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Face-to-Face Thesis or Dissertation Reading

Visit the UWF Writing Lab for a face-to-face appointment with a graduate Writing Lab assistant who will provide quality feedback on thesis or dissertation drafts.

What should I consider before scheduling an appointment?

  • Determine how many appointments you'll need for your paper. On average, graduate Writing Lab assistants can read between two and ten pages an hour, depending on the quality of the paper and the experience of the reader.
  • Keep in mind that Writing Lab assistants will not write your papers for you, nor can they help you produce error-free, publishable papers. Our job is to help you make your paper better. The Graduate Office might still require you to have your thesis or dissertation independently edited before submission for publication. 

How do I schedule an appointment?

  • Either call or visit the Main Writing Lab;
  • Make sure you have the following to expedite the scheduling process:
    • your UWF Gmail address,
    • when you plan to submit your thesis or dissertation (Note: Lab assistants will not read a thesis or dissertation on the day you plan to submit it),
    • the name of your thesis or dissertation coordinator;
  • Keep in mind you may make only one thesis or dissertation appointment per day;
  • Check your e-mail for messages confirming your appointments.

How should I prepare for my appointment?

  • Create the best draft you can. The time for a paper reading is limited, and the last thing you want is the Writing Lab assistant correcting things that could have been corrected before the paper reading began.
  • If you need to cancel your appointment, contact the Main Writing Lab at least twenty-four hours in advance.  If you need to cancel your appointment while the Writing Lab is closed, you may either call and leave a voicemail message or e-mail us.  Please give us your name, the date and time of your appointment, and the name of your paper reader.
    • If you do not cancel your appointment twenty-four hours in advance, your appointment will count as a no-show.
    • You may be able to get part of your paper read as a walk-in,  but we can't guarantee that a graduate Writing Lab assistant will read your thesis or dissertation, and your walk-in appointment won't last longer than an hour.

What should I bring to my appointment?

  • Bring yourself -- on time.  If you're more than 5 minutes late, then you will lose your appointment, and your appointment will count as a no-show;
  • Print a double-spaced copy of your thesis or dissertation, and bring it to your appointment.  The Writing Lab assistant will write possible revisions on that copy, and you will take that marked-up copy with you when you leave;
  • Note: The Writing Lab does not accept e-mailed or faxed theses and dissertations, and you may not print your thesis/dissertation at the Writing Lab.  Visit UWF Student Printing to learn how to print.

What is my role during the appointment?

  • You must sit with the paper reader while he or she reads your thesis or dissertation, so be prepared to be fully engaged throughout the reading, just as you would be during class.  You will have to be present for the entire session.
  • Each thesis or dissertation appointment lasts two hours, but the paper reader will work on your paper for only 105-110 minutes because he or she will have to spend 10-15 minutes completing a Paper Reading Report for your professor.  The paper reader will scan your marked-up copy to Navigate to show your professor that a paper reading took place.
  • You do not have to accept every revision that your paper reader suggests, but the reader does have to mark the recommended revisions on your paper so that there is a record of said recommendations.

What should I do after my thesis or dissertation reading?

  • Use the marked-up copy you and your paper reader revised as a guide to help you change your thesis or dissertation.
  • Although the Writing Lab isn't responsible for the rejection or acceptance of your thesis or dissertation, you should still keep track of the marked-up copy until after your thesis or dissertation has been accepted or rejected.