Writing Center

Tutoring Services

WOU Writing Center Consultants

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The Writing Center offers both in-person and online tutoring.

What is In-Person Tutoring?

An in-person tutoring appointment is most ideal for you as a writer: the face-to-face session gives you the opportunity to hear your work read aloud, ask questions, and learn new skills. While each appointment lasts 30 minutes, you have the option to request 1-hour appointments.

• Scheduled Appointments are made by accessing the online appointment book or calling the Writing Center at least 3 hours prior to the desired appointment time: (503) 838-8286. A scheduled appointment promises you the opportunity to work with a writing consultant on a particular day and at a particular time. Thirty-minute sessions are assigned to students who are brainstorming or who have 1-5 pages of double-spaced, type-written work. One-hour sessions are assigned to students who have 6+ pages of double-spaced, type-written work and to students whose first language is not English.
• Walk-in Appointments function on a first-come, first-served basis; however, all scheduled appointments in APSC 301 are given priority over walk-ins. This means that during the busiest seasons (the weeks surrounding midterms and finals), many students discover it is best to make scheduled appointments to work with writing consultants. Evening tutoring in HL 116 functions on a walk-in basis only.
• Night Hours function on a first-come, first served basis only. Night hours are offered Sunday-Thursday from 7:00-10:00 p.m. in HL 116.

What is Online Tutoring?

An online tutoring session is a real-time consultation with one of our writing consultants using our online system.  We are in the process of revising and implementing new services connected with our online writing consultations. Please be patient: instructions are forthcoming.

How Will Your Professor Know When You Have Used Our Services? A Golden Ticket: the Writing Center Confirmation Slip

At the end of each session, the tutor provides you with a gold-colored confirmation slip to serve as proof of your visit. While many student-writers are not required to seek writing assistance by their instructors, they often choose to attach the slips to their final papers as evidence of their investment in the assignment.

We can also send confirmation via e-mail for an in-person appointment regarding an online class.

For online appointments, an e-mail confirming the session will serve as the confirmation slip.

How Do You Cancel an Appointment?

As a matter of courtesy, we ask that you cancel and/or reschedule a reservation at least 24 hours prior to your appointment. This allows other students the opportunity to work with a consultant during the particular time. To cancel/reschedule, access the online appointment book or call the Writing Center: (503) 838-8286.

1. Log on to the online appointment book.
2. Go to the "control panel" link in the top, left-hand corner of the screen.
3. Under the greeting "Welcome [your name]!" is a section called "My Appointments." Find the appointment you would like to cancel and click on "view/modify."
4. A new screen will appear that resembles your original reservation screen. Scroll to the bottom of the pop-up screen and click on the "cancel this appointment" button.
5. You will receive a confirmation message that your reservation has been successfully deleted.

Prepare for Your Appointment

For a scheduled appointment, you are expected to arrive on time. If you are 5+ minutes late, a walk-in student may take your reservation. Additionally, you should bring the following items to your appointment:

• the instructor's written assignment
• if the assignment involves work from a textbook or handout, bring the source for reference
• a writing utensil
• for drafts: a type-written, double-spaced hard copy
• for brainstorming: scratch paper

What is a "No Show"?

When you fail to show for a scheduled appointment, you will be marked as a no show. After 3 no shows, you will no longer have access to the online appointment book for the duration of the quarter. Access will be reinstated at the start of the following term.

Contact

Writing Center 503-838-8286 | or e-mail: writingcenter@wou.edu