FAQ

Beginning Matters

How do I sign up?
  • Easily. Register as a new user.

How does Student Writing Coach (SWC) work?

  • It asks questions for you to answer in your own sentences.
What's a SWC Session? 
  • It's a period of program interactivity.
  • A session begins by asking a single question to spark your brain.
  • It continues asking sets of questions for exploring your ideas.
  • It ends after downloading a final copy to print from your computer.

Programming Matters

What browsers are compatible?
  • Internet Explorer 5.5 and Firefox 1.0--and higher--are compatible.
  • We’re working on Netscape.
How about pop-ups?
  • Pop-ups must be unblocked to enable use of all Student Writing Coach's program features.
  • In IE, Tools>Pop-Up Blocker>Turn Off Blocker
  • In Mozilla, Tools > Options>Web Features>Uncheck Blocker
What issues are known at the moment?
  • The clock displaying how much time you have remaining in the program is not accurate. The accurate time is displayed in your "Profile."
  • You can not reverse in the program to answer Optional questions you had skipped previously.
  • You may reverse to change answers to all previously-answered Optional questions except those that had A-B choices: they can not be switched upon reverse.
  • You may reverse to change answers to all previously-answered Required questions except those that had A-B choices: they can not be switched upon reverse.
  • Clicking "Next" in the program may not save your answers.
  • Clicking "Continue" or "Save" in the program will always save your answers.
  • In order to download a final copy, you may need to adjust your firewall settings.
What if I encounter technical problems?
  • Email support: our team will respond within 24 hours.
My computer center limits students to one hour at a time. If I logout after an hour, can I return to SWC?
  • Absolutely. Log in to your account to resume writing. After starting the program, you have two time limits—one for any 12 hours of program time and the second for a continuous 96 hours in which to finish.
  • So, if away for an hour, you lost no program time but have one hour less in which to finish.
My question’s similar: what if I’m logging out at my college’s computer center and later want to log in from a friend’s computer, which has a different IPS?
  • And we give you similar reassurance: after logging in to your account from any IPS, you can resume writing.
What about saving my work?
  • Your work is saved automatically every minute.
 And what about backing up my work?
  • Always a smart idea: while in the program, copy your draft to either your SWC "Scratch Pad" or to your personal computer.

Writing Matters

What kind of assignment can I write using Student Writing Coach?
  • During Beta, choose among Report, Review-Live Subject, and Review-Recorded Subject.
My assignment is confusing. What should I do?
  • Speaking with your instructor, classmate, tutor, or someone who's taken a past course from the same instructor could be helpful.
  • Still confused? SWC suggests taking a second, closer look at the "Write Now" sections on Report, Review-Life, and  Review-Recorded.
  • Find there three different ways to help match your assignment--by key words, by your course's sponsoring department or program, and by your personal style.
I can’t decide what to write about. What should I do?
  • Having been there, we sympathize. Take action: speak with your instructor, a tutor, or both.
  • If you can’t face speaking, we advise flipping a coin, or using some other fast, objective way to decide.
  • Then, concentrate your mental energy on the subject that won the toss and get started.

Can I use Student Writing Coach for any course?

  • SWC's Report or Reviews can be used to fulfill writing assignments in many introductory and intermediate courses. 
What if my assignment has to be a certain length, can I still use SWC?
  • Typically, users create 2-5 double-spaced pages (5-10 paragraphs totaling 500-1000 words) in a few hours. Documenting sources adds time, but not much.
Starting an assignment is hardest for me. How does SWC start?
  • Fast and painlessly, that’s how. Sure, sure, that’s what the dentist promises, and we know that’s a fib, but at SWC, this is the reality: after answering a few questions, you’ll be well on the way, meeting the challenge and feeling more confident.
Can I see the draft before it's completed?
  • Yes. At any time, click “Preview” to view your updated draft. 
I’m not very good at writing introductions and conclusions. Can SWC help?
  • Yes. Believing that a strong start and an equally strong finish are essential for effective writing, SWC has you create both with ease and originality. In fact, you can choose between styles.
Will my draft be perfect at the end of my session?
  • Perfect? No. As writers ourselves, we relish the high of having finished a draft. As down-to-earth professionals, however, we recognize that every piece of writing once drafted should be polished, minimally edited, and always proofread. So, after completing the questions, you can revise, edit, and proof your draft. If you documented, you can do the same to your bibliography.
What if I am unsure how to answer a question?
  • Trust your instincts. Whatever answer comes to mind quickly--factual, creative, or otherwise--is the one to enter.
  • SWC offers helpful advice, suggestions, examples alongside questions.
  • If you can't think of an answer in a minute or two, retype the question into the text box to answer later.
Do I have to answer every question?
  • No. While you have to answer Required questions, you may skip Optional questions, which can add depth and length.
How long an answer do I write?
  • The answer must contain at least one sentence, but that single sentence could be 1-4 lines of text. Write more sentences but never answer in less than one. Typically, over the course of a session, a user averages 2 lines per answer.  Sometimes, a question has two parts: when it does, you'll be shown how to combine their answers.
What about help for punctuation?
  • Covered. SWC regularly suggests ways to express your answer using sophisticated punctuation. 
How will SWC benefit me as a writer?
  • With repeated use, testers have reported improved writing skills, higher grades, and increased self confidence.
  • We can’t guarantee that, though.
  • In fact, we acknowledge that Student Writing Coach is not for every student writer, just as peer tutoring doesn't suit every writer.
What other aspects of writing will SWC help to tackle?
  • SWC covers areas such as including quotations, creating transitions, using sophisticated punctuation, varying sentences, and otherwise improving your ideas' expression.
While I’m using the program, can I call SWC for help with my writing?
  • We understand your wish, but for two reasons it's impossible at the moment.
  • First, while in the program, you are but a click away from professional help in the form of advice, suggestions, examples, and documentation.
  • Second, as a plucky revolutionary startup, SWC hasn’t the resources to offer live tutoring. To be able to, we’d have to charge astronomical fees, which goes against our mission to make the program available to as many as need it.
Can my cousin, a senior in high school, try SWC?
  • Yes. Student Writing Coach works most effectively for students who, having thought through an assignment and decided on a subject, would feel comfortable writing interactively.
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