O'Neill Center for Academic Development

Writing and Reading

Get one-on-one assistance with your writing and reading skills at any stage of the writing process.

St. Paul

Visit the Writing/Reading Center in CDC 21 during our drop-in hours for a one-on-one dialogue with a trained peer tutor. Sessions last up to 45 minutes. Come early and come often!

What to bring:

  • The writing assignment sheet from your instructor
  • A clean copy of the paper you want to work on
  • Questions and/or concerns you have about your paper

FAQ for students

FAQ for faculty

Minneapolis

Visit Room E370 for walk-in writing assistance. Staff work interactively with you to increase your recognition of strengths and difficulties in your writing. It works best to come for help with papers a day or more before due dates. Writing lab hours change every subsession. If you are unable to attend any of the scheduled writing lab hours, you may meet with a staff member by appointment. For current walk-in hours or to set up an appointment, call 651-690-7832.

In addition to the face-to-face writing assistance that is available on the St. Paul and Minneapolis campuses, online writing support is available by appointment to graduate students, undergraduate distance learners, and students taking some OTA online and pre-professional courses. To use the online writing system, you must first register for an account. Then you are welcome to book an appointment on the appropriate schedule. At the time of your appointment, log in to the online system again and click on the appointment you made to start the session.

St. Paul

Graduate Students and Distance Learners

Your paper may be uploaded when booking the appointment or when you return for your session. You will be an active participant in the one-hour session, which will occur by online chat with a trained graduate assistant. The graduate assistant will collaborate with you, help with questions you have, and offer suggestions for going forward with your writing project.

Register or make/access appointments

Instructions for online writing support system

Minneapolis

Students in OTA Online and Pre-Professional Courses

The drop-down menu at the top of each schedule lists the courses for which assistance is available. Choose the appropriate schedule to book your appointment. For more information, call 651.690.7832.

Register or make/access appointments (OTA online/pre-professional students)

Workshop Videos

Library Research and Citation Help

If you have a research question or a quick citation question that doesn't warrant a tutoring session, contact a reference librarian or consult the library's citation guides.

Writing and APA Instruction in ASL

View these video modules for ASL instruction on the topics of APA writing and citing.

Additional Resources

Discipline-Specific Writing Guides

Take advantage of the writing guides we have created for some of the programs taught at St. Kate's.

Math and Science

Get one-on-one or small group assistance in math, statistics, chemistry, biology, physics, and more.

St. Paul

Visit the Math/Science Center during our drop-in hours for one-on-one or small group assistance in mathematics, statistics, chemistry, biology, and physics. Our trained peer tutors are here to help you with topics found in core math and science courses through the 2000 level.

During spring semester 2019, join us each week to talk math and science in a relaxed, informal format. All sessions are facilitated by an O'Neill Center math/science tutor.

Study Session Day Time
Organic Chemistry Q&A Mondays 6–8 p.m.
General Chemistry Q&A Wednesdays 6–8 p.m.
Foundations of Biology Thursdays 6–8 p.m.

Minneapolis

To arrange for content tutoring in Science courses, contact 651-690-7832.

Student mentors are available on the St. Paul campus to lead study sessions on selected courses. These include

  • General Chemistry for Health Sciences (CHEM 1010)
  • Intro to Microbiology (BIOL 2200)
  • Human Anatomy and Physiology (BIOL 2610)
  • Pathophysiology (NURS 2182, NURS 3281)
  • Nursing Interventions (NURS 3291)

Need more information? Contact the O’Neill Center at 651-690-6563.

Need to take Statistics, but not quite ready?
MATH 1010 is offered fall and spring terms, on-site and online. Successful completion of MATH 1010 ensures placement into Stats (MATH, PSYC, ECON or HLTH), CHEM 1010 and CHEM 1110/1120.

MATH 1010 is a 2-credit developmental math course designed for students who are under-prepared for college-level mathematics. The course utilizes a web-based, artificially intelligent assessment and learning system, which identifies individual student’s deficiencies and permits each student to work on the mathematical skills and concepts that she needs to master. Each student works at her own pace in an instructor-supported, computer classroom. Class time and required lab component provide 3.5 hours per week of devoted practice time with professional assistance. Attendance and active engagement are considered essential elements of the curriculum.

