How to participate in your virtual tutoring session
Visit our Drop-In Tutoring page during our hours of operation to begin your virtual session. You will be placed into a waiting room. If a tutor cannot meet with you right away, they will send you a message while you wait giving you an estimate of how long it will be before they can meet with you. Once they are finished with their current session, they will bring you into the Zoom room.
You will work with your tutor to improve your writing using a combination of chat features and text editing. The tutor will still read through your paper with you. They'll suggest possible revisions and teach you writing principles that you can apply both to the paper you're currently working on and to future written projects. You'll be able to ask them questions, point out areas of concern, and ask their opinion on revisions you make during the session.
Online tutoring sessions are highly interactive and require your full participation. Just as we don't correct or "fix" papers in person, we won't simply make edits for you during an online session. A tutor may make a few small changes to demonstrate a concept, but then it will be up to you to apply what you've learned, with the tutor taking a supporting role while you take the lead on your own paper.
When should I use virtual tutoring?
Virtual tutoring is an excellent option for students that live off-campus and are not able to physically visit the Writing Center during our hours of operation. The virtual tutoring option also allows students that are not feeling well or who are quarantined to receive the same level of one-on-one help without putting others at risk.
How long will my appointment take?
Virtual tutoring sessions typically last between 30 minutes and an hour. At the one-hour mark, your tutor may need to end the appointment to work with another client.
Already had a virtual tutorial? We'd love your feedback! Please email us at writing@nmu.edu to let us know how your virtual tutoring session went.