Hi, GWC students,
The Graduate Writing Center closed at the end of SUMMER, 2022.
New resources include the
Center for Academic Excellence–academic workshops, academic coaching, and more, including sessions on time-management and success. Visits to classes or/and graduate programs are available. https://www.umb.edu/academics/vpass/academic_support Please contact pratna.kem@umb.edu and/or michael.leblanc@umb.edu to learn more.
Writing Center–“We’re the university-wide Writing Center. We provide free services for undergraduate and graduate students to support their academic and professional writing at any stage of the writing process.” https://www.umb.edu/writingcenter Please contact writingcenter@umb.edu to learn more.
If you have questions about how to access these new resources, please email meesh.mccarthy@umb.edu or gwc@umb.edu.
Thank you for working with us during the past two decades. :)
Question: May I still use the handouts, lists, and resources on this weblog? Answer: Yes! Click the “Resources & Handouts” tab and/or the Tutor-Curated Resources tab!
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Archive begins below . . . .
The GWC is open for Spring 2022! Additional will be available during the early part of the Spring 2022 semester.
The GWC’s Remote Graduate Writing Tutoring provides online graduate students with opportunities to improve their writing process for their remote/online graduate coursework. Weekly 1-1 tutorials—the most popular format—allow the GWC to assign you a specific tutor for the semester. Ongoing tutorials are designed to support you and the development of your writing process (from breaking down assignments & instructions into manageable parts, to generating & reorganizing papers, to reworking papers for clarity). You may also schedule a single tutorial session (in this case, the GWC cannot guarantee the same tutor/time will be available for a subsequent session). To register, click on the following link to the GWC’s WCOnline site: https://umbgwc.mywconline.com/index.php , then select REMOTE COURSES.
How to get the most out of your tutorial: Before the tutorial, prepare e-versions of coursework, instructions, and other materials that you want to share with your tutor. These tutorials are synchronous, which means that you need to relogin to WCOnline, click on your tutorial, and click the link to the virtual tutorial room. You and your tutor may need the first 5 minutes and the last 5 minutes to login, share files, and/or logout of the session. See the FAQs, below, for more information. GWC Online Writing Labs reminder: Looking for a group session? They take place in the GWC Bb Collaborate room at https://us.bbcollab.com/collab/ui/session/guest/2782B24985BC329A712B3703F54E478E
Your tutor’s response may be significantly delayed during UMass Boston weather-related closures.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) REMOTE TUTORIALS:
Q. I worked with a tutor each week last semester, I want to continue working with the same tutor this semester. What should I do?
A. If you and your previous tutor have not already made an arrangement for this semester, be sure to tell your tutor that you want a weekly tutorial at your first meeting. You may also reach out to us at the GWC: gwc@umb.edu.
Q. I want a weekly tutorial, but what happens if I don’t have a draft to submit each week?
A. There is always :) something to work on – such as, planning for upcoming assignments, breaking down paper instructions, scheduling research, reviewing paper comments from your professor, and revising previous writing, or even simply looking over the syllabus from each of your courses to think about how paper writing will build up over the semester. It is okay and, actually, preferable if you use a couple of your tutorials to work on these aspects of your writing process.
Q. Can I cancel?
A. Yes. Students are allowed two cancellations per semester. You must complete the cancellation by logging in to your GWC WCOnline account and selecting and cancelling the appropriate tutorial. You must cancel at least 1 hour before your tutorial time.
Q. Can I get my papers edited at the GWC?
A. No. The GWC is not a proofreading or editing service; however, your GWC tutor can teach you how to proofread and become a clearer writer while being sure that you retain ownership of your writing. Over the course of several meetings, working with a GWC tutor can help you to learn to rethink, reorganize, and/or revise your papers in significant ways.
Q. How much do does this service cost?
A. This is a free service for actively enrolled UMass Boston graduate students taking online courses.
Q. How do I start the process?
A. To register for Online Graduate Writing Tutoring, click on the following link to the GWC’s WCOnline site: https://umbgwc.mywconline.com/index.php . Then, starting the second week of the semester, log in at the same link to view the GWC REMOTE-COURSE openings to select tutorials.
