The Carol Jones Writing

Center Training Manual A Guide for Employees

By Chloe Massengale

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Table of Contents About the Writing Center................................................................................................................ 5

Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 7

Our Mission ................................................................................................................................ 7

What to Expect ............................................................................................................................ 7

Culture (Kulchur) ........................................................................................................................ 8

Keeping the Main Thing, the Main Thing .................................................................................. 8

Daily, Weekly, or Monthly Requirements ...................................................................................... 8

The Tutoring Process .................................................................................................................... 13

Scheduling a Session................................................................................................................. 13

During a Session ....................................................................................................................... 13

Ending a Session ....................................................................................................................... 14

Session Summaries ................................................................................................................... 14

When to File a Bit Report ......................................................................................................... 15

Online Appointments ................................................................................................................ 16

To Wrap it All Up ..................................................................................................................... 16

Other Services and Important Information ................................................................................... 19

In-house Orientations ................................................................................................................ 19

The Speech Center .................................................................................................................... 19

Other Writing Center Services .................................................................................................. 19

Other Campus Resources .......................................................................................................... 19

Contact Information and Hours .................................................................................................... 20

Tutor Feedback ............................................................................................................................. 21

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About the Writing Center A look into the culture and mission of the Last Best Place, and the requirements

that come with the position of being a tutor at the Carol Jones Writing Center.

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Introduction Welcome to the Carol Jones Writing Center (CJWC) at Ozarks Technical Community College

(OTC). Within this manual you will find useful tips, guidelines, instructions, and overall

requirements expected of each tutor throughout the semester. Other helpful insight will also be

provided by current tutors in order to help answer frequently asked questions that you may have.

Our Mission Here in the Last Best Place, each tutor helps students during all stages of the writing process. As

outlined in our mission statement, which can be found posted across the back wall of the CJWC,

we help people negotiate the process of solving problems through the act of writing. This means

that we work with students needing help with any class, as long as the assignment has something

to do with some form of writing. We also work with anyone on material that may not pertain to a

class, such as scholarship essays, resume or cover letter help, or any other personal work that

involves writing. One does not have to be a student at OTC or any other college institution to be

tutored.

What to Expect There is no specific, scripted way to tutor a student. We do follow the Socratic Method, but as

you will learn in training each week, everyone has their own way of handling a session because

each student is different. Some students are nontraditional and may be returning to college after

taking some time off, while others are completely new to college. We also work with English as

a Second Language (ESL) students who aren’t as familiar with the English language and may

require a different degree of help. Some students may have physical, mental, learning, or other

disabilities, (Disability Services for Students, or DSS), that we are more than happy to assist

while helping them manage their assignment. Other students simply want someone to look over

their paper, and may/may not require more help than others. We even tutor each other (as is

required) on any chosen assignment or personal work. We help anyone with any part of the

writing process.

As a tutor, you are expected to have a certain level of knowledge pertaining to writing as well as

the main foundations of the English language. With this in mind, we are not experts in the

subject. It is okay to have questions, ask other tutors for help, or refer to other guidebooks or

online outlets to use during a session or on your own time. Tutors often refer to the Prentice Hall

Reference Guide1, for example, as a means of help for the tutor and student in problem solving

and answering any questions over citations, grammar, how to do research, or the process of

writing as a whole. Students can also utilize citation help websites such as OWL Purdue. Some

websites, often recommended by teachers, do the citation work for the student, though not all are

reliable or entirely correct. Whenever in doubt, always ask Dr. Ball or other tutors to be assured

that you are not aiding the student in plagiarizing or incorrectly citing a source.

1 Prentice Hall Reference Guides are available for student and tutor use within the CJWC, or

may be purchased at OTC/other bookstores.

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Finally, you can’t always expect what will happen during a session or any time on the job. As

mentioned above, each student is different. The way you tutor one student may not be as

effective with another. There will be good sessions and bad ones, days that build your confidence

or may make you question your tutoring abilities, but you learn from these experiences and share

that knowledge with other tutors so we can learn how to manage different sessions to better suit

each individual.

