Writing Program | Drop-in Tutoring

What We Do

• Provide free writing tutoring for all students working on assignments for any undergraduate course in which they are currently enrolled at UC Berkeley
  We assist students in developing critical reading and writing strategies, including breaking down prompts, formulating ideas and brainstorming, evaluating argumentation and analysis, and structuring and organizing ideas.

• Dialogue, exchange ideas, establish goals and expectations
  We help students develop their essays through dialogue and exchange. We work with students to develop mutual goals and expectations.

• Offer grammar help
  We assist students in identifying and addressing grammatical and sentence-level concerns. We help students learn editing approaches and strategies and provide writers with resources and worksheets. We encourage students to work with tutors on specific grammar questions.

• Encourage students to come in early
  We are happy to work with students at any stage in the writing process; however, we encourage students to come to Drop-In early in their composing process, even as soon as they receive their assignment. Students and tutors are limited in the work they can do with drafts that are due that day. Working on same day drafts encourages "quick fixes" and is often contrary to our goal of approaching writing as a process.

• Encourage students to visit Drop-In when multiple tutors are working
  We encourage students to plan ahead to maximize the time they can spend working with a tutor. It can be hard to judge when Drop-In will be busy and when students may encounter a line. We do know that we are busiest during midterms and finals. During the rest of the semester, students may lessen the chance they will have to wait for a tutor by visiting us when multiple tutors are working at the same time. Our tutoring schedule is available online at http://slc.berkeley.edu/writing/WritingDrop-in.htm.

• Try our best to serve all students waiting for tutoring
  If students are waiting for tutoring, we will limit a session to 30 minutes. However, if students are not waiting, we can work with a student for a maximum of one hour. After this time, we encourage students to apply the strategies they learned in their tutoring session to the remainder of their paper on their own before again signing in to Drop-In to meet with a tutor.

• Work with manageable page limits
  Generally, we work with students on papers that are up to 5-6 pages. Students should let their tutor know the areas of their paper that they would most like to address during the tutoring session. If a student feels that thirty minutes will not be enough time to discuss her/his paper, s/he should consider signing up for By-Appointment tutoring at http://slc.berkeley.edu/writing/WritingBy-Appointment.htm.

• Work with take-home exams (both papers and long-answer style exams).

What We Do Not Do

• Proofread or edit.
  We are not a proofreading/editing service. We are not prepared to take a pen and make spelling and grammar corrections for students. We can, however, show students effective ways to edit and proofread their own writing.

• Work with R1A students when they have the ability to work with a tutor individually throughout the semester.

• Work on statements of purpose/applications/cover letters etc.
  We are not experts in helping students with applications, cover letters, resumes, and statements of purpose. For free advice and assistance, students should contact the Career Center (http://career.berkeley.edu).

Sign-up
Writing Drop In Computer in the Chavez Atrium

Start Date
Fall 2009 Drop-In Tutoring Begins on September 8

Fall 2009 Drop-In Times

Monday through Thursday 10:00-5:00
Closed Friday

Drop-In Schedule: Fall 2009

Meet the Fall 2009 Drop-In and By-Appointment Tutors!

Leah Chang

Hello! My name is Leah Chang and I'm currently a third year English and intended Media Studies major. When I'm not holed up reading for classes, I like to go on spontaneous adventures, float around in the ocean, and eat mass quantities of food. I'm thrilled to be a Drop-In tutor this semester, and am looking forward to reading a variety of papers! (:

Sarah Cohen

Hi, everyone! I'm Sarah, a second year, and a probable Environmental Science and Art History double major (basically I can't decide if I want to be a hippie tree-hugger or an intellectual art critic, but whatever). We'll see how that pans out. If I'm not in the SLC, I'm either working at the Berkeley Food Pantry, playing pickup soccer, sleeping, or pretending to do homework on Memorial Glade, but really napping. I do manage to fit some work in now and then, though. I have a lot of random hobbies, most of them involving being outdoors in our beautiful Californian weather. If I'm indoors at the SLC though, drop by if you need help with writing - I swear I won't nap!

Elijah Guo

To stress, or not to stress; that is the question. Well the answer is pretty easy. Just drop by and help me, Elijah Guo, help you. There isn't an annoying expository essay, tedious research paper or troubling thesis that can't be tackled with a little focus and approach. Regarding myself, I'm a junior at Cal, double-majoring in English and Theater. If you want any advice about those areas, or double-majoring in general, and how they relate to your interest/non-interesting in writing, I'd love to chat with you about it. I enjoy acting, writing, singing/playing/writing music, filmmaking, and indie/hipster things. I also enjoy tutoring, so please drop by!

Peter Hagen

Tutoring is my life, and this is my song: I'm a third-year transfer re-entry student English major in my second semester at Cal. I have a few years of tutoring experience, but I try not to let that get in the way of your work. I believe that tutors are an alien life form, but, like the electric toothbrush, if you don't overuse them they can work to your advantage. It is my ultimate pleasure in life to be there in the SLC or the TRSP collaborating with you while you make discoveries about yourself through the writing process. And, oh yeah, we can work on your papers, too. See you in the SLC and/or the TRSP!

Pam Krayenbuhl

Hello everyone, my name is Pam Krayenbuhl and this is my 6th term as a writing tutor at the SLC. I've tutored in almost every format, including individual, drop-in, by-appointment, and collaborative model, so you may recognize me from a previous writing course. I'm in my fourth and final year as an undergraduate, double-majoring in Rhetoric and Interdisciplinary Studies. This means I'm writing two honors theses, so I'm probably tired of writing (and re-writing) my papers and more than happy to help you with yours! So, if you need to work on close reading, prompt-deciphering, brainstorming, outlining, introducing, thesis-writing, transitioning, developing, organizing, paragraph-breaking, paragraph-combining, editing, revising, rewriting, concluding, formatting...or anything, really...feel free to stop by. Oh, and bring a pen.

Erin Lam

I am a Molecular Environmental Biology and Classical Languages (Ancient Greek & Latin) double major, with an interest in (nearly) all things music and English related. In my elusive free time, I like to read, find awesome new artists, write, and generally waste time online. I have a diverse background in many subjects, so feel free to bring in papers on any topic! I look forward to working with you!

Robin Lam

Hey everyone! My name is Robin Lam and I'm a third-year here at Berkeley, majoring in History. I play the flute in the University Symphony and am an active alumnus of Berkeley's Phi Beta Lambda business organization. As you can see, my interests are varied and widespread and I have yet to figure out what exactly I'm planning on doing with the rest of my life. But in the meantime, I love reading and writing all kinds of papers, so please bring any and everything you have to drop-in and visit me!

Sarah Padula

Hi! My name is Sarah. I am a English major, Education minor and what I hope to be after I graduate this year is an English teacher. I have been an SLC tutor for two semesters now but this is my first semester as a Drop-In tutor. Tutoring is basically my favorite part of the week because it allows me to do what I love most: discuss and teach various aspects of writing. So no matter what course or topic you are looking for some extra help in, stop on by for all your writing needs.

Edlin Valdez

Bonjour, I'm Edlin. I'm a third year History major, French minor. This will be my third semester at the SLC. I'm relatively new to drop-in but I've worked as an individual tutor before. My interests include: French culture, 16th century Spanish history, and more importantly ice cream! So if you want to know the best ice cream shops in Berkeley look for me at your local drop-in center.