Locations and Hours
We are located in the annex across the atrium from the library. Questions or comments? Call us (X4493 on campus, 240-895-4493 off-campus) or e-mail us at scmagruder (at) smcm dot edu.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I schedule an appointment?
You have several options: you can stop by during our walk-in hours, and we'll do our best to assist you; you can use our online scheduler (your login, if you've never used it before, is your school email with your last name as your password); or you can give us a call at x4493. Calling or stopping by is the best option if you can't make any of the posted hours.
What is the meaning of life?
We don't know either. But keep looking. Let us know if you figure it out; we may post your answer. Meanwhile, try typing "What is the meaning of life?" into Wolfram Alpha.
Meet the Tutors:
Danielle Doubt
Major: English
Minor: Women, Gender, and Sexuality
Writing: I am interested in rhetoric, political writing and journalism, as well as creative fiction and creative non-fiction.
Interests: feminist movements, local food movements, running, so really any kind of movement, be it social, political or physical I probably find pretty cool.
Click here to see all of our peer tutors.
Grammar, Style and Usage
Here's where we keep all the things you were never taught but are expected to know anyway. The handouts on these menus are handy for reminders and practice in areas you know you have trouble with, or as a self-test to see if you really know what you think you know. In the Sentence Level section, there are also handouts on getting the most impact out of your sentences.
General Guide to Grammar and Writing
Includes explanations of grammar and punctuation rules as well as 75 computer-graded quizzes. Maintained by Professor Charles Darling as part of the Capital Community Technical College site.
Style
Attending to Style (Dartmouth)
Adding Emphasis (Purdue)
Sentence Variety (Purdue)
Conciseness (Purdue)
Coherence (Purdue)
Grammar
General Guide to Grammar and Writing
Includes explanations of grammar and punctuation rules as well as 75 computer-graded quizzes. Maintained by Professor Charles Darling as part of the Capital Community Technical College site.
An inventory of the many useful grammar exercises at the Purdue Online Writing Lab.
Writer's Grammar (Paraskevas)
Sentences: Checking for Six Common Problems
A handout that guides writers through six grammar problems that commonly occur in academic writing.
Strategies for Sentence Recognition -- Identifying Run-Ons and Comma Splices
A handout with suggestions for recognizing and correcting run-ons and comma splices.
Strategies for Sentence Recognition -- Identifying Sentence Fragments
A handout with suggestions for recognizing and correcting sentence fragments.
Punctuation
Tips for Using Commas
Some guidelines for comma use, with examples.
The Basics of Using the Apostrophe to Show Possession
An explanation of how, when, and why to use apostrophes to mark possession.
