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Tutoring

Math Tutoring Guidelines


How tutors can help:
  • We help you improve your understanding by discussing mathematical concepts and methods.
  • We provide explanations for material appearing in the text, your class notes, and previously graded tests or assignments.
  • We help you identify key concepts and methods by comparing and contrasting sample problems.
  • We help you develop independent problem solving skills by offering assistance with exercises you attempt to solve.
  • We identify errors in organization and mathematical notation to help you identify and correct errors in your own written solutions.
  • We offer guidance and resources to help you review concepts, methods, and identities prerequisite to your present math course.

How tutors can’t help:
  • We do not do your homework or assignments for you.
  • We do not error-check, nor do we correct any assignments to be submitted for a grade.
  • We do not provide comprehensive presentations of material you missed due to class absences, nor do we discuss with you topics for which you have not yet read the applicable sections of the text.
  • If you are unprepared to identify specific concepts or problems with which you are having difficulty, or are unable to provide evidence that you have attempted to work on that material previously, we cannot help you.

Natural Sciences Tutoring Guidelines:


How tutors can help:
  • We help you improve your understanding by discussing scientific concepts and methods.
  • We provide explanations for material appearing in the text, your class notes, and previously graded tests or assignments.
  • We help you understand your errors on your earlier (graded) assignments.
  • We help you identify key concepts and methods by comparing and contrasting sample problems.
  • We try to identify analogous sample exercises that exercise the skills needed to complete graded assignments. The analogous problems will not, in general, involve a mere replacement of numbers.
  • We help you develop independent problem solving skills by offering assistance with exercises you attempt to solve.
  • We offer guidance and resources to help you review concepts and methods prerequisite to your present science course.
  • We identify skills needed to complete lab assignments. We will answer a limited number of specific and narrow technical questions about the laboratory calculations. The majority of our efforts, here, will be to eliminate one or two stumbling blocks that prevent you from completing the assignment on your own.

How tutors can’t help:
  • We do not complete graded homework or other assignments for you. We do not “watch” you do the assignments in our presence, except to establish the nature of your misunderstandings.
  • We do not error-check, nor do we correct any assignments to be submitted for a grade.
  • We do not provide comprehensive presentations of material you missed due to class absences, nor will we discuss with you topics for which you have not yet read the applicable sections of the text.
  • If you are unprepared to identify specific concepts or problems with which you are having difficulty, or are unable to provide evidence that you have attempted to work on that material previously, we cannot help you.
  • We do not provide detailed directions on the analysis of your own laboratory data.
How tutors can help: 
  • We can help you improve your understanding by discussing computer science concepts, algorithms and problem-solving techniques.
  • We provide explanations for material appearing in your textbook, lecture notes, and previously graded assignments or projects.
  • We help you identify key concepts and methods by walking through example problems, debugging sessions, or small code snippets similar to your coursework. 
  • We guide you in developing independent programming and debugging skills by assisting with exercises you have already attempted. 
  • We help you understand logic errors, syntax issues, and algorithmic inefficiencies so you can identify and correct them in your own work. 
  • We offer strategies for designing, organizing, and documenting your code according to best practices. 
  • We suggest resources to strengthen your understanding of prerequisite topics such as data structures, programming syntax, and other computational logic. 
  • We provide guidance on understanding project requirements, using development tools (such as IDEs or compilers), and navigating version control platforms like GitHub when relevant to coursework. 
How tutors can't help: 
  • We do not write, debug, or complete your assignments or projects for you. 
  • We do not check or correct code to be submitted for a grade. 
  • We do not provide full lessons on material you missed due to absences or discuss topics for which you have not reviewed the required readings or lectures.
  • We do not build or test full programs on your behalf, though we can help you reason through specific sections of your code. 
  • We do not provide direct answers to graded quizzes, labs or exam questions. 
  • If you are unprepared to identify specific concepts, errors, or areas of difficulty, or if you have not attempted to write or debug your code prior to the session, we cannot effectively assist you.