FAQs

In response to COVID-19 concerns, the Writing Studio provides the option for either an in-person or online appointment for sessions occurring between Monday-Thursday and Online Online sessions on Friday-Sunday.

In our Writing Studio space, we use an ionizer air filter to help with dust and germs, we clean the space with disinfectant on a routine basis, and we provide masks and device covers (i.e., ear covers for headphones and mic covers for mics). Since the Writing Studio space is located in a frequently crowded building, we encourage folks to wear masks in crowded spaces—like the elevators and the Studio during peak hours—and to get their COVID-19 vaccines and boosters.

If you are feeling ill, we ask folks to stay home to recover. Please let us know if you are not feeling well and our admin staff will help adjust your appointment to meet online or move the appointment to a more convenient time.

Let's work together to keep the Studio a safe and healthy space for everyone who visits!

Great question! You can click this link and review our writing consultants' bios. Their bios provide details about themselves, what they are researching, and any specializations they have. Our tutors are trained to support writers at any level, at any stage of writing, and in any research area, so you will get similar tutoring quality with any of our professional writing consultants. However, finding a tutor that understands your research area or focus makes the conversation both leisurely and generative.

If you are looking to work with our WNAI Liaisons, click here to review the process and get started.

The primary goal of the Writing Studio is to support GSU's global community of learners by encouraging writers to participate in generative conversations about composition. We are an instructional service provided by the English Department and Lower Division Studies operated and maintained by English graduate students.

We do not compose, line-edit, evaluate/grade student work; we converse with them about their work. 

• We help writers of the GSU community grow and improve at every stage of the writing process.
• We teach new skills for a variety of writing contexts and genres.
• We converse with writers about their compositional choices and the various tools available throughout their writing and learning journeys.

We achieve our goals by meeting with writers (undergraduate, graduate, staff, and faculty) and talking about their projects, compositional goals, and revision strategies. These discussions cover tasks such as brainstorming, writer's block, compositional voice/tone, argument development, and citations. Through routine conversations, our tutors teach fellow writers to identify and confidently address writing situations themselves.

We are happy to work with students and writers at any stage of their process, from invention through drafting and revision.  Whether in-person or online, we look forward to having productive conversations with you about your writing. However, there are certain things we will not do.

We will not evaluate or offer a grade for your paper. All grade determinations are made by your instructor based on their expectations and the materials within your course. Writing Studio sessions are focused on specific questions and concerns about writing that are brought up during the session. Tutees should direct all questions about grades and evaluations to their instructors.

We will not accept emailed drafts. All writing must be brought with you to the session or accessed online during the allotted time.

We will not copy edit or proofread only. Proofreading may take place, but it will not be the ONLY thing done.

We will not write on your paper, nor will we write for you. Remember, our goal is to help make YOU a better writer, so these appointments are interactive and need your full engagement.

We will not hold group sessions without prior notification. If you are working on a group project and would like to schedule a group session, please email us directly at [email protected].

We will not provide written, emailed, or photographic evidence of your attendance to you or your instructor. We do not support required appointments, which run counter to our mission and our capacity in serving the entire university.

Finally, we reserve the right to refuse service or terminate the session early should any of the following take place:

• If a client is angry, belligerent, abusive, or derogatory to other clients or to tutors.
• If a client is inebriated, intoxicated, or showing signs of communicable illness.
• If a client causes any discomfort to other clients or tutors by being inappropriately affectionate or personal.
• If a client verbalizes, through speech or their writing, opinions, beliefs, and arguments that promote discrimination and/or hate speech toward individuals based on their race, religion, ethnicity, sexuality, or gender.

Everyone is welcome to view our online handouts and additional writing resources. Our services are reserved for GSU students, alumni, faculty, and staff.

If you would like to hire one of our writing consultants for private tutoring or editing services, email the admins at [email protected] with the following:

• Your name and composition background
• Current contact details
• What services are you looking for (editing/tutoring)
• The content and context of your project
• Timeline of your project and number of meetings
• Budget for services

We will forward your message to our tutors, and anyone interested will reach out to you directly.

