Appointments
Students with a Queen’s net ID, student number, and Queen’s email may book appointments for help with academic skills, writing, and English language skills. All appointments are confidential and free for incoming and current Queen’s University students.
All appointments are booked through our online booking system.
Academic skills appointments
For graduate and undergraduate students.
- Want to stay on top of your academic game?
- Behind in your readings?
- Feeling disorganized or unmotivated?
- Trouble writing exams?
Meeting with an academic skills specialist can help you improve your performance and confidence. We welcome all Queen’s students, regardless of year, program, or academic standing. Our team of academic skills specialists can help by coaching and encouraging you in different strategies, skills, and mindsets for learning.
Appointments are about 50 minutes long, and are free and confidential. No information will be shared unless the student gives specific permission to do so. Referrals are not required.
Before your first appointment, consider...
- For you to feel more satisfied with your school performance or experience, what would need to change? Are there academic skills to improve? Personal habits to modify? Attitudes to re-evaluate?
- What went well last term or year?
- What academic (or personal) habits or skills held you back from being your best?
- Have you run into these issues before? What helped?
- Is there feedback from your profs that you need to address?
At your first appointment, you are encouraged to bring
- a completed study skills and habits questionnaire
- relevant materials, e.g., a text for help with reading, or class timetable for help designing a weekly homework or research schedule, or notes to practice summarizing methods
- an experimental frame of mind, as finding a better approach involves trying new ideas or methods
Wait time for an academic skills appointment may be 1-3 weeks or longer during midterm and final exams.
To maximize your opportunity to meet with an academic skills specialist and allow you time to practice new strategies, we recommend that students book up to one appointment per week and two per month with the same specialist. In exceptional circumstances, the specialist may adjust this policy.
Writing appointments
Undergraduate and graduate students of all faculties and levels of academic achievement and writing proficiency at Queen’s University use SASS’s popular writing service. These free, confidential appointments are specific to individual student needs, but commonly include topics such as
- understanding an assignment
- brainstorming ideas
- developing an argument or thesis statement
- organizing main points
- revising a draft
- improving grammar and style
- integrating research
Please use our online booking system to book a 25- or 50-minute appointment with a writing consultant. If you have questions about the online booking system, please see our FAQ tab.
If possible, book early—our appointments are popular!
Please click here for important information about writing appointment policies.
Having trouble getting an appointment? If you are a first- or second-year student seeking help with an assignment, you can sign up for an evening appointment with a Peer Writing Assistant (see Peer writing appointment tab).
Frequently asked questions
EAL appointments
At SASS, we want English as an Additional Language (EAL) and international students to be able to communicate fluently and confidently while studying at Queen’s University. Our EAL programs feature one-to-one personalized consultations focusing on writing, speaking, listening, and reading skills. For example, multilingual students can book one of the popular P&P consultations (Pronunciation and Presentation Skills) to get feedback on pronunciation issues and/or practice for an upcoming oral presentation. We also offer workshops, EAL resources, and access to computer software—Inspiration and Kurzweil 3000—through the Academic Skills Lab so that students can work independently on writing and reading skills, which can improve overall fluency.
Book an introductory consultation
Multilingual students who would like language skills support should begin by booking an introductory consultation with the EAL Program Coordinator.
Request an introductory appointment
Please note that EAL students who want help with writing assignments can book writing appointments in our core writing program.
For more information, please visit the EAL Support Page.
Peer writing appointments
If you are a first- or second-year student and would like some writing assistance, you might like an appointment with a Peer Writing Assistant.
What is a Peer Writing Assistant?
SASS’s Peer Writing Assistants (PWAs) are upper-year and graduate student volunteers who are committed to helping other students develop their writing skills and confidence.
What do PWAs do?
PWAs are trained to work on-on-one with students taking first- and second-year courses; they help with clarifying the terms of the assignment, brainstorming, pre-writing and structuring, providing feedback, and directing students to the resources they need to produce good papers. For many students, this service makes a significant difference in their academic performance and confidence.
Sessions are 25 minutes long and are based on a collaboration between the PWA and the student seeking assistance–i.e., PWAs do not proofread or make writing decisions for the students they help. Instead, they help students develop their own skills in writing, editing, and critical thinking, in the context of working on a particular assignment.
