What Writing Tutors Do

Mission Statement
The Susquehanna University Writing Center provides guidance and encouragement to students throughout the writing process, therefore helping them to become skilled and competent writers who constantly improve their critical thinking strategies and writing skills.

Ethics
The tutor's charge is to engage the student writer, to elicit her/his ability to see the draft as a critical reader. This revision (re-vision) must proceed with care; the student must maintain ownership of the text. We don't tell students what to write, what to think, how they should feel about writing, that they have bad attitudes, that they should sit up straight and pay attention in class. We assume that they are willing to invest in the process of writing (and, thus, of learning), and respectfully allow them to make their own decisions about how to accomplish the task at hand. Our approach is primarily non-directive.

Non-directive assistance implies:

1. a functional respect for students' ideas and insights, however removed these views might be from our own.
2. a procedure by which we ask questions and listen carefully to students' responses and concerns.
3. a self-control that prevents us from openly and tacitly criticizing a student or from providing so much assistance that we inadvertently take ownership and responsibility away from students.

Dialogue
We encourage students to talk, diagnose, and prioritize throughout tutorial sessions. The tutor asks to see the assignment sheet and any additional notes, explanations, or recommendations from the instructor, but also has the student explain the assignment in her/his own words. Each session is unique; the tutor must pay attention to what the student says and how s/he communicates to determine the most effective approach.

Setting an Agenda
We use time as efficiently as possible, but realize that it is limited. If a tutor and student spend an entire session discussing the introduction of an essay, but the student leaves better equipped to realize her/his goals, then they've accomplished something valuable.

The process of internalizing writing skills involves much more than one, or even several, sessions. Inexperienced writers typically believe that fixing mechanical problems should be their top priority and are reluctant to change their habits or attitudes. With patience and perceptive listening, tutors can provide an environment in which students can gradually improve their writing.

Unfortunately, some students do not return because they assume the experience was unhelpful (i.e., we didn't "fix" their papers). Students who are new to the Writing Center might expect something totally different than what we offer. We do our best to make sure they understand our methodology and how our non-directive approach will help them develop stronger writing skills.

HOCs (Higher Order Concerns) vs. LOCs (Lower Order Concerns)
LOCs include sentence-level errors, i.e., grammar problems. HOCs involve essential (and, frankly, more important) issues, such as understanding and following the assignment, writing a clear and concise thesis statement, organizing and developing the argument in a logical manner, etc.

It's easy to find sentence-level errors. We could quickly point out punctuation and grammar problems and send the student on her/his way. However, we don't limit ourselves! The process of writing allows students to develop their thoughts, so we challenge their ideas, not just their semi-colons.