Policies & FAQ

How tutors can help

• Writing Center Tutors are here to help get started on your project.  We can improve your understanding of the assignment, or work together to develop your paper’s topics, thesis, and ideas.
• If you already have a draft of your paper, we can show you how to revise it, and we can even clarify some basic issues in writing such as grammar, mechanics, summarizing, and paraphrasing.
• We can talk about the rules behind grammar and mechanics, and we can talk about ways to revise your paper to make its ideas clearer, but we don’t proofread or correct writers’ papers for them.  Our tutors can work with you to identify patterns of error in your paper instead of going line-by-line to correct it.  We also have resources on this website to assist you with grammar and mechanics if that’s what you’re looking for.
• We’re peer tutors, not professors.  That means we won’t grade your work, and we won’t evaluate it as “good” or “bad.”  We’re committed to the revision process, and we believe any writer of any skill level can benefit from a reader’s feedback.

Preparing for your appointment

• When you make your appointment, explain what you would like to focus on.  This is strictly to help us get started.  Remember, you’re in charge, and you can change the agenda of the tutorial at any point.
• If you’re meeting a tutor face-to-face, bring any applicable materials, including your writing prompt, draft, and any sources, such as an essay or book that you’re using.
• If you have your project saved electronically, bring a copy on a USB drive with you to your appointment, email a copy to yourself, or save it to a Dropbox account. You may also bring your laptop if you prefer working on your own computer.

During your tutorial

• Writing Center appointments are conversations. As we said already, our tutors aren’t going to grade your paper, nor are they going to proofread it.  Instead, expect a dialogue about writing: your Writing Center Tutor will ask you questions, and you are free to ask questions your tutor questions in return. Together, you’ll work collaboratively to reach conclusions.
• Your Writing Center Tutor’s goal is to make you a better writer, not only for the piece of writing in a single tutorial but also for future projects. You’ll discuss writing strategies, patterns of error, and ways to approach revision, among other topics.

After your tutorial

• If necessary, we can always verify with your instructor that you have had a Writing Center appointment.
• If so, you’ll need to include your instructor’s email address in your appointment in WCOnline or give it to your tutor during your appointment.

Academic integrity disclaimer

In any of your interactions with the Writing Center, DePaul University expects you to follow the code of academic integrity and conduct as outlined by the university. You can expect the same of us.

A note for School for New Learning students

Be aware that according to SNL policy, we are unable to work with students on any of the Undergraduate Proficiency Exams, including Academic Writing for Adults Proficiency (L4) and Critical Thinking Proficiency (L5). For detailed information regarding SNL’s Proficiency Exam policies, please visit their website.

Types of appointments

The Writing Center offers Face-to-Face, Written Feedback, and IM/webcam appointments,as well as Conversation Partner appointments for English language learners.  Find more details about the types of appointments here.

The length of the appointment

• WCOnline, our online scheduler, allows you to schedule appointments in half-hour increments, and you can schedule up to 2 hours of appointments per day: this means you can work with a tutor anywhere from 30 minutes up to 2 hours at a time.
• Generally, the longer your appointment is, the more you and your Writing Center Tutor can cover. For example, during an hour-long appointment, you’ll likely be able to read through and discuss the entire paper together, but this may not be the case in shorter appointments.
• In half hour-long appointments, you may need to pinpoint specific sections of your paper to work on depending on the length of the paper.
• We recommend that you make your appointment an hour-long to accommodate everything you would like to work on, especially if it is your first Writing Center visit. If you can’t schedule an hour-long appointment, you can expect to have an in-depth discussion with your tutor of around five pages of writing.
• Be aware that for your tutors will end appointments 5 minutes earlier than the stated time for half hour-long appointments and 10 minutes earlier for hour-long appointments so that they can complete a tutorial log for our records.

Scheduling and canceling appointments

Schedule or cancel an appointment using our online scheduler, WCOnline, or by calling our offices.

Lincoln Park: 773-325-4272
Loop: 312-362-6726.

Find more information about appointments and detailed guidelines for scheduling and canceling them here.

What if I need more than the allowed 3 hours per week?

We can make exceptions on a case-by-case basis. Please contact Liz Coughlin, Writing Center Program Director, for more information. Email Liz at ecoughli[at]depaul.edu.

What is the difference between Face-to-Face and Conversation Partner appointments? What should I expect out of each?

A Face-to-Face appointment is usually a conversation about a specific writing assignment or paper. A Conversation Partner appointment is a conversation for practicing and improving English-speaking skills.

What if I don’t have a specific paper assignment?

Even if you don’t have an assignment, your Writing Center Tutor can help you with different strategies for prewriting, brainstorming, working under pressure, improving grammar, and other aspects of writing.

If you have an assignment, but not a specific assignment prompt, we suggest you talk to your instructor for more information before your appointment.

Can I get help with my résumé and other application documents?

Yes!  We mean what we say about working with you on any piece of writing.  When you come for your appointment, please bring your notes, the job posting, your school catalog/application documents, or any other useful documents to help us understand your goals.

I heard you don’t work on grammar. Is that true?

We can assist you with grammar if you ask, but we don’t offer line-by-line corrections. Your tutor will instead focus on patterns of error, explaining the issues so you can identify and correct these errors in the future.

Can I work with someone at a computer?

Yes. You can print out a copy of your paper to work on during an appointment with one of our tutors. Your paper needs to be saved in Microsoft Word (.doc, .docx) or Rich Text Format (.rtf). However, our computers may only be used during a tutorial. If you need to continue working on a computer after your appointment, the receptionist can direct you to a campus computer lab.

Are you hiring?

The University Center for Writing-based Learning hires once a year, usually in Spring Quarter.