Carl,
When a writer comes to me in the Writing Center with problems in mechanics/conventions, I want to determine two things: to what extent the student cannot identify and correct the problems, and to what extent the student needs stronger proofreading skills. Here's what works well for me, at least with writing of several paragraphs. We sit with the student's paper between us, each of us with a pen or pencil in hand. We choose a paragraph or two to read silently together, usually about half a page of writing to begin with. I tell the student to mark a dot in the margin (left or right, depending on where we're sitting) at the end of any line where she sees an error or has a question about punctuation, grammar or usage. I do the same in the margin on my side of the paper. (I try to lag behind the student in my marks so not to influence theirs.)
Then we discuss. First we go through all of her markings. Often, the student will identify and be able to correct some errors just through this reading. Then we discuss any questions the writer has (e.g., "That doesn't sound right, but I don't know why" or "I always get mixed up between semi-colons and colons"). When we're done with the markings on her side of the page, we look at what I've marked that the student has not. It doesn't take long to identify patterns of errors, as well to identify which errors the student can spot with slower, more careful proofing and which the student needs more help understanding.
Usually I'll stop along the way and bring in some scratch paper to provide examples of punctuation, usage, whatever--Examples that are outside the student's writing. We talk about them. Perhaps I'll write a sentence that is incorrect according to our focus, ask the student to correct it, perhaps have the student write an incorrect version, then correct it.
After we've done this for about a page or so--reading, marking, discussing--I encourage the student to watch especially for the problems we've cited and discussed, which she has already almost certainly begun to do. The problems that she identified earlier simply through slower, more focused proofreading begin to jump out at her. And she begins (at least) to spot the problems she couldn't catch before because we've discussed rules, played with examples, and noted categories of errors that give the proofreading the focus that a skilled writer needs in editing/proofing. Rather than a scattershot approach to proofreading, the student begins to read for problems particular to her writing. It seems to work pretty well.
MLA Editor, a software grammar/style check (available currently only in DOS format), has a neat feature that takes a writer's paragraphs and "explodes" them into a series of separate sentences. I often have students bring their work into the Writing Center on disk so we can come at proofreading from a new perspective. Even if one doesn't use the software analysis of the writing, this option is useful, I find, for student writers who need to see their sentences in isolation to proofread efficiently (though over time, I find, the reliance on this feature diminishes with the student's increased skill).
Steve
>>> Eric Crump <wleric@showme.missouri.edu> 05/21/98 02:54pm >>>
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 21 May 1998 13:28:38 -0400 (EDT)
From: Carl Glover <glover@msmary.edu>
Reply-To: wcenter@ttacs6.ttu.edu
To: wcenter <wcenter@ttacs6.ttu.edu>
Subject: editing skills
Dear Friends,
One of my colleagues, a philosophy professor, teaches writing in
our first-year seminar program. His question to me is "How do you get
students to develop critical eyes for their own papers?" I think his
question primarily coincerns the classroom teacher, but I'm sure the
perspective of a writing center tutor would also be of interest to him.
He is specifically concerned about students' inability to develop editing
and proofreading skills. I told him that I use bribery and threats, but I
think he is seeking a more thoughtful response. I welcome any of
your thoughts to pass along to my colleague.
Warm regards,
Carl W. Glover
glover@msmary.edu