- 1 Our Services
- 1.1 Where is the writing center located?
- 1.2 What are your hours?
- 1.3 Who tutors in the writing center?
- 1.4 Who can use the writing center?
- 1.5 What are the writing centers guidelines on plagiarism?
- 1.6 Can I get help with writing in a language other than English?
- 1.7 I need help with grammar.
- 1.8 I need help with citations.
- 1.9 I just have a quick question concerning my paper. Can someone help me at the front desk/over the phone?
- 1.10 What kind of writing can I bring to the writing center?
- 1.11 Can I bring a take-home exam to the writing center?
- 1.12 Can ESL students use the writing center?
- 2 Appointments
- 2.1 How do I make an appointment?
- 2.2 At what point in my writing process can I make an appointment?
- 2.3 How long are appointments?
- 2.4 How many appointments can I schedule in a day?
- 2.5 What should I do if I need to reschedule/cancel an appointment?
- 2.6 What happens if I miss multiple sessions without cancelling my appointment?
- 2.7 What if I am late to an appointment?
- 3 Online Sessions
Our Services
Where is the writing center located?
The writing center is located on the first floor of the Center for Academic Success, room 111-E.
What are your hours?
Our hours vary depending on the semester. Please refer to our location and hours page for this semester's schedule.
Who tutors in the writing center?
Our center is staffed by graduate and undergraduate students in a variety of disciplines.
Who can use the writing center?
All current students and staff of Kean University may utilize our services.
What are the writing centers guidelines on plagiarism?
The Kean University Academic Integrity Policy states that plagiarism “occurs when a person represents someone else’s words, ideas, phrases, sentences, or data as one’s own work. Copying or paraphrasing text without acknowledging the source, for example, is plagiarism” (3).
The Writing Center is a place where students will receive guidance with writing from sources. We cover whether or not a student has to cite a source or if it is public domain, how to cite, and what form of citation is needed for quotation, paraphrase, and block quote. We will also educate students on the difference between paraphrasing and patch writing and the dangers of the latter.
While we will not report academic integrity policy violations to Academic Affairs or instructors, we will inform students about how their work violates the policy and provide strategies on how to integrate source material into their academic work ethically.
We support students in becoming responsible researchers and writers. What students bring to the center needs to be, to the best of their knowledge, original work that uses the intellectual work of others responsibly. If a student’s work contains material that lacks proper citation or otherwise misuses sources to the extent that the student’s work cannot be distinguished from the work of others, this may require the session to end early so the student can go back and implement the strategies for proper source integration and citation as discussed in the session.
Can I get help with writing in a language other than English?
At this time we do not offer help with writing in languages other than English.
I need help with grammar.
Our coaches can assist with helping students identify patterns of error found in their writing.
I need help with citations.
Our coaches can provide handouts and assist with finding reputable resources for MLA, APA, and Chicago Style.
I just have a quick question concerning my paper. Can someone help me at the front desk/over the phone?
Unfortunately, no. Oftentimes our coaches will be starting, ending or in the middle of a session and will not be able to answer questions. We strongly encourage students to review our resources page for common questions and then book an appointment with a coach if they are still interested in a session.
What kind of writing can I bring to the writing center?
You are welcome to bring any academic and personal writing.
Can I bring a take-home exam to the writing center?
We will only work with a student on a take-home exam if the student is able to provide written confirmation in the form of an assignment sheet or email from a professor that states it is acceptable to receive assistance with the exam and the parameters allowed.
Can ESL students use the writing center?
Of course. We provide our services to all student populations on campus.
Appointments
How do I make an appointment?
You can make an appointment through Tutortrac, by calling 908-737-0317, or by stopping by the center.
At what point in my writing process can I make an appointment?
You are welcome to make an appointment at any point of the writing process.
How long are appointments?
Our sessions run 50 minutes each.
How many appointments can I schedule in a day?
The center's policy is that you are allowed one appointment per day.
What should I do if I need to reschedule/cancel an appointment?
We greatly appreciate when a student/staff member is able to let us know about a cancellation as soon as possible; this enables us to open the session spot for another member of the university community. You can cancel and reschedule appointments on Tutortrac, call us at 908-737-0313, or stop by the center during our hours of operation.
What happens if I miss multiple sessions without cancelling my appointment?
After 2 missed sessions with no cancellation you will only be able to use our services on a walk-in basis.
What if I am late to an appointment?
Appointments are held for 15 minutes unless otherwise noted. After that time has lapsed, your appointment spot may be given to a drop-in.
Note: If you anticipate being late to your appointment, please inform our front desk representative when making your appointment and we will include it on your appointment notes.
Online Sessions
Where can I go for online services?
You can create an account at kean.mywconline.com and you will instantly have access to our online calendar.
How do I schedule an appointment?
Available times are represented by white blocks on the calendar. Choose a time that best suits you and then fill out the appointment information form that appears in the pop-up window.
What are my online session options?
Online tutoring is a real-time meeting between you and a writing center coach in which you share your work in one panel and chat with the coach in a side panel. This type of support is designed for targeted feedback on work in the earlier stages of the writing process.
E-tutoring sessions ask you to attach a completed draft of your paper in the appointment dialogue box. A writing coach will review your paper and provide feedback to guide your revisions. The paper will be returned within a designated time frame that is dependent on the length of the paper.
Click on the file below for a step by step guide on how to create an account and schedule an appointment.