College Core Writing Tutors act as a resource to help all undergraduate students develop and improve the organization, coherence, and argumentative sophistication of their essays. Writing Tutors work with students through the entire writing process from the crucial moments of brainstorming and questioning, to drafted/outlined material, to full drafts. Writing Tutors are available during Autumn, Winter, and Spring quarters, beginning in Week Two and extending through Finals Week. Appointments for the following week are released on Friday afternoons of the previous week.
In Winter 2023, College Writing Tutors will be available from January 9th to March 10th.
College Core Writing Tutors are available during the following hours:
Sundays | 2:00pm – 10:00pm |
Mondays | 2:00pm – 10:00pm |
Tuesdays | 6:00pm – 10:00pm |
Wednesdays | 6:00pm – 10:00pm |
Thursdays | 2:00pm – 10:00pm |
Fridays | 12:00pm – 4:00pm |
Please click on the sections below for further information on how to schedule and prepare for a Writing Tutor appointment.
How can a Writing Tutor help me?
Writing Tutors can:
- Brainstorm on how to get started on a paper or how to best approach a paper assignment or prompt, particularly in terms of how to construct an argument.
- Read a full or partial draft of a paper and comment on its overall argumentation (use of textual evidence, logical flow of argument, persuasive placement of points, etc.).
- Read a full or partial draft of a paper and comment on its organization, both globally and at the paragraph level.
- Spot patterns of mechanical errors in a student’s prose and teach the student how to identify and correct these patterns.
- Make suggestions for how to revise a paper for greater coherence, clarity, and persuasiveness of argument.
What are things Writing Tutors cannot do?
- Writing Tutors do not copy-edit, proofread, or otherwise “correct” papers.
- Writing Tutors do not fix grammar errors.
- Writing Tutors do not interpret course readings or course content for students.
- Writing Tutors do not read papers longer than 10 pages, double-spaced.
- Writing Tutors also do not meet with students outside available tutoring hours.
I'm a 1st/2nd-year student. How can I book an appointment with a Writing Tutor?
All 1st- or 2nd-year students should click the “Book an Appointment” button below and schedule an apointment through the system. Please be aware of the following:
- Appointments are released on a week-by-week schedule. All appointments for the following week are released on Friday afternoons.
- You cannot schedule two appointments throughout the week at one time. Instead, you may schedule an appointment or place yourself on the drop-in list after have completed your scheduled consultation.
- If you find that all sessions are booked for the week, you may place yourself on the Drop-In List on the same day you would like to see a Tutor by clicking on the “Get On the Drop-In List” button.
I'm a 3rd/4th-year student, but I can't seem to book an appointment. How can I see a Writing Tutor?
If you are a third- or fourth-year student, we invite you to email the Writing Program at writing-program@uchicago.edu so we can help you schedule an appointment. When you email us, please let us know the days and times you would be able to see a Writing Tutor during the week. If we are unable to find an appointment that works with your schedule, we will invite you to join the Drop-In List to meet with a Tutor when you are available. You can place yourself on the Drop-In List during normal tutoring hours by clicking the “Get on the Drop-In List” button at the bottom of this page.
Please be aware that appointments are released on a week-by-week schedule. All appointments for the following week are released on Friday afternoons. You may email at any time to request an appointment during the same week. Any requests for appointments in later weeks should wait until the Friday afternoon before, with detailed availability so that we may best accommodate such requests. Please note that we do not facilitate requests during the weekend, nor do we schedule same-day appointments. If you would like to meet with a tutor on short notice, we invite you to join the Drop-In List on the day you would like to see a tutor.
What happens if I put myself on the Drop-In List?
Know that you are putting yourself on the Drop-In List for the same day you sign up. Once you check in, Writing Tutors will only reach out to you during the days and shifts they are working.
Make sure to provide any notes to Tutors about your availablity. You will be contacted via email at your available time, so please make sure to check your spam folder for any invitation emails that may have been filtered.
- If you are waiting for an in-person appointment: Please arrive at the North Reading Room on the 3rd floor of the Harper Memorial Library and wait for your name to be called. Make sure to bring your document with you to share with the Writing Tutor.
