What to Expect in a Coaching Session

What to Expect in a Writing Coaching Session

A coaching session with Kari offers a judgment-free space for MCC MA students to work through any writing challenges they may have.

Each session is highly tailored to the needs of the individual student. Students may work on “big picture” issues such as thesis statements, organization, topic sentences, and/or support for one’s claims. Or, students may work on more granular issues including grammar, punctuation, diction, and syntax. For students struggling to get started, Kari can provide brainstorming techniques and ways to overcome writer’s block. She can also help students develop a writing schedule for longer projects such as MA theses.

The idea for these sessions is for students to learn about their own writing process and to improve their writing skills, and this requires active engagement. Students need to be prepared to talk openly about the main idea of their paper as well as aspects of writing that pose the biggest challenges to them. They should also be open to receiving feedback. Please note that Kari will not “edit” your paper. Rather, Kari can aid students in learning how to self-edit. Students should come away from a session with greater confidence in writing with clarity, coherence, and grace.

Program Rules

When students make an appointment with Kari, they will also send her a draft of the paper at least 24 hours in advance, including the paper prompt, if there is one. The document should be double-spaced and include the student's name and should be paginated.

Due to the highly individualized nature of these sessions, there is a strict cancellation policy: students who are no-shows or make last-minute cancellations will be barred from making further appointments that semester. Please treat this program as professionally as possible.

Students seeking feedback on a thesis draft, should bring in shorter sections or subsections of the manuscript. For students submitting a piece of writing longer than 15 pages, please allow an extra day or two, depending on length.

Contact your MA Advisor with questions.