Center for Speaking, Writing, and the Image FAQs

To book an appointment:

1. Visit our scheduler
2. Register for an account
3. Log in with the email address and password you created
   • Be sure to select the box “Writing Appointments” before you click “log in”
4. Book an appointment!

The CSWIM offers students the opportunity to work on their writing and speaking by engaging in discussions with a thoughtful and experienced reader and listener. The CSWIM Partners who staff the CSWIM are Pomona sophomores, juniors, and seniors majoring in subjects as varied as English, politics, environmental analysis, and physics. Partners are trained to work with writers and speakers at all stages of the writing process and on assignments in any discipline.

All Pomona students are encouraged to take advantage of the CSWIM throughout their time on campus. 5C students taking Pomona classes are also welcome to visit Pomona's CSWIM. 5C students who wish to make an appointment should email the CSWIM.

When you visit the CSWIM, you will meet with a CSWIM Partner for a consultation up to 50 minutes long. You and your CSWIM Partner will work collaboratively to identify and discuss any potential areas of improvement. Working closely with your Partner can help you improve your skills as a writer or speaker, not just for the project you brought in but also for future projects.

CSWIM consultations are question-driven and collaborative. Conferences focus primarily on higher-order strategies like argument and organization. Although CSWIM Partners do not edit or proofread, they can show you techniques for addressing sentence-level patterns. Please know that your CSWIM Partner will not know exactly what your professor expects and are not allowed to predict your grade. At the start of your appointment, your Partner will ask you about your project and what you'd like to focus on. At the end of the session, you'll work together to develop a plan of next steps. 

You don't have to have anything written down when you come to the CSWIM. If you are just beginning, bring your prompt and any ideas that you have. If you have a rough outline or a polished draft, bring that work with you, in addition to your prompt or assignment. 

Yes! Students can make appointments online or drop in when the CSWIM is open for appointments. If you would like to work on your writing or speaking with the same CSWIM Partner throughout the course of the semester, you should email the CSWIM to ask for a Regular CSWIM Partner. Your Regular CSWIM Partner will meet with you weekly or bimonthly at the same time. Working with your Regular CSWIM Partner, you will not only address your current projects, but you will also actively develop your skills throughout the semester.

When you make an appointment at the CSWIM, you will get a confirmation email, as well as reminder emails 24 hours and 2 hours in advance of your appointment. If you fail to cancel your appointment at least an hour before your appointment begins twice during the semester, you will need to contact the CSWIM to regain access to appointments. 

You shouldn't expect your CSWIM Partner to be familiar with your class/text/professor. However, all CSWIM Partners have been trained to work with students at all stages of the writing process, even if they don't know the specifics of your class. In fact, in many cases, it may be better that your Partner isn't familiar with your course, since that can help them evaluate your work more objectively. You can also read CSWIM Partner bios on WCOnline to learn more about their majors and areas of interest.

The CSWIM is able to work with students on all types of writing and speaking projects. However, if you want help with a project in a language other than English, please contact the Foreign Language Resource Center (FLRC).

Yes! If you are interested in becoming a CSWIM Partner, please email the CSWIM to let us know you are interested by late February. We will send you an application to apply in the spring semester for CSWIM Partner positions that will begin the following academic year. Visit our CSWIM Partners page to learn about the responsibilities of a CSWIM Partner and the training process. 

Yes! We ask that you book an appointment on the CSWIM Scheduler and select the option to do the appointment online. Appointments are listed in Pacific time, so you will need to do the timezone conversion and plan accordingly.