University Writing Center

Consultations

student reading on bench

Making Appointments

Students can access TutorTrac online to make an appointment for face-to-face consultations or call one of the University Writing Centers (in Orlando, Cocoa, or Daytona). Other consultation formats include KnightOwl, available through live-chat or phone consultation methods.

Before making an appointment, students should read the University Writing Center policy.

Face-to-Face Consultation

TutorTrac is the writing center’s suggested method of making an appointment. Students should make sure to schedule an appointment for the writing center on the campus they attend. By changing the "Center" option in TutorTrac, students can search for available appointments at the Orlando, Cocoa and Daytona Beach campuses, or for KnightOWL Phone and Online consultations. Read more about TutorTrac.

Phone or Online Consultation (KnightOWL)

KnightOWL appointments can now be scheduled through TutorTrac. Phone consultations are scheduled by appointment only. The label for these in TutorTrac is "KnightOWL Phone" where the consultant's name usually appears. The UWC can also schedule an appointment for a student who calls and requests it.


UWC Policies

NOTE: The UWC does not write, grade, or proofread papers. Any changes are made at the discretion of the writer, who owns the paper.

  • Make an appointment to avoid waiting

    The UWC is typically booked with appointments two or three days in advance. Students should make an appointment as far in advance as possible. The UWC does accept walk-ins but it is strongly recommend students make an appointment. Walk-ins might be seen in a matter of minutes or it may take an hour or more.

    If a student is more than five minutes late for a consultation, the student will lose the scheduled appointment. The appointment time will be given to a client who has been waiting as a walk-in so that we may help as many writers as possible. When a student arrives later than five minutes, the student will have to sign up as a walk-in and wait for the next available consultant.

  • Schedule a 30- or 60-minute appointment

    When a 30-minute consultation should be 60 minutes:

    • If your appointment is online, we recommend an hour.
    • If the paper is 5 pages or longer, a student should reserve an hour of time with the same consultant.
    • If it is a group paper, the group should reserve an hour of time with the same consultant.
    • If you have a learning disability, we recommend scheduling two 30-minute appointments with the same consultant.

  • With few exceptions, only UCF and BCC students can make appointments

    Non-UCF students can be seen as walk-ins on a space-available basis but should allow extra time so that we can register them in the computer system. This extra time for registration also applies to BCC students at their first visit unless a UWC representative pre-registers them by phone.

  • Consultations must be with the writer

    The UWC cannot consult with a substitute for the actual writer, for two reasons:

    1. The UWC may have questions about the writer's decisions that can't be answered by a substitute.
    2. The UWC has a teaching role — suggestions, advice, and feedback are less useful without the writer present.

  • Walk-in consultations last approximately 25 minutes

    If a student needs more time, a student is allowed to sign up for a total of two walk-in consultations in one day. Consultants may not spend more than one hour on any consultation. No exceptions. If a student still feels that more help is needed on the paper, a student should revise the draft and bring it back in the next day.

    If a student reserves more than an hour of time total per day, we may cancel the extra time. When the consultants are busy, the UWC will remove any appointments which exceed this one hour limit (or the 30-minute limit for single-authored papers of fewer than 7 pages), so that as many writers as possible can be helped. A student who is writing several papers and needs more than one hour on any particular day needs to contact the UWC before reserving the appointment.

  • The UWC provides accommodations for disabilities

    The University of Central Florida provides reasonable accommodation for those with mental or physical disabilities upon request. Advance notice at the decision to attend the University Writing Center is encouraged in order to best meet the needs of attendees. Contact the desired location, Orlando, Cocoa, or Daytona Beach.