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Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions for Faculty

  • When are the Writing Centers open?

    • The Writing Center is open Monday - Thursday: 8:30 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. and Friday: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

    • The Graduate Writing Center is open Monday - Thursday: 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. and Friday 10:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

  • Where are the Writing Centers located?

    • The Writing Center, The Graduate Writing Center, and the English Language Support Center share space in the College of Education, 3rd floor, room CE 310.

  • Who do I contact about having Writing Center consultants come to my class for an introduction or workshop?

    • To set up a time to have the Writing Center visit your class for an introduction or to collaboratively develop a workshop for consultants to co-facilitate, request a time using our classroom introduction visit request form or contact the Writing Center Coordinator, Katie Chavez, at katie.chavez@csusb.edu.

  • I require my students to go to the Writing Center, how can I verify their appointment?

    • We send emails containing a spreadsheet of your students’ visits. These reports go out several times a term. For a detailed summary of our reporting method, please visit our reporting page.

  • Can faculty make writing consultations? 

    • Yes. Faculty make appointments to work on drafting prompts, handouts, and syllabi. Faculty have also worked with consultants on research papers, grants and more.  

  • How are Writing Center consultants hired and trained?

    • Writing consultants are graduate and undergraduate students from a variety of majors. They are selected by an interview panel of current Writing Center consultants, staff, and directors. After being hired, and for the duration of their time at the CSUSB Writing Centers, all consultants engage in regular mentoring time, weekly meetings, yearly evaluations, and a variety of professional development opportunities.

  • I teach online classes, can my students make online appointments?

    • Yes. We currently have two types of online tutoring available: email and Zoom.

    • In email consultations, students upload their papers to their appointment. In 2 business days, but often sooner, the student will receive feedback. The feedback is attached to their appointment and emailed.

    • Zoom consultations are video conferencing sessions much like in-person sessions.

    • Please visit our online tutoring page for more information.

  • Can the Writing Centers work with students on citation?

    • Yes, the Writing Centers can support your students as they navigate the most current editions of APA, MLA, and Chicgo citation and style. 

  • I assign group essays and projects, can the entire group make an appointment together? 

    • Yes. If your students are working on a group project, the entire group must be present for the session. One member of the group, however, cannot bring the paper in for a group. This is because one student cannot reasonably answer content and writing questions for the group or for portions of the paper that they did not write. 

  • Can you help my students with their grammar?

    • We are happy to help students with grammar. While we do not correct their grammar for them, we offer the writer advice for addressing common difficulties, resources for further explanation, and ways for the writer to continue developing grammar skills. For example, if a writer is struggling with commas, we will point out a place in their writing where this issue occurs, why it is an issue, how to identify it, and how to change it. As we read the paper with the writer, we will help them identify this in other places.

  • Do you offer writing tutoring in Spanish?

    • Yes, we have consultants who tutor writing in both Spanish and English. Writers taking Spanish classes or who have personal writing in Spanish are welcome to come to the Writing Centers. To schedule a writing consultation in Spanish, log in to the appointments page and under the “Limit by appt. type or topic” select “Escritura en Español.” This will limit to only the consultants who are available for Spanish writing consultations.

  • How can I promote the Writing Center to my students?

    • The best way to encourage your students to use the Writing Centers is to schedule an introductory workshop. 

    • Another good way to promote the Writing Centers is to include our information on your syllabus or on Blackboard. The following text is provided as a sample for your use:

      • Writing Centers: The Writing Center is a resource for all writers, from those who feel like they are strong writers to those who feel like they struggle with writing. The Writing Center is a free resource for CSUSB students, and you should take advantage of it! Tutors will work with you at any stage of the writing process: you can go with an assignment to get help figuring out how to start or you can go with a finished draft – or at any stage in between. Details about working with writing consultants online can be found at: https://www.csusb.edu/writing-center/students/online-tutoring and the Writing Center’s scheduling web app can be accessed at csusb.mywconline.com.