Culture (Kulchur) This job is what you make of it. Enjoy the time you are here! At the Writing Center, you make

friends and build relationships. Working as a tutor requires you to work one on one with others,

which enhances communication, confidence, and overall people skills. This job is not only a

learning experience for the student or tutee, but for you as well. You will learn a lot from this

job—about people, teamwork, writing, and more. Be responsible and respectful of others. We

help people in many ways, but keeping the Writing Center a fun, welcoming, engaging, and

brain-stimulating environment helps us build the culture that makes the CJWC the last best

place.

Keeping the Main Thing, the Main Thing Everyone needs help with writing. As often discussed in our In-House Orientation meetings,

even the most acclaimed authors need help with their writing. You can find those helpers—

parents, editors, friends, whoever—in the acknowledgements page in any novel. There are many

people who help us the best they can with our writing, but that help and knowledge can only go

so far at times. As mentioned before, we help during all stages of the writing process. We try to

address all areas of concern in the student’s paper, but we can’t always go over everything. It is

important to consider the higher order concerns (HOCs) and lower order concerns (LOCs), and

be able to distinguish between the two. If you do run out of time before covering all areas of

concern, you can at least address the more important areas, first.

HOCs LOCs

Thesis

Audience/Purpose

Organization

Development of ideas

Sources/Evidence (in terms of

plagiarism)

Sentence structure

Grammar

Spelling

Punctuation

Word Choice

Daily, Weekly, or Monthly Requirements As Dr. Ball or any tutor in the Writing Center will tell you, it is vitally important for you to do a

number of tasks required daily, weekly, or monthly, as a required part of the job. Not doing or

correctly performing these tasks could result in penalty, a talk with Dr. Ball, or future

termination of the position.

These tasks or requirements include (listed in no particular order):

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1. Checking your email: You may receive emails from Dr. Ball any weekday—some sent

solely to you, some sent to everyone. There are different types of emails to look for, as

well as other information to remember:

o Always check your student and employee email accounts. Many of the group

emails sent out to all employees from Dr. Ball or sent between tutors are through

your employee email, while messages between you and Dr. Ball can more often

be found through your student email. This is not always the case, though, so it is

important to always check both accounts frequently.

o Check your email each weekday before noon. Doing this makes sure you are

aware of what is going on, ready to act on any issues or concerns which may

present themselves, and that you are up to date on any further requirements Dr.

Ball may ask of you.

o Look for boogie checks—these are sent out by Dr. Ball to make sure you are

checking your email and are responsive in the given time period.

o Look for subliminal messages—these emails are sent to let you know that Dr.

Ball has posted an important message to everyone under the Lessons link in

Blackboard. You will need to read the post and respond to it via email in the time

allowed (as Dr. Ball will mention in the subliminal message email). Subliminal

messages may include his discussions over any issues in the shop, words of

wisdom and helpful instruction, and other important information.

2. Attend weekly training: when you fill out your schedule preference sheet, you will note

which training hour you will attend weekly. The training hours to choose from are

Tuesday, 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., or Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. You are required

to attend training once every week, where we may discuss “nuts and bolts”, any issues in

the shop, topics in the chosen tutor-instructional book of the semester, and any writing

exercises to improve tutoring skills.

Note: when marking the time you worked each week on the paysheet, for training

hours, only mark the time in 30 minute intervals. Ex: Tuesday: 2:30 p.m. to 3:00

p.m., or 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. (with other hours for the day marked as well).

3. Fill out the paperwork: there are various forms and worksheets we are required to fill

out during and after tutorials, as well as when we enter and exit the Writing Center. It is

important to keep track of this paperwork and know the appropriate locations to put and

retrieve different forms.

Note: examples of most of the paperwork listed below can be found in the back of

this manual beginning on page 11, under Paperwork Examples.

This paperwork includes:

o Time Sheet: you will need to clock in and out (for your shift) on the computer

and in print.

Print version: There is a Time Sheet located in the purple folder at the

front desk—by your name, write the times in and out that you are there for

that day. Do the same for each day of the week you are there.

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Online/Electronic version: This copy is sent to HR at the end of each

month and must be done correctly in order to be paid the following month.

