FAQs

What can I expect in an appointment?

  • The tutor will probably first ask you what you want to work on
  • If you already have specific goals for your tutorial, please let the tutor know!
  • The tutor may talk to you about your ideas for your paper/topic
  • You will probably be asked to read your paper aloud (people often catch errors in reading that they haven’t seen before)
  • The tutor can help you find the strengths and weaknesses of your paper.
  • The tutor may also help you organize your ideas, develop a strong thesis, enhance your academic language, or may suggest ways to strengthen your argument, etc.

What should I bring to my appointment?

Bring any of these that you have:
  • The written question or assignment from the professor
  • Your notes or draft
  • Any of the sources you are using

Do I have to send my paper before my appointment?

No, there is no need to send in the paper. For an in-person appointment, the tutor will go over the paper with you in the session. So please bring in a hard copy at the time of your appointment!

If I haven’t written my paper yet, can I still see someone to talk about it?

Yes, definitely! We can help you with any stage of the process of writing your paper, including brainstorming ideas or starting an outline.

What if I can’t get an appointment?

  • You can get on a waiting list for a particular day. On the scheduler under each day, there is a link in yellow words that says "Is the time that you want already reserved? Click here to be notified of an opening in the schedule!" If you click on that link, and give an email address that you check regularly, the system will let you know ASAP if a slot on the schedule opens up.
  • You can send your paper online. In the same appointment system, under each day, there is also a link in yellow asking “Would you rather send your paper on-line?” You can click on the link and upload your paper.

If I had an appointment already in the week, can I send an online?

Unfortunately not. In order to be able to serve all the CGU community equitably, the Writing Center policy is that a client may make only one appointment per week (either in-person or on-line).

How do I cancel an appointment?

If you need to cancel an appointment, cancel online or phone us at least 24 hours in advance of the appointment. For instructions on how to cancel online click here

Do you format in APA?

No, we don’t format papers. However, we have all of the up-to-date manuals and we can help you look for patterns of inconsistencies in your formatting. We can also help you use the manual to answer difficult questions about formatting.

Is there a tutor in my field?

We have tutors in many of the fields at CGU, but not in all of them. You can look at the staff list and find out if there is a tutor in your field (staff list). However, all of the tutors are experienced at working with students in all of the disciplines at CGU.

Which tutors have experience with doctoral students?

All of the tutors who work in the Writing Center have experience working with incoming graduate students as well as doctoral students working on dissertations.

What if I need more help?

  • You can do a walk-in
  • You can send a paper on-line.
  • You can schedule regular appointments over several weeks.
  • You can contact one of the proofreaders on our list (send us an email and we'll send it to you.)

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