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NOTE: Some professors may require their students to visit specific UWF tutoring centers, so check with your professor to be sure you are visiting the correct tutoring service.
Preparing for
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a Tutoring Session
- Attend all class meetings. Tutors are not responsible for teaching you concepts that your professors discuss in class; the tutors should only help you understand the materials. So, the more you attend class, pay attention during class, and take sufficient notes, the more likely that the tutors will be able to help you.
- Know your class assignments and your professor's instructions before attending your tutoring session. Sometimes, not understanding the assignments and your professor's instructions can keep you from learning and from completing your work. Discuss the assignments and the instructions with your professor to make sure you understand them.
- Complete as much of the homework on your own as possible, and study as much of the material on your own as possible. You will make the most of your time and the tutor's time if you read the text, review your class notes, and prepare your questions beforehand.
- Bring the appropriate materials (textbooks, assignments, class notes, handouts, calculator, syllabus, etc.) to your tutoring session.
- Have your questions already written down. If you can, write down specifically what you are having issues with. Writing these down will help you determine what you do and do not know, and will assist your tutor in helping you.
- Do not wait until the last minute to realize that you need help. Budget your time wisely. Understand that having smaller study sessions over a longer period of time is much better than cramming for several consecutive hours before a test.
- Be prepared to talk as much as, or even more than, your tutor! The best way for you to learn the materials, and the best way for the tutors to make sure you are learning, is to have you use your words to explain the concepts being discussed. Keep in mind that choosing words that accurately reflect what we're thinking is a difficult, but necessary process.
- Understand that you are the one responsible for your grades, not the tutors, not the professors. Professors instruct. Tutors and other student support services assists. But you are the one who is ultimately responsible for making sure you are prepared for your classes. Do your best to make sure you are prepared.
Preparing for
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a Paper Reading Appointment
- Review the seven tips above.
- Determine if your professor prefers a particular tutoring center. Some professors prefer the ACE Lab while others, the Writing Lab, and some don't have a preference. At any rate, the tutors at either tutoring center are just likely to be proficient in helping you with brainstorming, researching, thesis statements, paragraph development, logical development, word choice, and formatting.
- Consider scheduling an appointment with the ACE Lab if an ACE tutor specializes in the specific course that you need help in. Just as with any other communication medium, a good paper will communicate a clear, concise message to its audience (the professor) and will show that you (the author of the paper) know what you're talking about. Writing a good paper includes having a strong understanding of the course materials.
- Consider scheduling an appointment with the Writing Lab if you need help revising the grammar of your paper.
- Know that you will hear two basic types of suggestions: one that aims to correct some grammar and formatting mistakes, and one that aims to improve the paper's style.