To navigate to the payroll sheet, follow the steps below. Note: you must be

logged into an OTC computer to retrieve your paysheet.

o CRLA log: used for keeping track of tutorials. You will write the date, followed

by the total time in the session (round the minutes), your initials, and a brief

description of the session. Once all 20 slots on the sheet are completed, leave the

log in the purple folder behind the front counter.

o Session summaries: include a detailed description of what was discussed/what

work was done during the session. This is the only section you should fill out—

the rest is done by receptionists. More details on how to fill out a session

summary form can be found in the Tutoring Process section.

o ENG 040/050 rubric: these sheets are not really for tutors to fill out, but act as

more of a checklist to follow when tutoring ENG 040 and 050 students. The

objectives on these sheets are what the professors are looking for when grading

the student’s papers, so it can be helpful to reference when discussing the

student’s work/paper with them. These rubrics can be found in the filing cabinet

at the front desk.

o 20 Valued Practices for Tutoring Writing: a list of objectives for tutors to

follow and use during their sessions, and record their observations weekly in the

column next to the tutoring practice listed. Practice 1 should be used during Week

1 of the semester, for example, and so on.

o Weekly Tutor Checklist: a list of ten required items (or “Ten Commandments”)

you are required to do weekly. You will complete this checklist for the first four

weeks of the semester (as a new tutor) and continue to carry on these tasks for as

long as you are employed. If you did not complete one of the items, provide a

reason at the bottom of the worksheet.

4. Payroll: Once you have completed the payroll sheet on the computer, you will print it

out, sign and date the form, and put it in the purple folder for Dr. Ball. It is recommended

to have another tutor look over your payroll sheet to make sure all items have been filled

out correctly. Tutors are paid between 15th and 18th the following month.

5. Online Session Summaries (Blackboard): By the end of each week, tutors are required

to post a summary of the week’s sessions under the Discussion link on Blackboard. Here,

tutors can comment and discuss on each other’s thoughts and questions over tutorials.

6. Other information available on blackboard: On the Writing Center’s Blackboard,

tutors can not only find various discussions over different topics and important “lessons”

posts dating back to 2007, but also view staff contact information (phone number, email,

etc.), and easily navigate to the “send email” link, where you can send emails to all or

select tutors.

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Tutorial Set-Up

When working with a student in a session, it is important to know how to properly

document it afterwards, how to work with different types of students, and manage

a session overall.

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The Tutoring Process As mentioned before, there is no specific, outlined script for everyone to use when conducting a

tutorial. Everyone has their own way of tutoring, while keeping the Socratic method in mind—

asking the student thought-provoking questions and stimulating their own critical thinking,

instead of telling them the answers outright. You may also refer to the various levels of Bloom’s

Taxonomy (provided in the Paperwork Examples section) on how to solve problems and

enhance critical thinking, break down learning, and analyze/help the student analyze their work

during a session. There are good and bad elements to each tutorial with a student, as each student

is different, and different ways of handling specific situations during a session. There are certain

things to keep in mind during a session, guidelines to follow, and other methods to consider, as

well as knowing how to document sessions correctly, especially if issues arise for any reason.

Scheduling a Session Students are allowed two sessions per week. The normal session duration is one hour, though the

session may not last the entire hour, dependent on the student. Students can schedule a session

over the phone or in person, and walk-ins are welcome as well, though the availability of

tutors/session times may vary. We typically get busier during the last half of the semester,

especially closer to finals, though this is not always the case.

During a Session As noted before, every session is different, and you may encounter issues. Some students are

more willing to work with you than others, and sometimes, you may not be very compatible with

the student. There are certain ways to introduce a session, ways to handle different situations,

and particular items to remember as you work through the tutorial. These items to remember are

listed below.

1. You may have a session scheduled first thing when you start your shift. Be prepared.

Regardless of whether the session is in person or online, it doesn’t hurt to keep the

Prentice Hall Reference Guide on hand, or grab a scrap piece of paper to help you or the

student work through the session.

2. Always introduce yourself and be friendly to the student. Students may choose to sit at

one of the tables or may access one of our computers.

3. Ask the student:

a. what they are working on. You may go over details of the assignment so you

know what is expected and required in the student’s work.

b. if they have any questions from the beginning, or if there are any areas of concern

they want to address in their papers (first). We cannot always cover an entire

paper in the hour time slot, or answer all of the questions they may have, so it is

important to go over grey areas or the major questions they have first, (addressing

their HOCs), before moving on.

