I got to sit in on another consultation on Thursday, and I was glad that it was in a subject that I have doubts about being able to help anyone with. Biology, yuk! Although I did pass my class last year, I want to stay far far away from it now.
The good thing was that it was a intro class, and the student was not a biology major. Ian told me that soon there will be an influx of students coming in for the 100 level biology classes, so at least now I know what to expect.
What the student was needing help on what just his introduction at this point. The student was prepared, and had already brainstormed and written allot down. He had wanted to include a quote in his intro, and wasn't sure how to cite it. Ian pointed out to him that it was a general knowledge issue, and that he didn't need to quote it, just put it in his own words. I am not sure if the student was relived or not. This brought a question up in my mind. Is it a general rule to not put quotes in an introductory sentence, or does it depend on the subject or type paper?
After the 15 minute session, he thanked Ian and expressed that he had learned allot and had been helped more then he had the last time he had been in. I thought this strange, because the other consultant he had seen I know is very helpful with other students. So it made me wonder if he was just listening better.
A little side note: the student told us that he pays a biology student $20 an hour to tutor him. But he had come to the WC for this part of the process of writing his paper so he didn't have to pay the tutor for it. He was wanting to get it completed and then take it for approval with his tutor. Interesting---
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Val--
ReplyDeleteIn your post you ask, "Is it a general rule to not put quotes in an introductory sentence, or does it depend on the subject or type paper?" My answer: it depends. This is actually a very common answer when it comes to writing. Expect to hear it a lot! There are very few "general" rules that apply to all kinds of writing.
You also mention how the student noted how this was a more productive session in the Center than his previous experience. This can be for many reasons. Sometimes a person can just "click" better with a different consultant, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. I actually encourage students to try out consultants to find a good fit. It also can just depend on the day--was the student less engaged? Was the consultant distracted? Was it a full moon? I think it must have been a positive experience to some extent since this student came back.
That is interesting about the biology tutor. The biology students have been required to come to us, so this student would be using our service regardless. Maybe we should put out a tip jar.
As far as the grammar stuff goes, I think I agree that one doesn't need to know everything about grammar to have productive conversations about writing. In fact, in the book GRAMMAR FOR DUMMIES, they have sections labeled something like "Grammar Tips to Know if You Want to Irritate Others." I like that. Later in the semester we'll talk about punctuation, and that seems to be the time when consultants really get a handle on how they might approach grammar in consultations.
Thanks for your thoughts here, Val!
Enjoy your weekend!
mk