|
Do Students Prefer Written or Oral Comments? |
 |
|
Do Students Prefer Written or Oral Comments? |
|
The writing center's fall survey found that seniors' preferred responses to drafts match the types of response faculty in their divisions give. These results indicate that seniors receive the types of response they prefer on their papers or that they have grown to prefer the response they receive from faculty (see Table 1).
| Group |
|
|
|
| Seniors | 74% preferred written comments | 57% preferred oral comments | 67% preferred oral comments |
| Faculty | 85% gave written comments | 73% gave oral comments | 60% gave oral comments |
In a Blackboard discussion forum that is
part of their training, tutors shared the types of comments from
professors that have helped them improve their writing. Carrie Harper, junior history and
English major, says that written criticism has worked best to
improve her writing skills. Although she does not always enjoy
seeing "blood red marks scribbled in the margins," she
learns from mistakes she generally does not recognize until professors
point them out. Senior English major David Wagner also
likes specific written comments noting "what does work and
what doesn't."
Emilia Autenzio, senior history and English major, prefers written
comments on final drafts: "I hate to be told out loud I made
a grammar mistake," she says. "And if the comments are
good, I still want to read them in private so I can gloat! When
the professor tells me to my face that I have written an excellent
paper, I feel the need to look pleased but humble; however, if
the same comment is written, I can jump around, pump my fist in
the air, and show friends tangible proof of my genius." Junior
English major Elizabeth
Anderson, who prefers conferences,
agrees that positive written comments provide encouragement that
can be read again and again: "Nothing beats having IN WRITING
that you did a good job on a paper."
Jill Walker, senior English major, says that "it's great when the professor marks passages or points out awkward sentences with the infamous red pen (or purple--Dr. Simpson's favorite)." However, Jill "wouldn't trade the face to face conferences for anything." Bonnie Glymph, junior English major, agrees: "Five minutes of quality conversation is better than a paper covered in written remarks."
Early in the process of writing a paper, Autenzio enjoys bouncing ideas back and forth with a professor. With her honors history research, she says, "I dealt with what felt like an enormous amount of information, and sometimes I felt like I just opened my mouth and babbled or sat down at the keyboard and spewed forth factoids without rhyme or reason. Dr. Heiser read my work, listened to my words, and helped me organize my thought processes."
"I've learned that the works I produce are really just better when I get to talk about my ideas (or my lack thereof) with someone else," says Terri Helfrey, senior history and religion/philosophy major. Richard Baker introduced her to "real discussions about writing" when she took his Ethics and the English Novel class as a sophomore. He reads her rough draft, makes written comments on it, and then they "just sit down and talk about the things that are amazing about [her] paper and the things that can use some fine tuning." Emily Cook, senior English major, also credits Baker for the "way he demands writing to actually be a process, a re-working and re-writing of ideas." She appreciates a "chance to clarify the point I want to make in that particular paper, not just to remember to do better on my next one. Writing should be a learning opportunity too, not just a time for evaluation and grading."
Junior English and secondary education major Beth Allen says conferences with English professor Lynne Simpson have taught her "how to work on being concise as [she tends] to be extremely wordy." Wagner leaves new English professor Lea Williams' conferences feeling he can present his points more clearly. Marion Jackson, junior English major, says of Terry Barr, another English professor: "Just talking to him about the paper encouraged and motivated me to work harder."
"Conferences do more to improve my writing than any of the red marks that inevitably end up on the paper," says Katie Lenhart, senior English major, "because I get the chance to dialogue with the professors about why they suggest what they do." She also likes to bring questions she has about her writing and finds "the verbal affirmation very encouraging." Even when a professor tells her the paper needs more work, she leaves encouraged, knowing where to "expend [her] energy and time." As Elizabeth Michael, senior music and religion/philosophy major, states, "There is no substitute for the face-to-face conversation [to] glean the clearest understanding of another reader's impression of my paper."
Part of the conference procedure for these students is writing down what the professor says. "I take copious notes in my own personal 'Jill language,'" says Walker. For example, "Sentence bites" or "Paragraph needs irrelevant details exorcised." She draws her own symbols and lines to indicate where she needs to work on organization. Michael too "jots down notes" as the professor talks, interrupting "occasionally to ask for clarification or to explain the intent behind [her] words-an intent which is all too often obscured by an excessive vocabulary and string of prepositions." Clarity and conciseness are her struggles as a writer.
Nonetheless, the notes are "not as important as the experience of the conference itself," says Helfrey, a firm believer in relationships. "Not only have I improved my writing because of [Baker's] comments, but I have also been given a chance to form a relationship with a professor simply by continuing a discussion from class in a paper conference." Glymph agrees that "the connection between two human beings" is what makes writing conferences a joy for her. Jackson says, "At PC, we are fortunate to be able to form relationships with professors through conferences and to have professors who enjoy giving this extra help."
|
|
|
Home Page |