Study Help and Tutoring

Drop-In Schedule 

*PLEASE NOTE: MORE DROP-IN TIMES MAY BE AVAILABLE IF INDIVIDUAL SESSIONS HAVE NOT BEEN FILLED. CHECK AT THE WRITING SKILLS CENTRE FOR MORE INFORMATION*

Exciting news!

The Writing Skills Centre is offering drop-in hours! Please note that you may be sharing the writing tutor with other students during drop-in times. Also, drop-in will not be offered on holidays or weekends. 

Looking for individual, one-to-one appointments with a writing tutor? Check out the calendar in the "Appointment" tab!

But, What Does it Mean?

Introducing drop-in hours will give student writers a chance to use the Writing Skills Centre as a place to create a community: a community for writing, sharing ideas, discussing topics, or just hanging out with fellow writers! While there are no limits to drop-in use, please be advised that tutors will ensure that the Writing Centre does not become a crutch for your creative process. We want you to be able to write everywhere, not just here!

So come over to the Writing Skills Centre and get your write on. We look forward to working with you!

Click on the "Schedule Appointment" button below to book an individual appointment with a writing tutor. If you are looking for the ESL tutor, find the schedule here.

Can't make it to the Writing Skills Centre in person? Looking for feedback on your paper in the next week or two?

Fear not! You can submit your work through our online, email service and get some written feedback within 5 business days. We will not edit or proofread your submissions (that is your job), but we will try to point out any higher level or recurring grammatical issues in your writing (if there are any) and give you resources to help fix these issues.

We are looking forward to working with you to help you become a better writer!

We will be looking for issues that may be affecting your ability to communicate clearly and coherently in written form. This includes thesis, organization and paragraph development. If you have specific issues you would like addressed, please include them in the body of your email. We will address as many as possible.

• You must submit with your RDC Student email.

Why? Because this is the easiest way for us to confirm that you are an RDC student. We want to serve you as quickly as possible and submissions from non-RDC students would slow down that process. If you do not submit using your RDC email, your paper will not be reviewed. Submit in a Word document with the file name in the following format: CourseCodeAssignmentName

•  E.g. EN1201ReflectionEssay 

We are happy to review most essays and writing assignments; however, there are some exceptions. We cannot accept for review:

• Resumes and cover letters
• Group assignments
• Take Home Tests

You are welcome to submit individual assignments for review twice. If you resubmit, the assumption will be made that you have followed suggestions from the first review.

• Please submit with a copy of the instructions that the instructor has provided you. This will assist us with determining if you are fulfilling requirements.
• You can expect a response in 5 business days. Keep in mind that our tutors are part-time with limited availability.

So now that you know what we need from you, fire away! Send your papers for review to Nicole.rice@rdc.ab.ca

All RDC students are welcome in the Writing Skills Centre. It doesn't matter what program you're in or what your marks are. We can help you with:

• Essay organization and structure
• Research and planning
• Developing a strong thesis statement
• Grammar and punctuation
• Any other issues related to writing

In order to become independent learners, students must be prepared to acquire many types of skills throughout their post-secondary education. At the Writing Skills Centre, we focus on helping students develop the writing skills they need in both academic and professional settings. While our tutors cannot proofread your paper for you, they can teach you how to proofread and edit your own work, skills that will stay with you for life.

During your tutoring session in the Writing Skills Centre, you can:

• Bring your preliminary ideas and notes for an assignment, so you can talk them through with the tutor. Talking them through can help you clarify and focus your ideas.
• Bring a draft of your paper—no matter how rough it is. The tutor can comment on which sections are clearly explained and which might need more explanation and support.
• Bring in your paper in its final stages. Ask the tutor to comment on particular parts—e.g., paragraphs, sentences, word choices—that you’re unsure about.
• Bring your nearly finished paper. The tutor can give you some techniques for editing and proofreading. Please remember that the tutor will not proofread the paper for you.

The tutor will not do the work for you but will offer you guidance so you can work more effectively. Be aware that if the tutor does any more than what is described above, you may be accused of academic dishonesty. If the assignment you hand in contains the tutor’s work rather than your own, this is considered plagiarism. Plagiarism can result in severe consequences for your educational opportunities. 

Please see the link below for more information about the Writing Skills Centre`s policies

Vision

                Our vision is to create a thriving, vibrant RDC writing community wherein students, staff and instructors alike gather to discuss  all aspects of academic writing.

Mission

                Using scaffolded instructional techniques and student-centred learning approaches, we strive to help RDC writers discover the knowledge and develop the skills they need to become confident, competent and independent writers.

Looking for help with your references?

The Writing Skills Centre tutors are more than happy to help you as much as they can with APA, MLA, and/or Chicago style references. Do not forget, however, that the library has staff to help with all citation/reference questions. If you are on campus, just drop by the library desk. If you are off campus, start a live chat session, text, or phone us.