writers' identities; asynchronous training; tutoring session logistics; writing process; writing in the disciplines / writing across the curriculum

ABSTRACT

In this asynchronous module, tutors are introduced to working with graduate writers and genres. The module focuses on key differences between undergraduate and graduate writing, emphasizing genre awareness, self-efficacy, disciplinary expectations, and the heightened emotional stakes of graduate-level work. Initially designed for tutors who are not graduate students themselves, the training foregrounds strategies for engaging with occluded genres and negotiating expertise and authority in sessions. By combining reflective activities, targeted readings, and applied practice, this plan prepares tutors to support graduate writers confidently and effectively across multiple contexts. The materials are adaptable for centers seeking an accessible introduction to graduate writing support or wishing to reemphasize the transition writers experience when beginning graduate programs.

CONTENTS

TRAINING DETAILS

LESSON OVERVIEW

This asynchronous module was developed as part of the Utah Valley University (UVU) Graduate Writing Center (GWC) training program, which includes observations, in-person trainings, and supplemental asynchronous modules within a flipped, learner-centric training model. At UVU, the GWC is a branch of the main Writing Center and is generally staffed by undergraduate tutors who are certified to work with graduate writers after advanced, multi-semester training and onboarding. Writers’ work generally ranges from graduate school applications to graduate coursework in professional programs. This module serves as the final component of UVU’s four-module onboarding sequence before tutors move into discipline-specific writing and research instruction. 

Grounded in writing center pedagogy that positions tutoring as a collaborative learning process (Bruffee, 1984; Lunsford, 1991), this module prepares tutors who are unfamiliar with graduate writing genres and expectations to respond to writers whose needs differ significantly from those of undergraduates. Since graduate students and advanced writers may possess deep disciplinary knowledge but uneven confidence, particularly when working in new or occluded genres such as personal statements, theses, or grant proposals (Brooks-Gillies, Garcia, Kim, Manthey, & Smith, 2020), this module helps tutors recognize how writers’ self-perceptions shape the feedback they seek and how they receive it, enabling tutors to balance validation, critique, and directive support while maintaining student-writer authority. This module also helps tutors practice how to effectively structure (open, facilitate, and close) appointments with graduate writers and how to navigate issues related to expertise, self-efficacy, and the emotional stakes of advanced writing (Lundin, O’Connor, & Perdue, 2023; Phillips & Ryerson, 2022; Weakley & Pedretti, 2021).

Highlighting the high-stakes, longitudinal nature of graduate writing, curated readings, videos, reflections, and a tutoring scenario trains tutors to position writers as content experts while supporting genre awareness, rhetorical clarity, and writingprocess decisionmaking (Nowacek & Hughes, 2015). The scenario-based assignment reinforces applied judgment, asking tutors to review a graduate-level draft and appointment materials and articulate how they would prioritize concerns and structure the session. These activities prepare tutors to enter graduate student appointments with confidence, empathy, and flexibility.

LEARNING OUTCOMES/OBJECTIVES

Following the completion of this lesson, participants should be able to:

• Understand the basic distinctions between novice and advanced writers
• Understand undergraduate versus graduate writing expectations
• Adapt typical tutoring session structure for working with advanced writers
• Demonstrate an ability to support graduate or advanced writers

INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN

PRE-WORK

At the UVU GWC, prior to completing this lesson, tutors will have completed an observation or interview with an experienced GWC tutor, Center and University onboarding material and training (e.g., FERPA certification, modality training and practice, disciplinary writing conventions, etc.), and reviewed an overview of the GWC function and purpose. Tutors have also completed one full academic year of tutoring and two levels of CRLA prior to beginning their GWC-specific training. As a result, this module does not provide instruction about tutoring or pedagogical basics but instead builds on knowledge tutors should already know, like building rapport, setting an agenda, and scaffolding learning.

If this module is being used to train graduate writing center tutors who do not have any tutoring or teaching experience, I would recommend providing your staff with training on program specific logistics and tutoring basics, including how to structure a session (open, facilitate, and close) an appointment ethically and effectively. 

The following content included in the introduction, body of lesson, and conclusion sections is the material that exists in the asynchronous module itself and is intended directly for the training tutor. Module content is presented in a Canvas module with attachments embedded in the Canvas page.

NOTE: Suggestions for synchronous adaptations are made in Section 2.4.

INTRODUCTION

Knowing how to structure (open, facilitate, and close) and tailor a tutoring session is an essential skill for tutors and one that you will continue to hone throughout your time as a tutor (Ianetta & Fitzgerald, 2016). As part of your GWC interview/observations and after completing the previous unit, you have likely noticed structural patterns and differences between appointments with undergraduate writers and graduate school applicants and students. For example, a graduate writer may have a deeper understanding of their own needs and status in the writing process and may take charge of the agenda setting process as you start the session; may coordinate the focus and time spent on each question or concern, impacting the session scaffolding and facilitation; or may determine next steps and application independently as you wrap up. Graduate appointments are also almost always voluntary appointments, which can significantly impact the writer’s willingness to participate and collaborate in a session. 

