Using Questions to Advance Sessions with Inexperienced Writers

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

Negotiating the Teacher-Consultant Identity

Working in the Writing Studio is one of the most fulfilling teaching opportunities that I’ve had while working on my Master’s degree at USF.

When I began teaching last year, I found that my one-on-one student conferences were the most enjoyable aspect of the First-Year Composition program. Those ten minutes spent with each student, getting to know their project at a more intimate level, and familiarizing myself with their writing process—rather than relying on the projection of my own—was incredibly eye-opening and helped me structure the ways that I approached classroom discussion and activities. Because they were my students, I was able to develop better working relationships with them and could see growth in their work over the semester, in some cases, just in brainstorming strategies, but in others, a greater depth and understanding of what it means to be a rhetorically situated writer. 

What is different about working in the Writing Studio is that the writers we work with are not usually our students. We have no explicit connection to their work beyond the assignment guidelines and the glimpse of writing and process that they bring into their consultation. We may not see tremendous growth in one session, but we can be there to guide and facilitate their thought process and help suggest revisions that might improve the quality of the writing while pointing out patterns of error that are inhibiting the clarity of the writer’s work.  The most rewarding experiences that I’ve had with writers are those who sign up for multiple appointments. Especially when writers are working on personal statements, the level of growth from week to week is usually apparent. That the writers are willing to trust our advice as consultants, experiment with different writing styles, and incorporate new ideas into their work clearly shows how collaboration and writing studio pedagogy can work extremely well in helping to coach writers as they familiarize themselves with writing processes. 

By Caitlin Klueber, MA in Rhetoric and Composition

On Writer-Centered, Non-Directive Consulting

Prior to coming to the University of South Florida, I wrote and edited web copy, press releases, blog posts, and social media updates for businesses. Whenever a client or colleague requested feedback on a piece of writing, what I provided was very directive. I routinely marked up documents with notes along the lines of, “Fix this,” and “Remove that.” Because of my background, the Writing Studio’s philosophy of conversing with writers about their text instead of marking it up and asking questions instead of giving suggestions was foreign to me.

During my first few weeks as a Writing Studio consultant, I made a conscious effort to adhere to the non-directive, writer-centered style of tutoring rather than slip into the more familiar editing-based approach. The adjustment was difficult not only because it required unlearning an old habit and forming a new habit, but also because most of the writers wanted me to be more directive. A few writers even acted irritated that I wouldn’t simply tell them what to do with their work, so I had to learn ways to consult in accordance with the Writing Studio’s philosophy without leaving writers feeling unhelped.

Over the past few months, I’ve adopted techniques that make it easier for me to feel comfortable assisting writers while remaining non-directive. Here are the methods that have proved the most useful:

Having the writer read. The first couple of weeks I felt nervous during my sessions, especially if a writer seemed unhappy. Because of this nervousness, any time a writer seemed hesitant to read her work out loud I’d say, “Or I could read it if you’d prefer.” I quickly realized almost all writers will have me read if I make that an option. It seems that reading aloud benefits writers--they often catch their own mistakes while reading--so I now ask writers to read without framing it as a choice.

Embracing silence. Allowing stretches of silence in the consultation became easier as I felt more comfortable. Early on, when I would ask a writer a question and he would sit there staring at me like I was entirely unhelpful, I would cave in and make a suggestion. Now, I wait. Most of the time the writer will come up with an idea. If the writer says, “I don’t know,” I’ll ask, “What if you had to guess, or say anything, even if it isn’t what you will use?” Many times the writer is being silent not because he is clueless, but because he is lacking in confidence. The idea a writer finally puts forth after moments of silence is often a good one.

Paraphrasing what I’m reading. Instead of pointing out a problematic sentence, phrase, or word and telling the writer to replace or rewrite it, I paraphrase the sentence. Usually I’ll say, “When I read this, I think you’re trying to tell us that…” If the meaning I am getting is not the meaning the writer intended, she will usually spring into action and start writing down (or speaking) an alternate way of stating her point. Sometimes the writer goes a direction I would not have predicted, reinforcing that had I been directive, it could have limited rather than helped her.

Speaking in generals, not specifics. I quickly realized that asking, “Do you think you should put a comma here?” and pointing to the spot that needs a comma is really the same as saying, “You need a comma here,” except there’s a question mark at the end of the sentence. Now, when I mention grammatical errors or organizational issues, I will point out the issue by speaking generally about the entire sentence or paragraph. I say something along the lines of, “There are some missing commas in this section--do you see where?”

