The Importance of Flexibility and "Venting Time" During Appointments

When writers sit down to work with writing consultants, they immediately engage in “work mode,” right? Laptops are open, scratch paper is handy, and the writer and the consultant dive into whatever piece the writer has brought, working at a furious pace and stopping only when the allotted length of time has expired. This scenario plays out 100% of the time in your sessions, right?

If you’re scratching your head and saying to yourself “None of my appointments ever follow this format,” then you’re not alone. As writing consultants, we have to come to terms with the fact that it’s okay if a fraction (maybe even the majority in some cases) of the time in our consulting sessions will inevitably be spent doing other things. It’s simply the nature of the job.

To illustrate my point, I’ll give you an example involving one of my “regulars” that happened a few weeks ago. Let’s call him Sammy. Sammy came in for his weekly appointment as usual. Nothing about his demeanor or facial expression suggested anything out of the ordinary. However, as he sat down at the table and opened his laptop, Sammy’s attitude changed. 

I asked him how a paper he recently submitted for one of his classes was received by his professor. That’s when the floodgates opened. In a flurry of complaints, sighs, and protestations, Sammy proceeded to point out all of the professor’s inconsistencies among the assignment guidelines, the rubric for the paper, and her specific feedback regarding Sammy’s paper. I sat beside Sammy, calmly nodding and only replying in sporadic monosyllables.

This went on for about 30 minutes. When he had finally exhausted himself, I agreed that he made several good points during his tirade, and I advised him to raise these points in a conference with his professor during office hours (while stressing the need to do so in a composed, respectable manner). He agreed, and we spent the rest of the session talking about a few MLA conventions that his professor had pointed out.

I relay this exhaustive story to demonstrate an important though often overlooked aspect of our jobs. As writing coordinators, it’s important that we allow writers to voice concerns about their work, talk about their days, and, occasionally, vent about an issue they’re facing. Of course, our primary goal is to help them improve their writing, but the creation of a safe space – one that makes the writer feel comfortable communicating with the consultant about whatever is on the writer’s mind – is extremely important in our field. Letting the writer know that he or she is welcome to use some of the appointment time simply to vent is vital in fostering relationships with writers that best serve their academic interests.

Here is a link to an article that addresses this issue of effectively listening while someone is venting.

By Seth Spencer, MA student in Literature and Writing Consultant

10 Ways of Consulting with an iPad

Today I challenged my coworker by asking her, “Do you think there are 10 ways of consulting using an iPad?”

As expected, she paused, gave me an adorable inquisitive look, and thought for a moment. I asked her again, “You don’t think it’s possible, do you?”

To this, she responded with caution, “It depends on how many apps you have.”

I challenged her by responding, “It is not about the number of apps you have, it’s all about the number of creative ways that you can utilize the iPad.”

As an iConsultant, I have worked with students who are inhibited about the use of technology when examining their papers. Sometimes they seem to “forget” to email me their drafts, but they always have a hard copy. Here is my solution to this issue:

1. Email - You can access your email through an iPad and download files or access pertinent information about a class.
2. Apps - iPads can be used to download documents and view them using a variety of apps such as Notability, ShowMe, Evernote, Penultimate, Fluent MM, TurboNote, etc. Since I live by Notability, the following ideas are derived from my personal experience using this app.
3. Download documents – You can use Notability to open up Word documents or .pdf files (sometimes .pdf files work better because the formatting does not get altered in the conversion process).
4. Recording - Notability allows you to record your conversation/reflection and save it for posterity.
5. Highlighting - Visual interaction makes the writing, revising, and rewriting process easier and more stimulating for the eyes. There is a variety of colors and you can also change the width of the highlighter’s mark to suit your needs!
6.  Underlining/circling – Another awesome tool for reviewing/revising is the stylus because it allows you to write directly on the document and save it for future references.
7. Typing – Sometimes the stylus does not permit for the writing of long, comprehensive sentences. Therefore, I like to use the typing tool because it allows me to help a client rewrite an entire sentence or add a new idea without having to open a new document. This adds a professional touch when I am consulting a writer.
8. Research – Believe it or not, students love consulting with me about formatting. It may also seem hard to believe this, but, after having worked with both APA and MLA for so many years, I no longer recall the difference between the two of them, and I have to consult Purdue OWL every time I write a paper. Therefore, during my iSessions, when a student asks me about formatting in Chicago style, I casually state, “Let’s double check the rules on Purdue OWL so that you know of the tools that are available to you when you are reviewing the rest of your paper at home,” and we go straight to the website from the iPad.
9. Brainstorming/outlining – There are students who have no ideas or they have a million ideas, and they simply do not know where to begin. I usually ask them to start listing ideas out loud as I create some sort of an outline or mind map using those ideas. It may seem like we are simplifying the task; however, this is a great tool for empowering students because it allows them to realize their mental potential through concrete ideas on a visual map. 
10. Presentation – Lastly, I have students who want to receive feedback on a presentation that they might have created for a class. By using a toggle to connect the iPad to a flat screen, we have now created a perfect space for the student to do everything from writing a paper, reading it out loud and reflecting upon it to revising it and presenting it for the consultation session.

