Hi everyone,
I’ve read these postings with
great interest as our unit here at Bradford is trying to sift through the mixed
messages students often get from different learning experiences, tutors and
institutions about proof-reading.
We offer extensive 121 and e-advice (where
we do look at entire works in progress, rather than little snapshots of 400-500
words) and have clear guidelines for students on what constitutes proof-reading,
why we don’t do it and what we offer instead. Like others, we also have a
resource giving proof-reader contacts if the student still feels they really
need to have their work professionally proof-read. We also run workshops, on
how to effectively edit and proof-read your own work, to try to empower
students so that they feel confident proof-reading for themselves.
What I was wanting to know is whether or
not anyone has any ‘proof-reading buddy’ style schemes? How do
people see it working if students are teamed up with other students to check
one another’s work? It’s something we’ve thought about trying
here but haven’t yet taken it forward.
Russell
Russell Delderfield
Academic Skills Adviser & Emotional
BD7 1DP
Tel: 00 44 1274 236794
Email: [log in to unmask]
Web: www.brad.ac.uk/developme
From:
learning development in higher education network [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Alec Gill
Sent: 07 February 2008 11:49
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Proof reading policy
Dear All,
Following upon the email below from my colleague (Peter Wilson at the SAS
in
http://www.hull.ac.uk/studyadvice/resources/acadw/01pdfs/proofread.pdf
This is one of many study guides to be found via our ‘Big Table’
at:
http://www.hull.ac.uk/studyadvice/serv_info/reso_bigtable.htm
Good Luck with your endeavours…
From: Alec
Gill
Study Advice Service Tutor / Web Designer
at The
www.hull.ac.uk/studyadvice
[log in to unmask]
01482.466149
MyWeb www.hull.ac.uk/php/cesag
From:
learning development in higher education network [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Peter M Wilson
Sent: 06 February 2008 18:23
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Proof reading policy
Hi.
Of
course students want proof-reading! So do I, sometimes... positively no
prizes for spotting typos in this mail. The easy way out is always a
temptation, and anyone under stress will be tempted. Including those
fragile beings called students.
We
don't do proof-reading here at
In our
case, the 'proof-reading' is limited by the half hour. Students who are
basically fine can have most of an assignment read in this time; some
non-native speakers get much more teaching, and very much less proof-reading (=
error-spotting), in that I can spend the whole time on one page of the draft or
less - including disquisitions on principles such as the uses of the article,
or the importance of pronouncing the endS of wordS, or the
difference between the plural of nounS and of verbs, or fine semantic
distinctions. In that time, as in all [good] teacher/learner encounters,
the human interaction takes over, and I trust leads to each learner making some
progress in learning. I do not think I materially add to the mark of the
piece under discussion; I DO hope that I improve the marks for assignments
written throughout the rest of the course. (I have some feedback from
departments that this actually happens.)
It is
this human interaction - and the essentially personal nature of writing (and
learning)that leads me to believe that the work is best done one to one.
Although this is undeniably more expensive than teaching classes, my own belief
is that is vastly more cost-effective. I note that it is opposite to Sarah
Williams' point: "We have also established a policy of doing no 1:1 work,
only seeing learners in groups within courses or in workshop situations for
specific study skills lessons: we certainly find this cuts down the
problem of being ‘approached’.", and I wonder about UWIC's
funding of student support. Their use of on-line seems to me to be quite
like our face-to-face in one way - that it must mean a very elastic time
allocation to each student, and will involve a personal interaction.
We also offer some on-line help, but I always advise students that half an
hour face-to-face is much better value for them than the hour that the Study
Advice Service gives me to work with an on-line query (not least because I am a
slow and careless typist, and much of the time is swallowed up by my
proof-reading my own work (usually in slapdash style).)
Can you
tell that I have not had many appointments this evening? I have certainly
started thinking about this issue again. I suppose that in the end I am
happy to rely on my own sense of professionalism and of ethics to stop me doing
improper thingsa for satudents. That might not be enough for any
rexternal assessor, of course.
Incidentally,
does anyone else use the "Track Changes" option in the Reviewing
Tolbar in Microsoft Word for on-line work? I find it very helpful and
easy - and a good sop to my conscience, in that I occasionally throw in a
question into a Comment in order to make the student think (and to avoid
actually making a correction). I always SAVE such a text as AMENDED [filename - date],
and edit the Properties to include [edited PMW] in the author
field. I started doing this when I was doing quite a lot of
poof-reading [nice typo] as a private job, and wanted to keep some record that
I was being an ethical teacher and not an unethical writer. I have never
actually been challenged.
Peter
Peter Wilson
Adviser in Academic Writing and
Study Skills
Study Advice Service
From: learning
development in higher education network on behalf of Hazel C. Nicholson
Sent: Wed 06/02/2008 15:22
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
LN1
3DY
Tel:
01522 583663 (Direct line)
Email:
[log in to unmask]
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