Mentioning patterns. Often, writers make the same mistakes over and over throughout their work. Once I have pointed out an issue, I refer back to the first instance of that issue when it comes up again. The writer will often begin making changes herself with little direction if it is an issue we have already addressed. For example, instead of saying, “This paragraph’s first sentence is not a topic sentence,” I would say, “This paragraph appears to have an organizational issue similar to what we discussed in the previous paragraph. How would you like to address it?”

Overall, I have learned an immense amount about writer-centered consulting during my short time in the Writing Studio. I am grateful for the experience because not only does it make me a better consultant, it is helping me become a better composition instructor to my students and creative writing workshop partner to my colleagues. I look forward to learning more through my Writing Studio experience in the coming semester.

By Jessica Thompson, MFA in Creative Writing

Writers’ individual differences: Reflecting on my researcher and consultant “selves”

Hello, fellow consultants. It’s been nearly two months since I started working at the Writing Studio, and as an advocate of reflective practices, I’ve been thinking a lot about my experiences with different writers. More specifically, I’ve been reflecting on the way in which my “researcher self” and the areas I investigate influence how I understand the sessions, the writers, and my own “consultant self”. My main area of research is related to students’ individual differences (especially learning strategies and beliefs) and how they impact second language learning. Even if the context of the Writing Studio is different in the sense that the sessions are not classes, and our role is not to teach, I still found interesting associations.

As I shared in the mentor meeting, one of the greatest difficulties I had at the beginning was being able to work at a paragraph level. I had to get used to this, and especially communicate the writers that this would be the way we would proceed in the sessions, so that they knew what to expect from each session. In some cases, writers easily agreed to work in this way. However, there are other writers who go to the Studio to have their papers proofread, and in such cases, it becomes quite difficult to get them to understand the way of working is different. After a couple of weeks I started getting comfortable with working paragraph by paragraph. Perhaps one of my greatest concerns in working at paragraph level was that it implied not being able to finish revising a piece of writing in a session. I felt that not reaching to the end of the paper would lead to writers’ disappointment and feelings of frustration. However, after all, I began realizing our most important contribution as consultants is providing writers with strategies so they can work on different aspects of the revision process. By explicitly stating they could make use of those tools in subsequent paragraphs, I observed writers left the sessions with a sense of satisfaction, feeling that what we had discussed could ultimately help them become more autonomous and critical of their own work in other situations. As I mentioned previously, strategies is one of my research areas, and the opportunity of working at the Writing Studio enabled me to incorporate some of the aspects I investigate, into my work practices.

A second aspect on which I have reflected both during and after my consultations is also related to one of my main research interests: beliefs. I have observed that writers react to the approach we follow at the Writing Studio in different ways. Those writers who think that our job is to be in charge of their papers and ideas, tend to get a bit frustrated when they find out they need to participate actively in the sessions. Instead, those who believe that writing is a process done in collaboration involving various steps, seem to have a more positive attitude during the sessions. As research has documented over the past 20 years, the beliefs students hold about a task or phenomenon impacts greatly on the actions they take to perform the task, and thereby, on the performance of such task. The experiences I have observed at the Writing Studio are no exception. Even if I don’t have empirical evidence, I was able to see that writers have various beliefs about their role, our role as consultants, and about the writing process itself. Such insights seem to influence the way the session flows, involving their attitude, and our reaction to those attitudes.

Reflecting on these first months at the Writing Studio was an enriching and enlightening experience. As I mentioned above, I was able to see the importance of giving writers tools for them to become more autonomous when working outside the Studio, and to be able to go over the revision process on their own and at their own pace. Moreover, I could see that similarly to what happens in the second language classroom, each writer has his/her own beliefs about the process of writing and about their roles as writers, as well as of our role as consultants. I think it is important to consider these aspects, as this will impact what they end up taking from our sessions.

By M. Matilde Olivero, PhD in Second Language Acquisition and Instructional Technology

The Writing Studio: A Learning Space for All Kinds of Writers

The Writing Studio at the University of South Florida can be a place for all different types of writers to find help. Now, many think of our space as the place to tighten up their papers, check grammar and make sure they are following their assignments. That certainly happens. We work hard to make sure a writer is getting the sort of help that they want/need. I find, however, that sessions that talk about other issues tend to more rewarding, both for the writer and the consultant.

A writer came into the Studio a few weeks ago, and he needed a lot of help. He had come in to the Studio as a walk-in the day before, received great advice, and then returned with no progress. I spoke to the consultant from that prior meeting, and he characterized this writer as “the most unprepared writer” he had ever dealt with. I cannot disagree with that assessment. This writer (whom I will call Donavan) had come back to school after a hiatus and found himself struggling to writer papers. He felt totally out of place in the discourse communities his teachers asked him to join. He wanted to succeed, and was not afraid to ask for help. In talking about his writing issues, Donavan showed me the text of his email communication with his professor. Donavan needed and wanted help to succeed in this new chapter of his life.

