FAQ

You may consult the Center's staff about all types of writing, including but not limited to:

* papers written for any MIT course
* papers for any CI or CI-M course
* scientific writing
* essays for graduate school applications
* resumes
* papers written for courses at other colleges
* business and professional letters
* fiction
* poetry
* personal essays
* undergraduate theses
* graduate theses
* articles for publication
* proposals.

You may visit the Center during any stage of the writing process: prewriting (generating and exploring ideas), writing a first draft, revising a draft, or editing. You may consult the Center before submitting a paper for a grade or after receiving a graded paper that you would like to revise. Some of the more common problems are: overcoming writer's block, organizing papers, taking essay exams, revising one's work, documenting sources, analyzing a writing assignment, and presenting scientific information.

Does the Center provide advice about oral presentations?

Yes. At the Center you can receive advice on:

* how to prepare and write a speech
* how to use visual aids
* how to conduct yourself when presenting scientific or nonscientific information

Does the Center provide a chance to practice oral presentations?

Yes. You may practice any type of oral presentation and receive feedback from the Center's professional staff. Among the types of oral presentations we help you practice are:

• presentations for classes (e.g., CI classes)
• presentations of your research
• job talks
• practice speaking up in class discussions
  
• Does the Center help non-native speakers of English?

Yes. The Center provides specialized help to those for whom English is a Second Language (ESL). The Center's staff can help with ESL problems with writing and speaking. The Center offers the opportunity to practice English pronunciation as well. In addition, this web site also has links to several useful ESL sites on the web.

What occurs during a consultation at the Center?

When you arrive at the Center, we will ask you what kind of writing or oral presentation you want to discuss.

Written Assignments

If you have a written assignment, we'll analyze it with you, and then we'll discuss your ideas and/or your paper. We will ask you what most concerns you about the assignment or the paper.

Although we do not proofread or edit papers, we will work individually with you to explore the strengths and weaknesses of your document. We will show you techniques and strategies for solving any problems, and we will explain pertinent rules and the conventions of the kind of writing you have been assigned.

Our staff of professional writing consultants and instructors provide thoughtful advice and suggestions and ask questions to stimulate further exploration of ideas.

Oral Presentations

The Center offers individual oral presentation sessions. Anyone may make an appointment to practice giving an oral presentation. The Center's director or one of Center's writing consultants will give feedback and suggestions about the performance aspects (e.g., eye contact, gestures, rate of speech, articulation, voice projection), about the organization of the presentation's content, and about the effectiveness of visuals.We will help at any stage of the oral presentation process--e.g., developing ideas, writing the speech or oral presentation, developing useful visuals.

When should I visit the Center?

Usually the best time to visit the Center is near the beginning of the writing process. We can help you discover and explore ideas, we can discuss organizational strategies, and we can help with questions about documenting evidence and data.

How should I prepare for a consultation in the Center?

The more you know about what kinds of help and advice you need, the more you can accomplish in a session. Here are some tips that will help you get the most from a session in the Center.

* Make an appointment at the Center ahead of time to guarantee yourself a spot. As the semester progresses, the Center's appointments will be booked several days or even a week ahead. You should select an appointment date several days before the assignment is due, so you will have time to incorporate the Center's suggestions and perhaps even have time for a second consultation.

* Establish your own goals for the tutoring session before you come to the Center, . Think about the kind of help you want from the consultant. For instance, do you want help discovering more ideas for your paper, do you need help organizing the ideas, or do you want to learn the rules for using semicolons?

* Bring your assignment or writing task with you. The more information you give us about the task, the more focused our advice can be. Similarly, if you're writing an application essay, it's a good idea to bring along the application form so we can examine the question(s).

How do I make an appointment with a consultant at the Center?

To make an appointment, go to the Center's homepage, click on the yellow sunburst, and follow the directions. With the advent of the online scheduler, there is little chance of simply dropping in and finding a consultant available. If you need to visit the Center on a day when all that day's appointment slots are filled online, simply return to the online scheduler periodically throuhgout the day. When an appointment has been cancelled, the blue slot becomes white again. When you find such a slot, simply click on the consultant's name and make the appointment.

What are the Center's appointment policies?

In order to consult with as many clients as possible throughout the academic year and during IAP (Independent Activites Period), the Center has the following policies.

How long is an appointment slot?

Appointments are scheduled for 60-minute periods on the hour (e.g., at 10 a.m., at 11 a.m., at 2 p.m.). Appointments scheduled on the half-hour (e.g., at 10:30 a.m. or 2:30 p.m.) last only 30 minutes.

Using the Writing Center 's Online Scheduler

How do I make an appointment?

