As a writing consultant, I have often experienced sessions,
particularly with novice writers or first-time visitors to the Studio, who are
uncomfortable directing the session. In these sessions, when the writer is
quiet and looks to the consultant as an instructor, rather than a tutor, it can
be tempting to take on that teacherly role—to direct the student to the problem
areas in their work and to give them concrete suggestions for “fixing” their
“errors.” However, this method not only undercuts the goal of the
writer/consultant relationship, but the consultant also runs the danger here,
when the writer is working on an assignment, of misinterpreting the
requirements of the assignment or the expectations of the instructor.
In these sessions, using questions to elicit information
from the writer is of paramount importance. While in a traditional session, you
might spend 5 minutes, at the top of the session, asking the writer about his
or her writing project, identifying the purpose, audience, and overall
expectations of the piece, while asking questions throughout the session when
appropriate. However, in a session in which the writer is hesitant, you may
spend the majority of the session in conversation with the writer, posing
questions for the writer to answer.
Recent research suggests that there are five categories of
questions typically seen in writing consultations: knowledge-deficit questions,
common-ground questions, conversation control questions, and leading and
scaffolding questions (Thompson and Mackiewicz). In this post, I will focus my
discussion on knowledge-deficit questions and leading and scaffolding
questions, explaining each question type and providing examples of each.
Knowledge-deficit questions are used to gain or clarify
information (Thompson and Mackiewicz). In most cases, a writing consultant will
use knowledge-deficit questions to learn more about writer’s goals for the
piece and/or assignment specifications. However, it is also important to use
knowledge-deficit questions to gauge the writer’s already existing knowledge of
the writing topic. Even if you, as a consultant, are knowledgeable about the
topic, knowledge-deficit questions can be a great way to encourage the writer
to share his or her knowledge with you. For example, although my area of
research is in the field of digital literacy as it relates to social
networking, if I am working with a writer who is composing a piece about the
benefits of social networking for employment purposes, I might ask the writer:
“Well, what exactly is a social
network? How do I know a social networking site when I see one?” Although I
already know the answer to this question, it is important to assess the
writer’s already existing knowledge on the topic.
Leading and scaffolding questions are intended to advance
the session toward the writer’s goals. While leading questions are often closed
(yes/no) questions, and as such are often avoided during consultations, in part
because these types of questions often make the tutor’s perspective on the
topic, or the desired answer, clear (Thompson and Mackiewicz). However, during
consultations in which a writer might require some extra direction, leading
questions can be a great way to help students overcome hurdles in their thought
processes and to clarify confusion. For example, to return to the example of
social networking from above, if I am working with a student that is confusing
the terms “social media” and “social networking,” I might say: “But a social
network is characterized by the ability to create, and make visible, a network,
while network visibility is not a requirement of social media, right?” The
expected answer is obvious, however, the question is framed in such a way that
it clarifies an area of confusion for the student, hopefully allowing him or
her to move past this point of uncertainty.
Scaffolding questions, while serving the same purpose as
leading questions, are more open to varied responses from the writer, and allow
the tutor to “pump, prompt, paraphrase, and present alternatives” to students,
while working to build on the writer’s knowledge about or understanding of the
topic (Thompson and Mackiewicz). So, using the same example I used when
discussing leading questions, a similar scaffolding question might look like
this: “If social media is characterized as online spaces in which a community
of users can gather and interact with one another, in what ways are social
networking sites unique examples of social media?” While I have provided the
student with a lot if information here (the knowledge that the terms “social
media” and “social networking” are not synonymous; the knowledge that social
networks are a particular type of social media), the question leaves the impetus
on the student to identify this difference.
Of course, knowledge-deficit, leading and scaffolding
questions are only a few examples of the types of questions consultants can use
to advance the session and to meet the writer’s goals. However, rather than being
frustrated by a writer that is shy, confused, or otherwise non-directive in the
session, it’s important to think about ways in which we, as consultants, can
mitigate these sessions for our writers.
By Sandy Branham, PhD in Texts and Technology
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