4. It is encouraged to have the student read their paper aloud. This way, students may catch

their own mistakes as they read through their work. Some students do not want to read

their paper, which we can still work with, but the main area of concern is that we cannot

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write on their papers. It is easy for the student to make their own corrections on their

paper as they read through it, if they choose, but we cannot do the same. We are not peer

reviewers, and do not “proofread”, but we can still help the student with any questions

they may have over their writing.

5. As they read through their paper, you may politely stop them in certain areas in a

paragraph, at the end of a paragraph, or the end of the paper, and discuss what they have

just read. Ask questions. From there, you can move on through the paper at certain pace,

stopping them when necessary.

Note: Sometimes, the students stop themselves after noticing errors and fix their

mistakes, which is essentially the plan. They may also stop due to uncertainty and

ask questions, which we can do our best to answer (or help the student find the

answer). Using sources such as the Prentice Hall Reference Guide and other

handbooks available in the Writing Center (and online), we can encourage

students to follow the guidelines presented in these sources to better answer

formatting, grammatical, or other similar questions they may have.

6. If the session lasts…

a. 15 minutes (or a similarly short time), are you asking questions and giving the

student time to answer? Are you doing the work for them?

b. 45-50 (or longer, often), are you keeping the main thing, the main thing? Are you

staying focused on the assignment?

7. If you and the student did not cover everything they wanted to cover in time, or you

noticed other errors in the paper you did not have time to review, let the student know of

these errors and note that you did not get to go over them in the session summary.

Ending a Session When you are nearing the end of your session, be sure to let the student know. Mention

something like, “Just to let you know, we only have about ten minutes remaining. Is there any

final questions you have before we end our session?” It doesn’t hurt to let the student how much

time is left prior to the ten-minute mark, as well. In those last ten minutes, you may also discuss

what you and the student went over in the session, and what the student plans to work on once

he/she leaves the Writing Center.

Always recommend the student to set up a follow up session (or otherwise future sessions), to

look over the final draft of an assignment, to go over another assignment, or just to simply let the

student know that you (or anyone else) would be happy to work with them again. The student

may want to continue working on their own in the shop after the session, so whether the student

stays or not, be sure to let the receptionist know. Lastly, ask the student if they have a moment to

fill out the exit/satisfaction survey on the computer up front before they leave. It is a brief survey

asking a few questions about the session, and allows the student to add any comments

(anonymously) that they may have about the Writing Center or the tutor(s).

Session Summaries In a session summary, you will provide a brief description of the session. Most other areas of the

form, such as the student’s name and course information, time in/out, etc. should already be

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filled out by a receptionist, but it doesn’t hurt to double check that the information is correct as

you receive the form. When your session is about to start, a receptionist will hand you the

session summary sheet, let you know the student’s name, and where the student is located in the

Writing Center. You will sit down with the student and begin the session as described in the

During a Session section.

During the session, you should not write on your session summary sheet as a courtesy to the

student. If the student asks about the form, you may let them know that a summary of the session

will be sent to their teacher. There are two sheets: the top white sheet is the copy that goes to Dr.

Ball, and the bottom yellow sheet goes to the teacher. Remember: Anything bad you think Dr.

Ball may need to know about that happened during the session should go on the bottom of the

white sheet only. This “bad stuff” may include:

If the student was plagiarizing, and you let them know they were, but they took little to

no action to fix it.

If the student has issues working with you or vice versa: list the reasons why.

If the student was hostile, could cause harm to others or themselves. This information

could very well qualify for a BIT Report.

If the student talks badly about the professor. This one may vary—sometimes, students

are looking to complain about the class, assignments, or professor. It happens, but do not

agree with them or further discuss the matter. Move on… The student could use this

against you and say you talked badly about the professor.

