- On campus appointments
- Email and Video Appointments
- For Faculty
- Writing Across the Curriculum
- Writing Resources: Handouts and Videos
- FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How can I make an appointment?
You have two options:
- In-person:
If you are a student at MBI Chicago, come to the Writing Center during the hours we are open. Meet with a tutor when you arrive or sign up for a session at a later time or date. - Online:
Go to our scheduling page to make an appointment up to 2 weeks in advance. You can choose a face-to-face session or online (email) feedback. MBI Chicago students, please save the online sessions for MDL students unless you absolutely cannot see us in person.
2. What should I bring to my (face-to-face) appointment?
You should bring:
- The description of your assignment.
- Your draft (if you have one)
- Any relevant notes
- A few questions about your paper
Online sessions will ask you to attach the above items when you make your initial request for feedback.
3. I don't have a draft yet. Can the Writing Center still help me?
Yes! We can help at any point in your writing process. Whether you are
- Getting started
- Organizing your thoughts
- Working with sources
- Developing your argument
- Improving your style or
- Learning to find your errors
The Writing Center can help you get to the next step.
4. Can the Writing Center help me with grammar?
Yes! We are not a copyediting service, so we cannot help you find and fix every error. However, we can help you learn to proofread your own writing. That means we will help you identify common errors in your paper. Then, we will teach you how to find and fix these errors on your own.
It is much easier to address grammatical issues in a face-to-face session. While we are very happy to help you with grammar in an online asynchronous (email) session, we are limited to addressing two or three types of grammatical issues in each paper emailed to us.
5. Can I bring more than one paper to a session?
No. We help you develop strategies for improving your writing. Each session has just enough time to practice applying these strategies in one paper.
6. How often can I go to the Writing Center?
You may make appointments once a day and up to twice a week.
7. Who are the Writing Center tutors?
Our tutors are high-achieving graduate and undergraduate students. They are strong writers themselves, and they have been highly trained to offer helpful, specific feedback on your writing.
8. Will the Writing Center tutor be familiar with my course or my teacher's expectations for the assignment?
Don't count on it. Nearly all of our tutors are Moody students. However, your tutor may not have taken the courses in which you are currently enrolled or may have taken them with a different instructor.
Be sure to bring the assignment description with you. (For an online session, be sure to attach it to your initial request for feedback.) This will help ensure that both you and your tutor understand the paper's requirements.
If you want to regularly work with a tutor who has taken your course, you can! Contact Gayla Gates or fill out the request form below and return it to the Student Resource Center.