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Engaging Students in Writing Labs: An Empirical Study of Reading and Commenting on Student Papers
Article Number: SIS842936AI201222
20th December, 2022
Author(s):
Joyce Adams
Abstract:
Writing Center literature fails to come to a consensus on whether students or tutors should
read student papers during tutorials. This empirical study sought to discover whether the
choice of reader and the timing of the tutors’ comments affected the engagement of the
student in the tutorial. The study explored six patterns of reading and commenting styles with
30 trials of each. Both students and tutors completed evaluation forms following each tutorial;
the results include a summary of the quantitative outcome, as well as insightful comments
that were included on the evaluation forms. Both students and tutors believe that it does make
a difference who reads the paper during Writing Center conferences and when tutors
comment on the papers. Having students read their papers aloud while writing tutors made
comments throughout not only helped student writers generate their own refinements, it also
provided conditions where fruitful discussion could take place. Anecdotally, the study also
raises timely questions about “control” and “agency” in the writing lab that will need to be
addressed by future research.