When are PWA appointments available?
PWA sessions take place Monday-Thursday, 6:30-8:30 p.m. from mid-September to the end of November and from mid-January to the end of March. Please book early; these appointments are popular.
If you are booking with a PWA, please note:
- students may sign up for only one appointment per evening and a maximum of two appointments per week
- these appointments are for first- and second-year course assignments only
- PWAs will not help with take-home exams
How to book appointments
Students can book an appointment with a writing consultant, academic skills specialist, peer writing assistant, or English as an additional language consultant by using our online booking system.
You must register with our online booking system before you can make an appointment. If you have questions about the system, please see our FAQ tab. If you have technical problems, please let us know via email.
When you book an appointment, please indicate whether you would like to meet in person or online by selecting a choice from the drop-down menu on the booking form. Please note: All appointments are currently offered online only.
If possible, book early—our appointments are popular!
How to book an appointment in WCOnline
- Select a date, timeslot, and a consultant. Available appointment timeslots are WHITE. (RED timeslots are already booked; BLACK timeslots are unavailable; GREY timeslots have already occurred.)
- Note that all appointments begin on the hour or on the half-hour. For example, if you want to sign up for a 25-minute appointment at 10 am, reserve the time between 10 am and 10:30 am.
- Click on an open (white) appointment time to open the reservation window.
- When the reservation window opens, fill in the required information. We ask for this information to ensure you receive the best possible consultation. This information is private and accessible only to relevant SASS staff.
- After completing the form in the reservation window, click “save” to finish. Your appointment will now appear on the schedule in red, and you will receive a reminder email with the date and time (check your spam folder if you don’t see it).
How to begin your online session
- Click on your appointment slot in the WCOnline schedule (where you booked the appointment).
- Then click on the link “Start or Join Online Consultation.”
- You will be redirected to the virtual appointment space. The space includes a shared whiteboard, a text chat box, and video chat windows. You have access to the virtual space as soon as you make the appointment, but your appointment will not actually happen until the time it is booked.
We encourage you to go into your virtual space before your appointment time to ensure that the connections and functions all work properly. Online consultations are best facilitated through a Chrome browser. We look forward to seeing you! If you have any questions, email academic.success@queensu.ca or call us at 613-533-6315.
What does an online appointment look like?
In this video, we show you what an appointment looks like once you book. Using the example of an online consultation with Emma, a SASS peer who supports first and second year students’ writing, we demonstrate how to join the appointment, upload your document, use the chat feature, and download your writing and comments during or after the appointment.
Policies
We at SASS want students to succeed and feel supported. We therefore do our best to accommodate as many students as we can in our appointment schedule.
Availability of appointments depends, to some extent, on demand; some times of year are much busier than others. You may book appointments weeks in advance to secure your preferred dates and times.
Academic skills appointment policies
How many appointments can I have?
Generally, students meet with their academic skills specialist about once every two weeks. In times of high demand, this frequency may be reduced; under some circumstances, this frequency may be increased. There is no other limit on the total number of academic skills appointments students may have.
What if I need to cancel my appointment?
- All fines for missed appointments are currently suspended. However, you are still expected to either attend appointments you have booked, or to cancel them at least six hours in advance.
- Any student who arrives more than 10 minutes late may forfeit that appointment.
- Students who miss multiple appointments without cancelling them may have their booking privileges revoked.
- A student may not transfer an appointment to another student or send a proxy to attend an appointment on their behalf. Any student who violates this policy will no longer be allowed to use the service.
- Appeals due to extenuating circumstances should be made to the director.
Can you help me with take-home exams?
- Take-home examinations cannot be the subject of any SASS consultation (this includes graduate comprehensive exams).
- Students are encouraged to prepare for take-home exams in advance by attending our workshops, reviewing our online resources, and booking appointments to work on their general writing and exam preparation / exam-taking skills.
Can you help with course content / comment on a mark I got on an assignment?
- SASS staff do not appraise comments and/or the grade on a marked paper, nor do they advocate on behalf of students. We adhere to a strict policy of non-interference in regard to student-instructor relations.
