Academic Skills

About the Academic Skills Center (ASC)

Welcome to MCC’s Academic Skills Center webpage. In this webpage you will find helpful handouts in addition to information about our tutoring hours and how to access our tutoring services. We offer FREE drop-in tutoring for foundational Writing, Reading, English as a Second Language (ESL), etc.

The ASC is located on the Southern & Dobson campus in LB 175, first floor of the Library, next to the Writing Center. We are now offering both online tutoring through the Cranium Cafe platform and on-campus tutoring.

We are currently offering online tutoring and on-campus tutoring during the following hours:

Monday – Thursday: 9:00am – 7:00pm
Friday: 9am – 3pm

To connect with an online tutor, visit our Virtual Academic Skills Tutoring Center log in, and select a tutor who is online and able to assist you with your course (each tutoring card lists courses that the tutor can help with).

Courses We Tutor

ENG 101/LL
ENG 102
ENG 107/LL
ENG 108
all ESL
all RDG
ALT 100
CRE 101
COM 100 & 110
CPD 150

Please use tutors at all stages of your learning process, whether you are brainstorming, starting your first draft, or wanting feedback from a tutor before you submit your draft for a grade. To get the best experience at the ASC, show your draft, assignment sheet/rubric, and any related materials to your tutor.

Handouts


Writing Ambiguities: Identifying and Correcting Analysis Essays Anatomy of an Essay: Visualizing the Essay’s Structure Annotated Bibliographies Common Knowledge and the Public Domain Conducting Research Designing the College Essay Detail Email Etiquette Evaluating Sources False Prohibitions Integrating Quotations: Quick Guide Integrating Quotations: Some Techniques Paragraphs and Paragraph Types Paraphrasing: Quick Guide Paraphrasing (In Depth) The Perfect “Quote Sandwich”: An Activity! Persuasion vs. Argument Plagiarism: What Is It? What's the Harm? Position Papers Proofreading Essay Papers Quoting Rules Reasons to Quote (Rather than Paraphrase) Rhetorical Appeals Scholarship Essays Summarizing Summarizing an Article: A Quick Guide Summary vs. Analysis Synthesizing Sources Synthesizing Sources: A Brief Demo Thesis Statements The Dash and the Hyphen Understanding the Writing Assignment Valid Prohibitions Grammar Apostrophes Articles Brief Guide: Commas in Adjective Series Commas in Adjective Series Commas with Introductory Elements Compound, Complex, and Compound-Complex Sentences Dangling Modifiers Disruptive and Orphaned Commas Essential and Non-Essential Elements Essential Grammar for Specific Writing Tasks: Cause and Effect Essential Grammar for Specific Writing Tasks: Comparison/ Contrast Fragments vs. Sentences The Fused Participle Helping Verbs Indefinite Pronouns Perfect Tenses Phrases & Clauses Prefixes, Suffixes, and Roots Semicolon and the Colon Subject Verb Agreement English Language Learning 8 Pronunciation Tips Confusing Words: A-D Confusing Words: E-H Confusing Words: I & L Confusing Words: M - O Confusing Words: P-Q English Vocabulary Study Tips Rules for the Use of Articles in English Terms and Skills Used in College English Courses Pt. I: Rhetorical Knowledge Terms and Skills Used in College English Courses Pt. II: Critical Thinking Understanding Unfamiliar Vocabulary While You Read Reading How and Why to Annotate, Take Notes, and Explain Ideas Main Ideas and Supporting Details Student Success Tips for Public Speaking Writing Emails CRE Common Logical Fallacies