A writing center facilitates student writing across the curriculum.

Abstract

Since Writing Consultants at the Learning Resource Center work with a wide variety of students, they have the opportunity to impact classrooms throughout the university by providing comprehensive writing instruction. A handbook for writing across the disciplines has been developed that includes information about the format and language specific to each discipline as well as instructor prompts and sample assignments for each of the university majors. Learning Resource Center writing consultants have been trained to identify and develop strategies for writing in specific disciplines. This paper discusses one university's attempt to transform student writing in the disciplines as well as train writing consultants to be discipline-specific.

Introduction

Prevailing sentiments conclude that Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) programs are a beneficial addition to academia. However, some colleges and universities have not implemented WAC programs, either due to lack of faculty and/or administrative support, or lack of funds [as is the case at California State University Northridge (CSUN), which currently does not have a WAC program]. This is where the Writing Center comes in. The Writing Center typically serves the university student population as a whole, not exclusively the English department or departments housing writing programs. This being the case, Writing Center tutors have had to adapt their practices to accommodate students from across the disciplines, learning the strategies and styles inherent in those disciplines, and changing from specialists in their respective fields--to generalists who possess at the very least a modicum of knowledge about writing across the disciplines--in order to enable less experienced writers to engage themselves in the writing process more effectively (Walker 28). The Writing Center is an important resource where students can learn and practice their writing and hone the thinking skills they will need to succeed in their discipline (Harris 91). However, unless tutors know what to expect from writing assignments across the disciplines, they will not be much help to the students visiting the Writing Center.

Background to CSUN's Writing Center

The Learning Resource Center (LRC) at CSUN offers diverse assistance to students from across the disciplines. In addition to math and science labs, the LRC also houses a Writing Lab and Writing Center. Students enrolled in freshman and developmental composition meet in the Writing Lab, which is solely for their use. Looking similar to any other computer lab on a college campus, the Lab is filled with long tables of computers programmed with the latest software. In the Lab, students have the option to meet with a tutor by appointment, on a walk-in basis, or simply utilize the computers to work on their essays. Since only freshman composition students are allowed in the lab, it is a comfortable place for freshmen to meet with like students to receive peer feedback.

Lab tutors are undergraduate students whose backgrounds reflect a cross-section of the disciplines on campus. Typically fifteen tutors work up to twenty hours per week (a pre-arranged number of hours), and are compensated as student assistants. They greet clients as they enter the lab and circulate to offer writing assistance. A Writing Lab tutor may spend up to half an hour with one client, and if the lab is slow and the client requires intense assistance, the student may return the same day for further assistance.

Non-composition students (ie: any student seeking help for a class other than freshman or developmental composition) have a separate writing space. Unlike the Writing Lab, the Writing Center is not filled with neat rows of computers. Instead, the Center has the ambiance of a coffee-shop--round tables create an open forum where students can come to study, have writing reference materials at their fingertips, and meet with writing consultants. This Center is staffed solely by English graduate students (consultants) who work by appointment only. Consultants are compensated as Teaching Associates and are typically affiliated with the English composition program, teaching a minimum of one section of freshman composition or developmental composition in addition to their Writing Center duties.

Although consultants frequently work with students attempting to pass the Upper-Division Writing Proficiency Exam (WPE)--required for graduation--the other students they meet with come from every discipline on campus with the exception of freshman and developmental composition students. However, a consultant quite possibly may see only one upper division English student in two years at the center.

Since the majority of the students who come to the Writing Center are not English majors, but all of the Writing Consultant are English majors, a conundrum was created: How can English graduate students, who teach composition, assist discipline-specific students (both undergraduate and graduate) with their discipline-specific writing without imposing the view that all writing is similar and English writing is the "proper" form of communication?

The Question--Should We Do a Study?

In fall of 1999, a question was posed--why don't English students visit the Writing Center for assistance? Judging by the population of the clients visiting the Writing Center, English students apparently felt satisfied enough with their writing not to seek assistance (the English Department does not provide tutors). The bulk of the client base is created by students from other majors who flock to the Writing Center in such numbers that recently two more consultants were hired. A second question followed: as English writers, did the consultants feel competent enough to help these students with their discipline-specific requirements?

Brainstorming the second question, it became evident that the "English way," which is typically highly subjective analytical writing that relies on textual evidence to support an interpretation of a text, wasn't the only way to produce good writing. In the spring of 2000, the authors engaged in a research project with the objective of discovering exactly what services faculty in each discipline expected students to receive from the Writing Center.

