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.
  • Work on apartial draft: If you’ve started your paper but need help expanding or organizing your ideas, tutors can guide you on next steps.
  • Help getting started: If you’re struggling to begin writing, tutors can assist with brainstorming, outlining, and developing a thesis statement.

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, Open Office, etc.)
  • Homework assignment as written by your instructor and anything that you have written for your assignment

Writing Center Self-Guided Orientation  

 

Online Tutoring Hours

  • Mondays: 9:00 A.M. - 9:00 P.M.
  • Tuesdays: 9:00 A.M. - 8:30 P.M.
  • Wednesdays: 9:00 A.M. - 8:30 P.M.
  • Thursdays: 9:00 A.M. - 9:00 P.M.
  • Fridays: 11:00 A.M. - 3:30 P.M.
  • Sundays: 10:00 A.M. - 2:30 P.M.

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 Day of the Week, Start Time, End Time and Tutor.  
    • Note:  The screen will only show the first 50 appointments that are available.  
    • For more times of tutoring availability, you may want to specify the days, times or tutors that you wish to see.  
    • You will only be able to make an appointment 6 days in advance.  All tutors are online/remote access only.
    • Select tutors designated as Online.  
  4. Cick on Search.   
  5. In the left column labeled Select, click on the blue square to choose your appointment.
  6. 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
  7. 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.
    • 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. Attach the prompt/assignment instructions to your email, so your tutor knows the expectations of your instructor. This can 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.

  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.

  • Note: 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
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 Writing Tutor. If you do not receive this confirmation, please verify the email address and resend your submission.