The Bedford Guide for Writing Tutors

Preface for Writing Center Directors

Introduction for Tutors


CHAPTER 1

The Writing Center as a Workplace

Professionalism toward the Writer

Professionalism toward Other Tutors

Professionalism toward Teachers

Exercises for Getting Started

EXERCISE 1A: Keeping a Tutoring Journal
EXERCISE 1B: Participating in Discussion Forums
EXERCISE 1C: Maintaining a Group Journal
EXERCISE 1D: Learning about Writing Center History


CHAPTER 2

The Writing Process

A General Guide to Stages of the Writing Process

Prewriting

Writing

Revising and Editing

Stages of the Writing Process

Exercises for Exploring the Writing Process

EXERCISE 2A: Comparing Writing Guides and Handbooks
EXERCISE 2B: Teaching Writing
EXERCISE 2C: Talking about the Writing Process
EXERCISE 2D: Talking about the Writing Process at Your School

Exercises for Reflecting upon Your Writing Process

EXERCISE 2E: Reflecting on Writing
EXERCISE 2F: Sharing Your Writing Process
EXERCISE 2G: Reflecting on Being Tutored


CHAPTER 3

Inside the Tutoring Session

Getting Started

Setting the Agenda

Three Effective, Powerful Tools

Active Listening

A Note about Asking Questions

Facilitating

Silence and Wait Time

Wrapping Up a Session

The Many Hats Tutors Wear

The Ally

The Coach

The Commentator

The Collaborator

The Writing "Expert"

The Counselor

When Is a Tutor Not a Tutor?

Exercises for Exploring the Roles Tutors Play

EXERCISE 3A: Exploring Tutors' Roles
EXERCISE 3B: Observing Tutors' and Writers' Body Language
EXERCISE 3C: Observing Tutoring Sessions

Exercises for Practicing Tutoring Techniques

EXERCISE 3D: Role Playing the Tutoring Session

Tutor Observation Sheet

EXERCISE 3E: Role Playing Tutor Strategies in the Prewriting Stage


CHAPTER 4

Helping Writers throughout the Writing Process

Prewriting

Finding and Exploring a Topic

Planning to Write

Writing, Revising, and Editing

Making Global Revisions

Making Sentence-Level Revisions

Editing for Grammar, Punctuation, and Mechanics

Using a Handbook

Coping with the Long Paper

Exercises Using Writing References

EXERCISE 4A: Exploring Prewriting Strategies
EXERCISE 4B: Developing a Handout
EXERCISE 4C: Working with Handbooks and Other References


CHAPTER 5

The Writers You Tutor

Learning Styles

Some Helpful Strategies

Student Concerns

The Writer with Writing Anxiety

The Writer with Basic Writing Skills

The Writer for Whom English Is a Second Language

Cultural Differences

The Writer with a Learning Disability

Exercises for Reflecting on Tutoring Situations

EXERCISE 5A: Reflecting on Writers' Concerns
EXERCISE 5B: Reflecting on Your Own Writing Concerns
EXERCISE 5C: Reflecting on Tutoring Techniques
EXERCISE 5D: Learning from Scholarly Articles


CHAPTER 6

Tutoring and Technology

Face-to-Face Tutoring at the Computer

Freewriting

Working with a Text

Revising

Online Research

Evaluating Online Sources

Useful Information about Domain Name Extensions

Online Writing Resources

Online Writing Labs

Online Writing Guides and Handbooks

Tutor Training Videos

Online Tutoring

Asynchronous Tutoring

Advice Template for Asynchronous Online Tutoring

Synchronous Tutoring


CHAPTER 7

Helping Writers across the Curriculum

Research Papers

Lab Reports and Scientific Papers

Argument or Position Papers

Literature Papers

Book, Film, and Play Reviews

PowerPoint Presentations

Resumes (Traditional)

Resumes (Scannable)

Cover Letters

Essays of Application


CHAPTER 8

Coping with Different Tutoring Situations

The Writer Who Comes at the Last Minute

The Unresponsive Writer

The Antagonistic Writer

The Writer Who Selects an Inappropriate Topic or Uses Offensive Language

The Writer Who Plagiarizes

The Writer with the "Perfect" Paper

Exercises for Coping with Different Tutoring Situations

EXERCISE 8A: Role Playing Different Tutoring Situations
EXERCISE 8B: Reflecting on Different Tutoring Situations


CHAPTER 9

Summing It All Up

Exercises for Developing Your Philosophy of Tutoring

EXERCISE 9A: Reflecting on Your Tutoring
EXERCISE 9B: Creating a Metaphor for Tutoring

APPENDIX A: Outside Tutoring and Editing Jobs
APPENDIX B: Presenting at a Conference
APPENDIX C: Tutors Ask . . .
APPENDIX D: Tutors Talk: Evaluating What They Say


Annotated Bibliography

Index