The question of whether it is okay to give a client a quick fix is a tricky subject indeed. At first thought (and I almost typed it up as my answer) I thought it would be fine to give a student a quick fix to a problem that does not appear to be a recurring theme in their paper. However, with deeper thinking about the issue, I have decided it is not so easy. Unless a student was typing late at night and just goofed their keystrokes then there MUST be a reason for a mistake in the paper. Perhaps it only occurs once in the paper because they were afraid to use it again? Therefore, I have come to the conclusion that you cant jump to conclusions about a student by giving quick fixes. If the mistake is a major issue then it would be best to question their use and THEN decide what course of action to take.
#4 How do you decide how much to work on a surface error in the writing center?
Determing how much to work on an issue that occurs just a few times in a client's paper is a tough decision. As writing consultants we are supposed to deal mostly with the overall theme of the paper to make sure it makes a solid argument. However, we are in the position to help a student with the issues that are bugging them. I think that the discussion of surface errors should be the last part of the tutoring process, and not even be mentioned until the paper develops into a strong piece of writing. If the surface error is affecting the writer's ability to perform, then we must act as well.
- After answering these questions I am curious as to what the responses of the other students in class will be.
Nascar Kass
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