To make an appointment, go to the Center's home page

• Click on the yellow sunburst that says "schedule an appointment"
• Then click on the blue word " register " and follow the directions.
• On the Online Scheduler, the white spaces indicate available appointment slots.
• Simply click on the name of any consultant (on the left side of the scheduler).
• It doesn't make any difference which name you click on as long as there is a white space at the time you wish.
• A new screen will open. In the 2nd block on the new screen, it says "Please select the starting and ending times."
• Next to the date on the next line in that block, you'll see "Start Time." Click on the arrow to the right of " 9:00 a.m. " to see all the start times. Click on the time you want for your appointment (e.g., 1:00 p.m. ").
• Then, on the right you'll find the "End Time" box and repeat the procedure, this time clicking on the end time of the appointment (appointments are scheduled for 60 minutes although you do not need to use all that time if you don't wish to). So you'd click, e.g., " 2:00 p.m. " Please note that only half-hour appointments are available from 3:00-4:00 p.m.
• In the box called "Summary," briefly write what you wish to work on (e.g., "grad school essay," "resume," or "a thesis," "paper for 21L.011," or "lab report").
• Then click the "Save" button at the bottom of that screen and you are all set

If you wish to schedule an evening appointment ( 6:00-9:00 p.m.), after registering, go to the top of the Online Scheduler where it says "View Schedule."

How do I cancel an appointment?

To cancel an appointment, go to the Center's home page

•  Go to the Online Scheduler

• In the upper left hand corner of the scheduler you will find the words "Logout" and "My Control Panel."
• Click on "My Control Panel."
• The screen that appears will show all the consultants' names and the ones you have appointments with.
• Find the consultant and time that you want to cancel, click the " Delete " box.
• A new window will pop up that asks if you want to delete, check YES, and you should be all set.
• The trick here is to be sure that you are deleting the correct appointment.

Is there a limit to the number of appointments you can make?

You may make up to three appointments each week (but never two on the same day). They may be booked up to eight weeks in advance. If you wish to visit the Center more than three times in one week, you may wait until the day you wish to come to the Center, consult the online scheduler, and, if there is an appointment slot available, you may sign up for it on the same day as the appointment. However, the following is crucial: in the "Summary" box that appears in the window in which you make the appointment, write "same day appointment"--doing so will preserve your appointment.

Is it possible to make an appointment with a particular consultant?

If you wish to work with a particular consultant or with someone with a particular specialty, you should simply click on that particular consultant's name and make an appointment with her/him. When clients simply want an appointment with any consultant, they are told to click on any consultant's name to make the appointment. So there is a good chance that even if the consultant you wish to work with has an appointment slot filled, she/he might still be able to work with you. If that consultant's spots are already reserved, make an appointment with a different consultant and in the "Summary" box at the bottom of the appointment screen, write "I would like to work with ___ if possible." Similarly, if you click on the name of a consultant with whom you particularly want to work, it is a good idea to write "I would like to work with you" in the "Summary" box to guarantee you will work with that particular consultant.

What if you're late for an appointment?

If you know in advance that you will be late for an appointment, please call (253-3090) and we will reserve the remaining portion of your appointment for you. If you are more than 10 minutes late for an appointment without notifying the Center, your appointment slot might be given away. When you do arrive, we cannot guarantee that there will be time available for you on that day.

What is the Center's cancellation policy?

If you know that you cannot keep an appointment, please cancel your appointment going to the online scheduler (see above).

There is no penalty for canceling if you cancel morning appointments by 8:30 a.m. and afternoon appointments by noon. This policy allows the greatest number of clients to have appointments.

What is the Center's "no-show" policy?

A "no-show" is someone who misses an appointment without canceling it ahead of time. No-shows inconvenience other potential clients.

The first time you are a no-show, you will be notified. If you are a no-show a second time during the academic year, you will not be allowed to make another appointment at the Center for a month (again, you'll be notified).

Is it possible to submit a paper to the Center electronically?

On a limited basis, yes. Go to the Online Tutor page and follow the directions. Please note, though, that you may submit no more than 1000 words of any given document via the Online Tutor for a quick evaluation and "triage." . It is our firm belief that face-to-face individual consultations are the most effective method of improving writing skills. Nevertheless, we recognize that there may be circumstances that prevent you from visiting the Center in person. The Online Tutor does not replace or supplant face-to-face consultations. If you are concerned about one element or one section of an essay, for instance, you might e-mail it to the Center and one of our staff will send you comments about it, usually within 24-48 hours (1 or 2 business days).

What is the Center's Grammar Hotline?

During the Center's open hours, you may call the Center (253-3090) and request help on a very specific problem in a document. Please use the Grammar Hotline only when you have a very specific question (for example, "Should a semicolon be placed after an ellipsis?") or a particular sentence whose wording does not quite satisfy you. You can also consult the Mayfield Handbook's section on grammar.

Is it possible to make suggestions and comments about tutoring sessions?

Certainly. We are always interested in your questions, comments, or suggestions. After each consultation, you will be asked to complete a short evaluation forms in the Center. You may also contact the Center's director, Steven Strang, in his office (12-120, 253-4459) or in the Center or via email (<smstrang@mit.edu>).