Writing Center - Bryan

In the Writing Center, we like to help students by identifying what stage of the writing process they are in. While the process will vary between writers, there are nine basic stages and the Writing Center can help with all of them.

• Understanding the assignment
• Pre-drafting/Brainstorming
• Planning
• Drafting
• Revising
• Editing
• Documentation
• Last glance/typo check
• Using comments from a graded paper

It is important for writers to go through all the steps in their writing process. One can't solve a complicated calculus equation or set up a killer football offense in a single step, so why should writing be any different?

What to bring: The assignment prompt, class notes, and textbooks.
What to expect: The tutor will help the student analyze the prompt and set goals for completing the assignment.
Why it's important: Writers can't produce a good paper if they don't understand what the teacher wants.

What to bring: The assignment prompt, class notes, and textbooks.
What to expect: The tutor and student will discuss the student's ideas and discover several options for the paper.
Why it's important: It takes time to come up with a really great idea for a paper. Writers need time to evaluate all their options before deciding on their topic.

What to bring: the assignment prompt, class notes, and textbooks.
What to expect: the tutor will help the student:

• organize ideas
• create a working thesis
• make an outline (if necessary)
• consider paragraph development.

Why it's important: Think of this like mapping out a roadtrip. No one would drive out of state for the big game without a map; who knows where they would end up? The same is true of writing papers. Writers have to have a plan.

What to bring: The assignment prompt, class notes, textbooks, and planning materials.
What to expect: During this stage, students usually work on a computer and ask questions as needed.
Why it's important: The drafting stage is the time when writers just get their ideas on the page. If a student skips ahead and starts editing at this point, then he/she could forget to write something important.

What to bring: The assignment prompt, class notes, textbooks, and two typed copies of the draft.
What to expect: The tutor will ask the student to read out loud; this allows a dialogue to occur naturally. Depending on what the student would like to work on, several topics could be covered during a revision session:

• content, following the prompt, logic of ideas
• organization of paragraphs and entire essay
• transitions or "flow"
• thesis statement: Does it match the paper? Is it clear?
• use of evidence and quotations.

Why it's important: It won't matter how pretty the paper looks, if the content is lacking, then so is the paper. Revision ensures the content is exactly how the writer wants it, that the writer's ideas are clear and that all important topics are covered.

What to bring: The assignment prompt, class notes, textbooks, and two copies of the draft.
What to expect: During this stage, tutors help students focus only on the correctness of the language, not on content or organization. Tutors do not "fix" mistakes for students; instead, they look for patterns of mistakes and then teach the student how to identify and fix them in the future. While we may not get through the entire paper, after the session students should be comfortable finishing on their own. During this session students can expect to:

• read the paper out loud
• start at the back of the paper, reading one paragraph or sentence at a time (this ensures that the session will stay focused on language and not exceed the time limit)
• focus only on sentence level concerns
• find recurring mistakes
• look at rules for grammar and punctuation
• apply those rules to sentences.

Why it's important: Grammar and usage errors can make it difficult for the reader to understand the writer's meaning. Also, these kinds of errors make the work look rushed or sloppy.

What to bring: All sources and a handbook.
What to expect: Tutors will help students:

• decide what type of sources they have
• choose which formulas to use
• check page formatting
• understand parenthetical citations.

Why it's important: People want to get credit for their ideas. If your roommate stole your ideas and turned them in as his/her own, wouldn't that make you upset? It's important to give your sources credit for their ideas. Also, missing or incorrect citations can be grounds for charges or plagiarism.

What to bring: Two copies of the draft.
What to expect: This session is designed to be a final double-check of the paper. During this session students can expect to:

• read the paper out loud quickly, front to back
• catch typos and other small errors.

Why it's important: Little typos can mean big mistakes!

What to bring: A graded paper, the assignment prompt, class notes, and textbooks.
What to expect: This session is focused on improving students' writing. While the tutor will not discuss the merit of the grade, grading polices, or the instructor, he/she will discuss the written comments with the student. The tutor will help the student:

• understand what each comment means
• explain how to identify and fix the recurring problems
• discuss how to improve for next time.

Why it's important: People learn by making mistakes. However, a student can't learn if he/she doesn't understand the mistakes he/she made. This also gives the students goals to work toward for the next paper.

Page last updated: January 17, 2008
Page maintained by: Joy Langford