Writing and Research

Working on an assignment and need help? Look no further!

St. Mike’s Writing and Research Help Centre

  • Make a free, one-on-one appointment with a research librarian or a writing instructor.
  • Appointments are available up to 2 weeks in advance.
  • You may choose in-person or online.
  • To schedule a consultation, click Book an appointment. You’ll be taken to Quercus. Once there, select St. Michael’s College Writing and Research Help Centre to be taken to WCOnline, our appointment reservation system. (First time users, you’ll be guided through the process of creating an account.)


Writing Help Drop-In Hours

Stop by our Drop-In Centre! No appointment necessary.

Tuesdays, 12noon-1:15pm: Writing Help, Research Help
Fridays, 12noon-1:15pm: Writing Help
Kelly Library 139
January 22, 2024-April 5th, 2024.

Shut Up & Write (Write-Together Group)
Fridays, 1pm-2:30pm
March 22, April 5, and April 12
Zoom
Register: http://tiny.cc/smc-writing-group

Looking for some company to keep you motivated as you write your class paper, thesis, creative project, or something else? Join our Shut Up and Write group writing session! We’ll hang out together and write using the Pomodoro Method (write in 20-minute rounds with 5-minute breaks).

The St. Mike’s Writing Centre, supported by the Principal’s Office and housed in the library, offers 30-minute one-on-one appointments with a writing instructor. Instructors help all registered St. Michael’s College students, including students in the Regis St. Michael’s Faculty of Theology. Any individual enrolled in an SMC course may also receive help with their SMC writing assignments.

Our goal is to help you develop your own skills in writing, revising, and editing your own work. You can work with a writing instructor on any kind of written assignment such as essays, book reviews, critiques, presentations, and reports (yes, including science reports) at any stage of development, from conceptualization to final draft. You can also discuss your graduate school and scholarship applications. Unfortunately, we’re not able to help with final exams or preparations for standardized tests (e.g., GRE, IELTS).

During the appointment, students can receive instruction in and an objective critique of their written assignments for coursework in any discipline. We can discuss focus, thesis statements, argumentation, clarity in style and overall organization, citing sources, and grammar.

While our writing instructors will advise on organization and style, they will not proofread your essays, correct grammar, or provide feedback on the accuracy of your interpretation of the material in your assignment.

To ensure equitable access, you are limited to booking 2 appointments per week, for up to 5 appointments per month. In addition, we ask that you not bring the same assignment to us more than 2 times.

Need to make, cancel, or modify appointments? You can do so on our online schedule. We encourage you to make any changes at least 24 hours in advance. Please note that if you cancel within 5 hours of the appointment time, it will be considered a late cancellation. (Account privileges will be suspended for the remainder of the term after 3 late cancellations or after 2 missed appointments.) You will be unable to cancel your appointment within 30 minutes of the appointment time.

Masks are encouraged for in-person appointments.

Research Help Consultations are scheduled one-on-one appointments with a librarian to assist you in any state of the research process, from defining your research question, finding the best source, to formatting your citations.

The Kelly’s team of research help librarians – Dave Hagelaar, Noel McFerran, Stacy Reardon, and Richard Carter – can help you with any stage of the research process so you can pinpoint your research question, find the best resources, and cite your sources correctly.

Here are some of the skills we can help you with:

  • Narrow a topic and form research questions
  • Navigating article databases
  • Finding and using primary sources
  • Advanced searching
  • Taking advantage of encyclopedias and bibliographies
  • Using the UofT Libraries’ catalogue
  • Avoiding plagiarism and citing sources correctly

To ensure equitable access, you are limited to booking 2 appointments per week, for up to 5 appointments per month.

Need to make, cancel, or modify appointments? You can do so on our online schedule. We encourage you to make any changes at least 24 hours in advance. Please note that if you cancel within 5 hours of the appointment time, it will be considered a late cancellation. (Account privileges will be suspended for the remainder of the term after 3 late cancellations or after 2 missed appointments.) You will be unable to cancel your appointment within 30 minutes of the appointment time.

Masks are encouraged for in-person appointments.

Were you unable to book a research or writing help appointment? Do you just want a quick opinion?

The Kelly Library hosts weekly Writing and Research Help Drop-In hours in Kelly 139 on the ground floor. Questions are answered on a first-come, first-served basis in a one-on-one setting. An appointment is not necessary.

Note that students are limited to a 10- to 15-minute meeting to address specific questions.

If you have a question, please get in touch. You can use either our general email address or our online form below. We will respond within 24 hours, Monday through Friday.

Email: reference.kellylibrary@utoronto.ca