Policies and FAQ

Yes.

Yes. Walk-ins are welcomed, but when assignments are due, appointments fill up quickly. To ensure you get the time you need, schedule an appointment here: Book Now

Yes. The BCC gets VERY busy right before writing assignments are due. Making an appointment early ensures that you get help when you need it.

No. Tutors do not “fix” or “edit” student papers or documents at all. Instead, tutors will help you to identify patterns of errors in your work so that you learn to identify and correct the errors yourself. Tutors will NOT write a paper or any other document for students.

No. Tutors do not edit student work. To help students become more skillful and independent writers, tutors help students identify issues that need attention so students can correct the errors themselves.

Not necessarily. The tutors will provide feedback on your work. For example, feedback can help you improve your writing, strengthen your arguments and improve your slides. You can also practice your presentations.

You may schedule up to three appointments a week, but only one appointment per day.

Currently enrolled JSOM undergraduate, graduate and PhD students may attend the BCC. Tutors are full and part-time professionals with writing center experience. The BCC may occasionally hire student workers with exemplary written and verbal communication skills.

Although tutors are not content experts, they are skilled writers with training in tutoring, so they are able to help students with communication issues that do not require advanced subject knowledge. In addition to providing valuable communication services for all JSOM students, the BCC offers additional support for students for whom English is a second language or an additional language. A specialist works with these students on grammar, word choice, sentence structure, punctuation, and effective PowerPoint slides and presentation techniques.

• Include the BCC link in your syllabus and a blurb about services.
  Syllabus Blurb: The Business Communication Center in JSOM 12.106 offers free in-person and online coaching to JSOM students to improve written and verbal communication skills. Students can schedule up to three 40-minute appointments per week for class assignments, resumes, cover letters, and English as a Second Language services. Visit bcc.utdallas.edu to make an appointment or to refer to additional resources for improving business communication skills.
• Show students Professional Writing and Professional Presentation resources on the BCC’s website. They will find examples, templates, videos and articles on topics from resumes and cover letters to format and APA citations and references.

Yes. Many students do not understand how to use and document sources correctly. Tutors can provide illustrations and resources. Also, when students copy and paste passages, tutors will often recognize the problem simply from changes in writing style. This creates an opportunity to work with students on paraphrasing and citing sources correctly.

JSOM students are welcome to bring any piece of writing or presentation, including class assignments, essays, research papers and case studies, cover letters, resumes, LinkedIn profiles, PowerPoint presentations or even Toastmasters speeches. Team projects are also welcomed. Frequently, the tutor facilitates discussions about issues students did not realize existed, from organization and tone to format and thorough development.

No, BCC services are based on individual appointments only.

Although tutors ask students for the assignments parameters students do not always bring these to the BCC. As a rule, tutors instruct students to cite, reference and format papers using the APA Style Guide.