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- Review the seven tips above.
- Determine which tutoring center your professor prefers. For class credit or extra credit, some professors require that their students visit the ACE Lab while other professors require the Writing Lab; and there are some who 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 and research techniques, thesis statements, paragraph development, logical progression, word choice, and formatting.
- Consider scheduling a tutoring appointment with the ACE Lab if an ACE tutor specializes in the specific course that you need help in. Writing a good paper includes having a strong understanding of the course materials. 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.
- Consider scheduling an appointment with the Writing Lab if you need help revising the grammar of your paper. Yes, some people view grammar as a needless set of trivial rules that distract from the "real meaning" of a message. And yes, some readers (including some professors and business managers) may even forgive or overlook certain grammatical errors if the message and the logic that supports the message is otherwise on point. But the fact remains–in a culturally diverse society like ours, a society that consists of many language dialects, learning and following the grammatical conventions of Standard American English is one of the best ways to communicate clearly and effectively with English speakers from different backgrounds. To help you understand these conventions and create grammatically correct sentences, the Writing Lab tutors undergo continuous training throughout their employment.
- Know that your tutor will give two basic types of suggestions: one that aims to correct grammar and formatting mistakes, and one that aims to improve the paper's style. Grammar and formatting are almost always consistent, but stylistic choices differ widely, depending on the tutor, the student, the professor, and the writing situation.
- Regardless of the type of suggestion, understand that anything the tutor suggests regarding your paper is just that, a suggestion. You have the right to accept or reject any and all suggestions that your tutor provides.
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