- SASS staff cannot fulfill the duties of a teaching assistant. Questions about course content, including questions about citation format, should be directed to your instructor or TA.
- Although some members of our staff teach or act as TAs or markers for various Queen’s courses, appointments may not be used for students to meet with their instructor or TA.
Online appointments
- Students must have a viable internet connection for online appointments.
- We encourage students to log in to their appointments several minutes before their appointment time to ensure that connections and functions are all working properly. Online consultations are best facilitated through a Chrome browser.
- Students are responsible for uploading any document(s) they wish to discuss in their appointments.
- Generally, online appointments at SASS have few or no technical issues, but in the case of audio or video failure, appointments may rely on text box communications / document markup only.
Appointment fines
- Please note: all fines for missed appointments are currently suspended. However, you are expected to attend any appointments you have booked or to cancel them within the six-hour cancellation window.
- A student who arrives (online or in person) more than 10 minutes late for an appointment may forfeit that appointment.
- Students who miss multiple appointments may have their booking privileges revoked.
Appointment conduct
- When engaging with SASS services, students are expected to conduct themselves in a professional and respectful manner.
- SASS does not tolerate subtle or overt discriminatory or offensive behaviour towards our staff or other students.
- SASS’s team comprises skilled professional staff and peer volunteers who are trained to address the academic skills and writing needs of Queen’s students. Our staff are committed to using their expertise to work professionally and respectfully with students at all times.
Any student with questions or concerns about SASS programming or policies should make an appointment to speak with the Director of SASS, Susan Korba, at 613-533-6000, ext. 77630, korbas@queensu.ca.
EAL appointment policies
How many appointments can I have?
Students may have a maximum of one EAL appointment per week. The frequency of EAL appointments is determined during and after the introductory meeting by the EAL coordinator and the student.
What if I need to cancel my appointment?
- All fines for missed appointments are currently suspended. However, you are still expected to either attend appointments you have booked, or to cancel them at least six hours in advance.
- Any student who arrives more than 10 minutes late may forfeit that appointment.
- Students who miss multiple appointments without cancelling them may have their booking privileges revoked.
- A student may not transfer an appointment to another student or send a proxy to attend an appointment on their behalf. Any student who violates this policy will no longer be allowed to use the service.
- Appeals due to extenuating circumstances should be made to the director.
Can you help me with take-home exams?
- Take-home examinations cannot be the subject of any SASS consultation (this includes graduate comprehensive exams).
- Students are encouraged to prepare for take-home exams in advance by attending our workshops, reviewing our online resources, and booking appointments to work on their general writing and exam preparation / exam-taking skills.
Can you help with course content / comment on a mark I got on an assignment?
- SASS staff do not appraise comments and/or the grade on a marked paper, nor do they advocate on behalf of students. We adhere to a strict policy of non-interference in regard to student-instructor relations.
- SASS staff cannot fulfill the duties of a teaching assistant. Questions about course content, including questions about citation format, should be directed to your instructor or TA.
- Although some members of our staff teach or act as TAs or markers for various Queen’s courses, appointments may not be used for students to meet with their instructor or TA.
Online appointments
- Students must have a viable internet connection for online appointments.
- We encourage students to log in to their appointments several minutes before their appointment time to ensure that connections and functions are all working properly. Online consultations are best facilitated through a Chrome browser.
- Students are responsible for uploading any document(s) they wish to discuss in their appointments.
- Generally, online appointments at SASS have few or no technical issues, but in the case of audio or video failure, appointments may rely on text box communications / document markup only.
Appointment fines
- Please note: all fines for missed appointments are currently suspended. However, you are expected to attend any appointments you have booked or to cancel them within the six-hour cancellation window.
- A student who arrives (online or in person) more than 10 minutes late for an appointment may forfeit that appointment.
- Students who miss multiple appointments may have their booking privileges revoked.
Appointment conduct
- When engaging with SASS services, students are expected to conduct themselves in a professional and respectful manner.
- SASS does not tolerate subtle or overt discriminatory or offensive behaviour towards our staff or other students.
- SASS’s team comprises skilled professional staff and peer volunteers who are trained to address the academic skills and writing needs of Queen’s students. Our staff are committed to using their expertise to work professionally and respectfully with students at all times.