As in a normal writing session, we talked through his goals for the session and his self-perceived issues. As we spoke, he took out his many sticky notes from the day before, and brought up the reading he had done at the prior consultant’s advice. The pieces were all laid out the day before, but there was just one thing missing: Donavan just could not get himself to write. He claimed that he just sat in front of a computer screen, feeling helpless, and could not type a single word. Everything he told me pointed to some pretty severe writer anxiety.

It was clear that Donavan needed to get some words on the page. At this time I took the opportunity to pool the resources around me. One of the other consultants had a lot of experience with free writing and I sought her advice on how to proceed. I asked Donavan to sit down at our computers. I kept all of his materials back at the consultation table, and asked him to start writing. At first he felt stupid, and every word took forever. At my colleague’s suggestion, I told Donavan to forget about the backspace button and just try to keep typing. After five minutes, Donavan really picked up his pace and after just ten minutes had gone by, he had typed two thirds of a page, single spaced, of his assignment.

The last twenty minutes of the session were spent talking about the work he had just done. I pointed out that once he had double spaced the lines and added in some transition sentences to connect some of his more itinerant thoughts, his paper would be nearly finished. He had only been free writing for 10 minutes. Donavan was a writer that had all the capacity he needed, but no confidence that his voice had something worth saying. He left the Writing Studio feeling immensely better than when he arrived.

This was one of the more unusual sessions I have conducted in my two months at the Studio. But I think it points to the broad utility of our space. We are a center devoted to improving writing and writers of all levels and genres. And we have the experience and expertise to help such diverse writers in many backgrounds of our different consultants. When I think back on this session, it stands as a reminder that each time I meet with a writer, it can be be a profound learning experience, even for students just interested in grammar.

By Andrew Hillen, MA in Rhetoric and Composition

Staying Healthy in the Studio

Right now, and right at this same time (mid-semester) last Spring, I developed a wicked bad cold. I blamed my children at the time, but really I think students, circulating and teaching, typically get hit when the stress of mid-terms crops up.

What I am realizing now, more than ever, is how important personal health and well-being is to the work we do, day in and day out. I think this really got hammered home when I was pulling a seven hour shift in the Studio last March and had, by 4PM, lost my voice during a particularly bad cold. It decided not to return for a week.

Here's some pointers, from my experience, to maintain your well-being as you continue to consult (and some writers come in and sneeze on you).

• First, we have some sanitizer floating around. I have no idea who brought it in, but it was an excellent idea. We'll work to try and have that more widely available, especially as flu season descends on us.
• Second, if you'd like a flu vaccine, the College of Public Health is offering them for free on October 24th. You can also head over to Student Health Services, or any local pharmacy, and get one for relatively cheap. The perk of staying on campus is that the shots are free for students.
• If you are ill, please take care of yourself. If that means staying home and missing a shift, please call the front desk staff ASAP (801.974.8293) and let them know, so they can cancel your appointments. Your writers, fellow consultants, and the coordinators will understand. Trust us. Let the coordinators know about your situation, too. 

These are suggestions about how to protect your physical health. I want to take a brief moment suggest some pointers to maintain your mental health in the Studio, too.

Consultants work with students of all levels, on all sorts of projects, and on any number of diverse and equally challenging consultations each day, and over the course of the week. During my time consulting, I still have to regularly remind myself of a few things, so as not to get frustrated with what seems like constant investment, with (seemingly) little return:

• Give what is given. Sometimes, writers don't necessarily want to be in the Writing Studio. Or they are in between classes, or have other pressing obligations. Invest as much as the student invests. This helps to ensure you (and/or the writer) don't leave frustrated with the other party.
• Remember that your obligation to writers does not extend beyond the door of the Studio. Sometimes this is hard to remember, especially if you have a regular who comes to see you. We are but one support mechanism in the writers' process.
• Get to know the consultants you share shifts with. Having the opportunity to chat with people who are doing similar work as you may help ease the tension between shifts. Know that you can ask for support, ideas, and tips from your fellow consultants! 

Please, take care of yourself! Let the coordinators know if you need anything, and let us know if you have suggestions or recommendations to ensure our space stays healthy- mentally AND physically!

