THE WRITING CENTER - UC SAN DIEGO
Issue 4
1
The
Writing
Center
UC San Diego
May 2014
STAFF WRITERS: NICHOLE NOMURA, CHIRAG KRISHNA
PHOTOGRAPHERS: JACI LERNER, MARIANNE ZAPE
The Writing Center and Beyond
Creating Lines of Communication
In less than two years since its initial
by [Article Author]
launch, the Writing Center is operating
smoothly and successfully. But more growth
and development may be in the center’s
future. “Expand the role of the Writing
Center to advance students’ academic and
career goals” is one item in the university’s
new strategic plan, which was presented to
the campus community by UCSD Chancellor
Pradeep Khosla at an April 24 Town Hall
meeting.
To explore future possibilities and to
provide more avenues for communication
among Writing Center staff, faculty,
students, and the university community at
large, two new advisory groups have been
formed. The center’s Faculty Advisory Board
was created by the UCSD Council of Provosts
(COP), and includes six faculty members
representing each academic division. A
Mentor Advisory Council, consisting of eight
representatives from the Writing Center’s
peer mentoring staff, has also been created.
According to COP chair Steven Adler,
“The Faculty Advisory Board will provide the
Council of Provosts with feedback, strategize
and develop connections between the center
and academic departments, serve as a
sounding board concerning the center’s
operations, and provide the director with
faculty wisdom as the center continues to
emerge as a critical resource for students.”
The board has already met once with
Writing Center director Madeleine Picciotto.
Dr. Picciotto notes, “It’s valuable to hear
what professors across the academic
departments have to say about how the
center can best serve student and faculty
needs.”
The Mentor Advisory Council has had
several meetings with the center director to
convey their ideas regarding ongoing
operations and future directions. One
specific suggestion that emerged was to
have current peer mentors more fully
involved in the selection process for next
year’s staff. As a result, experienced mentors
are now assisting with candidate interviews.
Additional recommendations will be
implemented in the coming academic year.
Council member Dustin Crystal explains,
“Since we’re in touch with students every
day in our one-on-one sessions, we have a
keen sense of what students really need from
the center, and what the center requires in
order to fulfill those needs.”
The two advisory boards ultimately came
together when Faculty Advisory Board Chair
and chemistry professor Skip Pomeroy asked
the Mentor Advisory Council to share their
“wish list” for center development. As
communication continues, there is great
potential for enrichment of Writing Center
services.
IN THIS ISSUE
By the Numbers: page 2
Across the Disciplines: page 3
Writing with Integrity: page 3
Spotlight:
Jenny Haden
“People genuinely
appreciate
the personalized help
they receive here.”
Spotlight:
Adám Netanel
“I'm interesting in giving
students strategies
for critical thinking
and writing.”
Spotlight:
Cecilia Yu
“I’ve developed
many new techniques
by collaborating
with my peers.”
(Spotlights on page 2)
THE WRITING CENTER - UC SAN DIEGO | Issue 4
2
Mentor Spotlights
The 33 peer mentors who currently work at the Writing Center represent a wide range of backgrounds, interests, and experiences.
Get to know some of our talented staff!
Jenny Haden
Adám Netanel
Cecilia Yu
Year: Senior
College: Warren
Major: Literatures in English
Favorite Hobby: Swing
dancing, especially Lindy
Hop and Balboa
Year: Senior
College: Muir
Major: Psychology
Favorite Hobby: Making
music with various
instruments
Year: Senior
College: Roosevelt
Major: Environmental
Systems
Favorite Hobbies: Reading,
thrifting, and watching TV
I started working at the Warren College
Writing Center as a sophomore, and then
transitioned to the UCSD Writing Center as a
junior. I enjoy working as a writing mentor
because I think that people genuinely
appreciate the personalized help they receive
here. And it has made me think about ways to
improve my own writing – wide exposure to a
variety of writing styles and philosophies has
encouraged me in the development of my own.
I also appreciate the many different
opportunities I’ve had in terms of professional
development. Leading group workshops makes
me consider how to articulate and deliver
challenging information. Speaking at academic
conferences has made me more confident,
taught me how to communicate professionally,
and forced me to think on my feet. These skills
are valuable preparation for my eventual
entrance into the academic community as a
professor.
The community of writing center mentors
has been especially important to me. We take
an interest in each other’s work, helping each
other with mentoring strategies, and we’ve also
become close outside the center. The Writing
Center is my home away from home – I eat
here, I’ve even slept here, and I have my best
friends here!
I wanted to be a writing mentor because
I really like writing myself, and I wanted the
chance to work one-one-one with others to
help them improve. I’m interested in giving
students strategies for critical thinking and
writing that they can apply to all of their
academic work and beyond, not just the
paper they’re working on right now.
It’s sometimes been a challenge to
absorb the many different expectations in
the variety of assignments we work with.
I’ve learned to think quickly in interpreting
the range of prompts we see, and to
concisely explain to students the things
they might want to think about as they
approach their assignments.
In addition to working with students,
this year I’ve also been serving as the
center’s Technology and Media coordinator,
and that’s been enlightening! Keeping the
website and Facebook page updated has
taught me new skills, and I’ve enjoyed being
able to promote the Writing Center to
others.
I’m not quite sure where the future will
take me, but being able to help people
improve their abilities to think and express
themselves has led me to seriously consider
a career in education.
I applied to work at the Writing Center
because I like mentoring people and I like
writing, so this job seemed like the perfect
combination. I like helping students come up
with a rockin’ paper! It’s rewarding to see
students putting their best effort into their
writing.
