Academic Skills & Tutoring Support
The Math, Reading and Writing Laboratories, the Science Learning Center, and the Libraries are designed for all students who want to improve their competence in science and mathematics, their reading and study skills, their information searching and evaluation skills, and/or the quality of their writing. Many students, whether or not they are experiencing academic difficulty, build on these skills during their time at Grinnell. College can be challenging and the services are free, so why not take advantage!
THE MATH LABORATORY provides individual instruction in calculus and introductory statistics. Students may sign up for a one-credit math lab course (Math Lab 100) to review high school math skills before taking a college class or concurrently with an introductory course at the 131 level or below. The Math Lab also provides assistance on a drop-in basis and assigns individual tutors for all levels of math and computer science classes. The drop-in tutoring schedule is posted outside the Math Lab. Individual appointments may be scheduled with the director. Computer terminals are available for accessing statistical and graphing packages.
THE READING LABORATORY provides individual and small-group instruction in reading and study skills, emphasizing reading efficiency, vocabulary building, and methods of effective study (concentration, time management, test preparation, etc.).
Reading Lab 100 is especially recommended for students who have difficulty keeping up with reading assignments or understanding and remembering what they read. It is also helpful for international students who want to improve English language proficiency and pronunciation. A diagnostic pre-test is administered to determine individual needs. Students must attend 22 class sessions and compile a 60-word vocabulary file. There are no out of class assignments. May be repeated once for credit with permission of the director. Students may work at the Lab without registering for the course.
THE SCIENCE LEARNING CENTER provides individual instruction in introductory science courses. Students may sign up for a one-credit science lab course with permission of the director to review prerequisite skills before taking a college class or concurrently with an introductory course. The Science Learning Center also provides peer tutoring for biology, chemistry, and physics. Computer terminals are available for accessing statistical and graphing packages. Individual appointments may be scheduled with the director.
Science Lab 100 involves individual and small-group instruction emphasizing problem-solving skills. This one-credit class must be taken in conjunction with first-year sequences in physics, chemistry, or biology. Consultation with the related course instructor and permission of the director of the science lab are required. Instruction is also available without credit to students who cannot take the course or who need only occasional assistance.
THE WRITING LABORATORY offers one-on-one instruction in composition, including organization, coherence, grammar, and style. Students may enroll in the 1-credit course (College Writing100, which includes both workshops and individualized instruction) or sign up for appointments as needed. Students work with an instructor on some part of the writing process, such as brainstorming, organizing, revising, or copyediting.
College Writing 100 helps students improve their writing. Students meet in five workshops small-group sessions and in at least six individual appointments with an instructor to discuss how to improve their writing. Students can discuss with an instructor any part of the writing process, whether brainstorming, organizing, revising, or copyediting. Students not enrolled in this course are also welcome to use the lab.
THE LIBRARY helps students learn to find information for class assignments, research papers, and other projects, to evaluate it for quality and relevance, and incorporate it into their work responsibly and ethically. Students may contact a librarian at a reference desk, by telephone (x3353), or by email (query@grinnell.edu). Quick appointments are recommended for students who need personalized assistance with assignments due in 3 days or less. Library Labs are individual research appointments initiated by a student conducting in-depth research on a specific topic. Library Lab forms are available at a reference desk or on the Libraries' web site.
Library 100 is a two-credit course for students who want to develop their research skills further. Students discover strategies for finding and evaluating sources of information in a variety of formats, including print indexes, online databases, government documents, and the World Wide Web. Students learn to compare these sources in terms of reliability and usefulness. Topics such as copyright, plagiarism, privacy, information ethics and information policy are also addressed.
THE ACADEMIC ADVISING OFFICE offers direct support to students including peer tutoring. Located within Student Affairs, staff members work with students experiencing academic difficulty or who need help understanding Grinnell's academic policies and procedures. Students may fall behind for a number of reasons - personal or family issues, health problems, or lack of time management, among others. Student tutors for any of subject within the humanities and social studies divisions are available at no cost, and may be arranged through this office. The Director also works with students with disabilities who need academic accommodations.We encourage you to talk with the Academic Advising Office staff if you have academic concerns, personal concerns affecting your academic work, or to arrange academic accommodations for a disability.