Writing Tutors are here to help with your assignments!
The term is quickly flying by. We are more than halfway through the first term, and for many that means it’s time to start submitting assignments and term papers. For new students, this may be a lot to process at once, and for returning students, who may be taking more advanced courses, there may be an adjustment period for the new workloads. The University of Manitoba has resources to support students in their writing.
For students looking to improve their writing skills, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) provides a multitude of one-on-one and group tutoring services, such as appointments with tutors or the Drop-in Study Sessions. The ALC pairs students with writers who can make suggestions to their work and help develop important writing skills at any stage in the writing process or any level of writing. Writing tutors help build foundational skills for writing and strengthen existing skills.
Writing skills are more than questions of sentence structure, grammar, or checking spelling. When a class requires a lengthy paper, the starting process in of itself consists of the development of skills, such as note-taking, research, reading, and time management. For those transitioning into the university environment, the kind of essay writing demanded may be unfamiliar to some. “Organization is a big one [writing skill], as many students are accustomed to writing without an outline upon starting university. For shorter and less complex essays at the high school level, this can be a workable approach, but it is almost invariably a bad idea at the university level,” notes Garett Levacque, writing tutor with the ALC.
Levacque highlights the importance of the collaborative aspect of writing tutors: “Some of the appointments [that] students have implied or said were particularly helpful are appointments at these early stages where the student and I co-construct an outline and work together on developing a thesis statement.” Student success starts at all stages, and sometimes students may not even know where to start planning their writing, but by reaching out and working with those who are happy to help, the writing process is centred at meeting students where they are.
This approach is reflected in the variety of supports offered by the ALC. There are writing tutors for both undergraduate and graduate students, who can help students synthesize and develop their thesis statements, citing and referencing, meeting deadlines, and improving editing strategies. For graduate students in particular, writing tutors can help with thesis writing by developing skills such as source integration, reference management and organization of ideas in large, complex essays.
As students continue to advance in their degrees, they may struggle with the transition to more writing heavy assignments. The ALC’s writing tutors are also equipped to help this shift in kinds of work. Levacque remarks that “More experienced university students who have not had to do a lot of writing in earlier years of their degree also frequently seek out writing tutors for assistance, with nursing students being a particularly notable cohort of this sort.” Learning to write is an ongoing process, and anyone can benefit from this aid.
For some students, all they need is someone to look over their work and to discuss it. “As a student, I would almost always have a family member read over my papers for clarity, flow, and proofing errors that I might gloss over while revising independently,” recalls Levacque. “I know that many students don’t have that advantage, and campus-based tutoring that is free at the point of service helps to make for a more equitable academic environment where all students can have an informed second set of eyes on their paper.”
To book a writing tutor, consult the ALC tutoring platform and follow the instructions. Students can have two meetings a week with a writing tutor.
Some areas in which a writing tutor may help students
- Organizing ideas for a paper.
- Understanding the assignment
- Setting up a writing schedule
- Planning and outlining.
- Learning to write a particular style of paper.
- Paraphrasing and synthesizing.
- Unfamiliarity with a certain citation style.
- Editing and revision strategies
- Having someone else look over your paper to notice common issues.
- Meeting deadlines.
- Identifying components of a paper and compartmentalizing the work needed to be done.
- Working on incomplete drafts.
- Referencing and citing.
What can students do to improve their writing skills before and after seeing a tutor
- Organization is key! Make clear, detailed outlines to refer to.
- When researching, it is a good idea to note down more than you think you may need. You never know when extra information will come in handy.
- Ensure you understand the assignment before you start writing. This will help you plan the paper as well as work with the writing tutor to stay focused on what is required from your instructor.
- Plan and schedule so that you have time to write. Always prepare for more time than you think you may need to write an assignment. This allows you time to revise, to have it looked over, and to improve it!
Interested in becoming a tutor? The ALC hosts regular tutor workshops to help prepare students to become writing tutors and help their peers. This training also counts towards a Co-Curricular credit.
The ALC and can be reached by phone at 204-480-1481 or by e-mail at academic_learning@umanitoba.ca and at the Bannatyne Reception Desk, S211 Medical Services Building at the Bannatyne Campus.