Collected here are answers to common questions students have about using the Writing Centre.
Yes, MacEwan students access the Writing Centre for free.
In the fall and winter terms, you can book 1 appointment per day and 2 appointments per week. In the spring/summer term, you can book 1 appointment per day and 3 appointments per week. If you've exceeded the maximum number of appointments but would still like to discuss your writing with peer writing tutors and other writers, you can do so during the weekly Writing Community Drop-In Hours in the fall and winter terms.
You can book In-Person and Online Chat appointments for 30 or 60 minutes. If you’re just getting started or have a short draft, 30 minutes is probably enough. If you have a full draft of a long essay, 60 minutes would work better. If scheduling a Written Feedback appointment, you must book it for 60 minutes.
Although consultations are booked for 30 or 60 minutes, your time with the peer writing tutor lasts 25 or 50 minutes. Tutors spend the last 5-10 minutes summarizing the consultation, gathering resources, and preparing for their next appointment.
During an In-Person or Online Chat appointment, you will have a conversation with a peer writing tutor about your writing. We think of these appointments as consultations.
The tutor will ask you questions about your writing goals, describe their experience reading your work, and discuss options for improvement. You should expect to take notes during the consultation or, if you're just getting started, to begin writing.
During a Written Feedback consultation, the tutor will also ask questions and make observations, but they will be in the form of a feedback summary and marginal comments on your document.
Regardless of the appointment type, you as the writer make decisions about your work, and tutors will not make any direct changes to your writing. Peer writing tutors will also only focus on your writing. They are not subject area tutors and will not provide advice on content.
Walk-in appointments are possible if a peer writing tutor has an opening in their schedule. In such cases, you will still need to book an appointment at the time of the consultation. To ensure you can access support, we recommend scheduling appointments ahead of time.
Drop-in help is available during weekly Writing Community Drop-In Hours in the fall and winter terms. Hours are available on the Library's Workshops & Events page.
If you miss two scheduled appointments or cancel two appointments within 60 minutes of their scheduled start time in one term, you will lose access to our scheduling system. To regain the ability to schedule appointments, you will need to email writingcentre@macewan.ca with your request.
All MacEwan students! Writing centres are welcoming spaces to have conversations about writing. Whether you consider yourself a beginning writer or an experienced writer, you'll benefit from having others read and discuss your work.
While the Writing Centre can only help you with material written in English, it may be possible to conduct a consultation partially in another language. The languages the Writing Centre supports in each term depends on the available tutors. Additional languages are listed on tutors' individual bios, which you can access from the About Us page and in the booking form when scheduling an appointment.
To request a consultation with a tutor in a shared language other than English, book an appointment with an appropriate tutor and specify the language in the appointment details.
You can book an In-Person or Online Chat appointment at any stage in the writing process, including before you've finished a first draft. If you haven't started writing a draft, you can bring in or upload an outline or other planning documents.
When booking a Written Feedback appointment, you should have a draft in progress or a finished draft.
You can bring any writing relevant to your academic, professional, or personal projects, including coursework, job applications, and creative writing.
If you would like feedback on graduate school, professional school, or graduate-level scholarship applications, please complete this form to request at 45-minute consultation with a member of the Writing Centre's professional staff.
If you're seeking feedback on other types of applications, you can book consultations directly with the Writing Centre as usual.
Yes, you can submit group work. However, only the work of those present at the consultation can be discussed. As such, you must arrange for all collaborators to be present for In-Person and Online Chat appointments if you'd like to discuss the entire document.
If you have the explicit permission of your instructor, you can submit a take-home exam.
Peer writing tutors can help you understand grammar conventions, advise you on developing your voice, and learn proofreading strategies. However, tutors will not make any direct changes to your writing or proofread your paper themselves.
Peer writing tutors can help you determine if your writing is achieving its goals, but they won't evaluate it for a grade or suggest what grade you might receive.
Peer writing tutors return asynchronous written feedback at or shortly after the end of the scheduled appointment. On rare occasions, tutors will return the feedback up to 1 business day after the submission. Plan accordingly and submit as early as possible to ensure you have time to revise your work.
Yes. The MacEwan Writing Centre, like other university writing centres, is an impartial space on campus. Peer writing tutors do not discuss consultations with your instructors or classmates.
This commitment to confidentiality means that tutors cannot confirm to your instructor that you attended a consultation.
Tutors also work on MacEwan-issued laptops and delete downloaded files at the end of every shift.
Still have questions? Reach out to writingcentre@macewan.ca
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