Thank you to everyone who has replied to my question, I've received a
great deal of helpful advice. 
As an addition to my original question, I am also keen to offer the
right support for dyslexic students who have help with proof reading
identified as part of their reasonable adjustments. How far do you think
it is acceptable to go with this? Has anyone experience of
'proof-correcting' for such students? I understand this to mean that the
tutor suggests a better form of words to express the student's original
idea - this seems to me to be one step on from proof-reading?
Hazel
(To clarify the situation here at Bishop Grosseteste - we don't have a
separate English language centre, although we do have a part-time
dyslexia support tutor who is the other member of the Learning Advice
team).  

-----Original Message-----
From: learning development in higher education network
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Julie Batchelor
Sent: 06 February 2008 18:57
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Proof reading policy

Hello All
The good news is that here in NZ we face exactly the same issues. I'm
relatively new in post here and am currently tackling this issue. I
inherited a proof reading policy, which stated that Learning Services
didn't offer a proof reading service, but then went on to detail the
'proof reading' that was available. We therefore sent a very mixed
message to students. We are very clear though, that we don't offer this
service.
We've begun to address this by re writing our policy for 1:1
appointments. This will hopefully encourage students who do come to see
us to have done some of the work themselves beforehand. We're asking
that they have read through their work, identified areas that they are
concerned with  (structure, referencing,academic tone, etc) and come
prepared with questions. As we are about to start the new academic year
we don't know how effective this will be. We've also added a new
workshop 'Tips for revising and editing your work'  to our series and
produced a new handout and added similar information to our online
resources. At this time of year, I'm also busy meeting with tutors to
talk about our service and reinforcing the policy, so that they don't
send the wrong message out to students. 
Looking forward to catching up with some of you in Bradford at the LDHEN
symposium 
Kind regards
Julie

Julie Batchelor
Learning Development Coordinator
Library and Learning Services ( mailto:[log in to unmask] )
Ph: 9408415


>>> Christine Pickering <[log in to unmask]> 7/02/2008 5:09 a.m.
>>>
Aha - the old chestnut!
 
We're very clear here at Leeds that we don't offer proof-reading (and
yes, that's what lots of students want!).  Ours is generic advice about
the writing, the tone, the logic, the balance, the flow, whether it does
what it says in the introduction, is the argument critically engaged
with the literature and balanced etc etc etc.  We offer links to other
places for help with grammar and punctuation, and did some research on
local proof-reading services and their charges, which we give to
students if that's the route they want to go down.
 
Proof-reading is not the same as giving advice on an essay, and as you
rightly observe is a 'piece of string' ie at what point do you stop?
Best to not start and be clear about what your service DOES offer.
 
Good luck
 
Chris
 

Student Development Officer
Skills Centre
University of Leeds
15 Blenheim Terrace
LEEDS
LS2 9JT
0113 343 2333
[log in to unmask] 

 

________________________________

From: learning development in higher education network
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Hazel C. Nicholson
Sent: 06 February 2008 15:23
To: [log in to unmask] 
Subject: Proof reading policy



Dear all,

Hello! I'm new in post and am trying to establish a clear policy around
the issue of proof-reading essays. Although I am clear that this is not
a service I am going to offer, some students seem to expect that I will
do so. Does anyone have a clear policy that works in managing student
expectations around this issue, while still encouraging them to seek
support for problems with spelling, punctuation and grammar? I had
wondered about offering to look at around 500 words of text, but not
whole essays. Also, I am unclear about whether it is appropriate to
offer a more comprehensive service for students with English as an
additional language - does anyone have any advice on this? 

Many thanks,

Hazel 

 

 

Hazel Nicholson

Learning Adviser

 

Bishop Grosseteste University College

Lincoln

LN1 3DY

 

Tel: 01522 583663 (Direct line)

Email: [log in to unmask] 

 

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