When deciding between video-based or email-based feedback, which kind of appointment is best for you?
A video-based appointment is the most like in-person help—a real-time, virtual face-to-face conversation with a tutor. We recommend this type of appointment for most students and for any writing situation.
Does one of these sound like your situation? Choose a video-based appointment.
- I’m just getting started on my assignment and am not sure how to proceed.
- I’ve never written this kind of paper before and need some guidance.
- I have a partial or completed draft and want to get some advice about whether I’m on the right track.
- I’m searching for sources for my project and haven’t been able to find any good ones. What do I do?
- Talking face-to-face with someone about my writing usually helps me the most.
Video-based conversations are available in 30-minute slots, and you can make 2 of them per week. You can talk with the tutor for part or all of the 30 minutes—whatever suits your need.
When you have specific questions about a completed draft or about a specific part of your document, such as the introduction, methods section, or the references, an email-based appointment (limited availability) may be right for you.
Does one of these sound like your situation? An email-based appointment is appropriate for you:
- I’ve written a complete draft and want to know what I can do to improve it.
- I’ve written my introduction and thesis and want to know if I’m on the right track.
- I’ve written the methods, results, or discussion section and want to know what I can do to improve it.
- I have some specific questions about how to cite my sources.
You must attach your document before the start time of an email-based appointment; you will receive feedback within about 30 minutes of the appointment start time. (At busy times of the semester, it could take a little longer.) Also, be sure to describe your assignment and your questions when making the appointment—the tutor needs as much detail as possible in order to provide effective help, especially when you are only sending a partial draft.
Contact us at writingcenter@utk.edu with any questions.