Tutoring Services

Your tutor will examine first the structural features of your draft: thesis, organization, and development of your argument. The tutor also will identify errors in grammar, mechanics, and style and work with you to revise them. You are an active partner in this discussion; at no time will the tutor assume authorship of your writing.

When to Have a Conference

We offer one-hour writing conferences to all Hamilton students. You can come in to work on any type of writing at any point in the process, from brainstorming potential topics or arguments to polishing a final draft. Our tutors come from majors across the curriculum, and we can help with everything from literary and historical analysis to public policy papers to lab reports and senior theses. Students often meet with tutors to: clarify their ideas; develop a thesis; organize an argument; strengthen specific paragraphs or sentences; revise papers.

Scheduling Your Conference

You can schedule your conference online via TracCloud. We recommend that you do so at least one week in advance of when you would like to come in. To allow yourself time to revise after meeting with a tutor, you should allow at least two days between your conference and the paper due date.

Submitting Your Draft

After you schedule a conference, you will receive a confirmation email from wcpapers@hamilton.edu. Simply reply to that message and attach your draft and assignment sheet before coming in. If possible, please send these at least 24 hours in advance so that your tutor can read them before meeting with you.

What to Expect in Your Conference

Writers often get too close to their own writing and are not able to create the distance needed for critical review. Tutors can read your draft with that critical eye and then help you revise to make your writing clearer and more effective. Come prepared to participate actively in your conference. Your tutor will not make corrections on your paper or tell you what to say; rather, they will ask you questions and discuss your work with you so that you can develop your arguments and improve your writing on your own. You remain responsible for everything in your paper. As the author, you decide whether to accept or reject the advice you receive.

The Writing Center is for YOU. We hope to see you soon!