Tutor and Student During a Tutorial Session

Writing Centre Consultations

Writing Centre sessions are designed to deal with the challenges you may encounter in writing papers, reports, and theses. We will teach you how to handle many of the problems that arise at various stages of the writing process: working with a preliminary draft, questions about research, or even a debilitating case of writer's block.

The Writing Centre offers 55-minute appointments free of charge to anyone enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program of study at Queen's University. Faculty and staff are also welcome to use the service.

Students are entitled to 8 writing sessions per academic year. Appeals for additional appointments must be addressed to the manager of Student Success, Susan Korba.

To prepare for your Writing Centre appointment, we suggest that you read the policies below and also check out our PDF presentation, Getting the Most out of Your Writing Centre Appointment.

How do I make an appointment?

Because of the popularity of our program, it is best to phone as far in advance of the due date of your assignment as you can. Drop by our office in the Learning Commons on the main floor of Stauffer Library to make a booking, or call 613-533-6315.

Appointments are scheduled for 55 minutes. A typical session lasts anywhere from 20 minutes to the full appointment time. Failure to keep an appointment will incur a penalty of $25 (see Writing Centre policies).

What will happen during a writing consultation?

Our trained staff will respond to whatever you have brought along: an assignment sheet, an outline, questions about research, a first or semi-final draft, or just a bad case of writer's block. They will help you brainstorm ideas, offer suggestions for structuring your paper, and guide you in revising your writing. Together, you may work through the entire draft or only selected parts of it.

Will the Writing Centre proofread my essay?

We do not proofread your work for you. That would make us better editors, but it would not help you to become a better writer. While we certainly will point out grammatical or stylistic weaknesses, we will spend more time on organization, reader expectations, and logical coherence.

Please read the Writing Centre's Policies for further information.

French Language Appointments

We regret that French language appointments are not currently available. Our French language writing specialist, Joy Obadia, has developed a number of useful French language handouts that students may find helpful.
HOME
About Us
Contact Us
Faculty
Annual Report

GETTING HELP
Consultations
Policies
Brief Question?

COURSES & WORKSHOPS
Credit Courses
Workshops

WRITING RESOURCES
Handouts
Writer's Handbook
Useful Links

GRADUATE STUDENTS
Overview
Handouts

ESL RESOURCES
ESL Resources