Working with students who are writing
papers in all academic disciplines has made
me a more well-rounded mentor and a better
writer altogether. It's also kind of fun reading
the papers in progress, and being able to walk
away with knowledge about something like
dolphin sound waves!
I love the work environment here – both
the mentors and the students we see are
really cool and interesting people. Our space
is very welcoming and cooperative. When I
“eavesdrop” on other mentors’ sessions, I
always learn new things. I’ve developed many
new techniques by collaborating with my
peers.
Even though I won’t be working in the
field of writing after I graduate, one of the
best things I’ve learned through my work at
the Writing Center is how to be flexible, as I
adapt to the needs of each particular student
– and that’s a skill which will help me in
whatever else I do.
The Writing Center by the Numbers
In the current academic year, over 2000 different students have sought Writing Center assistance (as of May 15, 2014). In departmental interests, they
represent a broad cross-section of the undergraduate student body: 22% majoring in the Biological Sciences, 13% enrolled in the School of Engineering,
11% majoring in Economics, 5% majoring in Psychology. Almost half (47%) have come for help with argumentative essays; 16% have been working on
research projects or scientific papers. They have sought assistance with writing assignments in 287 different courses across the disciplines – from
anthropology to visual arts. Aside from the various university writing programs, the highest number have come to discuss papers for history courses.
47% argumentative essays
287 different courses
2,053 students
this yearso
THE WRITING CENTER - UC SAN DIEGO | Issue 4
Students Speak Out
-
3
Writing Across the Disciplines
“The mentors at the Writing Center often help
me understand the prompts, which is great
when I‘m really confused about what to write
for my assignment! They also help me to
understand the mistakes in my grammar.”
Tzu-Ying Chen, freshman
Muir College
“My appointment at the Writing Center was
awesome – it was so helpful in brainstorming
ideas for my paper.”
Azadeh Razavi, junior
Roosevelt College
-
“As an international student, I don’t consider
myself good at writing in English. However,
the Writing Center has really helped me to be
successful in my writing classes.”
Yik Lun Chan, junior
Roosevelt College
“The Writing Center is one of the most useful
resources at UCSD. My writing has improved
tremendously since I started to visit the
center. I wish I had come here sooner!
Gabrielle Pine, freshman
Warren College
Find out more about the Writing Center
at UC San Diego:
writingcenter.ucsd.edu
facebook.com/ucsdwritingcenter
twitter.com/writeUCSD
writingcenter@ucsd.edu
Human Biology major Anna Alvarado explains mitochondrial membranes to peer writing mentor Sarah Kowalski
as they discuss a feature article Anna is writing for the Saltman Quarterly.
As more students and faculty become aware of what the Writing Center has to offer, the range
of disciplinary writing the center works with has increased. In response to faculty requests, a
number of group workshops have been developed by center director Madeleine Picciotto to serve
students in specific courses and programs. The peer mentors’ ongoing training has included
techniques for working with a variety of paper genres from different academic disciplines, and
Writing Center handouts cover such topics as writing a scientific paper and preparing a policy
proposal.
Faculty who have requested course-specific programming have appreciated the center’s
assistance. Keith Pezzoli, who teaches a capstone course for Urban Studies and Planning majors,
mentions the “excellent tips” presented to his students. He adds, “Dr. Picciotto helped to explain
how to do interdisciplinary writing where the aim is to link knowledge to action for public benefit.”
USP faculty member Mirle Bussell also values the support that her students have received
from the center director and the peer mentors. “I have found this support enhances and improves
educational outcomes in my classes,” she notes.
Biology professor Lakshmi Chilukuri connected with the Writing Center as a resource for
students in her BILD 95 class. “My students appreciated the frank and very practical advice they
were given,” she says. Biology students writing for the Saltman Quarterly print and online
publications have also benefitted from the center’s group workshops and individual sessions.
Peer writing mentor Sarah Kowalski enjoys working with writers from different departments.
She explains, “When the subject matter is unfamiliar to me, there’s a real exchange of ideas, as the
student clarifies her own thinking and I convey what I know about the writing process.”
Helping Students to Write with Integrity
Kathryn Chang, Kevin Yen, and Elena Silva accept the
Academic Integrity Ally Award on behalf of the Writing
Center Peer Mentors at the Academic Integrity awards
ceremony on April 16.
At an awards ceremony on Apr. 16, the Writing Center’s peer mentors received the Academic
Integrity Ally Award for their work in helping students to write with integrity. This award is
intended to honor a staff member or campus unit that goes above and beyond ordinary
responsibilities to promote a culture of academic integrity at UCSD. Academic Integrity Advisor
and Education Coordinator Amanda Brovold explains, “We wanted to recognize the peer mentors
for honoring the pillars of integrity throughout the writing process.”
Effectively incorporating source material into a paper can sometimes be difficult. Peer mentor
Niki Moshiri observes, “Putting an argument or information into your own words shows more
mastery of the material, but students don’t always realize this or know how to do it well. I try to
make sure that students understand the best ways to demonstrate their knowledge responsibly
and appropriately, and that they’re careful about citing any source material they include.”
Figuring out how to smoothly and appropriately include quotations from academic
authorities, understanding the difference between a legitimately constructed paraphrase and
illegitimate borrowing of someone else’s language, learning how to properly attribute your
sources – these are challenges that many students face, and that the Writing Center’s peer
mentors are trained to address. They give students the tools they need to avoid unintentional
plagiarism, and help them manage the writing process from formulating a research question to
presenting a bibliography.