The Learning Hub offers an array of programming to support SLU students in their coursework, including both one-to-one sessions and workshops. The Hub is staffed by professionals with years of teaching experience.
For handouts from our workshops alongside links to other writing guides visit our Resources For Writers page.
Location
25 W. 43rd Street, 14th floor
Contact
Michael Rymer, Associate Director
michael.rymer@slu.cuny.edu
646-313-8322
One-to-one Sessions
- If you have a Learning Hub account, sign in here.
- Alternately, you can create an account by following these steps.
Writing
Writing sessions provide students the chance to talk about their work with a professional writer. Students are welcome to schedule an appointment at any stage of the writing process, from brainstorming and outlining to fine-tuning a final draft. We can also help with managing a heavy reading load. Writing sessions can be in-person or online. Review the schedule and sign up.
Quantitative Reasoning
Are you working on a quantitative project? SLU’s Quantitative Reasoning Fellow is available for one-to-one sessions focused on developing survey tools and using SPSS, among other areas. Review the schedule and sign up.
Reference
One-to-one reference sessions allow students to connect with SLU’s librarian, Aliqae Geraci. Aliqae can help students access SLU’s library databases and find quality sources for research projects. Appointment can be scheduled below. Aliqae can also be reached at ageraci@gc.cuny.edu.
Digital Portfolios
Developing a digital portfolio that includes selected academic work, a bio and your resume can have many benefits for students, including for job searches and applications to graduate and professional programs. Our Digital Portfolios Specialist is available to work with students in one-to-one sessions. See the digital portfolios site for more information and sample portfolios.
Workshops and Events
January
Friday, 1/31 – Write Like You Never Left School (6:15-7:30pm – online)
Has it been a while since you’ve written an academic paper? This workshop will provide an overview of key modes and activities of academic writing. We’ll introduce strategies for getting started and moving forward with an assignment, highlighting processes and resources to support your writing. *Registration closes at 4:30pm on 1/31*
Feburary
Monday, 2/3 – Managing Procrastination and Understanding Writing Anxiety (5-6pm – in person)
Join this 60-minute in-person workshop to gain understanding and insight into your writing anxiety. We’ll share practical tools to support you in getting through it and getting on with writing! This workshop is a collaboration between the Learning Hub and Counselling and Wellness. *Registration closes at 3pm on 2/3*
Friday, 2/7 – Library Research 101 (6:15-7:30pm – online)
Do you need to find trustworthy articles and books for your research but don’t know where to start? Join this workshop with your SLU librarian for an overview of CUNY library resources and services. By the end of the session, you will know how to search for books, which databases to use, how to keep track of everything you find, and who to contact for expert help. *Registration closes at 4:30pm on 2/7*
Sunday 2/9 – Managing Procrastination and Understanding Writing Anxiety (3-4pm – online)
Join this 60-minute in-person workshop to gain understanding and insight into your writing anxiety. We’ll share practical tools to support you in getting through it and getting on with writing! This workshop is a collaboration between the Learning Hub and Counselling and Wellness. *Registration closes at 4:30pm on 2/7*
Thursday, 2/13 – Lunch Hour Workshop: Reading Tips to Save Time (1:15-1:45pm – online)
Ever found yourself highlighting every sentence on a page or re-reading a passage without comprehension? This thirty-minute workshop offers strategies for how to set yourself up to read with purpose, so you can focus on what’s most important and save energy and time in the long run. *To receive the Zoom link, please register by 5pm on 2/12*
Tuesday, 2/18 – Introduction to Quantitative Reasoning with Jamovi (5-6:15pm – online)
This workshop aims to help students learn the basics of Jamovi, including how to import a dataset and how to conduct basic crosstabs. The workshop is open to any student who is interested in learning statistics software and is especially useful for any student in Research Methods. *Registration closes at 3pm on 2/18*
Friday, 2/21 – Getting Started with Zotero for Citation Management (6:15-7:30pm – online)
This session will introduce you to the Zotero citation management software and provide an overview of the installation process, how you can use it to keep track of the sources you find, organize a citation library, and insert your formatted sources in your paper. Beginners are absolutely welcome, no experience needed! *Registration closes at 4:30pm on 2/21*
Wednesday, 2/26 – Introduction to the Labor Studies Capstone (5-6:15pm – in-person and online)
The Capstone project can feel daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. In this session, two writing advisors will demystify the Labor Studies MA Capstone, offer tips for making it manageable, and respond to your questions. *Registration closes at 4pm on 2/26.*
March
Wednesday, 3/12 – Writing Snack (5-6:15pm – in person)
Join us before class for some light snacks and a bite-sized writing strategy.