In conclusion, an iPad will enhance your sessions by engaging your learner and challenging them to think outside the paper and onto the big screen. Furthermore, it allows you to exercise multiple skills beyond reading, writing and highlighting, such as researching, brainstorming, reflecting, and presenting. Using technology allows consultants to develop a holistic experience for their clients by engaging them and activating multiple modes of interaction. So, what about you? How can you use an iPad to improve your consultation session? 

By Nilofer Bharwani, M.A. in Spanish Literature (in progress)

The Person vs. the Personal Statement

Students can be apprehensive when bringing in personal statements.  Sessions might be prefaced by a comment along the lines of, “I’m not good at writing about myself.”  And I think part of that apprehension stems from the fear that the words are a direct reflection of who they are as a person.  If someone tells them that the personal statement isn’t good, wouldn’t that imply that they as a person aren’t “good” as well?

  

It’s a tenuous line to walk as a reader (and as someone called to give feedback).  For me, the best way to negotiate that line is by couching advice in positive terms.  I’ve noticed that one common issue is writers summarizing accomplishments (telling rather than showing).  So, instead of saying “There isn’t enough here,” I might mention, “I’d like to hear more about this experience.”

Another common problem is what I call the “I haven’t done anything.”  Perhaps the student had a job, but it’s not relevant to their field.  And while the student has decent grades, admissions boards can see that on the transcript.  To me, this is an opportunity to get to know the student better.  Where are they from?  What from their childhood sparked their interest in the field?  At the end of the personal statement, I want to feel like I have a grasp on who this person is, and many times that can be accomplished by discussing formative experiences outside of academia.

At times, though, the “I haven’t done anything” may simply be an issue of modesty.   Students downplay their involvement in organizations or clubs because they might not think these achievements are impressive, or they don’t believe they have much to say about them.  However, by delving into these experiences, and then describing what one takes away from them, we get insight into the writer’s inner self.

I always aim to be encouraging as a consultant, but I’m even more aware of it when dealing with personal statements.  For students, the task of writing one may seem daunting because it could be viewed as a reflection of their shortcomings.  And for those students who are struggling, it’s even more important to listen to their stories, to help them find a narrative that doesn’t merely inform, but also illuminates.

By Anonymous

Consulting Graduate Students Working on Theses/Dissertations

This semester, I’ve had a few regular PhD students working on their dissertations or dissertation proposals. At first, I wondered if I had enough experience to consult this level of work, and I was especially concerned about my lack of technical knowledge in fields like engineering. As I began to work with these writers, I realized that being a graduate student myself, I have a lot to offer in terms of the writing process and organizing principles of a dissertation/proposal. Even when I don’t understand the specifics of a study, I’m able to ask questions and point out inconsistencies or places for further development. My biggest suggestions when working with graduate students are to pull from your own strengths and knowledge about thesis/dissertation writing, approach them as academic peers, and foster an environment of open engagement.

