Viterbi Learning Program

Student Success through Academic Support
Mission
Meet the Tutors
Make a Tutoring Appointment
Drop-In Hours
Viterbi Learning Pairs Program
Writing Consultations
Study Sessions & Events
Jobs at VLP - Join our team!
Additional Academic Resources
F.A.Q. & Contact Information

Writing Consultations

Engineering Writing Support for Undergraduate Students

Need writing support? A Writing Consultant from the Engineering in Society program is available at the VLP to answer your questions about writing for your all your undergraduate courses – not just your engineering classes! The writing consultant can help you:

  • Develop your writing skills
  • Organize your reports
  • Learn proper form and grammar
  • Help with citations

Please note: Writing Consultant appointments & drop-ins are is reserved for Viterbi Undergraduates only. All sessions with the Writing Consultant follow the same policies as all other Viterbi Learning Program peer tutoring appointments.

Image

Appointments

Make your appointment with the writing consultant by clicking the "Book Now" button above! Space is limited. We strongly recommend booking your writing appointments as far in advance as possible to ensure that you reserve your preferred available slot.

blank

Drop-in Hours

The Viterbi Writing Consultant is available for Drop-in Hours at Ronald Tutor Hall (RTH) Room 222 on Wednesdays from 9AM - 12PM. First-come, first-served. No appointments required.

Engineering in Society Program - Writing and Speaking Support for Ph.D. Students

The Communications Hub

The Engineering in Society Program's Communications Hub (Hub) offers in-person and online appointments designed to provide specialized support for Viterbi’s Ph.D. students' writing, speaking, and other communications-based skills and tasks. All Hub appointments are conducted by experienced Viterbi faculty in technical communication. The range of communication efforts that are supported include:

blank

  1. Writing: journal and conference articles, dissertations, proposal and fellowship applications, career documents, collaborative/multidisciplinary efforts, and industry-related communications 
  2. Speaking: conference presentations, dissertation defenses, qualifying exam presentations, job talks, poster presentations, and small group presentations

blank

The Hub also offers communications-based events for the Viterbi Ph.D. student community, such as a Three Minute Thesis competition, writing retreats, and discussion panels.

Sign up for emails about the Hub's offerings, events and other Hub news here. 

blank

Appointments

Learn more about the Hub's online, in-person, and custom appointments, along with more of its services here.

Writing Center

Additional support is available! All USC students can visit the USC Writing Center, located in THH 321. For more information on consultation times, workshop information, and other services, visit the Writing Center’s website.

blank

Online Writing Resources

Common Errors in English Usage
Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary
Oxford English Dictionary Online Edition
Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL)

A complete listing of online resources is available on the Writing Center’s website.

Tips for a Productive Consultation

Writing consultations are most productive when you have thought in advance about what you would like to work on with the consultant. If you are in the beginning stage of working on a paper, let the consultant help you explore brainstorming techniques to generate ideas for answering your instructor’s assignment. If you have written a draft, go through the draft and mark those areas you are least satisfied with.

blank

Bring any/all of the following with you, or submit them directly to the Writing Consultant when booking an appointment:

  • Your assignment.
  • Papers previously marked and returned to you from your instructor.
  • An idea of what the person grading your paper wants you to do with this assignment.
  • Any work you have already done on the assignment.

blank

Whatever you do, come ready to participate, with some specific discussion topics in mind. Some topics might be:

  • I would like to narrow the thesis for this paper.
  • I would like to develop some relevant examples for this paper.
  • I would like to revise this paper to incorporate my instructor’s suggestions.
  • I need to cite my evidence correctly.
  • I’m not sure that I have chosen an appropriate voice.
  • I don’t know if this evidence is convincing or relevant.
  • How can I use commas correctly?

blank

Courtesy of the USC Writing Center.

Published on January 22nd, 2021

Last updated on August 22nd, 2023