Writing/Reading
TASC Labs provide a variety of academic support tools for writing across the curriculum, including live tutors at Palm Desert, Indio, and Mecca. Schedules vary based on student tutor availability. Walk into one of those labs and check the schedule. Virtual writing tutor support is offered 24/7 to active COD students via Smarthinking. Links to this service can be found on every student's Canvas menu, including the Online Tutoring link embedded on the left side panel.
TASC tutors encourage students to write, re-write, and edit their papers with perseverance. This process directs students to do the following:
- Understand the prompt or assignment based on instructor's guidelines
- Recognize the context of the paper in relation to course and subject matter
- Identify and clarify thesis statements and topic sentences as appropriate
- Recognize citation styles and employ the correct method of citing sources
TASC tutors do not write on papers, but they show students how they can improve their piece and access resources that promote excellence in composition. TASC tutors encourage the writing process.
Citations and Authoritative Style Manual Links
Students and writers engaged in research must cite works and sources for any material that was borrowed and/or quoted. It is a simple matter of respect for the creative labor that an individual or a group employed to share knowledge. To do otherwise is to engage in plagiarism, a serious academic offense. Links to the four leading styles or schools of citation are included below: MLA, APA, ASA, and Chicago-Turabian.
Use the links below to view official style manuals and template samples for in-text and works cited pages
MLA Template - 8th Edition
APA Template - 7th Edition.docx