Thursday, 3/13 – Lunch Hour Workshop: Reading to Respond (1:15-1:45pm – online)
This thirty-minute workshop provides tips for a common assignment at SLU: the response paper. You’ll learn how to harness your reactions while reading, so you’re not merely summarizing a text but engaging with it critically. *To receive the Zoom link, please register by 5pm on 3/12*
Tuesday, 3/18 – Refining Your Research Question (5-6:15pm – online)
This workshop aims to help students move from a broad idea to a specific research question that they can answer with data. The workshop is open to any writer who has begun to think about a Capstone project, whether enrolled in a Capstone course or not. Please note that the workshop will focus on quantitative approaches. *Registration closes at 3pm on 3/18*
Wednesday, 3/26 – Writing Snack (5-6:15pm – in person)
Join us before class for some light snacks and a bite-sized writing strategy.
Friday, 3/28 – Last Minute Lit Review Research (6:15-7:30pm – online)
In this session, you will learn tips and tricks for quickly finding trustworthy and relevant information sources for your literature reviews and final papers, using CUNY academic databases and the library catalog, and collecting correctly formatted citations as you go along. *Registration closes at 4:30pm on 3/28*
April
Tuesday, 4/8 – Survey Design and Measurement (5-6:15pm – online)
This workshop introduces students to core concepts underlying survey design and measurement. Students will practice taking big concepts and making them measurable (i.e., operationalization) and will evaluate survey examples across research areas relevant to urban or labor studies. *Registration closes at 3pm on 4/8*
Wednesday, 4/9 – Pizza Hub (5-6:15pm) * In-person on the 14th floor
Join us before class to get a slice, connect with classmates and meet the Learning Hub’s staff! No sign-up needed!
Thursday, 4/17 – Lunch Hour Workshop: Freeing Your Ideas (1:15-1:45pm – online)
In this thirty-minute workshop, you’ll learn a simple technique for idea generation and creative problem-solving that can be applied at any point you’re feeling stuck or out of ideas in the writing process. *To receive the Zoom link, please register by 5pm on 4/16*
Wednesday, 4/23 – Writing Snack (5-6:15pm – in person)
Join us before class for some light snacks and a bite-sized writing strategy.
Friday, 4/25 – Last Minute Lit Review Research (6:15-7:30pm – online)
In this session, you will learn tips and tricks for quickly finding trustworthy and relevant information sources for your literature reviews and final papers, using CUNY academic databases and the library catalog, and collecting correctly formatted citations as you go along. *Registration closes at 4:30pm on 4/25*
May
Wednesday, 5/1 – Lunch Hour Workshop: Proofreading Strategies (1:15-1:45pm – online)
There comes a point for many writers when they feel too “close” to a draft to see it clearly. In this workshop, you’ll learn creative methods to review and edit your own writing, so you can clarify sentences and add final polish for your readers. *To receive the Zoom link, please register by 5pm on 4/30*
Friday, 5/9 – Feel the Fear and Present Anyway (6:15-7:30 – online)
Speaking or presenting to an audience can be a powerful way to share knowledge and create change, but it’s also a common anxiety that strikes fear into the hearts of many! This workshop provides information and tools to address and reduce speaking anxiety, so you can focus on developing your message and connecting with the audience. It also includes tips for structuring your presentation, choosing engaging visuals, and practicing effectively. This workshop is the first in a two-part series on presentations, which includes a practice session on 5/16. Students are not required to attend both. *Registration closes at 4:30pm on 5/9*
Friday, 5/16 – Warm Up to Presenting: A Practice Session (6:15-7:30 – online)
Practice builds familiarity and confidence, and rehearsing a presentation in front of a low-pressure audience is a great way to gauge timing, troubleshoot technology, and make adjustments. This practice session invites all students to sign up to rehearse an in-progress speech or presentation online in front of a small and supportive group of peers and a writing advisor. Your presentation does not need to be polished or complete. *Registration closes at 4:30pm on 5/16*
What Students Say About the Learning Hub
In our post-session surveys, we ask students “What would you like your fellow students to know about the Learning Hub?” Here is what some of them have said.
