Do UWS tutors correct or edit student writing?
Definitely not. Tutors take a hands-off approach, never purely proofreading or correcting a student’s work. Instead, they assist students to find and fix error patterns on their own. In order to assist students develop or clarify their writing, we ask questions and give guidance rather than directions, so that changes belong to the student.
Many in my class need assistance on a current assignment. Can I send them all to the UWS?
We ask that you don’t send an entire class to us at the same time or on very short notice, just because of the logistical difficulties involved. (We usually have no more than 3 tutors on duty at any one time, so when a class of 20 or more students attempts to get in on the same day or two, we’ll be quickly overwhelmed!) However, with some advanced notice and some cooperation from your students, we can work with them. Contact Dr. Simpson with the date a paper is due, and he’ll suggest ways to schedule your students — if no more than 5 students come in on a given day, for example, we can see 20 students over 4 days without essentially closing the Studio to all other students, as would happen if they all come in a rush. Also, if enough of your students struggle with the same writing problem on one assignment, Dr. Simpson can come to your class and do a workshop on that issue.
Can I refer a student to the UWS?
Yes, you can refer a student to us by filling out our referral form, though please remember that the UWS is not a place for "bad" writers to go in order to "fix" their writing. Encouraging students to talk to a tutor in order to improve their writing skills will result in a more fruitful session.
Are tutors available to provide presentations about writing?
Yes, tutors can visit your classroom to provide a presentation on writing topics like punctuation, source citation, and avoiding plagiarism. Contact us to see if we can provide your class with a presentation. Email us early, as these presentations have limited availability.
Does receiving writing assistance amount to collusion?
While a tutoring session is often collaborative, with tutors and students exchanging ideas about basic usage, form, and style as well as the assignment’s content, UWS policy mandates that student writing remain the work of the student. Tutors, then, are not allowed to supply students with answers or do any of the work for them. If you wish for your students not to receive help on a specific assignment, please indicate as much on the assignment guidelines.
If I send a student to the UWS, will I see immediate improvement in his/her paper?
The UWS’s goal is to assist students become more effective and confident writers rather than help them create a "perfect" paper. Because our tutors do not proofread student writing or otherwise assume an editorial role, it can sometimes take some time for papers to demonstrate student progress.