Re: grammar/voic

[Felicia Mitchell <fmitchel@ehc.edu>]

We do a mixture, depending on what the student needs/asks for (or what the
professor refers the student for). Before WAC, _all_ help was related to
editing.  Since WAC, faculty are more inclined to look at the process and at
the actual piece of _writing_.  We deal a good bit in helping students to
find reasonable structures for ideas, development of ideas, exemplification,
and the like.  We work with brainstorming, word processing, etc.  Still, I'd
say we do a lot of grammar work too.  I don't have the stats for this year
yet.  In the grammar review course taught in the lab (one hour pass/fail) we
do grammar review and basic writing (thesis construction + organization and
development of ideas).  A major component of this lab course _is_ helping
students to develop voices and originality rather than continuing with
generic words on paper that are hollow, etc.  

Tutors are trained to find out what a student needs before they pursue a
conference.  One dilemma is what to do if a student asks for help with
editing when the paper isn't really ready for that.  We do talk about the
problem, students don't always welcome the free advice.  I'm particularly
inclined not to deal with editing if I notice problems such as plagiarism or
the like.  I'll say, "You need to deal with x, y, and z before this essay is
really ready for editing."  Tutors aren't as able to turn students away, so
they keep good records about what goes on the in the conference.  The best
interactions are with students whose WAC-trained faculty members have some
sense of how to direct the students with comments and/or checklists that
involve much more than just grammar.

At 11:33 AM 5/1/97 -0500, you wrote:
>To:  all writing center list members
>
>I was wondering if, in your writing centers, do you concentrate more on
>the form or grammar of a piece or how its content brings out the voice of
>the student.
>
>Thanks for any responses
>
>Jenny
>
>
Felicia Mitchell
Department of English
Emory & Henry College
P.O. Box 947
Emory, VA 24327-0947
PHONE: (540) 944-6225
FAX: (540) 944-6880
E-MAIL:  fmitchel@ehc.edu