Blood Flow Review

The following websites review the primary structures of the heart and how blood flows through the heart.

Cardiac Conduction

The cardiac conduction system is the electrical system of the heart. The following links review the structures and the steps of this system.

Respiration

The following links review the essential structures of the respiratory system as well as the process of gas exchange between cells.

Osmosis and Diffusion

Action Potentials

The following websites review how nerve impulses are conducted.

Immune Response

These links review cells, structures, and processes that are involved in immunity.

Urine Formation

The following links review the key structures and steps in the formation of urine.

Autonomic Nervous System

These sites review the divisions of the autonomic system and their roles in the nervous system.

Hormone Control

These sites define hormones, how they form, and how they work.

Muscle Contraction

These sites review the steps of muscle contraction.

Most exams in math and science involve problems where you must apply the concepts and techniques learned in the course to new situations.

Before the Exam

Set up a schedule so you make time to study every day. Cramming the night before will not lead to success.

Do all of the homework problems. For most students, the course grade or exam grade is directly proportional to the number of problems they do. Build confidence by mastering the easier ones before tackling the very difficult ones.

When you seek help from your instructor or the O’Neill Center, be prepared with a list of specific questions. Show the professor your attempts at the problem, and he or she will be able to offer more help.

Get plenty of rest the night before and eat something nutritious the day of the exam. (Fresh fruit is recommended to reduce stress.)

Arrive early for the test so you have time to relax and do not feel rushed.

During the Exam

First do the easy problems. Skip the questions that you cannot immediately answer; later the tougher questions might look more familiar or you may get clues from other questions on the exam. Read the problems carefully. Determine exactly what you are required to find. What does the answer look like? Is it a speed? A temperature? What are the units?

Estimate the answer before you begin to work the problem. It helps to have a rough idea of the size of the answer.

Include the units with all the answers and round them to the proper place (significant digits!) Remember that you do the rounding at the end of your calculation, not before.

Your professor will have worked problems in class and you have worked examples in your text. Try to see the exam problem as another example of a problem you have already solved or studied.

If you feel nervous, remember to take deep breaths to help you relax (nobody will notice). While you are taking deep breaths, replace any negative thoughts with positive thoughts. For example, repeat positive statements to yourself such as “I am relaxed,” “I will be OK; I can do this,” or “I am prepared.”

After the Exam

Go over every question of every test. Learn how to do the problems you have missed. The ideas in math and science courses build upon each other so that you really want to address any confusion that occurs along the way!

Disability Resources

We create and promote accessible and inclusive learning environments.

Testing

For information regarding testing services or to schedule an appointment, contact:

Alternative Testing

Alternative testing is available for authorized students on the St. Paul and Minneapolis campuses. This may include testing with extended time, reduced distraction, or in an alternative format. Testing appointments should be made at least one week in advance.

If you would like alternative testing accommodations, you must first meet with and receive authorization from Disability Resources on your campus.

Limited testing services are available for multilingual students with authorization from the director of the O’Neill Center.

Make-Up Testing

Make-up testing is available on the St. Paul and Minneapolis campuses based on space availability and prior approval from your professor. No make-up testing will be allowed during finals week. If you are unable to take your exam at the scheduled time, you will need to make arrangements with your professor.

Testing Guidelines and Forms

Alternative and make-up test cover sheet for faculty

Math Placement Tests

You may need to take a placement test to assess your skills before you register for a math, statistics, chemistry or physics course.

Math placement testing

Study Skills

Improve your studying efficiency and comprehension, and reduce test-taking anxiety by consulting these resources. Contact the O'Neill Center if you need an appointment to go over any of them in more detail.

St. Paul Campus Hours

Professional Staff Hours

Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Testing Hours

Monday - Friday, 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Thursday, 7:30 a.m.–7 p.m.
Friday 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Drop-in Hours for Tutoring

Monday–Thursday, 9 a.m.–8 p.m.
Friday, 9 a.m.–6 p.m.*
Saturday, 12–3 p.m.
Sunday, 10:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.

* Writing and Science tutors available this entire period; Math tutor available until 2:45 p.m.

Minneapolis Campus Hours

Professional Staff Hours

Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–4 p.m.

Testing hours vary.

Tutoring (walk-in and by appointment)

Hours change each subsession. For current walk-in schedule or to make an appointment, call 651-690-7832.