Online Consultations

The John Carroll University Writing Center offers online consultations for distance learners enrolled at the university, JCU students studying abroad through the Center for Global Education, or for other director-approved circumstances [note: online consultations are typically not available for resident students]. These sessions allow you to receive the same quality of feedback from a trained writing consultant that you would receive during an in-person session. We can offer feedback via email (asynchronous) or through an electronic one-on-one meeting (synchronous).

The Service

Writing Center consultants follow the same principles and procedures as those we practice in-person for our online consultations. Similar to what you can expect in O’Malley Center 207, consultants remain available to help at any point in the writing process on any type of writing assignment for any discipline.

Even though a student studying abroad or living and working away from campus is not able to sit down next to a consultant and easily converse face-to-face, the Center’s aims and quality of feedback remain the same in online consultations; the Writing Center is not an editing or proofreading service. Rather, we work to help students become better writers through collaboration and conversation in any format.

Online sessions are 60 minutes and are by appointment only. Also, online consultations are only available during the Writing Center’s posted hours.

Feedback Requests Via Email/Microsoft Word

For feedback requests via email, where the consultant reviews your document in Microsoft Word and provides notes and comments before emailing the document back to you:

1. Schedule your appointment (preferably 24 hours in advance) by emailing writingcenter@jcu.edu, completing our Google Form, or calling 216-397-4529.
2. Title your email “Online Consultation Request,” and indicate that you would like to send your paper and receive feedback on the document via email.
3. Once we have approved the request and verified that a consultant is available to review your paper, you will be asked to email us the following:
   *your draft (in .doc or .docx format)
   *the assignment sheet
   *the professor’s name and email address
   *your concerns and the areas you’d like to focus on in the draft
4. Agree upon an expected response time. You will likely receive your draft back within 60 minutes after the consultant begins his or her review (the review session will begin on the hour). Questions or clarifications may be addressed to the reviewer, but additional feedback requests will require another appointment.

Consultations Via Google Docs or Skype

For consultations that are conducted in real-time via Google Docs or Skype:

1. Schedule your appointment (preferably 24 hours in advance) by emailing writingcenter@jcu.edu, completing our Google Form, or calling 216-397-4529.
2. Title your email “Online Consultation Request” and indicate that you would like to set up a real-time virtual consultation using Google Docs or Skype (indicate your preferred platform).
3. We will connect you with a consultant in advance, and the consultant will email you directly with instructions for coordinating the session.
4. Sign in or log on to Google Docs or Skype at least five minutes before the time you and the consultant agreed upon. The Writing Center’s username on Skype is johncarrollwc.
5. Plan on working with the consultant for 50-60 minutes through voice/text chat format.

Sample email: