Synopsis – November 2009: Director Annotations > Susan Coller Carlson

Our newsletter kicks off this month with an article from Drew Ross, Dean of the School of Graduate Education, who asks us to consider our graduate students and their unique challenges when it comes to writing and research (Resolving Readiness Issues at the Graduate Level). Telling a student who has already earned a degree (perhaps several degrees) that his or her writing skills are lacking can be challenging—especially if the word “remedial” creeps into the conversation. How can we help students come to the realization (on their own accord) that their writing needs improvement?

Rachael Hanel, a Curriculum Manager for Teacher Education in the School of Graduate Studies, gives us a crash course in how to strengthen writing by more closely editing in her article, Improving Writing Through Editing. She provides some great tips we can pass along to our students (and yes, use ourselves).

Next, Kella Hammond, our Resource Specialist at the Writing Center, walks us through the steps of subscribing to our blog, so if you would like to receive an automated alert when new content is added, be sure to read How to be a WAC Groupie.

Kurtis Clements, who is helping to pilot the new Writing Coach program through the Writing Center, explains why we decided to implement the program and how it works in The Writing Coach Program: An Overview. Please be sure to contact Kurtis if you are interested in this cooperative effort to provide our students with the tools needed to improve their writing.

In the coming months, you’ll be hearing more about how we plan to implement the 6th edition of the APA Publication Manual released in July. We are in the process of updating our resources at the Writing Center, and when we move to our new portal in the spring, these updated materials will be available for students and faculty. For the sake of consistency across KU and to minimize confusion for our students, we are asking everyone to avoid enforcing or incorporating 6th edition APA rules or guidelines into KU courses until the Writing Center has completely updated all of its materials, including online documents and a new Writer’s Handbook. As I’m sure you are aware, this is a major undertaking, and we anticipate a launch/publication date in the early part of 2010. Pushing back the implementation of the new edition will not have a negative impact on our students because the changes in the 6th edition are not contrary to what they are already learning by using the 5th edition.

Since the purpose of following a standardized method of citation is to give credit where credit is due and avoid plagiarizing the work of another, how do we instill within our students the ethics of citation as opposed to simply its mechanics? Erica Ellsworth, a professor in the School of Criminal Justice, gives us some tips on how to explain why APA matters in her article, Why APA?

In Writing Strategies for Diverse Learners, Lissette Ramos, a professor in the School of Educational Studies, discusses how we can best help ESL students with their writing skills by providing a supportive environment that encourages student-centered learning. Truly connecting with our students is key. Patricia Silva, a professor in the School of Arts and Sciences, adds to this conversation by discussing ways instructors can open the lines of communication with their students and foster a more open and meaningful learning environment in Self-Developing Your Class. Also from the School of Arts and Sciences, Susan Erdakos focuses on the concept of compassion in the classroom in Where Does Compassion Fit?

Our final article this month comes from Diane Martinez, our Writing Specialist at the Writing Center and editor of our WAC Newsletter. Diane digs into the necessity of revision and how we, as educators, can find a healthy medium in Developing a Meaningful Revision Policy. We have to help students look past revision as a way to simply improve a grade and see that the process of revision helps them become stronger writers and ultimately, stronger communicators.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, everyone!

Best,

Susan is the Director of the Writing Center and Writing Across the Curriculum