Q. What happens if I skip a session without cancelling, or if I cancel late, or if I cancel more than twice?
A. WCOnline will deactivate your account access if you cancel without adequate notice, do not cancel and then do not attend, or if you cancel more than two scheduled sessions.
Q. My WCOnline account has been deactivated. What should I do?
A. Depending on your situation, you may need to wait until the following semester to be reinstated. Please contact the GWC to review the possibility of reinstating your WCOnline account: gwc@umb.edu.
Q: How do I participate in the tutorial? “Where” do I go?
A: At the start of your tutorial hour,
—-relogin to WCOnline (https://umbgwc.mywconline.com/)
—-click on your tutorial, then
—-click on START OR JOIN ONLINE CONSULTATION–the link to the virtual tutorial room. (A text-only option for this process is also available at the login page.)
Q: I am in the GWC’s WCOnline Consultation. My tutor is not here! What should I do?
A: If you are early or if it is still within the first five minutes of your tutorial start time, wait for your tutor to finish logging into the room. While you wait, you can start uploading any assignments/instructions and drafts, or other documents that you want to discuss. (If, after 15 minutes, you are still waiting for your tutor, and there is no storm going on in Massachusetts, that means something wrong and very unusual has happened. Please contact gwc@umb.edu, tell us what happened, and expect a reply from us.)
Q: I cannot see the video of my tutor. What should I do?
A: We do not always use the camera function. Please use the chatbox, microphone, and file sharing /whiteboard options. These will work best for focusing on your reading and writing process–even if an Internet connection is running a little slower than optimal.
Q: We will be sharing ideas about a complex project, and I will want copies of my tutor’s feedback. What should I do?
A: Plan on spending the last portion of your tutorial making copies of chatbox exchanges, and downloading and saving any updated files. You may also take screenshots.
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Asynchronous tutoring is by advanced request. For access, contact gwc@umb.edu to set up a brief orientation about asynchronous tutoring.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) ASYNCHRONOUS ONLINE TUTORIALS:
Q. How do I participate?
A. Since you and your tutor are not completing an asynchronous tutorial at the same time, these tutorials depand on your full participation and preparation. Plan ahead and upload all files at least 1 HOUR before the tutorial start time. Set aside at least a half-hour to complete your portion of the tutorial by uploading your coursework & a newly COMPLETED Student Tutorial Form (linked here) for each tutorial.
Q. How do I attach the files for my tutor?
A. Attach your coursework and your Student Tutorial Form to each tutorial by logging in to the GWC’s WCOnline site. Open the GWC ONLINE schedule, then click on your tutorial on the appropriate day. Scroll to the end of the tutorial window, and click the central blue ‘EDIT APPOINTMENT’ button to reach the file attachment options. Be sure to select the appropriate tutorial and to attach all necessary files at least 1 HOUR before your tutorial begins. (A text-only option for this process is also available at the login page.)
Q. Where is the Student Tutorial Form? How do I get one?
A. The Form is a simple MS Word (.doc) file available at the following link: blogs.umb.edu/gwc/files/2018/09/StudentTutorialForm-2dbofbo.doc
Q. What do I say in the Student Tutorial Form ?
A. The Student Tutorial Form is a space for you to complete your tutorial. It provides questions for you to answer each week. You may also choose to add additional information. The completed form will contain your concerns, and the specific questions about your coursework and goals that you want to give your tutor. Your comments about your progress, frustrations, and/or successes will help your tutor to give you useful feedback. In subsequent meetings, your tutor may ask you to include additional information on the Form.
Q. What might I do during the actual tutorial time, while my tutor is providing feedback on my materials?
A. These tutorials are asynchronous, which means that you do not need to relogin during the tutorial that you schedule–that is when your tutor will write your feedback. Download your tutors’ feedback after the tutorial. As you wait for your GWC tutor’s feedback, review the materials that you provided to your tutor and begin your own list of revision and improvement ideas. Doing so will help you to be mentally prepared to engage with your tutor’s guidance.
Q. How do I access the feedback from my tutor?
A. Within 15 minutes of the end of your tutorial time, your tutor will provide you with feedback. To access it, re-login to the GWC WCOnline site, then click on your tutorial on the appropriate day. Scroll to the end of the tutorial window; your attachments and your tutor’s new feedback files will be listed under the heading “File Attachments” in a grey box.