Academic Support & Coaching

Build the skills, confidence, and independence to succeed in academic environments

Academic success involves more than knowing the material. Students also need to know how to read critically, develop an argument, conduct research, write clearly, understand academic expectations, and communicate complex ideas effectively.

I provide individualized academic support and coaching for students who want to strengthen these skills and become more confident, independent learners.

Drawing on more than 15 years of university teaching experience and more than 20 years of tutoring and educational support, I work with students to understand not only what strong academic work looks like, but why it works.

Academic Writing Support

I help students develop the skills behind effective academic writing rather than simply correcting their work.

Support can include:

  • Developing and organizing an argument

  • Essay planning and structure

  • Academic style and clarity

  • Integrating evidence and sources

  • Critical analysis

  • Literature reviews

  • Reading and responding to scholarly articles

  • Citation and referencing

  • Revising and strengthening drafts

  • Communicating complex ideas clearly

  • Understanding academic writing conventions

Research Support

For students undertaking more substantial research projects, I can provide guidance throughout the research process.

This can include:

  • Developing research questions

  • Finding and evaluating scholarly sources

  • Conducting literature reviews

  • Research design

  • Organizing and synthesizing research

  • Developing analytical frameworks

  • Working with qualitative or quantitative research

  • Interpreting evidence

  • Developing academic arguments

  • Writing research papers, major projects, and theses or dissertations

My role is to help you develop your own research and analytical abilities—not to do the work for you.

Academic Coaching

Sometimes students don't need another tutor. They need someone who can help them figure out how to approach academic work more effectively.

Academic coaching can help students who are:

  • Transitioning from high school to university

  • Adjusting to the expectations of Canadian universities

  • Struggling to organize or manage academic work

  • Unsure how to approach a major paper or research project

  • Capable of understanding course material but struggling to communicate their ideas

  • Looking to become more confident and independent writers

  • Preparing for advanced academic work

Together, we can identify what's getting in the way and develop practical strategies for approaching academic work with greater clarity and confidence.

Support for International Students

International students may face a unique combination of challenges: learning in a new educational environment while also adapting to unfamiliar academic conventions and communicating in English.

I can help students understand:

  • Canadian university expectations

  • Academic writing conventions

  • How professors evaluate written work

  • Critical analysis and argumentation

  • Reading complex scholarly material

  • Academic communication in English

  • The differences between high school and university-level writing

My experience teaching at Canadian universities—including the University of Toronto, Simon Fraser University, and the University of the Fraser Valley—gives me firsthand knowledge of the expectations students are navigating.

A Skills-Based Approach

I don't simply correct a student's writing or tell them what to put in an assignment.

Instead, I work collaboratively with students to make academic expectations explicit. We examine how arguments are constructed, how evidence is used, how ideas are organized, and how effective academic communication works.

The goal is transferable skill: helping you become better able to approach your next paper, research project, or academic challenge on your own.

Why Work With Me?

I bring together extensive experience as a university instructor, researcher, writer, and educator.

My qualifications include:

  • PhD in Sociology, University of Toronto

  • MA in Sociology, University of Toronto

  • BA in English Literature and Sociology, Simon Fraser University

  • University instructor at Simon Fraser University and the University of the Fraser Valley

  • More than 15 years of university teaching experience

  • More than 20 years of tutoring experience

  • Published academic researcher and author

I have worked with students across a wide range of academic backgrounds and understand the challenges that arise when students have strong ideas but struggle to organize them, when they understand a topic but cannot communicate their thinking effectively, or when they simply aren't sure what their instructors expect.

Book Now

Whether you're working on a specific research project, trying to become a stronger academic writer, or looking for longer-term guidance, I can provide individualized support tailored to your goals.