Writing

Writing Tutoring by Appointment is open on STAR Balance!

Connect With a Writing Tutor!

Book an appointment on STAR Balance

Writing uses “STAR Balance” to schedule and act as an online tutoring space. Once scheduled, you will receive a confirmation email!

1. Login to STAR Balance via “https://www.star.hawaii.edu/appointment/.”

2. Select “Tutoring, Tech & Learning Centers” from the left navigation box.

3. Select “OLA Writing Tutoring.”

4. View the available time slots and select when you want to make an appointment.

5. Complete the appointment questions sharing what you hope to cover in the appointment.

A confirmation email containing the Zoom link for your tutoring appointment will be sent to your hawaii.edu email account!

How can we help?

Meet our writing tutors!

Writing Tutoring:

Building confidence in foundational writing mechanics for first- and second-year college students.

Our Undergraduate Peer Tutors Can Help With:

General Writing Mechanics: Grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, and clarity.
Organization & Structure: Creating outlines, developing paragraphs, and structuring essays effectively.
Flow & Cohesion: Creating smooth transitions between ideas.
Resource Navigation: Understanding campus writing resources, citation basics, and academic expectations.

Our tutors are here to help you lay a solid groundwork for your college career.

Amy

Writing Tutor
Major: Secondary Education (Concentration in English)
Minor: Art Studio
Hi, I’m Amy! I have a passion for writing and helping others. I look forward to working with you!

Lani

Writing Tutor
Double Major: English and Pacific Island Studies
Hi, my name is Lani! I have an open, non-judgmental, and patient tutoring style and can help you with grammar, structure, and more. I also enjoy reading, crocheting, and listening to music.

Shawna

Writing Tutor
Major: English
Hi, I’m Shawna, a Junior at UH Manoa! I want to go into academia and have experience in journalism.

Our Focus

OLA Writing Tutoring is dedicated to providing foundational academic support to underclassmen (Freshman and Sophomore students). Our focus is on helping you build the essential writing and organizational skills necessary for a strong start to your college career. We emphasize the core writing skills that benefit students across disciplines.

Our undergraduate tutors can help you with:

General Writing Mechanics: Grammar, punctuation, clarity, and sentence structure.
Organization & Flow: Structuring effective outlines, developing strong paragraphs, and ensuring smooth transitions between ideas.
Academic Resource Navigation: Understanding basic citation and utilizing campus academic resources and study tools.

If you are an upperclassman requesting support with specialized coursework, capstone projects, or major-specific writing assignments, we strongly encourage you to visit your Campus Writing Center (e.g. The Writing Center at Mānoa) for expert, in-depth assistance.

Appointment Policy

To keep OLA services accessible, we ask that you give us adequate notice of changes to your appointment by email, or canceling your appointment through STAR at least one (1) hour before the start time. Students may book a maximum of two (2) appointments per week.

Accruing the following infractions will result in a suspension of services:

Failing to show up to two (2) appointments without notifying us at ola@hawaii.edu.
Canceling two (2) appointments within one (1) hour of your appointment time.
Engaging in disruptive or inappropriate behavior, not limited to: Cutting your tutor off repeatedly, making discriminatory, threatening, or explicit comments, asking personal questions, etc.

Tutor and Tutee Privacy Policy

OLA is committed to providing a safe environment for our tutors and students (tutees). To facilitate a safe and comfortable learning environment, we ask tutors and tutees to refrain from the following behavior during a tutoring appointment:

Asking to meet in-person. OLA tutoring-by-appointment is conducted online via Zoom. OLA does not conduct in-person tutoring sessions. For in-person academic support, please connect with the Academic Resource Center, Learning Emporium, and The Writing Center.
Asking for personal details like age, personal email, phone numbers, location of residence, etc.

Failure to follow these guidelines will result in potential termination of employment (tutor) and/or suspension of OLA services (tutee).