Online Tutoring Guidelines and FAQ
The Writing Center is committed to providing free professional writing consultation to all students, faculty, and staff affiliated with the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Though our services have moved online and our staff will be working from home and/or off campus, we will do our best to match the same level of service and sense of professionalism that we usually offer in-person at our campus office space.
We ask that our clients help us as well in maintaining our professional environment so that our sessions and consultations are comfortable and effective. While we expect both clients and consultants to abide by our guidelines, we also understand that your individual workspaces, living arrangements, and other environmental situations may complicate sessions in ways that are beyond all of our control. We will do our best to accommodate those instances.
Remember that video conferencing is preferred but optional and our staff may still assist you by text chat via our MyWCOnline platform if that works better for you.
Please feel free to contact us with suggestions on how we can help in shaping our online environment. The current shifts in online education is an ongoing learning process, and we are open to adjusting our policies as new information, suggestions, and research arises. We consult both with our staff as well as campus institutions that specialize in technology and accessibility, and we are open as well to feedback from our clients.
Guidelines for Online Sessions
1. Please be appropriately dressed (for video appointments) as you would for an in-person meeting on campus. We understand that working from home may be comfortable for us all; but please consider the comfort of our staff as well. This does not necessarily mean to be dressed up, but wearing undergarments or being shirtless for video conference is discouraged.
2. Please be on-time for your appointment. We have already lengthened the time limits of our session to account for technology mishaps, slow-downs, or disconnections which may occur, so please help us to help you get as much out of your appointments as possible.
3. Please be sat up (for video conferences) and at a workspace, table, or desk if at all possible. Unless a disability or medical condition makes this difficult, then we kindly ask that you not attend our video sessions laying or reclined in bed. If sitting up is not possible, then please disable your camera and continue our session via voice or text chat.
4. Please be present and undistracted for your appointment. Our sessions are often intensive and require focus and interaction. Please do not take us with you around the house, or along for a drive, etc. In fact, please do not drive while you are in a session. We also ask that you reduce, if at all possible, any noise that may distract from our sessions. We understand, however, that children or pets may occasionally join our sessions unannounced, and that those situations are unavoidable. Nonetheless, quiet workspaces work best for our sessions.
5. Snack foods are fine during sessions, but please plan more substantial meals for outside of your appointment times. (This, of course, does not apply to those with pertinent medical conditions.) Please plan accordingly, and remember that you may reschedule up to twelve hours before your appointment.
Online Tutoring Sessions FAQ
How many appointments can I make?
Writers may schedule ONE appointment per day. The maximum number of appointments a writer can schedule per week is THREE appointments.
Do I need to submit a complete draft for feedback?
No, you do not need to submit a complete draft for feedback. If you are still in the brainstorming phase of your writing process, please upload a document with the project you are working on (e.g. assignment sheet or prompt) with a list of questions/ideas you want a consultant to look at.
My paper is X pages long. Will the consultant comment on the whole draft?
Our goal for each session is to help you become a better writer, which often involves trying out different strategies. Depending on the situation, a 45-minute session can cover anywhere from a few pages to a few words. If you have a longer paper, we strongly encourage you to schedule reoccurring appointments to work through one section of your paper at a time.
I need to edit my appointment form/cancel my appointment, but I don’t see an option to do so.
Appointments can be edited or cancelled up to twelve hours in advance; after that, the platform will lock the appointment. Please email tutors@hawaii.edu and an administrator will assist you.
