Tutoring Policies

All McDaniel students are allowed (and encouraged) to have three (3) tutoring sessions per week during the Fall and Spring semesters.

Tutoring is available by appointment or drop-in. Students are encouraged to make appointments in advance to guarantee their preference of day/time/tutor. Recurring appointments are available!

Tutoring sessions are either 30- or 60-minutes, depending on your choice when registering for an appointment (or tutor availability if coming as a drop-in).

Students can cancel appointments up to 5 minutes before the scheduled start time of the session. Failure to show up within 5 minutes after the scheduled start time will result in your appointment being marked as a “no-show.” After two (2) no-shows, your WC Online account will be suspended. To reactivate your account, you must meet with the Writing Center Director (vflora-nakoski@mcdaniel.edu).

Using WC Online

The Writing Center uses WC Online to schedule appointments, track records, and maintain post-session Client Report Forms. By default, all records are confidential under FERPA, but we encourage you to share post-session Client Report Forms with your professors to update them on your hard work and progress as a writer!

For more information about using WC Online, please follow this link.

Preparing for a Tutoring Session

Bring your ideas and a willingness to work. Tutors also like to see assignment sheets and any work you have done so far (unless you’re just starting out, in which case, bring your questions). If you’re meeting online, feel free to attach documents or other files to the appointment form.

In addition to academic writing assignments, you are welcome to work with tutors on personal or professional writing (ex. fan fiction, articles for the Free Press or Contrast Literary Magazine, resumes or cover letters).  

What to Expect During a Tutoring Session

Every session is tailored to your needs, but most sessions follow this general format:

  1. You and the tutor will set some goals for the session. These goals should be narrow enough that you can actually accomplish them during a tutoring session.
    • Vague Goal — “I want to see if this makes sense.” 
    • Specific Goal — “I want to see if my topic sentences match my thesis statement.”
  2. The tutor will review concepts related to your goals. This might include looking over your class notes, looking through your textbook, or sharing online resources.
  3. You will apply those concepts to your own work, with the tutor’s guidance. Appointments are active exchanges between the student and the tutor, so come prepared to work!
  4. You and the tutor will review your progress and set up some next steps. Each session ends with you writing a post-session Client Report Form outlining your growth as a writer. This might involve setting up a follow-up appointment, sharing resources for you to use on your own, or even helping you get clarification from a professor.