“Always helpful all the time. S. is a gem and always helps me organize my thoughts, especially when I get off track.“
“I learned how to organize my paper better and produce a better paper.“
“I want the other students to know that my experience at SLU Writing Hub is always exceptional. M. is very knowledgeable and we have been working together the entire semester. I have learned a lot from M. and I am grateful for M’s dedication. I give M. an A+++++“
“My sessions with Learning Hub allowed me to become a better writer.“
“It’s a great service that helps you understand your own writing, your concerns, and brings clarity to what is a difficult art to master.“
“I was given great insight on how to make my writing assignment better.“
“The Learning Hub team is fantastic. They help to break your project down into bite-sized pieces to reduce the stress and anxiety that can mount as you are approaching critical academic deadlines. I appreciate the clear, thoughtful, yet scholarly guidance.“
“Extremely helpful! S. was great at gently guiding me with helpful feedback without doing the work for me!“
“Talking with S. early on in my writing process was incredibly helpful! It was a bit daunting to come into this session before I totally know what I’m doing with my paper, but it was really helpful to talk through how I’m thinking about the paper, and think about how I can come up with an outline structure that will help me with both my research/analysis and the writing. Highly recommend!“
“Really great resource and a great way to get help if you are stuck on a project or need help brainstorming.“
“I would like to tell fellow students that the Learning Hub helped me to organize my thoughts and write more concisely. My paper became much better with feedback from the writing consultant.“
“The Learning Hub is a terrific forum for building confidence in your writing. Each staff member I have interacted with has provided outstanding feedback and guidance.“
“There’s no judgement, just helpful constructive criticism. I truly believe they want you to do well and really want you to win!!“
“I came to the Learning Hub with a paper I felt good about and came out with plans that make the paper better and make me feel more confident in my work!“
“I urge all SLU students to make it their priority to utilize the services and workshops provided by the SLU learning Hub. The Learning Hub provides excellent support and help for all SLU students regardless of how far along you may be in the graduate program. I’m currently working on my Capstone (Thesis) Project and I am still benefiting from the expert writing consultants at the Learning Hub. I have been utilizing this service each semester while attending SLU.“
“The place to go when you want some fresh insight into your assignment.“
“I would like to tell fellow students that the Learning Hub is a good way to learn new ideas for writing clearly. I was able to talk about my paper and receive a clearer understanding of my assignment.“
“It’s great to bounce ideas off of someone else. The suggestions are extremely helpful.“
The Learning Hub team is here to help!
- Register for one-to-one session
- Attend a workshop or event
Code of Ethics
- The Learning Hub is a neutral, non-evaluative space.
- The direction of one-to-one sessions should be driven primarily by students, who should be granted agency to use their time as they deem best suits their needs.
- Learning Hub sessions should provide writers a comfortable space for taking risks and asking questions.
- All students thrive on encouragement. Our consultants strive to identify students’ strengths and to help them build upon them.
- All Learning Hub session notes are confidential unless the student approves of our sharing of session notes.
- We value our partnerships with faculty members, with whom we share the common goal of enhancing student learning over time.
- A Learning Hub session can provide an opportunity to identify and address errors in a student’s work, but Learning Hub consultants, students, and faculty members should have reasonable expectations for the pace of a student’s development and improvement.