Faculty FAQs
Introduction
Below is information about the UIC Writing Center that you may pass along to your students or use to inform your decision to use the Writing Center.
The UIC Writing Center, located in 105 Grant Hall, offers free one-on-one tutoring for any writing you are doing, whether it is an assignment for a course or a personal statement or resume.
See here for the hours we are open.
You can have a session in-person in the wonderful space in 105 Grant Hall or work with a tutor online. You can make appointments at https://uic.mywconline.com
What to expect when you visit?
- You and the tutor will have a friendly, back-and-forth conversation about your writing.
- Together, you will decide what’s most important for your session.
Do you have a quick question?
- Drop in! We have both in-person and virtual drop-ins. See here for our current drop-in days and times. Virtual drop-in hours for short sessions are during the times specified, but it’s worth dropping by in-person at other times too. If there is a tutor available, they will help.
Things to Remember
- It’s OK to come with no writing! Just come with a few ideas and we will work together to take the next step.
- After the session, you will receive a follow-up letter through WCONLINE. For Drop-in sessions, you will receive a brief acknowledgement that you worked with a tutor. For 50-minute sessions, the letter will be longer: tutors will summarize your work together and include what you both decided about next steps.
- Out of respect for you as the author, final decisions about changes in your writing will remain with you.
For more information visit writingcenter.uic.edu.
If you would like help making an appointment, please contact: writingcenter@uic.edu.
Instructor FAQs
Extra credit
After every session, within 24 hours, students receive an email via our scheduler, WCONLINE, with an official Report summarizing the session and offering next steps. Students can then forward this report to you as proof of a visit.
If you are offering extra credit, it is important to let students know what to expect: sessions are interactive. Tutors offer advice and options, but do not take over the writing. Changes are made collaboratively. You can also ask students to submit a brief reflection on what they learned from their session.
We have a variety of session options, in-person or online 50-minute sessions, drop-in sessions that are 5 to 20 minutes, and email sessions. If offering extra credit, please specify to students the session types for which they will or will not receive credit.
Please note that because we have a limited number of email sessions available, and these do not involve writer attendance and participation, we ask that instructors only offer extra credit for online or in-person sessions.
Syllabus blurb
A: Yes! Here is one for First Year Writing Program courses that can be used for other courses too:
The UIC Writing Center, located in 105 Grant Hall, offers free one-on-one tutoring for any writing you are doing, whether it is an assignment for this course, another course, or a personal statement or resume. We are open from the Tuesday of Week 2 through the end of finals week. You can schedule appointments with a tutor for in-person or online sessions. The tutor will be able to work with you for up to 50 minutes per appointment.
Have a quick question? You can drop in without an appointment every day we are open, from 11:00-2:00, and we can provide you with a short session (up to 20 minutes).
To schedule an appointment, visit https://uic.mywconline.com/. For more information including any updates, visit our website at writingcenter.uic.edu. If you ever have questions or would like help making an appointment, please contact us: writingcenter@uic.edu.
You can learn more about the Writing Center through this video: Welcome to the UIC Writing Center!
Becoming a tutor
Students who have completed their writing requirement and are willing to learn how to help fellow students in a way that is supportive and non-judgmental are eligible to take our semester-long tutor training course, English 282, or (for seniors and graduate students), English 482. Both courses are open to all majors and are often seen as an opportunity for students who enjoy writing but are not in a major that gives them many opportunities to write.
In English 282, students learn about working with fellow students from a great variety of courses as well at different stages of their writing experience. In addition to meeting in class, students tutor 2 hours a week. Students who complete 282 are then eligible to apply for a paid staff position. The hiring process is competitive, but students who have been committed to course work and the Writing Center’s mission are always strong candidates. It is worth noting that the course is a valuable experience for students, even if they are not interested in applying for paid positions in the future.
For any student interested, here is a sample course description:
- English 282 prepares students to tutor writing from all academic disciplines and levels. The course is reading- and writing intensive, drawing on established theory and evidence-based practice from the field of writing center studies. As part of the course, students tutor two hours a week starting Week 5 of the semester. Students continue to meet in class analyzing their sessions, critically engaging theories of tutoring, conducting research, and developing collaborative approaches to tutoring that foster an inclusive community among fellow UIC students. With its emphasis on integrating learning with practice, the course is ideal for students of all majors who would like to develop professional skills, especially critical thinking, communication in diverse environments, and leadership.
- Prerequisite: A or a B in English 161 (or the equivalent transfer course) or in other courses that have a substantial writing requirement.