Any student with questions or concerns about SASS programming or policies should make an appointment to speak with the Director of SASS, Susan Korba, at 613-533-6000, ext. 77630, korbas@queensu.ca.
Writing appointment policies
How many appointments can I have?
Students are entitled to ten writing appointments during the fall/winter school year. Appeals for additional sessions can be addressed to the Director of SASS. Students may book up to six additional appointments in the spring/summer term.
Because of high demand for appointments, students are limited to one writing appointment per week.
What if I need to cancel my appointment?
First, be aware that students who have booked writing appointments can benefit from them even if they don’t have a draft to work on. Writing consultants work with students at every stage of the writing process.
- All fines for missed appointments are currently suspended. However, you are still expected to either attend appointments you have booked, or to cancel them at least six hours in advance.
- Any student who arrives more than 10 minutes late may forfeit that appointment.
- Students who miss multiple appointments without cancelling them may have their booking privileges revoked.
- A student may not transfer an appointment to another student or send a proxy to attend an appointment on their behalf. Any student who violates this policy will no longer be allowed to use the service.
- Appeals due to extenuating circumstances should be made to the director.
Can you help me with take-home exams?
- Take-home examinations cannot be the subject of any SASS consultation (this includes graduate comprehensive exams).
- Students are encouraged to prepare for take-home exams in advance by attending our workshops, reviewing our online resources, and booking appointments to work on their general writing and exam preparation / exam-taking skills.
Can you help with course content / comment on a mark I got on an assignment?
- SASS staff do not appraise comments and/or the grade on a marked paper, nor do they advocate on behalf of students. We adhere to a strict policy of non-interference in regard to student-instructor relations.
- SASS staff cannot fulfill the duties of a teaching assistant. Questions about course content, including questions about citation format, should be directed to your instructor or TA.
- Although some members of our staff teach or act as TAs or markers for various Queen’s courses, appointments may not be used for students to meet with their instructor or TA.
Appointments with professional writing consultants:
- We want to help you as much as possible, but we cannot be very helpful if you visit us the day your assignment is due. Leave enough time (at least a few days) to revise your work after your appointment.
- You are welcome to book appointments weeks in advance, to help you plan your writing. The earlier you start on your writing, the better quality it will be.
- Our writing consultations are not intended to be used for editing or proofreading your paper. Although our staff will point out patterns of grammatical or stylistic weakness and explain how to identify and fix them, they mainly concentrate on structure, strength and clarity of argument, integration of sources, and writing process strategies, leaving it up to you to apply them. The responsibility for making any changes to your work rests with you.
- For in-person appointments, please bring a hard copy of your work. In-person appointments will not be conducted on laptops.
- Students may use one writing appointment only to seek help with a job search document or other application (personal statement, cover letter, graduate or professional program application, etc.). These appointments are intended to help the student clarify and reorganize the document and do not involve editing or proofreading. The final document is the student’s own responsibility and should reflect the student’s own voice and skill level.
Online appointments
- Students must have a viable internet connection for online appointments.
- We encourage students to log in to their appointments several minutes before their appointment time to ensure that connections and functions are all working properly. Online consultations are best facilitated through a Chrome browser.
- Students are responsible for uploading any document(s) they wish to discuss in their appointments.
- Generally, online appointments at SASS have few or no technical issues, but in the case of audio or video failure, appointments may rely on text box communications / document markup only.
Appointment fines
- Please note: all fines for missed appointments are currently suspended. However, you are expected to attend any appointments you have booked or to cancel them within the six-hour cancellation window.
- A student who arrives (online or in person) more than 10 minutes late for an appointment may forfeit that appointment.
- Students who miss multiple appointments may have their booking privileges revoked.
Appointment conduct
- When engaging with SASS services, students are expected to conduct themselves in a professional and respectful manner.
- SASS does not tolerate subtle or overt discriminatory or offensive behaviour towards our staff or other students.
- SASS’s team comprises skilled professional staff and peer volunteers who are trained to address the academic skills and writing needs of Queen’s students. Our staff are committed to using their expertise to work professionally and respectfully with students at all times.