When to File a Bit Report If you are ever at all concerned for a student’s wellbeing, (or others’ wellbeing in light of the

student’s behavior), this could be reason enough to file a BIT report. Sometimes, students are

having a rough time at school, at home, at work, whichever, and carry it with them wherever

they go. It happens to all of us. It’s hard not to bring those emotions in to the Writing Center, and

when it happens with students, they may look to us as someone to talk to. You always want to

make sure you are keeping the student on track with the assignment, but it’s important to be

understanding and listen to them as well. If a student is struggling, or seems hostile or violent

toward themselves or others, they may need to talk to someone (other than a tutor). There are

counseling services on campus who serve students with that need, and when a BIT report is filed,

this staff (among others) are notified, and the student may be pulled aside and offered counseling

help. You may be contacted about the situation, but the student will not know who filed the BIT

report.

When in doubt, file anyway. It doesn’t hurt you or the student, and initially, it may even help the

student and any others involved in the matter.

To file a BIT report, you can find the protocol and how to submit one by typing it in the search

engine on OTC’s website, or go to this link:

https://publicdocs.maxient.com/incidentreport.php?OzarksTech

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Online Appointments Online appointments are becoming more popular each semester. You may encounter only a few

in a semester, or none at all. Only Level II tutors and higher can do online tutorials, and if you

ever need help setting one up, don’t hesitate to ask. These appointments are aimed to help

students who can’t make the extra trip to school, go to a different campus or school, or otherwise

prefer to work in a session online. You will wear a headset, and speak to the student through the

microphone, or through the chat box on the computer. You may also work through the webcam

and see each other during the session. All of these methods of communication are optional for

the student, who may prefer one over the other.

To Wrap it All Up Final do’s and don’ts of the job (in no particular order):

DO:

Be on time.

Clean up after yourself.

Be kind, friendly, and welcoming to people.

Check your email.

Do a weekly session summary on Blackboard.

Attend weekly training.

Listen, learn.

Leave drama at home.

Fill out the necessary paperwork.

When in doubt over something pertaining to writing, review sources such as

APA/MLA/other handbooks, the Prentice Hall Reference guide, and other print and

online resources available in the Writing Center and online.

Ask questions.

Ask students to fill out the exit survey when they leave.

File a BIT report when necessary.

Keep the main thing, the main thing.

DO NOT:

Do not mark on the student’s paper.

Do not discuss the student’s teacher, their teaching methods, a grade on a paper, a

grading system, or any other teachers with the student you tutor.

Do not be too loud. Keep the noise level down/to a minimum.

Do not talk about sessions outside of the Carol Jones Writing Center. If you have an

issue you need to address regarding a session, you may talk with someone about it in

“Narnia”, (or the outside hallway near the elevator).

Do not work on a speech if you are a Writing Center tutor.

Do not… worry too much the first day on the job!

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Other Important Information

The Writing Center offers a variety of benefits for students and is a welcome

environment for everyone. We not only help people in tutorials, but also guide

students to other in-person resources and services. Tutor feedback is also provided

in this section.

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Other Services and Important Information

In-house Orientations Mostly at the beginning of each semester, teachers will bring their classes in to learn more about

the Writing Center and encourage their students to seek help with us for future writing

assignments. These meetings, called In-House Orientations, give us the perfect opportunity to

bring students in to the shop. Veteran tutors are scheduled, similarly like a session, to present the

In-House Orientation Spiel, which can last up to a half hour. There is a basic script that can be

used during the In-House or otherwise referenced to, which can be located in the filing cabinet at

the front desk. The tutor (speaker) will place emphasis on the services the Writing and Speech

Center have to offer, what a typical session will look like, and how we help people. The speaker

will give the audience members opportunities to speak up about their writing problems and who

helps them with their writing in order to let students know that we help with all stages of the

writing process. They will also provide other important information about the Writing Center and

answer any questions the students may have.

The Speech Center The Writing Center also shares space with the Speech Communication center, which helps

students with all areas of Public Speaking and Communication. Students also have the option of

rehearsing their speech in a closed room or recording themselves on camera to better prepare for

a presentation.

Other Writing Center Services Aside from offering help with writing, the Writing Center also serves as an open computer lab

and study area. Students can come in to be tutored, work on their homework alone at a computer

or table, and also work on group projects. The Writing Center is not the quietest place to study,

as we often tell students, but is a fun and welcome place if only just to hang out. We also provide

free coffee and a microwave.

