Correcting Common Misconceptions

The writing center is a resource unnecessarily shrouded in mystery. Teachers' and administrators' misconceptions often discourage them from instituting this form of collaborative learning. We have already examined The Definition of a Writing Center; now we will look at what a writing center is not.

The mission of a writing center is to:

Work on the writer, not their paper- The paper is not the focus of the tutorial. As Bithyah Shaparenko states in the Writing Lab Newsletter, "Tutoring should be student-oriented not text-centered" ("Focus on Focus" 11). The writing center strives to improve the student and give them tools that they can use on every subsequent assignment.

Refine the process of writing, not grammar- The writing center does not administer grammar drills or edit papers. Joseph Williams aptly says in Composition in Four Keys, "When we read for typos content becomes virtually inaccessible� ("The Phenomenology of Error" 165). The writer needs to be part of the process at every step. Tutors thus only look for patterns of error rather than copy-editing. The tutor suggests that the writer reads their work aloud to catch obvious errors.

Help writers at all stages; everyone can improve- The writing center is not for so-called "basic" writers. David Bartholomae believes basic writers are not simple or childlike; they do not write immature sentences. They merely attempt things above their heads. ("The Study of Error"). Even students who are more advanced can benefit from a tutorial because they have an opportunity to expand on their ideas.

The writing center is not only for those who are fluent in English- The writing center can also help ESL students master the English language. English as a Second Language students are often afraid to ask questions in class. The writing center is a low-key environment where their voices can be heard.

Let the writer own their work- The paper should always be between the writer and the tutor during the tutorial. The tutor tries to help the student express his or her ideas, not write the paper for them.

Tutoring sessions will not always go smoothly even in a well-run center; it is a challenging but rewarding process- An excellent resource for difficult tutorials is the Bedford Guide. It explains effective techniques for "antagonistic" and "unresponsive" writers as well as describing methods of coping with plagiarism and strong papers. Give students guidance in a space without grades- While there is such a thing as error, ideas and organization are the prime focus of the tutorial. The tutor never alludes to grades.

Students do not necessarily need to bring in a finished draft- The writing center helps writers at all stages of the process. Students can merely bring in their assignment and work on formulating a thesis and/or outline.

Tutors at the writing center will not be part of the grading process- Tutors serve as sounding boards and an extra pair of eyes. While students who visit the writing center typically do better on their papers, the tutor does not assign a grade. In fact, it is important that the tutor does not comment or postulate about grades in order to preserve the credibility of the center.

Writing is not an independent activity! Writing is meant to be shared. In fact, writing is a social contract. Language is an agreement between People, so naturally interaction is important at every stage. The writing center is a zone of proximal development.

Additional Resources:

Anderson and Murphy: Writing Groups Inside and Outside the Classroom: "Bringing the Writing Center into the Classroom� This article explores the writing center's role during instructional time. See our Peer Editing Workshop.

University of Pittsburgh Writing Center This well-established center has a great FAQ section.

Noise from the Writing Center by Elizabeth H. Boquet Boquet's chapter "Lamaze, Labor, and Taylorization of the Writing Center" is especially helpful. It describes the teacher/center relationship and the way in which the center's role should be viewed through metaphors.