A writing consultation consists of a discussion about an assignment, which can include idea generation, logical argumentation, grammar, style, and usage. In addition, APA format, citing of sources, and paraphrasing may be discussed. You will have an opportunity to ask questions and respond to comments.
How it works:
- Schedule an appointment before sending your paper.
Choose "Writing Consultation" from the menu of services. - You must send the paper by 5 p.m. the day before the appointment to Jane Sellman, writing consultant, at sellman@umaryland.edu.
- Your paper will be sent back to you at least two hours before the meeting to give you time to read it and look at any changes and comments.
- The appointment time will be used for discussion and questions.
Formatting your paper:
- Your paper must be saved in Microsoft Word.
- Change paragraph spacing in Word by going to the “paragraph” tab and setting the spacing before and after a paragraph to 0 pt. A tutorial can be found here.
- Check with your instructor regarding any preferences as to typeface, page numbers, running head, etc. According to APA 7, the running head is not required; however, some instructors require it.
- Format your paper in APA style using APAstyle.org, where you can:
- find answers to questions about how to cite sources and format references
- access sample papers to use as models.
Prior to submitting a paper for a review:
- Use Word’s Spelling & Grammar function.
- Check your paper using the free service at Grammarly.com.
- Double-check you have followed all of the formatting rules above.
If you do not check thoroughly before you send the paper, it will be returned for further revision.
What you can expect from a writing review:
- The review will focus on sentence structure, word choice, organization, coherence, and other rhetorical features.
- For the most part, the reviewer cannot comment on content.
- Your paper will be reviewed using the markup in the Review function in Microsoft Word. If you are unfamiliar with Microsoft Word and/or the Review function, you can find tutorials and helpful information on the Internet.
- Appointments take place over the phone unless you specify that you prefer Zoom or something similar.