The Writing Center staff is also ready to help students who are new to campus or unsure of the

locations of their classrooms. We are allowed to show, direct, and/or take students to the area of

campus they are looking for. We help people…

Other Campus Resources There are several other tutoring and help resources available for students that need assistance

with other areas of study. A few are listed below, and their locations and even more resources

can be found on the Campus Resources page in the Required Paperwork section.

Career Employment Services (CES): provides career assistance for students, alumni,

and community members. In the process of career exploration, CES helps with resume,

cover letter, and interview preparation, and other job search strategies. The CJWC can

assist students writing resumes and cover letters, but it is often best to advise them to go

to the CES first for specific questions and professional career-search assistance help.

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Springfield Hamra Library: located directly downstairs below the Writing Center.

Aside from carrying a wide selection of books and magazines, the librarians also provide

one-on-one research help for students.

Speckman Tutoring and Learning Center: offers tutoring assistance for courses such

as Math, Computer Applications, Chemistry, A&P, and Study Skills.

Aside from one-on-one tutoring assistance, there are also many print and online resources we

recommend for students in need of formatting and research help. On the student’s myOTC

account under the Resources tab, students can find research databases such as EbscoHost and

JStor, which provide academic articles for students looking for scholarly sources. Students can

also find helpful formatting, grammar, and structural guidelines in other texts provided in the

Writing Center (and some at the OTC bookstore, as well), such as the Prentice Hall Reference

Guide, and the APA and MLA manuals (various editions), which can be found on the

bookshelves at the entrance and near the back of the Writing Center.

Contact Information and Hours The Carol Jones Writing Center and Speech Center hours are:

Writing Center Speech Center

Monday-Thursday: 8:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday: 8:30 a.m – 6:30 p.m.

Friday: 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Friday: 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Saturday: 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Saturday: Closed

Sunday: Closed Sunday: Closed

Writing Center Phone Number: (417) 447-8235

Speech Center Phone Number: (417) 447-8982

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Tutor Feedback This section is devoted to things tutors wish they would have known prior to working at the

Writing Center—questions they had, their muddiest points, how they learned from each

experience, and what processes they used to solve these problems.

The list below was provided by current and previous tutors—updated December, 2015.

1. “If you need help, there will be others to help you. (The Writing Center) is like a second

family: it is a warm place that will always be there for our tutor family… Our last best

place.” – Alisha Howell

2. “It’s ok to keep the CRLA logs brief. If they are too long, it can become more work and

more complicated.”

3. “Not every session will go great. In some sessions, the tutor can’t always connect to the

student, and other times vice versa. Don’t take it hard if it doesn’t work out”. – Sandy

Oxendine

4. “Check your email to avoid issues!!!” – Brandon Perkins

5. “I was really nervous going into my first session. I wish I would have set up an

appointment with another tutor to get a better idea of how a typical session is run… but

you get the hang of it pretty quick. Get your work tutored… often!” – Chloe Massengale

6. “You don’t need to memorize and know everything right off the bat. There is help (we

help!) and resources available.” – Stephanie Tucker

7. “I found it helpful to keep a notebook of my sessions... That way, you can write out

different types and know more of what to do for each kind of session—what to do and

what not to do. It also helps you keep track of things amid all the paperwork.” – Elizabeth

King

8. “Check BOTH emails. Learn the practice. Keep up with everything on Blackboard.” –

Dylan Turner

9. “It didn’t occur to me until I had been a tutor for a while that, though tutoring is a job and

should be treated with all the respect that you treat a job, look at it like a class. We’re

here to learn as much as those we’re tutoring. So take notes, use highlighters, and do

almost all the things that you’d normally do in class, except sleep…” – Scott Cain

10. “I wish I would have known payroll better. It’s an intimidating system, but there are

people there to help and make sure you’re doing it right!” – Cassidy Bright

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Paperwork Examples 1. ENG 040 Grading Rubric

2. ENG 050 Grading Rubric

3. CRLA Log

4. Session Summary

5. Tutor Self-Assessment Questionnaire

6. Weekly Tutor Checklist

7. 20 Valued Practices for Tutoring Writing

8. Additional Worksheets (Not to Fill Out):

a. Bloom’s Taxonomy

b. Campus Resources