Out of the lengthy list that the tutors came up with, we extracted five general properties that students seem to appreciate in a tutor.

·        The first, and most basic, priority for students is that they have access to the tutor for the whole scheduled period.  This means they appreciate tutors who arrive punctually, get straight down to work, and devote equal attention to all members of the class.  

·        To make efficient use of the allotted time, the next most important feature is that the tutor be well prepared.  Tutorials should be well structured; time should be spent on questions in proportion to their difficulty and importance.  A tutor can also work more efficiently and clearly if she/he has prepared solutions in advance, rather than trying to solve them (and explain them!) on the spot. 

·        Personality and attitude are also very important.  Students appreciate a tutor who is enthusiastic, engaging, and can even inject some humour into the class.  They like a tutor who can see beyond today's tute sheet and relate the exercises to broader issues and outside interests.  Class participation is more likely when students sense the tutor's enthusiasm.  

·        Good tutors relate well to their students.  They treat them with respect, and show understanding when mistakes are made.  They know where students are `coming from', and can foresee (and explain) common errors.  

·        Finally, a good tutor is honest and will not try to bluff their way out of a mistake, or try to hide their ignorance.  If something comes up that they cannot answer, they flag it explicitly and come back to it in the next tutorial.