Here are three more tips for consulting regular graduate students working on theses or dissertations:

Have a goal for the hour.  The intake part of the session is especially important with regular graduate students who are working on long documents. You can’t cover everything in one hour, so at the beginning of your session, ask the writer what she would like to accomplish and if there are any questions since the last session. It is helpful for me to recap where we left off last time, and I usually ask the writer what she has done since our last meeting. Decide on a goal together, and make sure you leave enough time at the end to discuss what the writer will work on between sessions. I usually make specific recommendations to structure their work at home.

     Print a section at a time. Graduate students working on long documents are less likely to print their work. While they might prefer working on the whole document on their laptops, gently encourage them to print copies of small sections. This is related to having a manageable goal for the session – if the writer wants to focus on one section of her literature review, ask her to print just that section. It will help keep on task, and you will both catch more than if you were looking at a screen. 

     Keep the big picture in mind. Even if you are only working on one section at a time, think of how that section fits into the whole. Towards the end of each session, I ask large-order questions about how a particular piece works in terms of the whole document. I spend a lot of time looking at organization and making recommendations about order and progression. I’ve noticed that much of the time, graduate students want to talk about large issues of process and organization, and as consultants, we can provide a sounding board as they iron out the roadblocks they may be experiencing.

For more information on theses and dissertations, check out these resources:

Writing Thesis and Dissertation Proposals: http://pwr.la.psu.edu/resources/graduate-writing-center/handouts-1/WritingProposals.pdf/

Parts of a Dissertation: http://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/ld/resources/writing/writing-resources/writing-dissertation

USF Thesis and Dissertation Guidebook (If you’re working with a writer who is formatting her document for submission): http://www.grad.usf.edu/inc/linked-files/etd_guidebook.pdf

By Lorraine E. Monteagut, Ph.D. in Communication (in progress)

Grappling with Anxiety in the Writing Studio

Although the Writing Studio attracts a wide range of writers with differing needs, many of them deal with anxiety in one form or another. For certain writers, this means anxiety about the drafting or revising process whereas others, particularly non-native English speakers, may display anxiety regarding their grammatical abilities. As writing consultants, we need to work to create a safe environment that counterbalances the anxiety our writers may exhibit, and this presents challenges.

When I first entered the Writing Studio this past Fall, dealing with anxious writers actually heightened my own sense of anxiety; I felt unable to effectively help writers who felt frantic about the often ambiguous comments or directions their teachers had provided. When a writer is anxious, it is almost hard not to pick up on some of that anxiety, especially as a novice consultant. Throughout my time here, I have begun to amass my own strategies for helping anxiety-ridden writers, and I will share these in this post.

Last semester, as an Embedded Tutor, I had the opportunity to work one-on-one and two-on-one with students who were taking their very first English composition course at a university; for some of the international students, it was their first time writing extended works in English. The nature of the composition program at USF requires that students go through planning phases and approach writing as a process that starts with brainstorming. However, during my consultations, I found that many of these students did not know how to plan effectively; these were the students who experienced what is colloquially known as “writer’s block.”

           

I found that by using a session to teach these students how to plan for a genre they may not be used to writing, many of their concerns were alleviated. By asking the students to write down their thoughts, I was then able to help them organize them in a logical manner. This process helped so many of the students, who, after planning, left the sessions feeling less stressed and were able to write their papers. It is important for us to remember that as consultants, we should address the bigger picture issues whenever possible; as I found, often the largest issue with writers is planning. The beauty of Embedded Tutoring is that it allows the consultant to work in conjunction with both the writer and the professor throughout the entire process.

Unfortunately, most writers do not come to the Writing Studio as part of the Embedded Tutoring program; most students come with a product rather than an outline or plan. Often, students bring works in after getting negative feedback or on the day of the deadline. These students tend to be anxious, lacking in self-efficacy, and stressed out. Particularly when they receive confusing feedback, students may ask a consultant, whom they value as a “writing expert,” to interpret what the instructor meant.

When working with students like this, I find that, although it is impossible to be clairvoyant, providing candid reassurance and focusing on one major concern of the writer’s as well as an area I believe can use major improvement seems to work. I do overtly recognize my limitations as a consultant and recommend that anxious writers address any areas of concern (feedback, rubric, directions, etc.) with their professors in order to get absolute clarification.

