Benefiting Most from a Writing Tutorial

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Benefiting Most from a Writing Tutorial

• Writing Lab Orientation for ESL Writers

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What is a Tutorial

• 30-minute One-to-One Session with a Tutor
• Purpose
• To help you become a better writer
• What Happens
• You ask questions.
• We try to answer them.
• We also ask question to help you approach the
  writing task

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A Tutor Can Help You at Every Stage of the
Writing Process

• Invention
• Research
• Drafting
• Revising
• Editing

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One Thing to Remember

• A tutor does NOT correct/proofread your paper
  because
• that does not help you become a better writer.
• But the tutor can teach you HOW to proofread.

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Dos Donts

• Plan ahead come when you start writing or with a
  first draft.
• Before you come set an agenda for the tutorial
• Do NOT come at the last minute because you will
  have little time for revision!
• Do NOT expect to work on too many issues in one
  tutorial.

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Setting an Agenda

• What do you want to work on
• Why is agenda-setting important
• Tutorials are different from the instruction in
  the classroom setting. Tutors usually ask you
  what you want to work on.
• You know your own writing best.
• Be realistic about what can be done in one
  tutorial and set priorities.

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HOC and LOC

• What are HOC (Higher Order Concerns)
• What are LOC (Lower Order Concerns)

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Higher Order Concerns

• Focus/Thesis
• Purpose
• Audience/Readers
• Organization
• Development

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Lower Order Concerns

• Grammar
• sentence structure
• punctuation
• prepositions
• articles
• verb tense
• Word choice
• Spelling

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The Need to Prioritize

• If you want to work on both HOCs and LOCs with a
  writing tutor we suggest you plan to work on
  HOCs first because
• We have limited time in a tutorial.
• Starting with LOCs may distract you from global
  issues (HOCs) you may need to address.
• After your work on HOCs you may delete/add some
  parts.

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Five-Topic Agenda-Generator

• Instructions for the assignment
• Your familiarity with the writing task
• Preferred textual patterns in AAE (American
  Academic English)
• Development
• Lower Order Concerns

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Instructions for the Assignment

• Do you have any questions about the instructions
• Is there an assignment sheet
• Do you have notes taken in class

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Your Familiarity with the Task

• Have you worked on this kind of writing task
  before
• Did you read samples written by others
• What questions do you have about the writing
  task

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Your Familiarity with Preferred Textual Patterns
in AAE (American Academic English)

• Thesis statement (your main point)
• Structure
• Transitions
• Direct concise and to the point
• OWL Handout Writing for an American Academic
  Audience

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Development

• Have you supported your main points
• with supporting details
• For Example
• It is important for you to try to set the agenda
  for the tutorial in advance because
• 1. We have only thirty minutes
• 2. The tutorial is more effective if we focus on
  one or two concerns
• 3. Students usually learn best when they take the
  initiative in the learning process.

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Lower Order Concerns

• Grammar
• What are the patterns of grammatical errors I
  tend to make
• Word Choice
• What are the words I am using but uncertain
  about
• Actually there is a 24-7 teacher to help you
  with most of your lower order concerns.

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Your Best 24-7 Teacher

• The right dictionary!
• Tells you the part of speech of words
• Gives you examples of word usage
• Provides collocations
• Provides usage notes

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Recommended Dictionaries for ESL Writers

• Longman Dictionary of American English
• Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
• Longman Web Dictionary
• www.longmanwebdict.com

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Dictionary Use Basics

• Read the Full Guide for Users in hard copy!
• Learn grammar
• Parts of speech
• Learn Usage
• collocations
• phrasal verbs
• usage notes

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Questions to Ask Yourself Regarding Grammar

• What are my grammar questions
• Can I find the answer in a good dictionary
• If you cannot
• What exactly is my grammar question Can I write
  it down
• Can I underline the parts I have questions about
• Then take your questions and your paper with the
  underlined sections to the Writing Lab.

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We Have Covered

• What a writing tutorial is
• What a tutor can help you with your writing
  process
• Dos and Donts
• A Five-Topic agenda-generator
• We hope you have learned more about writing
  tutorials and benefit most from them in the
  future!

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For More Help with Writing

• Visit the Writing Lab at HEAV226
• Call 49-43723 to schedule a tutorial
• Attend more in-lab workshops
• Visit Online Writing Lab at
• http//owl.english.purdue.edu

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The End