Online Consultation

The GWC offers distance consultations for writers who are unable to visit University Park due to work or research. During the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, distance appointments have been our primary consultation mode.

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Scheduling Your Appointment

To use our distance consulting service, please schedule a distance consultation using our online calendar (make sure to select an online, not in-person, session). If you have any problems making an appointment, please contact gradschoolhelp[at]psu.edu.

 Preparing for Your Appointment

Once you’ve scheduled an appointment, take these steps beforehand to make sure you can make use of the full 50 minutes with a consultant when the time comes.

Email the consultant you are meeting with to determine which distance software they want to use. Consultants use either Google Hangouts, Microsoft Teams, or Zoom. Consultants are also flexible to accommodate to your preference of distance software. Instructions for each different software are below:

Microsoft Teams

You can access Teams through your Penn State account and the online Office suite it makes available. Simply go to the Teams icon (purple “T” icon) and look for the invitation made by the consultant for the day of your appointment through the “Calendar” function. One the day of your appointment, click on the meeting link and join. When using Teams, it is easiest to share either a Google doc link or an online Word link through the online Office suite.

Zoom

If you are using Zoom, coordinate with your consultant to determine who will send out the Zoom link. Set up the link for the day and time of your appointment, and simply join the meeting link during the day of your appointment. Any document can be shared through Zoom.

Configure Hangouts

  1. Create a Google account.
  2. Log in to Google Hangouts (google.com/hangouts).
  3. Click “New Conversation.”
  4. Type in the GWC address (gwc[dot]psu[at]gmail[dot]com).
  5. Select GWC when it appears as a search result.
  6. Send a test message to us using the chat tool.

 

Share Your Google Doc

Google Docs, used in tandem with Google Hangouts, is an effective way of sharing your work because it allows us to see the changes you make in real time. Follow steps 1 through 4 if your document isn’t already in Google Docs, and follow step 5 to share it with us.

  1. Go to drive.google.com.
  2. Click the “New” button at the top of the left column and selecting “File upload.”
  3. Select your Word document and click “Open.”
  4. Click on the uploaded document; select “Open with Google Docs.”
  5. Share your document with us by clicking the “Share” button () in the upper-right corner and adding the address gwc[dot]psu[at]gmail[dot]com.

 

Starting Your Appointment

Take these steps when the time for your appointment arrives.

  1. Log in to Google Hangouts.
  2. Click on our name in your list of contacts.
  3. Press the video call icon  to begin the session.
  4. Contact us right away if you are having any difficulties connecting.

 

Technical Help