Online Tutoring Services

UMKC is a campus full of diverse, busy students, and at the Writing Center we understand that traveling to campus for a tutoring session is not always possible. As an alternative, you can seek advice electronically from your home via Skype or email. PLEASE NOTE: All online tutoring is by appointment only and, as with in-person tutoring, is restricted to a 50-minute session. You must email or call us to schedule an appointment for online tutoring.

If this is your first time using our online tutoring services, please read our FAQ section to get started.

Online Tutoring Via Skype:

The Writing Center offers video tutoring sessions via Skype. If you're interested, the first step is emailing the Writing Center (umkcwritingcenter@umkc.edu) with 3 or more possible dates and times for your Skype appointment. You must also attach your project as a .doc, .rtf, or .pdf file. Lastly, it will be helpful if you put 'ONLINE' in the subject line of your email. We will respond to your email within 1 business day to confirm your Skype appointment.

Once your date is set, you next need to download Skype to your computer (The program is free!) and create an account in order to contact the Writing Center for tutoring. Students will also need a webcam and microphone on their computer, though these items are built into most laptops nowadays. Click here to download Skype and set up an account.

After you have finished setting up your account, you will need to request to add the Writing Center as a contact before we can video-call you for your tutoring session. The Writing Center has two locations, and so we have two separate Skype usernames; for your convenience, please request both. Our usernames are mnl_writing_center and writing_center_5201. We will call you at the time of your appointment.

PLEASE NOTE: You must request to add the Writing Center as a contact BEFORE your scheduled online tutoring session so we may confirm your request. We will call you at your scheduled appointment time.

Online Tutoring Via Email:

The Writing Center also offers online tutoring via email. If you choose an email session, you can expect both broad and specific commentary about the content of your essay. At the Writing Center, we strive to focus on concerns related to expressing ideas and building arguments, such as structure, organization, flow, and thesis. We won't be proofreading for every misspelled word or misplaced comma, but we do want to help you become a better editor of your work so we'll be sure to point out recurring grammatical and punctuation issues that might cause some readers to stumble. We'll do this by giving you tips about how to identify and self-correct them in the future. Click here to submit your project and receive feedback.

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Please Note: Monday, May 6, 2013, will be the last day the Writing Studio will accept email session requests for the spring semester. Email sessions will resume Monday, June 3, 2013.

Telephone Tutoring:

If none of our online options meet your needs, the Writing Center is able to offer a tutoring session via telephone in special circumstances. Call (816) 235-1146 during business hours for more information.