Appointment Information

1. Watch the video above or visit our online scheduling system, WCOnline.
2. You will be prompted to log in with your UMD credentials. The first time you visit, you will be asked a few short questions. Your answers are fully confidential.
3. Once you are logged in, you will see the available schedule. 
4. Consultants’ names appear on the left. 
5. Click on an open (white) appointment time to open an Appointment form. For online appointments, you will see a bolded link to join the session in this window. In-person sessions do not include a link. If you choose an in-person appointment, it will be held in the Writers’ Workshop on the 2nd floor of the Martin Library.
6. When the Appointment window opens, choose the duration of your appointment. Using the drop-down menu at the top, select a 30-minute or 60-minute appointment. You must complete the other required information on the form in order to continue. We ask this information to ensure you receive the best possible consultation. This information is considered private and is accessible only to relevant Writers' Workshop staff.
7. After completing the form, click "Save Appointment" to finish. Your appointment will now appear on the schedule in gold, and you will receive a reminder email with the date and time.
8. Get ready for your appointment! Check our page on preparing for a writing session for more information.
9. You will receive a reminder email the day before the appointment. 

If for any reason you must cancel your appointment, it is always best to do so as far in advance as possible so others know the time slot is available. he most effective cancellation method is through the scheduling software:

1. Log into WCOnline
2. Locate your appointment on the schedule (it should be highlighted in gold).
3. Select your appointment to open the reservation window.
4. In the reservation window, scroll to the bottom and locate the red box labeled "Cancel this Appointment"
5. Your appointment is now canceled.

You may also call the Workshop at 218-726-8500 or email us at [email protected]; however, if there is not a staff member available, your cancellation may be missed and you could be marked as a no-show.

Our writing consultants are available for collaborative conversations on any number of topics. For example, they can help you:

• overcome writer's block, choose a topic, or understand a writing assignment
• focus a thesis statement, develop a writing plan, or review a rough draft
• identify strategies to organize, clarify, and concisely state your ideas
• interpret evaluation criteria, comments from instructors, or feedback from peer reviewers
• avoid plagiarism and correctly use APA, MLA, or other citation styles
• recognize error patterns in punctuation and grammar and develop strategies to fix them on your own
• work on a variety of projects, including lab reports, personal statements, resumes, application materials, grant proposals, theses, and Plan B projects, research papers, and more

We’re here to listen and have a conversation that will help you meet your writing goals.  The writing is always yours; we just provide a comfortable atmosphere to talk and learn about it. 

It is helpful if you bring any instructions, prompts, or rubrics you've been given. If you bring a laptop, be prepared to show or share this material with your consultant. If you haven't started working on the piece of writing yet, that's okay! If you have, please bring any and all drafts--digital or printed--that you have started.

The Writers' Workshop is here to help support you and your writing needs. However, there are a few things that you can do to help make your time with us as meaningful as possible. 

• Think about, and even jot down, some of your main questions or concerns about the piece of writing. Remember that it’s okay if you haven’t started writing yet. Your consultant can help with that.
• If applicable, locate the assignment sheet, guidelines, or instructions for your project. Bring copies of these instructions or have them available online.
• For in-person sessions, please bring a laptop with access to any assignment instructions, prompts, rubrics, or drafts that can be shared electronically with your consultant and/or bring 2 printed copies of the writing you plan to discuss. For online sessions, have your writing (or any instructions, prompts, or rubrics) available and ready to share with your writing consultant or be prepared to share your screen in the Zoom session.
• For longer writing pieces, choose on a particular section or smaller part of the paper to work on in each session.
• During your session, be sure to let your consultant know if there are any materials or methods we could adapt or change to help you get the most out of your visit. Be aware that writing consultants, even if they are faculty, will not know about any accommodations you receive in your classes unless you share the information with them.
   

While we are happy to help you develop strategies for finding punctuation and grammar errors in your work, the Workshop consultants do not spend entire sessions only proofreading papers nor do they edit papers left at the Workshop to be picked up at a later time. Sessions are designed to be collaborative and interactive, inviting participation from both the writer and the consultant.

If you have an in-person session, you will check-in at our front desk in the Learning Commons (on the right hand side of the second floor of the Martin Library). Look for the sign for the “Writers’ Workshop and Tutoring Center.” 

If you have an online session, you will navigate to our schedule at your appointment time, locate your appointment in gold, and click to open it. You will then click the “Join your session” link, which will open a Zoom window. 

Whether in-person or online, your session will begin with introductions and then the consultant will ask you questions about what you are working on. It’s okay if you haven’t started writing yet. You will have a conversation about the piece of writing and/or the assignment sheet. During your session, be sure to let your consultant know if there are any materials or methods we could adapt or change to help you get the most out of your visit. 

Next, you will work with the consultant to determine where to begin and how much you can expect to accomplish in this session. Together, you will decide where to focus. We tailor each session to your goals and needs. For example, some sessions focus on organization and argumentation and others focus on readability and format.

Often consultants will ask you to read your paper aloud if you feel comfortable or they will read it to you so both of you “hear” the paper. During the process, either you or the consultant may stop to discuss points, or you may jot down notes as reminders of areas that need attention. 

The consultants are friendly, experienced, and trained to work with all writers; they are not there to judge or evaluate you or your writing. Their goal is to work together with you to discover strategies that will help you produce the best piece of writing you are capable of producing. Each session is unique because it is based on you and your needs. 

After your session, the consultant will send you a summary report via email to remind you of what you worked on and your next steps. Your session is confidential; no one but the consultants and you, the writer, have access to your report. Because you’ll likely need time to revise your piece of writing, it’s important to see a consultant well in advance of the project's due date. 

See our Appointment Policies here.