Reminder: Students who use the Writing Center service may be automatically enrolled in the LST-606 noncredit course. Students will not be charged for the course, nor will it affect their GPA.  It is used to document the usage of services to help with apportionment funding for tutoring/learning services.  Learn more about LST-606.
 

Online tutoring is for students at any stage of the writing process — if you have a writing assignment for any SBVC course, our tutors are here to provide constructive feedback and guidance to help improve your work.

How Online Tutors Can Help You

  • Review a completed paper: If you have a full draft, tutors will review your work and provide feedback on structure, clarity, grammar, and overall effectiveness.  You may be assisted by a tutor either by email or Zoom for these types of sessions.
  • Work on a partial draft: If you have started your paper but need help expanding or organizing your ideas, tutors can guide you on the next steps.  A Zoom appointment is highly recommended for these types of sessions.
  • Help getting started: If you are struggling to begin writing, tutors can assist with brainstorming, outlining, and developing a thesis statement.  A Zoom appointment is required for these types of sessions.

Technical Requirements for Online Tutoring

  • Tablet with Internet access (required if requesting a Zoom tutoring session)
  • Basic knowledge of email usage
  • An active Student I.D. number and SBVC email account
  • A word processing program that can save papers that you compose in .DOC, .DOCX, or .RTF formats (e.g. Microsoft Word).  For assistance with converting your paper to the required format, CLICK HERE.
  • Homework assignment as written by your instructor and anything that you have written for your assignment

Writing Center Self-Guided Orientation  

 

Online Tutoring Hours

Fall 2025 - Hours of Availability
(Beginning Monday, September 2 to December 12)
  • Monday: 9:00 A.M. - 8:30 P.M.
  • Tuesday: 9:00 A.M. - 8:30 P.M.
  • Wednesday: 9:00 A.M. - 8:30 P.M.
  • Thursday: 9:00 A.M. - 8:30 P.M.
  • Fridays:  10:00 A.M. - 3:30 P.M.
  • Sundays: 10:00 A.M. - 3:30 P.M.
(Tutoring is not available on official holidays and campus closures.)

Get Started with Online Tutoring

 

How to Make an Appointment for Online Tutoring

Students are encouraged to make an appointment if they want to talk with a tutor via Zoom.  Students who do not have an appointment may seek assistance from a tutor if they do not have an appointment. However, students without an appointment are assisted on a first-come-first-served basis.

  1. Go to the Writing Center appointment webpage.
  2. Type in your active Student I.D. number in the box provided.
  3. Type in your date of birth beginning with the month, day and year in the box provided. Use the following format as an example: mm/dd/yyyy    
  4. Click on Continue.   
  1. Once logged in, click on Make Appointment.
  2. Select the reason for your Writing Center visit.  A reason is usually the class for which you need tutoring assistance.
  3. Select the type of tutoring session you would like to receive.  To be supported online via email or Zoom, select Online.
  4. Select the Day of the Week, Start Time, End Time and Tutor.  
    • Note:  The screen will only show the first 50 appointments that are available.  
    • For the system to show the greatest number of available spots, it is advisable to leave the days and times as is.  However, for specific times of tutoring availability, you may specify the days, times or tutors that you wish to see.  
    • You will only be able to make an appointment 6 days in advance. 
  5. Click on Search.   
  6. In the left column labeled Select, click on the blue square to choose your appointment.
  7. Click on Continue to confirm your appointment.             
    • Your appointment confirmation will be sent to your SBVC email account.
    • If you do not have access to an email account, please be sure to make a note of the DATE, TIME and TUTOR of your Writing Center appointment
  8. Click on Logout.
Use your SBVC email to send your paper and/or assignment instructions to the online tutor at: onlinewritingtutor@valleycollege.edu 