When a student presents anxiety, I try to be as reassuring as possible. I also tell writers that I have experienced severe writer’s anxiety in the past, which often surprises them. At the same time, acknowledging the difficult parts of writing can be encouraging for writers; it humanizes us as consultants. To help anxious writers, the least we can do as consultants is to help them realize their strengths through providing genuine praise while also displaying empathy.

By Lindsey O'Brien, M.A.T. in Foreign Language Education (in progress)

Working through Imposter Syndrome

I wanted to blog about imposter syndrome because I feel like it's a topic that often gets overlooked.  I wouldn't be surprised if many consultants had similar feelings of anxiety about job performance and getting called out for being a "fraud."  I heard about imposter syndrome my first or second semester of graduate school, but I know of other students who are in their fourth or fifth year and had never been told by friends or professors that imposter syndrome is real, and it affects many of us.

I was nervous about becoming a writing consultant.  I had been a teaching assistant in previous years, so I'm used to working with students on class assignments, but, when I got the job as a writing consultant, a little bit of imposter syndrome popped up and I thought, "What if I can't really do this?  What if I can't write well and I'm terrible at this?"  My first week, I observed several sessions with some superb consultants, and my first couple of solo sessions went fine.  But then I had a session that didn't go so great; in fact the writer told me it had not been helpful for them at all.  Another writer was surprised when I couldn't just look at a list of citations and tell if they were in correct APA format.   I thought, "That's it.  People are going to know for sure that I'm a fake because I need to use the style book."  Not to mention that I'm getting a master's degree, and many of my colleagues are on the Ph.D. track.

One of the best ways I work through my own imposter syndrome is by being a client of the Writing Studio myself.  Not only does it help me with my own writing, but it makes me a more humble learner and a better consultant.  I learn new strategies about how to help writers, I'm reminded of how it feels to be on the receiving end of feedback, and I acknowledge that I never think my consultant is a fake if they don't know the answer to a random question off the top of their head. I don't have to be amazing at every aspect of the English language. I'm not a content expert on every topic.  I'm much better at Chicago or MLA formatting than APA.  But I am a good consultant.  And so are you.

By Jennifer Iceton, M.A. in Women's and Gender Studies (2015) and Geography (in progress)

Staying Focused: Strategies for Time Managing a Writing Session

Writers, teachers, and scholars enjoy working as writing consultants for a variety of reasons, such as working one-on-one with writers of various levels and in various disciplines and having the opportunity to observe writers as they develop confidence in their writing ability. Many of us also enjoy the work of consulting because it makes us better writers, teachers, and scholars ourselves, as the act of consulting encourages us to examine and make adjustments to our own habits.

While the writer’s toolkit is certainly vast, two important tools for writers, particularly those in academic settings, are planning and time management. Although planning can sometimes be the most difficult part of the writing process, it is a valuable way for a writer to organize his or her thoughts. 

Luckily, planning and time management are two skills that can be easily incorporated into writing consultations, not only by addressing them directly but also by modeling these skills within the context of the session. In this post, I’m going to focus on strategies for opening and closing the standard, 50-minute writing consultation that will allow you to model planning and time management for your writers.

Opening the Session

Taking the time for a thorough intake process allows you and the writer to make an effective plan for the session, while also allowing you both to develop a plan for revision past the session. I suggest asking the following questions to help you assess the writers’ needs:

What type of document are you working on? What are the requirements/restrictions on this document (i.e. topic, page/word count, source or citation requirements, etc.)? [Asking these questions should help you to better understand the document, and will also allow you to gauge the writer’s understanding of the document requirements.]

When is the document due? [Asking this question will allow you to better plan the session as well as manage the writer’s expectations. For example, if the document is due later that day, your recommendations for revision would be much more restrictive than if the writer had two weeks to revise the document.]

What stage of the writing process are you in? [Asking this question allows you to determine if the writer is in the planning, writing, or revising stage of the document, and can also give you an idea of how long the writer has been working on the particular document. For example, the feedback you offer to a writer who has written a first draft of an essay will be much different than the feedback you might offer a writer who is working on polishing the final draft of an essay that he or she has been working on for several weeks.]