The Survey

The study began with one question: How best can students be assisted in writing across the disciplines? A one-page survey was developed that encompassed what consultants needed to know about the clients.

* How much time do instructors in each field spend in the classroom on writing instruction for writing assignments?

* What are typical prompts given to students?

* How are those prompts defined in a given field?

* To what format do given fields of study adhere?

* What quality of writing do professors expect to see, and are they seeing it from their students?

* Do faculty require students to visit the Writing Center? Recommend the center? Know the center exists?

The survey, sent with a cover letter explaining the project and asking for help, was hand delivered to all faculty, full and part time. Although all 1200 faculty members were surveyed, only 130 (11%) were received. However, at least one response from every department on campus was returned. The faculty who responded were passionate about their students' writing, and filled the surveys with thoughts, ideas, and comments.

Responses--Tell Us How You Really Feel!

Faculty provided a range of responses. Some simply completed the form. Many sent notes and provided several writing samples. On one memorable survey, a math instructor returned the survey with only a brief note: "One does not learn about math by writing about it; one learns about math by doing it!" On the other hand, two other math instructors sent samples of required mathematical essays. Many departments sent copies of their own, department-specific writing manuals (such as the Engineering Report Writing Manual and the Radio-TV-Film Handbook).

Overall, faculty members were very concerned with the quality of their students' writing. They predominantly felt that student writing had seriously declined over the years, and that no one had shown an interest in this deterioration. Interestingly, it was discovered that some faculty were not aware that the campus housed a Writing Center; as a result, a two-day open house was held for all faculty.

The Data

As expected, most courses required students to write papers of one type or another, from in-class timed essays to research papers. However, many faculty did not spend time explaining the writing process expected from students, and sometimes they didn't use written prompts either, expecting students to copy assignments written on the board. A handbook was created to provide information about the typical assignments expected by professors in each discipline, which included information about directive verbs most commonly used, discipline-specific formats, the amount of time instructors might spend in class covering writing assignments, and sample writing prompts. From the essay samples submitted, at least one paper professors considered high quality and one considered poor quality for each field were included.

The Handbook Is Used

Although the consultants were initially skeptical about using the Handbook, it has become an integral part of tutoring at the Writing Center. Students' grades depend on the expectations of the discipline in which they are writing their paper/project. As Clark states, "Genre awareness can provide a useful framework for discussing a number of problematic issues in academic writing that are particularly troublesome for inexperienced writers, enabling them to understand, deconstruct, and creatively expand upon the requirements of their writing assignments" (13).

For practical purposes, the Handbook is essential as both a time saving and illustrative device. Students are limited to one half-hour appointment per week, and by using the Handbook, consultants can eliminate wasted minutes prompting the student for the assignment, handouts, and teacher notes. Further, knowing what sorts of resources might be needed (e.g., handbooks, computer research databases) allows the consultant to gather them before the students arrive and have them on hand. This saves time during the appointment, and provides consultants with tailored preparation for each appointment.

Future Study

Although the Writing Center consultants consider the Handbook to be invaluable, no tool should stay static. A new awareness has risen about the faculty's views of the importance of good writing across the disciplines, and the Handbook will continue to be revised and updated as needed. Until a full WAC program can be developed, the Handbook will serve as a reference to accommodate students and faculty from across the curriculum.

Note

This project could not have been completed without the encouragement, guidance, and support we received from Ilene Rubenstein, Writing Coordinator, LRC, CSUN.

Works Cited

Clark, Irene L. "Addressing Genre in the Writing Center." The Writing Center Journal 20.1 (1999): 7-32.

Harris, Muriel. "A Writing Center Without a WAC Program: The De Facto WAC Center/Writing Center." Writing Centers and Writing Across the Curriculum Programs. Eds.

Walker, Kristin. "The Debate Over Generalist and Specialist Tutors: Genre Theory's Contribution." The Writing Center Journal 18.2 (1998): 27-46.

Kelly Faulkner, Eastern Institute of Technology, New Zealand 

Francien Rohrbacher, University of California, Santa Barbara 

Kelly Faulkner is teaching English and Composition. Francien Rohrbacher is working toward her Doctor in Education with an emphasis in Language, Literacy, and Composition at UCSB, where she teaches Academic Writing.