- If you are waiting for a remote appointment: Please wait for a Writing Tutor to e-mail you with a Zoom link. Prepare your document to be shared with the Tutor by creating a link to view it in Google Docs.
I'm meeting a Writing Tutor over Zoom. How should I prepare for my appointment?
If you have scheduled an appointment with one of the remote Writing Tutors (Cubicle 15, 16, or 20)…
- The Zoom link for your appointment will be located in the Location link in your appointment confirmation e-mail.
- Check-in for your appointment up to 30 minutes in advance. Use the Check-In Link in your appointment confirmation email to check in. This will let your Tutor know you are ready to begin your session.
- Please check in for your appointment up to 30 minutes in advance by using the Check-In link in your appointment confirmation email.
- Also, please prepare your document to be shared with the Tutor by creating a link to view it in Google Docs.
- At your appointment start time, you will receive an email inviting you to join the Zoom meeting with your Writing Tutor. Please click on the Location link to begin your remote tutoring session. At the beginning of your session, please send the Writing Tutor the GoogleDocs link to your document in the Zoom chat.
- If you do not respond to the Tutor’s email or enter the Zoom meeting in five minutes, you will have forefeited your appointment. If your appointment has been forefeited, we ask that you get on the Drop-In List to be seen by a Writing Tutor that day. You may also make another appointment later in the week if there are any openings.
For All Appointments: Please e-mail ccwt@lists.uchicago.edu for any issues regarding your appointment on that day.
I'm meeting a Writing Tutor in person. How should I prepare for my appointment?
If you have scheduled an appointment with one of the in-person Writing Tutors (Cubicles 17, 18, or 19)…
- In-person appointments will take place in the North Reading Room Cubicles at the Harper Memorial Library.
- DIRECTIONS: Please use the entrance of the Harper Memorial Library East Tower and head up to the 3rd Floor. Enter the Cathey Learning Center and turn left to follow a hallway toward the North Reading Room. You will arrive at a large room full of cubicles – your appointment will happen in one of the above-mentioned cubicles at your scheduled time.
- Please check in for your appointment up to 30 minutes in advance by using Check-In link in your appointment confirmation email. You may also scan the QR code at Cubicle 19 to check in.
- Also, please bring your document to your tutoring session.
- We suggest you arrive at least 10-15 minutes in advance of your appointment. Your Tutor will call your name at your appointment start time. If you do not respond, they will call your name once more five minutes later. If you do not respond, you will have forefeited your appointment.
- If your appointment has been forefeited, we ask that you get on the Drop-In List to be seen by a Writing Tutor that day. You may also make another appointment later in the week if there are any openings.
For All Appointments: Please e-mail ccwt@lists.uchicago.edu for any issues regarding your appointment on that day.
If you have any questions about your appointment during the time you are scheduled, please e-mail the Tutors at ccwt@lists.uchicago.edu. You may also send questions or concerns to writing-program@uchicago.edu, and we will respond during business hours.
ESL/EAL Writing Tutor
For multilingual College and graduate students seeking support for written EnglishThe ESL/EAL Writing Tutor is trained by the English Language Institute to provide support for non-native English speakers seeking assistance with their Core writing assignments. The ESL/EAL Writing Tutor helps students build their knowledge of North American academic stylistic features and conventions related to the proper integration and citation of sources. The ESL/EAL Writing Tutor can also provide analysis of sentence level structural errors and teach students strategies to avoid these moving forward.
Undergraduates receive priority to work with the ESL/EAL Writing Tutor, but graduate students may be seen on a drop-in basis if no one is waiting.
In Winter 2023, ESL/EAL Writing Tutor Abigail Hill will be available from 8:00pm – 10:00pm CST on Sundays, Mondays, and Thursdays.
All ESL/EAL Writing Tutor sessions will be remote. To work with Nathan, sign up at this link (undergrads only). The ESL/EAL Writing Tutor schedule is available here: https://esl.uchicago.edu/writing.