What do you want to accomplish in this session? [Asking this question not only helps you to assess the writer’s needs, but it also reinforces the agency of the writer. Additionally, this question can allow you to manage a writer’s expectations, when necessary. For example, if a writer tells you her goal for the session is to address organization and grammar in a 20-page paper, you can explain to her that you might get through 5-6 pages in a standard, 50-minute session.]

After asking these questions, I find it very helpful to work with the writer to develop a plan for the session, and I recommend sketching this plan out on a piece of paper. While it is not always necessary to attach time frames to the elements of the plan, in some sessions, time frames can be very helpful in keeping the writer (and yourself) on track.

As an example, imagine that you are working with a writer who tells you that he is working on a second draft of a 10-page term paper for his Film and Culture course, which is due in 2 weeks, and requires 10 academic sources, cited in Chicago style. The writer tells you that his goal for the session is to focus on organization and focus, and that he is particularly concerned about making sure that his argument supports his thesis statement, but that he is also worried about making sure that he is citing his sources correctly, both in-text and in the bibliography. The writer also understands that you may not make it through the entire paper in one standard, 50-minute session. In this situation, you and the student might create a plan like this one:

• 10 minutes – intake
• 5 minutes – focus on introduction and thesis statement
• 5 minutes – writer verbally outlines his plan for the paper, based on his thesis statement
• 20 minutes – read through paper, focusing on organization, focus, and in-text citations
• 5 minutes – briefly review bibliography; point writer to resources for Chicago style
• 5 minutes – close the session by briefly reviewing the session and helping the writer to develop a plan for revision

Closing the Session
Closing the session can be just as important as opening the session. While it can be tempting to actively work with a writer until the very last minute of a session, doing so can leave the writer feeling confused about how to execute the ideas discussed during the session. So, it always a good idea of leave the last 5-10 minutes of the session to talk about how the writer can move forward with the revision process.

First, you’ll likely want to remind the writer of the main suggestions for revision you discussed during the session. To extend the example used above, you might remind your writer that, in addition to reorganizing the body paragraphs to mimic the organization of ideas in the thesis statement, he should also make sure that each paragraph has a strong topic sentence. Additionally, you might remind the writer that some of his in-text citations contain a comma, which is unnecessary in Chicago style.

Then, you’ll want to help the writer articulate a plan for revising, which might include making additional appointments. For example, our writer’s plan might look like this:

Today: 1/15/16

• Revise based on today’s session: 1/15/16-1/18/16 (3 days)
• Begin with focus, making sure that each paragraph has a strong topic sentence that supports the thesis.
• Next, reorganize paragraphs to ensure that the organization of ideas in the body supports the organizations of ideas established in the thesis statement.
• Then, make sure that all of your in-text citations are consistent.
• Second Writing Studio appointment: 1/19/16
• Revision based on second Studio session: 1/19/16-1/25/16
• Final Writing Studio appointment: 1/26/16
• Revision based on third Studio session: 1/26/16-1/27/16
• Proofreading and Edition: 1/27/17-1/28/16
• Submit assignment: 1/29/16

Not only will a plan like this one help your writer begin to process the work of the session, and also allows the writer to envision how to approach the often daunting task of continued revision. Additionally, encouraging writers to make additional appointments before leaving the space can also encourage them to maintain momentum in the revision process by providing a deadline of sorts.

Conclusion

I hope you can see the benefits of using these tips not only for your writer, but for yourselves, as well. In order for you to provide each writer with your full attention and the best possible feedback, it is important than you have time to recharge and reorient yourself between sessions. Extending your session past the closing time, or taking a writer early, is not beneficial for the writer, yourself, or your fellow consultants. However, making sure that you begin and end sessions on time establishes the Studio as a place of reliability and consistency, while taking the time to plan at the beginning and end of the session extends the Studio’s mission of approaching writing as a process and recursive practice.

By Sandy Branham, PhD candidate in Texts & Technology and Assistant Coordinator for the University of South Florida's Writing Studio