Any student with questions or concerns about SASS programming or policies should make an appointment to speak with the Director of SASS, Susan Korba, at 613-533-6000, ext. 77630, korbas@queensu.ca.
Peer writing appointment policies
How many appointments can I have?
Students seeking help with writing assignments in first- or second-year courses may book up to two Peer Writing Assistant appointments per week, in addition to any professional writing appointments they may book.
What if I need to cancel my appointment?
First, be aware that students who have booked writing appointments can benefit from them even if they don’t have a draft to work on. Writing consultants work with students at every stage of the writing process.
- All fines for missed appointments are currently suspended. However, you are still expected to either attend appointments you have booked, or to cancel them at least six hours in advance.
- Any student who arrives more than 10 minutes late may forfeit that appointment.
- Students who miss multiple appointments without cancelling them may have their booking privileges revoked.
- A student may not transfer an appointment to another student or send a proxy to attend an appointment on their behalf. Any student who violates this policy will no longer be allowed to use the service.
Appeals due to extenuating circumstances should be made to the director.
Can you help me with take-home exams?
- Take-home examinations cannot be the subject of any SASS consultation (this includes graduate comprehensive exams).
- Students are encouraged to prepare for take-home exams in advance by attending our workshops, reviewing our online resources, and booking appointments to work on their general writing and exam preparation / exam-taking skills.
Can you help with course content / comment on a mark I got on an assignment?
- SASS staff do not appraise comments and/or the grade on a marked paper, nor do they advocate on behalf of students. We adhere to a strict policy of non-interference in regard to student-instructor relations.
- SASS staff cannot fulfill the duties of a teaching assistant. Questions about course content, including questions about citation format, should be directed to your instructor or TA.
- Although some members of our staff teach or act as TAs or markers for various Queen’s courses, appointments may not be used for students to meet with their instructor or TA.
Appointments with Peer Writing Assistants:
- We want to help you as much as possible, but we cannot be very helpful if you visit us the day your assignment is due. Leave enough time (at least a few days) to revise your work after your appointment.
- You are welcome to book appointments weeks in advance, to help you plan your writing. The earlier you start on your writing, the better quality it will be.
- Our writing consultations are not intended to be used for editing or proofreading your paper. Although our staff will point out patterns of grammatical or stylistic weakness and explain how to identify and fix them, they mainly concentrate on structure, strength and clarity of argument, integration of sources, and writing process strategies, leaving it up to you to apply them. The responsibility for making any changes to your work rests with you.
- For in-person appointments, please bring a hard copy of your work. In-person appointments will not be conducted on laptops. Students may use one writing appointment only to seek help with a job search document or other application (personal statement, cover letter, graduate or professional program application, etc.). These appointments are intended to help the student clarify and reorganize the document and do not involve editing or proofreading. The final document is the student’s own responsibility and should reflect the student’s own voice and skill level.
Online appointments
- Students must have a viable internet connection for online appointments.
- We encourage students to log in to their appointments several minutes before their appointment time to ensure that connections and functions are all working properly. Online consultations are best facilitated through a Chrome browser.
- Students are responsible for uploading any document(s) they wish to discuss in their appointments.
- Generally, online appointments at SASS have few or no technical issues, but in the case of audio or video failure, appointments may rely on text box communications / document markup only.
Appointment fines
- Please note: all fines for missed appointments are currently suspended. However, you are expected to attend any appointments you have booked or to cancel them within the six-hour cancellation window.
- A student who arrives (online or in person) more than 10 minutes late for an appointment may forfeit that appointment.
- Students who miss multiple appointments may have their booking privileges revoked.
Appointment conduct
- When engaging with SASS services, students are expected to conduct themselves in a professional and respectful manner.
- SASS does not tolerate subtle or overt discriminatory or offensive behaviour towards our staff or other students.
- SASS’s team comprises skilled professional staff and peer volunteers who are trained to address the academic skills and writing needs of Queen’s students. Our staff are committed to using their expertise to work professionally and respectfully with students at all times.
Any student with questions or concerns about SASS programming or policies should make an appointment to speak with the Director of SASS, Susan Korba, at 613-533-6000, ext. 77630, korbas@queensu.ca.
FAQs about WCOnline