This unit explores and reflects on those structural elements, like effectively opening, facilitating, and closing a session, and helps you gain a better understanding of how to approach GWC consultations by discussing 1) the basic distinctions between novice and advanced writers, 2) the primary differences between undergraduate and graduate writing, and 3) the shift from lower-stakes single appointments with typical undergraduate writers to higher-stakes, repeat appointments with graduate writers.

NOTE: In the UVU GWC, following this unit, tutors will schedule an appointment with an administrator to discuss their GWC preparation and approve their ability to work with graduate writers. Other graduate writing centers may follow less formal patterns of certification, though we have found that a more formal certification process guarantees a higher level of tutor and program efficacy.

BODY OF LESSON 

Novice vs. Advanced Writers

In the Graduate Writing Center, we support writers whose work is generally more advanced (or expected to be more advanced) than the work of undergraduate students. As a result, it can be useful to understand how working with advanced writers (e.g., graduate school applicants, graduate school students, and sometimes campus faculty or staff) generally differs from working with undergraduate or novice writers (e.g., high school concurrent enrollment students, undergraduate writers completing coursework, writers completing personal or creative projects). One of the most distinct differences is writer self-efficacy (Bandura, 1977; 1993). Writing self-efficacy “can thus be defined as belief in one’s capability (or confidence) to write in a given situation” (Huerta, Goodson, Beigi, & Chlup, 2016, p. 717). In other words, a writer’s self-efficacy is determined by a writer’s perception of their own writing.

Oftentimes, a novice writer (like an ENGL 2010 student who completed ENGL 1010 in high school) will perceive themselves as an advanced writer. This misconception of their own ability can lead to a complicated appointment where the writer is unwilling to accept that they may need to make revisions. Advanced writers (such as a writer completing graduate coursework or applying to a disciplinary conference) who perceive themselves as advanced often seek out writing center assistance for critical review or confirmation on the success of their work; conversely, advanced writers who perceive themselves as novice writers (a common phenomenon with graduate school applicants or graduate school students who realize how much they can grow) often need validation and encouragement (Grant, 2024; Finkelstein & Fishbach, 2012; Stephens, 2017).

The following chart outlines a basic overview of the type of feedback a writer might seek out based on their own self-perception and self-efficacy. Remember that a writer may feel confident in one aspect of their writing or as a student and not in others (e.g. English Language Learners who are experts in their field but may lack experience or confidence in their writing or when a writer is an advanced (confident & capable) student, even if they are a novice writer). As such, the advice in this chart should inform your understanding of feedback types but should NOT preclude flexibility and empathy when working with advanced writers.

Writer	Self-Perception	Feedback Type
Advanced Writer	Advanced Writer	May seek negative feedback (critical commentary)
Advanced Writer	Novice Writer	May seek positive feedback (motivation, validation and encouragement)
Novice Writer	Advanced Writer	May need negative feedback (patterns of error) and positive feedback (affirmation)
Novice Writer	Novice Writer	May need positive feedback (motivation, validation and encouragement)

NOTE: The shift between “seek” and “need” is intentional as it is meant to demonstrate that advanced writers are often likelier to seek out feedback, whereas novice writers may either be required to receive feedback or may not fully understand what they actually need. So, novice writers are likelier to need feedback that is distinct from the feedback they seek. 

Relatedly, in an Instagram post (2024, 6 January), Adam Grant, author of Hidden Potential (2023), noted that "novices seek praise. Recognizing strengths builds confidence to keep going. Experts crave criticism. Seeing shortcomings reveals avenues to keep growing. Preferring corrections to compliments is a sign of skill. The better you get, the more determined you become to get better." Given that writer self-efficacy can impact how a writer sees their own needs and shift how they communicate about their needs in the appointment, understanding Grant’s conceptualization of novices and experts can help you identify if a discrepancy between a writer’s ability and self-perception exists and determine the best feedback and structural approach for the situation. Grant’s post also included a helpful graphic from M. Shandell's page, ResearchDoodles:

Image Alt Text: Doodle depicting a stick figure with long hair walking up a flight of stairs. At the bottom of the stairs, the figure is in the "encouragement" category, with phrases to use with novices. Toward the top of the stairs, the figure is in the "Criticism category, with phrases to use with experts. 

Although nuanced and dependent on a writer’s particular experience and mental/emotional state, reviewing this simple distinction between novices and experts can help you think more deeply about structuring your support for more advanced writers, including writers who are asked to meet more advanced expectations. As you begin working with more advanced writers, typical components of appointment structure (e.g. rapport-building and agenda setting in opening the appointment, scaffolding strategies like questioning or prompting through the body of the appointment, and direction for future application in closing an appointment) will undoubtedly shift and change as you determine the most productive collaborative route. Be prepared to adapt as necessary. 

Reflect 

Before moving to the next section, take a few moments to consider the following reflection questions:

1. What have your experiences with novice writers who perceive themselves as advanced looked like up to this point? 

2. What have your experiences with advanced writers who seem to lack confidence or who are excessively self-critical looked like up to this point?

3. How have your tutoring strategies, including how you structure an appointment, shifted or adjusted as you worked with these writers?