Fineprint Note:

Any and all private tutoring or editing arrangements fall outside the purview of the Writing Studio. The Writing Studio does not require staff members to respond to outside requests, coordinate meetings, troubleshoot tech issues, or take responsibility for the writing consultant's services or the interactions that occurred in private sessions.

We only pass your request for a private tutor or editor along to our staff members. As such, we also will not recommend a particular editor or tutor for your situation. However, we suggest that you ask for and review the consultant's qualifications and references and converse with them via email (establish expectations). After you gather those details, you can make an informed choice on your own.

When preparing for your appointment, keep in mind why you are meeting with your tutor. Here are some things to consider:

• Guidelines: No matter where you are at in your project/ writing, it is a good idea to bring any identifying information about the purpose or guidelines for your work. This could be an assignment sheet or publishers' guidelines, but it could also be a simple list of things you need the work to do.
• Support materials: If your work relies on outside sources or is a small part of a larger document, you might want to bring those things with you. Books, articles, and statistical evidence which you might be used to support your own work are good to have close by, should they need to be consulted.
• Your writing! It is always a good idea to bring two copies of what you are working on if you are in the writing phase – one for your consultant to consult and one where you can make notes and marks.
• Your ideas, organizing notes, questions, etc.: Sometimes, you are simply coming in to talk through ideas and brainstorm ways to tackle the work ahead. But, some consideration and thought are still needed prior to your appointment. Have some questions in hand to help guide your session.
• Relevant media: If your project is not merely written, but relies on/ is built in other forms of technology or media, please make sure we have access to your work. While we do have computers available for use inside the Studio, we may not always have compatible software, etc. for certain types of composition. For this reason, we always recommend you bring a backup or use your own technology. If you are unsure, please reach out to us and ask. We can help you prepare.

If you are an undergraduate student, your appointment is 25 minutes. If you are a graduate student, faculty, and staff, your appointment is 55 minutes.

If you are five minutes late to your appointment, your tutor or the desk worker at the time, reserve the right to mark your appointment as "missed." Three missed appointments in one calendar year will place a hold on your account until the end of the year. Please contact the Writing Studio ahead of time if you believe you will be late for your appointment.

All members of our GSU community can sign up for one appointment a day any day that the Studio is open.

Unfortunately, you cannot make an appointment with your class instructor. Other consultants will be available for you to work with and discuss your assignment.

If you would like to meet with your instructor, ask them about attending their office hours.

Hey there GSU alumni! The best method of creating a profile for alums is to use your most recent GSU email address (even if it has been deactivated) and your Panther ID#. To get the reminders for your appointment, use the text reminder feature at the bottom of the registration page.

If you need help finding your Panther ID# or your old student email address, use the Campus ID Look Up tool provided by GSU's Webservices.

Yes, we do support group appointments. Group appointments are an exciting way to prepare collaborative projects; however, group sessions need consideration and planning, so they cannot be scheduled using the online system. These types of appointments must be coordinated between group members and the Associate Directors to ensure that the sessions are exactly what they need to be.

To schedule a group session, please contact us at [email protected] and include the following:

1. the number of group members,
2. desired day/time to meet (please offer several)
3. class
4. assignment

We ask that you make arrangements at least one week in advance of your appointment.

Students are given a 5-minute grace period for their tutoring session. If a student arrives 5 minutes after the start of their appointment, we will mark the appointment as "missed." If a student is marked "missed" three times, then their account is frozen for one calendar year or they can contact the Writing Studio admins (at [email protected]) in order to make an appointment.

You can cancel your appointment (whether it's online or in-person) by returning to the schedule, clicking on your appointment, and clicking “cancel appointment” at the bottom of the new window.

If you would like to change your appointment time, follow the canceling procedure listed above, and then make a new appointment for a different time, date, and/or tutor.

You may cancel your appointment or adjust the details of your appointment up until one minute before the start of your appointment.

The Writing Studio is located on GSU's Atlanta campus at 25 Park Place, Suite #2420.

Do note that, as of Fall 2021, the Writing Studio provides options for appointments to be either in-person or online between Monday-Thursday while remaining online-only between Friday-Sunday.

During the Fall and Spring semesters, the Writing Studio is open for in-person and online appointments Monday-Thursday from 10am-6pm. We also provide online-only appointments on Friday-Sunday from 11am-4pm.

