Online Writing Support
What does Online Writing Support from the ERC have to offer?
Online Writing support is designed to assist any Boston University student enrolled in an on-campus program. The online service is designed to meet the needs of students who are unable to come to campus for a face-to-face appointment, as well as students who require a more flexible approach to tutoring. Online sessions complement but do not replace in-person sessions. Please do not submit online writing session requests within 48 hours of your assignment’s due date.
How does it work?
Students can use the online service in two ways:
- Complete the online form to submit questions about a resource, a grammatical point, and other general question.
- Use the online form to submit a portion of a document to be reviewed and commented on by a Writing Fellow.
How long will it take to get a response?
You will receive a response in 48-72 hours (This includes weekends). You may hear from us sooner, depending on volume. An ERC Writing Fellow will review the request and reply directly to you via email. Availibility of online writing sessions is limited. If you submit a request for an online session, and we cannot accommodate it, you will be notified within 24 hours, or by the next business day. Please do not submit online writing session requests within 48 hours of your assignment’s due date.
What kinds of issues can the Online Service help me with?
You may write us with specific questions regarding your paper, from thesis development to citation styles to punctuation.
If you are submitting a portion of your paper, please limit your text to no more than 5 pages in length, focusing on the portion of the paper you are inquiring about. We will read it and give an answer to your questions in an email and may make notations on the text provided.
We do not proofread and edit documents for you. However, if you have specific questions regarding grammar, we will be happy to provide you with an explanation and resources to address those questions. Please provide a specific example from your paper to illustrate your grammar question. In addition, please refer to our general guidelines and policies for further information.
Does an Online Session count towards my semester session limit?
Yes. Online sessions will count towards the 12 session limit each semester. Online sessions also count toward the 3 session per week limit. A student can have 1 online session per week.
Online sessions can take at most 45 minutes as do our regular sessions, so please be precise with your questions.
How many Online Sessions can I have in a semester?
Students are limited to 4 online sessions per semester. We encourage students to use this service to supplement face to face sessions with an ERC Writing Fellow, and not as a replacement or substitute for having an appointment in person.