Writing Tutoring

We strongly encourage students to make an appointment with a writing tutor, which can be done by emailing learningcenter@cascadia.edu. We will meet with drop-in students on a first-come-first-serve basis, but students with appointments take priority over drop-ins.

In-Person and Online Tutoring

We are offering both in-person and online writing tutoring this quarter. Our Canvas site includes tutoring schedules, appointment request forms, the link to our Zoom tutoring room, and more! If you are having trouble accessing the Canvas course, contact Kathrine Raines at kraines@cascadia.edu.

Tutoring Schedule

Group Project Coaching

Students in the early stages of a group project can schedule a 45 minute appointment with select tutors to receive help organizing their group and planning for the project. For information about this program and how to schedule an appointment, please review our group project coaching guidelines.

Writing Center Policies and Procedures

The tutors will help guide you through the process of understanding the subject matter. They will not do your homework for you or answer questions without challenging you to think. Follow these guidelines to make the most of your tutorial time:

• Try to identify specific questions or concepts you need to address in the tutoring session before meeting with the tutor.
• Expect the tutor to ask you questions about your assignment or project. They do this to find out what you understand and to provide you with information and strategies tailored to your individual needs.
• Be patient. During peak times we often run a waitlist. Use this opportunity to review your notes and textbook, work on your assignments, and form peer study groups. You should take advantage of the benefits found in group study.
• Expect the tutor to suggest general study strategies to help you improve your overall academic performance. These strategies will help in all of your courses.
• Never wait until the day your paper is due to seek assistance. Students who begin working with writing tutors early in the writing process are better prepared to revise and edit their final drafts.
• Remember that there are many support services available to you as a student at Cascadia. Visit faculty office hours, attend Supplemental Instruction (SI) sessions and student success workshops when available, form study groups with your friends, and visit the Learning Center. Take advantage of all of your resources!

Appointment and Waitlist Policy

Students are strongly encouraged to schedule an appointment with a writing tutor to guarantee tutor availability. Appointments are for 45 minute blocks of time and can be scheduled in the Learning Center or over the phone by calling (425)352-8243. Students are allowed to schedule one appointment each day. If a student is more than 10 minutes late for their appointment, they will be considered a 'no-show.'

Students may also drop-in to receive help from a writing tutor. If the writing tutors are working with other students, the drop-in student will go onto a waitlist. Students with appointments take priority over drop-in students. Please note that during peak times the wait time can be significant for drop-in students.

If you are unable to make a scheduled tutoring session, please cancel your appointment before the scheduled time. Students who miss two appointments in a quarter without giving prior notice will not be allowed to schedule appointments for the remainder of that term. They may, however, continue to use our drop-in services.

Guidelines of Use

• Sign In All students must sign in to use this space at the kiosks located at the entrances to the Learning Center. If you are having difficulty signing in, our office assistants are happy to help.
• Use of Space The Learning Center may be used for most academic purposes. Students can work on assignments individually or in small groups, request tutor help, or use our computers for coursework. Because this is a learning environment we ask that you use break out areas for all recreational activities.
• Computer Use Learning Center computers are for academic purposes only. Please note that video games in the Learning Center, on our computers or your personal devices, is strictly prohibited.
• Noise The Learning Center is an academic space and we ask that you observe the following guidelines to ensure a productive work environment for all.
• Food Food and uncovered beverages are not permitted at Learning Center computers. Away from the computers, students may consume unobtrusive food or drinks while working. If not working, please use break out areas to eat.
• Requesting Tutor Help Drop-in tutoring in the Learning Center takes place on a first-come-first-serve basis. To add your name to the waitlist, please see the office assistant at the entrance.
• Clean Up After Yourself Before you go, please check your work area and clear any debris.
• Cell Phone Use Please silence cell phones and take phone conversations into the hallway.
• Please use headphones for all audio material (video clips, music, etc.). If you do not have your own, you may borrow a pair from the front desk at no charge.
• Please take social conversations out of the Learning Center.
• Please respect others’ work space by remaining aware of the volume of your voice and that of your group.

We appreciate your cooperation!

Requesting Disability Accomadation

If a student would like to request that any branch of tutoring services provide an accommodation due to a disability, they should work directly with Disability Student Services (Student Accessibility Services) to complete the accommodation application paperwork. Information about this process is available on the Student Accessibility Services webpage. Once this step has been completed, tutoring services will work with Student Accessibility Services to determine a reasonable accommodation for the student. Accommodations are generally made on a quarter-by-quarter and class-by-class basis. This means that most arrangements pertain only to a specific class and quarter.

Please note that tutoring services cannot work directly with students to make accommodations as we are not qualified to evaluate individual disabilities. To ensure that student requests are handled in a manner that is informed, consistent, and in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), accommodation requests must come to us directly from the Student Accessibility Services office.

Useful Links

• eTutoring service - free to all currently enrolled students. Tutoring is offered in most subjects.
• Grammar Bytes - offers grammar rules and practice exercises.
• Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL) - is great for locating proper in-text and bibliographic citation formats while also offering a variety of other writing related resources.
• Citing Sources Using MLA - offers a step-by-step approach to creating an MLA formatted works cited page. The steps will refer you to websites and videos that help you better understand the conventions of MLA and offer examples of citations and works cited pages.

Handouts and Worksheets

• Writing Introductions and Thesis Statements
• Writing Effective Conclusions
• Writing Personal Statements and College Admission Essays
• Reflective Writing
• (taken from the Academic Skills Unit, University of Portsmouth, UK)

FAQS

General Questions

Who can use tutoring services at the Bock Learning Center?

All students currently taking classes at Cascadia College may use tutoring services.

Who are the tutors?

Our tutors have successfully completed coursework in their designated tutoring subject(s), have been recommended by a faculty member in their tutoring area(s), and have completed a tutor training program. While most of our tutors are current students at Cascadia or a four-year institution, some of our tutors have completed a Bachelor’s degree or higher.

How much does it cost?

Tutoring services are free to all currently enrolled Cascadia College students.

Can I get tutoring help online, by phone, or by email?

Cascadia College participates in the Western E-Tutoring Consortium, which offers online tutoring in most subjects and is free to all currently enrolled students. You can access this service at eTutoring. The Learning Center does not offer tutoring by phone or email.

Where are you located?

Room CC2-060 (north corner of the CC2 building)

Why do I have to sign in?

Sign-ins allow us to track usage of the Bock Learning Center--the days, weeks and hours students are using our services, the courses that bring you to us, and the total number of students using the Center during a given quarter. These numbers help us secure funding to keep the center running, determine when and how to schedule our tutors, and develop other learning assistance programs like workshops and Supplemental Instruction (SI).

Writing Tutoring

What kind of help do writing tutors provide?

Writing tutors can help students at any stage in the writing process. They work with students to brainstorm ideas for paper topics, review partial or whole drafts, and provide guidance on specific topics (e.g., introductions and conclusions, integrating quotes into a paper, etc.). Students may receive help on writing projects from all disciplines (e.g., English, history, psychology, art, ESL, etc.) and genres (e.g., response papers, research papers, personal statements, works of fiction, etc.). Tutors do not “edit” or “correct” papers, but focus instead on high order concerns such as thesis statements, the development of ideas, and overall organization.

The goal of our writing tutors is to provide students with the skills to think and work independently on future writing projects. To accomplish this goal, tutors incorporate questions and dialogue into each session to actively engage students in the learning process.

Do I have to make an appointment to work with a writing tutor?

While we strongly encourage students to schedule an appointment with a writing tutor, we do allow drop-ins. Students who drop in will go onto a waitlist and receive help on a first-come-first-serve basis. Students who have scheduled appointments will take priority over those on the waitlist. Please note that during busy times, the wait time can be significant for drop-in students.

What should I bring with me?

Students should bring a paper copy of their writing project so that tutors can make notes on the page. We also encourage students to bring their paper prompt, course syllabus, any previous drafts that include instructor comments, grading rubric (if available), and textbook. Tutors generally begin sessions by asking students the specific questions or concerns that they have about their current project. Thinking about this prior to a tutoring session will help tutors focus and structure the session.

How much time should I allow?

Tutoring sessions are scheduled for 45 minutes. Students can continue working on their writing projects independently beyond the tutoring session in the Writing Center when space allows.

Become a Tutor

Visit Become a Tutor page for details and application.

Tutoring is a great way to strengthen your content knowledge while helping fellow students better understand their course material.