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
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
- Effective Writing Strategies (7 Modules)
- Writing a Literature Review (7 modules)
- Preparing for the Kaplan Exam (8 modules)
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
- Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab (OWL): One of the best sources on the web for information on nearly every aspect of writing. OWL covers general writing, subject-specific writing, research recommendations, citations, grammar, mechanics, ESL issues, etc. You will also find numerous printable handouts.
- Paradigm Online Writing Assistant: Another comprehensive website offering information on numerous writing topics.
- American Psychological Association: For help with APA style and citation questions.
- The Elements of Style (William Strunk, Jr): Classic advice on writing clearly.
- The University of Minnesota: Support for student writing.
- The University of Wisconsin—Madison: Writer’s handbook.
- Grammar Girl: Quick tips and help with tricky grammar questions.
- CCC Guide to Grammar and Writing: Interactive site covering multiple topics.
- E-Resource Center (City University of New York): Writing and grammar tutorials.
- EduFind.com: Useful source for practicing English grammar. This website contains many printable handouts and short quizzes covering multiple areas of English grammar.
- Common ESL Errors: The Top Ten List: Includes articles and advice on how to address these errors.
- BBC Learning English: Practice for reading, listening, and writing skills. This website has great grammar and vocabulary building exercises.
- Internet TESL Journal: Practice for improving listening and comprehension skills. Minimal pairs exercises highly recommended.
- Many Things.org: Practice for vocabulary building, pronunciation, reading, and listening. This website also contains grammar quizzes.
- Randall's ESL Cyber Listening Lab: Practice for improving listening and vocabulary building.
- Medi Lexicon.com: Online medical dictionary, containing drug information and medical abbreviations.
- Medline Plus Medical Encyclopedia: Useful online medical encyclopedia.
- Encyclopedia.com: Supplemental resource for verifying facts and information. This website also contains biographies.
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 |
---|---|---|
Foundations in Biology Q&A | Mondays | 6–8 p.m. |
Organic Chemistry Q&A | Tuesdays | 6–8 p.m. |
Physics Q&A | Wednesdays | 6–8 p.m. |
General Chemistry Q&A | 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.
- Wisconsin Online, Anatomy of the Heart
- Khan Academy, Blood flow explanation
- U of M Quiz, Blood Flow
- The Circulatory System
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
- Processes of osmosis and diffusion-Khan Academy
- Wisconsin Online, Passive transport diffusion
- Wisconsin Online, Passive transport osmosis
Action Potentials
The following websites review how nerve impulses are conducted.
- McGraw Hill, The Nerve Impulse
- U of M Quiz, Web Anatomy: Action Potential Physiology #1
- U of M Quiz, Web Anatomy: Action Potential Physiology #2
- U of M Quiz, Web Anatomy: Action Potential Physiology Essay #1
Immune Response
These links review cells, structures, and processes that are involved in immunity.
- U of M, Cell Mediated Immunity
- U of M, Antibody Mediated Immunity
- Wisconsin Online, T and B Cell Differentiation
- Khan Academy, Role of Phagocytes in Innate or Nonspecific Immunity
- Khan Academy, Types of Immune Responses: Innate and Adaptive, Humoral vs. Cell-Mediated
- Khan Academy, Professional Antigen Presenting Cells APC and MHC II Complexes
- Khan Academy, B Lymphocytes (B Cells)
- Khan Academy, Helper T-Cells
- Khan Academy, Cytotoxic T-Cells
- Khan Academy, Review of B Cells, CD4+ T-Cells and CD8+ T-Cells
- Khan Academy, Inflammatory Response
- U of M Quiz, Immunology: Lymphatic/Lymph Question Set 1
Urine Formation
The following links review the key structures and steps in the formation of urine.
- Khan Academy, The Kidney and Nephron
- Khan Academy, Secondary Active Transport in the Nephron
- Wisconsin Online, The Juxtaglomerular Apparatus
- Wisconsin Online, The Vascular System of the Kidneys
Autonomic Nervous System
These sites review the divisions of the autonomic system and their roles in the nervous system.
- Wisconsin Online, The Autonomic Nervous System: Sympathetic Division
- Get Body Smart, Autonomic Nervous System Organization and Autonomic Division
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.