Hume Center for Writing and Speaking

Tutoring Policies

Tutoring at the Hume Center is available to every currently-enrolled Stanford undergraduate and graduate student. And, in keeping with University Policy, students on a leave of absence have access to tutoring on a limited basis to help them complete course work and/or facilitate their return to campus. All other Hume Center policies apply to students who book appointments while on a leave of absence.

Writing Tutoring Policies

Writing Tutoring Appointments

You can make:

  • Two 50-minute appointments in a seven-day span with different tutors; a max of 1 with the same tutor unless you have been granted an exception to this policy. Writing tutoring appointments are available in person and online.
  • Appointments up to seven days in advance and no later than midnight (Pacific Time) the day before

After your appointment, you will receive a brief reflection and feedback survey to help you plan for your next steps and to help tutors evaluate how they can work most effectively with students. Please fill this out to help keep the Hume Center at its best.

To meet with an appointment-based writing tutor, check out our See a Tutor page.

Drop-in Writing Tutoring Sessions

Drop-in tutoring sessions are available on a first-come, first-served basis. You can have one or more drop-in sessions per day, depending on availability. Sessions last for approximately 30 minutes, but can be shorter at busy times. Occasionally, Hume Center administrators may need to limit the number of sessions you can have in a fixed period of time.

Drop-in writing tutoring will take place in the Hume Center for Writing and Speaking in the Hume Center lounge (Room 101) during the academic year. Drop-in writing tutoring is not offered during summer quarter.

Recurring Writing Appointments

We welcome the opportunity to build a working relationship with you and to provide support as you work on large-scale writing projects, such as an Honors thesis or dissertation, by arranging weekly meetings with the same tutor. If you wish to have a recurring appointment, please follow these steps:

  1. Arrange a single appointment with a tutor (50 minutes) to discuss your writing goals; with the tutor, develop a plan for what you will work on each week throughout the quarter. Feel free to meet with several consultants before committing to weekly meetings with one.
  2. Once both you and the tutor agree that weekly appointments would be useful, please request their email address, then email the Hume Center (humecenter@stanford.edu) with your request, being sure to CC the tutor. The tutor can then reply-all the the email to grant their permission, as we will need their permission before we can schedule the recurring appointments. Once we receive permission from the tutor, we will arrange recurring appointments for up to a period of four weeks, with one appointment per week. You will receive appointment confirmation emails for each booked appointment.
  3. A week or two before the four-week period is over, revisit your writing plans with the tutor to determine if additional weekly appointments are necessary and if both of you wish to continue working together. This check-in will ensure that you are continuing to meet your writing and learning goals.
  4. If you and the tutor decide to continue your regular meetings, a Hume staff member can schedule those appointments through the rest of the quarter.

These sessions are most productive when you and the tutor work together to determine weekly writing tasks and goals to help you make progress on your writing project and that contribute to your ongoing development as a writer. In rare situations, a student may disagree with the tutor’s determination that ongoing weekly meetings are no longer necessary. If this happens, we ask you to first of all talk with the tutor so that you fully understand his or her point of view. If you still wish to continue meeting with the same tutor, he or she will arrange an online meeting with the director or associate director who will make the final decision—in consultation with you and the writing tutor—about whether weekly meetings should continue.

Oral Communication Tutoring Policies

During the consultation, you can expect a receptive, encouraging and empathetic listener that is ready to discuss your speaking engagement and, more specifically, to discuss your assignment or interview, your concerns, where you are at the preparatory phase, and what you hope to accomplish. All OCT appointments will be in-person by default, email humecenter@stanford.edu if you would like to request an online session.

For Oral Presentations

You do not have to have a presentation ready; we love working with people in the early stages of their preparation.  Based on the initial assessment, you can expect your OCT to structure the appointment in a way to help maximize your success.  For students who are in the initial process, your OCT will serve as a sounding board to help you brainstorm, narrow down your topic, and/or outline your presentation. For students who already have a presentation, your OCT will record and time your presentation.  This footage will be used to give you focused and empowering feedback on your delivery as well as on your presentation design and the structure and focus of your content.  If PowerPoint or Keynote is new to you, OCTs can also provide technical support and discuss best practices.  

For Mock Interviews

For mock interviews, we request that students prepare a set of questions that are generally asked for the position they are applying to, as well as documents submitted for that position.  During this consultation, you can expect OCTs to ask you what you hope to accomplish, what concerns you have about your communication skills, and how you want to conduct the mock interview.  In general, during the mock interview, OCTs review materials and questions, and then role-play the interview process.  You can expect these sessions to be recorded and, after several questions, the footage reviewed for feedback on delivery (how you communicate verbally and non-verbally) and on the content (how clear, concise and structured your responses were).

Oral Communication Appointments

You can make:

  • A 45 or 90 minute appointment. A single, 45-minute appointment is recommended for standard interviews and short speaking engagements, whereas two 45-minute appointments are ideal for longer presentations, job talks, lectures and case interviews.
  • Up to eight 45-minute appointments in one quarter.
  • Appointments for any week during the quarter.

To meet with an appointment-based speaking tutor, please follow these steps. 

Please arrive a few minutes early for your appointment. If you are not present ten minutes into your appointment time, your appointment (either for 45 or 90 minutes) may be given to someone who is waiting. Once you've completed your appointment, please complete the brief email survey. Your feedback is very important to us!

Missed Appointments and Cancellations

Missed Appointments: You will receive an email message from us when you miss an appointment. After two missed 50-minute writing or 45-minute oral communication appointments, you will not be able to schedule appointments online for the remainder of the quarter. You will still be able to meet with a drop-in writing tutor as available. Similarly, you will be able to meet an OCT with an open appointment slot by contacting the Hume Center (humecenter@stanford.edu) on the day-of.

Cancellations must be made online in TracCloud by 11:59 p.m. the day before your appointment. If you miss the cancellation deadline please make every effort to attend the appointment and avoid a missed appointment. Email humecenter@stanford.edu as soon as possible if you absolutely cannot attend your session the day-of.

Grievances

If you have a complaint about your experience in a tutoring session, we ask that, if possible, you first of all speak informally with the consultant, as many misunderstandings or problems can be worked out in such a conversation. If you wish to pursue a complaint or dispute, please make an appointment to see Dr. Tesla Schaeffer, Associate Director of the Hume Center, tschaeff@stanford.edu, who will advise you on any further course of action.

Further Questions?

If you have questions about our policies or would like to request an exception to our policy, please contact Hume Center Director Zandra L. Jordan, zljordan@stanford.edu or Associate Director Tesla Schaeffer, tschaeff@stanford.edu.