English 635, Fall ‘05

Introduction to Writing Center Theory and Practice

Assignments

Grading

Attendance

Participation

Syllabus

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Course description (from graduate bulletin)

Introduction to primary texts in writing center scholarship; exploration of intersections between composition and writing center theory; writing processes and critical intervention; academic culture and literacies; diversity and the politics of literacy education. Required of all graduate assistants in English assigned to tutor in the writing center. Recommended for all graduate students with emphases in Rhetoric and Applied Writing, Teaching College English, and Teaching English as a Second Language.

Required textbooks

• The Center Will Hold (2003)edited by Pemberton and Kinkaid

• ESL Writers: A Guide for Writing Center Tutors (2004) edited by Bruce and Rafoth
• The Allyn and Bacon Guide to Writing Center Theory and Practice (2001) edited by Barnett and Blumner
• The Politics of Writing Centers (2001) edited by Nelson and Evertz

Other texts

• Various readings—handouts and reserve readings
• Various web texts, including website material and listserves

Assignments

Critical Responses.  Responses should reflect your internal dialogue with the assigned readings for the week.  Express your approbation, your concerns, related personal experience, and/or any other ideas or philosophies the reading evokes.  The responses should not just regurgitate what you have read in the texts, they should engage the texts, tease out ideas, play with them, and interrogate them. Responses are due weekly.

Each weekly response should be 500-750 words in length, double spaced etc.  There will be a total of eleven responses—one for each week that you are assigned readings.  The purpose of the responses is to provide fodder for class discussion.  Responses should also provide you with ideas for your conference paper.

Conference proposal.  This 150-200 word proposal should frame an issue in writing center theory and practice that you feel has not been addressed or explored adequately in writing center scholarship.  Your proposal should be concise, but convincing. Although not required, I urge you to submit your proposal to a conference. I will give you a list of conferences and registration information.

Conference paper.  This 2500 to 4000 word essay should be a scholarly argument that addresses the issue framed in your proposal.  Your final draft should be worthy of presentation and/or publication.  This essay will be written as an academic conference paper both in terms of content and style. Throughout the semester, you will read several journal and conference papers which should serve as models for your paper. Manuscript and documentation format should follow MLA conventions.

To make this assignment successful, consider the following elements:

• Make sure you have researched the issue thoroughly enough to be able to contextualize it within the available writing center scholarship.  The Write Place has an archival library of writing center journals in the “cloakroom.”  See me to check them out.  The SCSU library also holds several important works on writing center history, theory, and practice.
• Show how what you argue changes or supports existing scholarship.
• Discuss implications for the future of writing center practice, politics, relationships, education, etc.
• If you are taking another author to task for a specific idea expressed in a particular article, be sure that the author hasn’t shifted her or his position or ideas in later writings. If the author’s position has changed, acknowledge the change in your paper.
• Don’t try to offer everything you know; focus on your issue.
• Use this paper for professional development.  Submit to a publication or conference.  OR use the ideas for your master’s thesis.

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Grading point distribution

Responses and in-class participation                  400 points

Proposal                                                           100 points

Conference paper                                             500 points

Total                                                               1000 points

Attendance Policy

Because this class meets only once a week, attendance is crucial.  One missed meeting will set you back; two missed meetings will earn you an F.  No exceptions.

In-class participation

It is crucial that you participate in class discussions, as this is a seminar—not a lecture class.  Your reading responses should provide the basis for discussion.  If conversation lags, I may ask individuals to read their responses.

There is no room for academic arrogance or disrespect in this classroom.  Learning and the generation of creative ideas can most productively occur when everyone feels safe and respected.   However, safety and respect don’t preclude the lively exchange of ideas, debate, and challenge.  Unpacking ideas is sometimes a painful process.  Expect to be challenged.

Syllabus

Note: The assigned readings are due to have been read by the week in which they appear.  For example, the reading on pages 15-22 in Nelson and Evertz is due to have been read by class time on Tues., Sept. 20.

Week/Date	Readings and Due Dates
Week 1/Sept. 13	Pemberton and Kinkaid, 21-40. Writing Lab Newsletters--to peruse in class
Week 2/Sept. 20	Nelson and Evertz, 15-22 Pemberton and Kinkaid, 1-20; 74-95 Barnett and Blumner, 10-21; 41-60
Week 3/Sept. 27	Nelson and Evertz, 1-14 Pemberton and Kinkead, 58-73 Barnett and Blumner, 63-99 (3 readings)
Week 4/Oct. 4	Nelson and Evertz, 37-49 Pemberton and Kinkead, 96-113 Barnett and Blumner, 124-152 (2 readings)
Week 5/Oct. 11	Barnett and Blumner, 206-241 (3 readings); 272-287; 296-301
Week 6/Oct. 18	Bruce and Rafoth, 1-29 (2 readings) Barnett and Blumner, 350-375 (2 readings); 391-400
Week 7/Oct. 25	Barnett and Blumner, 376-390 Haynes-Burton (handout), 103-108 Wewers (handout), 229-237
Week 8/Nov. 1	Barnett and Blumner, 302-315 Shanti and Rafoth, 30-70 (three readings); 105-116
Week 9/Nov. 8	Shanti and Rafoth, 117-126; 133-161 (3 readings) Proposals due—discussion
Week 10/Nov. 15	Nelson and Evertz, 50-61; 85-98 Pemberton and Kinkead, 130-150; 166-176
Week 11/Nov. 22	Conferences
Week 12/Nov. 29	Barnett and Blumner, 403-425 (3 readings) 458-471 Pemberton and Kinkead, 151-165
Week 13/Dec. 6	Barnett and Blumner, 475-493; 555-560 Pemberton and Kinkead, 177-189
Week 14/Dec. 13	Wrap-up
Week 15/Dec . 20 (final week)	Conference Papers due

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