for a novel you are working on, review a cover letter, and much more. No matter your project or progress, a tutor can help you get through it.
For Students, By Students
Writing Commons tutors are undergraduates from all disciplines, allowing for peer-to-peer feedback from a multitude of backgrounds. By scheduling an appointment, we promise a nonjudgmental discussion where you will be heard. Our tutors are trained to help you become a better writer through discussion and questions.
Which Appointment is Right For Me?
In Person Session
Choose "In Person" when you sign up for your appointment and your tutor will be waiting for you in the physical Writing Commons location! Arrive to the fourth floor of the library at your scheduled start time to talk one on one with a peer tutor.
Live Video Meeting
Choose "Live Video Chat" when you sign up for your appointment and your tutor will email you an invitation, inviting you to an online video conference through ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Google Meet. Click the link in the invitation email to join the meeting, and start talking with your tutor!
Live Text Chat
Choose "Live Text Chat" when you sign up for your appointment and your tutor will send a text chat request to your ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø email. Respond to the chat request to start talking with your tutor!
Text chat and video conferencing sessions are interactive. Your tutor will collaborate with you live to help you improve your writing strategies, to offer reader feedback and support, and to find resources with you. You will need to be on your ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Gmail account for these sessions. You and your tutor can share files and interact much as you would in an in-person session. If you are unfamiliar with Google Apps, we have prepared detailed instructions on Using Google Docs.
Email Feedback
Schedule Email Feedback to schedule a session online, without having to be present at the Writing Commons or to be online with your tutor at the time of the session. In order to schedule an email session you will be asked to provide substantial information about your draft and about your writing process. The information we require you to send us takes the place of the give-and-take of conversation in an in-person session with a tutor.
Email Feedback sessions have the same goals as in-person sessions: to help you become productive and successful as a writer! The Writing Commons is not a proofreading service, and we cannot edit and proofread for you. We can, instead, help you locate resources, and notice patterns so that you can learn to edit and proofread for yourself. Everyone at the university must be confident that students are doing their own work, and that work includes the work of editing and proofreading.
Still not sure? Take the quiz to find out!
How to Schedule an Appointment
Note: All scheduled appointments can last up to 45 minutes. Unscheduled, "walk-in" sessions are worked in around our scheduled appointments and may be considerably shorter. To assure a 45-minute session, please schedule an appointment.
Note: Your tutor may be observed for training and professional development purposes by another member of our staff during your session. If you have questions or concerns about this practice, please contact our Director, Jeanne R. Smith, at jrsmith3@kent.edu.
Walk In Sessions
Writers are welcome at the Writing Commons for a session anytime, even when all the appointments are filled. Walk in Appointments are given on a first come, first serve basis. Writers may need to wait until a tutor becomes available. Walk ins are usually less than 45 minutes, as they occur in between other booked sessions. We encourage students to schedule appointments to receive the entire appointment time.