  1. In the subject line, include:
    • Your tutor's name.
    • The date and time of your appointment
  2. In the body of the email, provide:
    1. Your full name.
    2. Your SBVC student ID number.
    3. The class for which you're seeking assistance.
    4. Your preferred method of assistance:
      • Email: If you want feedback via email, do not include a phone number or mention Zoom.
      • Zoom: If you prefer a live session, type "Zoom appointment" and include your phone number. A Zoom link will be sent to your SBVC email.
  3. If you have written your paper, attach it as a .DOC or .DOCX.  For instructions on how to convert your paper to a .DOC or .DOCX file, CLICK HERE.
    • If you have not written your paper, let the tutor know what you would like the tutor to talk with you about during your tutoring session.  They can help you better understand your assignment, come up with ideas to include in your paper, and/or organize ideas and provide you with insight on how you can structure your paper.
  4. Include the prompt/assignment instructions to your email, so your tutor knows the expectations of your instructor.  You can do this by accessing Canvas and copying the assignment instructions and then pasting it directly into your email for your tutor.  The prompt/assignment instructions can also be sent as:
    • Pictures/photos of assignments
    • PDF/document files from instructors
    • Screenshots of assignment instructions from Canvas/web pages
Send the email before or by the time of your scheduled appointment.
For Email Assistance:
  • The tutor will review your paper and provide feedback via email.
  • Ensure you check your SBVC email for the tutor's response. If you don't see a reply, check your spam or junk mail folders.
For Zoom Assistance:
  • At the scheduled appointment time, access the Zoom link provided in your confirmation email.
  • Be prepared to share your screen and discuss your paper with the tutor.
  • Note: During Zoom sessions, tutors will provide verbal feedback. It's your responsibility to take notes and make changes to your paper.

Canceling Your Appointment

 You can cancel your appointment in the Writing Center Appointments website. Cancellations must be made at least one hour before your scheduled appointment.

  • Before your appointment, you should receive a reminder notification either by email or text.  Please note that opting out of text messages does not cancel your tutoring appointment; it only unsubscribes you from received text message reminders in the future.  If you accidentally opted out of receiving text messages, and you would like to have this option reinstated, do one of the following:
    • When making a tutoring appointment, on the Appointment Confirmation webpage when finalizing your appointment, select the check box labeled Opt in.
    • If you are unable to enable text message reminders, you may contact Dr. Lee, the lead instructor of the Writing Center, at dlee@valleycollege.edu.  Be sure to indicate your full name, student ID number and purpose of your request.

  1. Login to the Writing Center Appointments website

  2. Click on View or Cancel Appointments to select the appointment that you wish to cancel. 

  3.  Under the column entitled Cancel, click on the red square button located to the left of the appointment that you wish to cancel. 

  4. In the pop-up window that appears, select Cancel Appointment.

  5.  Select the class that you wish to cancel your appointment.

  6.  Click on Continue to confirm the cancellation of your appointment.

  7. Do not forget to logout of your appointment screen.  

 

How to Be Seen Without an Appointment (Drop-In)

If you're unable to schedule an appointment with the San Bernardino Valley College Writing Center, you can still receive assistance through their Drop-In Online Tutoring service. This service allows you to submit your paper via email and receive feedback within 24 to 48 hours. Please note that Zoom sessions are not available for drop-in tutoring; only email submissions are accepted.

  • Points to Note Regarding Being Assisted as a Drop-in:
    • For assistance with understanding your assignment or for grammar support, it's recommended to schedule an appointment for a Zoom session, as drop-in services are limited to asynchronous email feedback.
    • Please do not send multiple email requests to be assisted as a drop-in for the same assignment.  Doing so can delay our ability to assist you.  Only send a follow-up email if information was missing from the original email submission.  Clearly indicate this update in your revised email.
    • If you submit your request to be assisted as a drop-in online, an appointment spot may be reserved for a tutor to review your paper.  However, the session will be conducted only by email.  For Zoom sessions, you will need to make an online appointment. 
Log in to your official SBVC email account.
  • Recipient: onlinewritingtutor@valleycollege.edu
  • Subject Line: Include the following details:
    • The phrase "DROP-IN"
    • Your full name
    • The date and time of your email submission
    • Example: DROP-IN John Doe 01/28/2025 07:04 PM
  • Your full name
  • Your SBVC student ID number
  • The class for which you're seeking assistance
  • Detailed instructions about your assignment (you may attach the assignment prompt or include it in the email body)
  • Specific areas you'd like the tutor to review in your paper
  • Attach your paper as a .DOC, .DOCX, or .RTF file. Avoid using Google Docs or PDFs, as tutors may not be able to access these formats.
After ensuring all information and attachments are included, send your email to onlinewritingtutor@valleycollege.edu.

Upon successful submission, you will receive an email confirmation from the Online Writing Tutor. If you do not receive this confirmation, please verify the email address and resend your submission.