Our Maymester and Summer hours vary, refer to our home page and schedule login for updates.

Our schedule follows GSU's Semester Calendar, so we are open when the campus is open and closed when the campus is closed.

Yes! Weekend (Friday-Sunday) hours are available through our Write/Chat feature (i.e., Online Only) for the GSU Fall and Spring semesters.

The Write/Chat program is an initiative of the GSU Writing Studio which allows students to meet with tutors even if they are not on campus. The program works a bit like Skype or Google Hangouts, with options to use a devices' camera and mic and/or use a chatbox.

The available tools in Write/Chat include:

• Highlight and color-coded text for tutor and tutee (you can change your color)
• Import your work and export it at the end of the session
• Drawing Tool
• Math Tools
• Formatting Tools
• Play Back
  • Anytime after your meeting, you can open your own appointment, click the link to go into your meeting, and then use the "timeslider" clock icon in the row of symbols at the top right to "play back" the session, seeing text changes in the order they happened.

To make a Write/Chat appointment, simply sign in to the Writing Studio schedule platform and look for the day you would like to meet with a tutor. Then, look for the schedule line marked "Online Video/ Write-Chat Tutor" and select the appointment slot that works best for you. Follow the prompts to complete your appointment selection just as you would with a face-to-face appointment.

When the time comes for your appointment, simply log back into the Writing Studio schedule platform and look for your appointment, which should be shaded in orange/gold. Click on your appointment slot, which will open up your original appointment request. There you will see a grey box like the one pictured below:

To enter your appointment, simply click on the red text, "start or join online consultation." This will take you to the virtual appointment page, where further instructions may be found.

Similar to face-to-face appointments, our consultants will work with you to analyze and discuss your writing. Consultants will never write, edit, or fix your work for you. However, you can expect to engage in a focused discussion about your compositional goals and what methods may help you develop your piece.

Given that many people are currently online, preparing your technology (laptop, desktop, tablet, and internet) before your appointment is essential to a smooth tutoring session.

What you can do to prepare your tech for a Write/Chat appointment is to:

• Check your internet connection (the platform uses a lot of bandwidth, so be sure this connection is strong and stable)
• Use an ethernet connection or turn off or use airplane mode for any devices that are on your WiFi channel (i.e., a wifi-enabled tv, your cell phone, etc.)
• Use web browsers such as Google Chrome, Moterolla Firefox, or Safari--Google Chrome appears to be the best for Write/Chat as of 2020
• Be sure that your browser is up-to-date.
• Try not to run another program in the background during your tutoring appointment; given that the Write/Chat platform needs a fair bit of bandwidth, running another program/app may cause an internet jam or your device to overheat.
  • This tip applies to all programs/platforms that use a lot of bandwidth, such as WebEx or Zoom!
• Finally (and the most perfunctory), turn off your device for a quick reboot is always a good practice.
  • Of course, turn it back on, set up, and join your appointment during the scheduled time.

If you are experiencing tech issues such as:

• Internet Connection
• Device Not Working
• Write/Chat Not Loading
• The Tutor is Not Appearing in the Write/Chat Room

First, contact Writing Studio admins at [email protected] immediately, explaining what you are experiencing. We will connect with your tutor to either have them wait for you or help them troubleshoot tech on their end.

Next, follow these troubleshooting methods (if the method you try doesn't work, move on the next one listed):

1. Log out of the Writing Studio's scheduling system and try logging back in
2. Turn your device off and back on (perfunctory, yes, but it works most of the time)
3. Check your internet's connection and turn off any other devices that may be siphoning your internet's bandwidth

If those methods do not work or if you are experiencing an internet outage/device hardware issue, the Writing Studio admins will help you reschedule your appointment for another date or time.

Nope! The Write/Chat platform can be used with or without a camera and mic. If you have a camera and mic, we recommend strongly that you enable both to preserve the flow of conversation and make the most of your appointment time. However, if you have technological constraints or prefer to interact via text only, Write/Chat also provides a chat box to the right-hand side of the appointment page. You can announce your arrival with a quick “Hello!” in the chat box.