By Johanna Phelps-Hillen, PhD in Rhetoric and Composition

Writing Studio Experience/Discussion

Hello fellow Writing Studio consultants,

As we enter October, many of us "tutors" have now had ample experience working in the Writing Studio and assisting a variety of clients on their individual projects. Although the first couple of weeks may have been a bit intimidating or challenging, I hope that many of you have similarly found your time in the Studio to be valuable and rewarding as I have.

To provide a quick background of myself, I am a new M.A. graduate student here at the University of South Florida majoring in English Literature. In addition to working in the Studio, I am also teaching an FYC class. Although these positions vary greatly in terms of specific instructional strategies, both ultimately have a goal of assisting others in improving their writing and becoming better writers overall.

In terms of what I have found to be particularly serviceable as a new Writing Studio consultant, I would first have to say that our handout resources are of incredible use. After intaking the contents of the session and determining what the client and I will be working on, I begin many of my sessions with grabbing a relevant handout. Not only does this provide clients with a valuable item they can use during the consultation and beyond, but it also puts a sense of agency into their own hands and encourages them to improve their overall writing skills (not just a specific issue with a certain project). There have been some instances of me not being sure what an assignment was or where I could find information on a subject/format; some examples have included composing a professional memo and working with AAA style. However, simply letting the writer know that we can investigate the issue together by looking up resources online has proved to be a stress-free, efficient way of solving problems like these.

Among many of the things that I've learned in my first month or so here, remembering to let the clients remain the true "writers" of their piece has been one of the most important lessons. After being observed, I realized that I would sometimes invest a little bit too much energy and personal writing style into someone's work, while simultaneously doing more talking than listening. In order to improve in these areas, I am beginning to understand that allowing for some "quiet time" is important. Many times when we discuss a topic or provide some guided questions/feedback to our writers, we need to remember that it takes at least several seconds for the wheels in their brain to turn and process that information. Allowing a moment of breath and silence to pass can help the client develop his or her own ideas and provide the time necessary to do so. Finally, I also find it valuable to keep a sharp eye on time. When I am approaching the 45-minute mark of our session, I always try to ease the consultation to a close so that there is a couple of minutes to re-cap what we discussed and our plans moving forward. This act really seems to help the writer reflect on his or her progress and feel prepared in what steps to take next.

Although I am becoming much more confident in my role as a Writing Studio consultant, I sometimes do feel stressed about doing my best and making that "difference." Even presently, I occasionally feel a little nervous walking up the Library steps to the Writing Studio because I know that my role here as a consultant is an important one. I ask myself: "How will I do today? Will I be well-prepared? Will I not know a subject or leave a client feeling unfulfilled in their understanding or development of a writing project?"

But these questions, while normal and understandable, are not productive. We need to realize that each and every day, we continue to learn and grow with our writing and consulting just as much as our clients do. I find it helpful to remind myself to stay in a confident mindset before entering the Studio and telling myself that I "will" do a great job today and make that important connection with my tutees. Aside from our interactions with clients, saying hello and greeting my fellow consultants is also a very encouraging experience. I find it fun, helpful, and cathartic to take a couple moments to ask how others are doing, what is working/not working in their own sessions, and build those essential relationships. It makes my time in the Studio that much more enjoyable.

One of the major challenges that I have personally faced as both a Studio consultant and teacher is again the issue of being directive/non-directive. As a first-time FYC instructor, I am forced at times to take a firm hand and quite literally "tell" my students what to do on a particular project or written homework assignment. Yet in the Writing Studio, I need to wear a different hat; I am not a "teacher" or "authority figure," but rather a peer working with the client to help guide him or her in improving their piece. Taking a moment to breathe, focus, and remember my place and position enables me to realize where I am, what role I am conducting, and how best to accomplish my goals in that role.

A second challenge that I continue to face is dealing with some clients who come in and simply want me to "fix" their paper, especially in terms of grammar, diction, and syntax. The best strategy I have found is to kindly but plainly tell them our Writing Center policies: namely, that we are not an editor shop. I state that I am happy to read their paper with them and focus on the higher order concerns during our discussion. I also find it helpful to point to specific lower order resources online (like Grammar Girl) so that they can begin correcting their own work (arming them with self-help writing skills in the process) and discovering problematic patterns.

Ultimately, I feel that our time in the Writing Studio is worthwhile, helpful, and constructive, fellow Writing Studio consultants. Yes, we may have certain sessions or days in which we feel we have not made a particularly effective impact on writers, but I think it's important that we look to all of those great days that we have. Let's keep in mind as well all of the clients who specifically request us again because they found our feedback useful, supportive, and relevant. Best of all, we are in fact enabling ourselves to become better writers as we do the same for others. Here is to a successful remainder of the semester!

By Ryan Arciero, MA in Literature