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Answers:
1. How do I book an appointment?
As of September 2002, all bookings will be made on-line.
2. When are bookings generally available?
Bookings are generally available once the term gets going - generally about two or three weeks after classes begin. The on-line system allows you to make bookings up to two weeks in advance, and will show the tutoring schedule for the current term. If you want to meet with a tutor earlier, drop in to the Engineering Communication Centre, Sandford Fleming B670. During busy periods, more hours and appointments for tutor consultations may be added. Always check the on-line booking system to see what is available. If one of us can possibly see you, we will.
3. Can I schedule multiple appointments for one report or project?
Generally, students are allowed to book one appointment per week. If you think you may want to see a tutor several times for a single report or project, the best idea is to start work on it early enough to book appointments over several weeks. That will give you the double benefit of a number of appointments as well as input at early, middle and late stages of development.
4. Can I schedule back to back appointments?
In some cases, group projects are permitted one hour appointments. You will need to have two different people booking appointments.
5. Can I specify which tutor I want to see?
Tutors have set appointment hours and you can probably try to arrange to fit into the hours of a particular tutor. The on-line booking system allows you to book with a particular tutor.
6. If I want to schedule an appointment for a group project, do all the group members have to be present?
That depends. If the project has been broken up into distinct sections and you would like us to look at the writing you have done yourself, then feel free to come in alone. If your group is either at the beginning — in the process of organizing, outlining, or brainstorming — or at the very end — checking for coherence — then you should try and arrange a time when all members can attend. In any event, we cannot help you with another group member’s writing. The reason for this is simple: tutors will likely have questions about the writing that only the author will be able to answer.
7. What should I bring to my appointment?
Definitely bring in the assignment instructions and anything you have done on your paper. Your paper does not have to be finished before you book an appointment. We are happy to discuss your ideas at the outline phase or to look at a very rough draft. Just don't bring in an outline an hour before the assignment is due and expect the tutor to perform a miracle.
8. Will you check my paper for grammar, spelling, and punctuation?
Yes, we will check your paper for errors, and we will certainly let you know whether you seem to have particular troubles in one area or another; however, we won't correct all of these errors for you. Our goal is to teach you to see your own errors, not to provide an editing service.
9. Can you proofread my work for me?
In a word, no. The ECC is a teaching facility; our goal is to make you a competent writer, not to make ourselves overworked editors. Further, all too often, a student's writing does not answer the instructor's question. For instance, a student may only have described something, when the professor wanted analysis as well. Or the writer of a lab report may have filled many pages with easy sections (such as the equipment and procedures, which any ArtSci could paraphrase from the lab manual) and neglected harder sections (such as the discussion and conclusion). In such cases, proofreading is like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic, after it struck the iceberg. And, you have a spell-check on your computer. Use that BEFORE you ask us to look at your work.
10. English is not my best language, and I have to consult my translation dictionary for almost every sentence I write. Should I make sure I've written good English before I contact the Centre?
Do not worry about grammar at the early stages of writing! If you struggle to make each sentence perfect before you even think about the next one, you will run out of time before you get very far, and the overall structure of your paper will suffer. Focus on developing your ideas in whatever form you can -- perhaps an outline, a flow chart, or a branching idea tree. (See next question.)
11. I have some general ideas and a basic outline. Should I ask for help now, or complete my rough draft first?
A tutor will likely be able to help you quite a lot, even at this early stage. If we can set you on the right track now, we may save you a lot of time down the road.
12. Will you tell me what grade I can expect for the assignment I bring in?
No. Grades are dependent on many things; we can help you improve your writing. In many cases, that will improve your grade, but if you have made mistakes in your computations, if you recommend incorrect materials, if you have not researched deeply enough, your grade will suffer, no matter how much you have polished your prose.
13. Do you provide help with resumes and cover letters?
Yes. There are also other resources in the University, such as the Engineering Career Office, as well as the University of Toronto Career Centre, which can provide further help in those areas.
14. What is the difference between an editing service and a tutoring service?
An editor's job is to produce good writing. A writing tutor's job is to produce good writers.
15. Why do I have to lo in every time I come in? What is done with my login information?
Log in information helps us keep track of our activities here in the Engineering Communications Centre. They enable us to see, at the end of each term, how many students we have seen, which departments and courses were most represented. They help us determine what kinds of problems were prevalent in order to better plan workshops and other initiatives to help student writing in general.
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