Understanding Undergraduate vs. Graduate Writing

Some may assume that undergraduate writers are always novice writers and that graduate writers are always advanced; in reality, a skilled undergraduate writer can be advanced within undergraduate expectations but novice within graduate expectations. As a result, writers may be advanced undergraduate writers but require additional skills and confidence to become advanced graduate writers. One of the primary differences between undergraduate versus graduate writers is the caliber of writing (e.g. length, quality, depth, complexity, etc.) graduate students are expected to produce. While graduate students are not necessarily advanced writers, graduate professors generally expect graduate students to write at a more advanced level than in their undergraduate work. Because of this assumption, oftentimes, professors are not necessarily teaching their students how to write at a more advanced level. 

As you begin working more with graduate student writers, you need to understand the steps writers are taking to make the leap from an undergraduate to a graduate level. To learn more about these moves and better understand the distinction between undergraduate and graduate writing, read and watch the following resources:

Read

Linked is the UVU Writing Center handout "Graduate Writing Strategies & Expectations" reviewing how, at a graduate level, research and writing often differs from the academic work and expectations at the undergraduate level. Read the handout to understand how writers can work to make graduate writing more manageable.

NOTE: A PDF copy of the UVU GWC “Graduate Writing Strategies & Expectations” is included in the attached materials.

Watch  

"Chapter 4: It's a New Genre: Using Genre Knowledge Across Disciplinary Boundaries" from Phillips and Ryerson's Supporting the Growth of Graduate Writers: A Film (2022). Chapter 4 specifically discusses "working across disciplinary boundaries, writing in new genres, and writing conference proposals/abstracts," all of which are necessary skills for a GWC tutor.

NOTE: Although this is an open access resource, the link providing access to the film redirects the user back to the front matter, preventing access to the chapters themselves. In our Center, we embed this chapter in our Canvas course to provide tutors with easy access to the video. 

As referenced in the Phillips and Ryerson’s film, graduate students are building from antecedent genres like basic research papers and disciplinary formatting conventions (e.g., IMRAD) to navigate many new genres and meta-genres. As you continue working with graduate writers, you will work with many common graduate writing genres, including research or personal statements; conference proposals/abstracts; literature reviews; seminar papers; curriculum vitae, etc.

Reflect

Before moving to the next section, take a few moments to consider the following reflection questions:

1. What are three primary differences you’ve noticed between undergraduate and graduate writing expectations? 

2. How does your previous genre training transfer into working with graduate genres?

3. How does your previous disciplinary writing training transfer into working with graduate disciplines?

Supporting Graduate Writers through High-Stakes, Repeat Appointments

Contrary to typical undergraduate Writing Center patrons, GWC patrons often visit the Writing Center multiple times for one project. Multiple visits can be beneficial since graduate work carries higher emotional and professional stakes and requires more extensive discussion. For example, a graduate school applicant relies on the strength of their personal statement and CV to help them get into a program that could change the course of their life. A graduate school student may be working on their master's thesis or dissertation, a project that determines if they will be able to graduate from their program. A post-graduate student may be applying for grants, conferences, or publication, meaning their academic reputation and career is at stake.

As a result, the focus and structure of your appointments will likely shift as you determine how much content you can cover in one appointment, what the writer’s revision priorities are, and how the shifting contexts and genres impact the writer’s attention and attitude. Below are basic tips and tricks for working with writers on longer pieces or through multiple appointments. 

• Treat each new genre like a new assignment. As you begin the appointment by setting your agenda and considering how to scaffold your work together, take the time to ensure that both you and the writer understand genre expectations. Don't assume the writer understands the genre simply because they are (or project as) an advanced writer. 

• Let the student be the content expert. Advanced writers should have a lot more content knowledge than you do on a subject. Remember to emphasize that you can help them understand the genre and how to write effectively within that genre, but that they need to make their own judgements about what content needs to be included.

• Break it up. As you set your agenda, acknowledge how much content you will be able to cover in one appointment. Help writers understand that while extensive work, like articles, theses, or dissertations, does need to function as a whole, breaking their writing into smaller pieces and multiple appointments can make it more manageable. 

• Use the Client Report Form intentionally. As you close the appointment, make note of what you worked on that session AND what you anticipate working on in the next session. This is useful not only for the writer to hold themselves accountable but helps remind you of what you previously discussed.

Reflect

Before moving to the next section, take a few moments to consider the following reflection questions:

1. How do you feel you can best support graduate writers through your role as a graduate writing center tutor? 

2. How might you help a graduate writer make the best use of the graduate writing center? 

3. How might you adjust your rapport-building, agenda-setting, or scaffolding to better support graduate writers?

Additional Resources (Optional)

Still feeling concerned? Check out these additional resources on supporting graduate students, being an “expert outsider,” navigating authority and expertise, and understanding imposter syndrome to learn how to successfully manage new, unfamiliar situations:

• Mannon, B. O. (2016). What do graduate students want from the writing center? Tutoring practices to support dissertation and thesis writers. Praxis: A Writing Center Journal, 13(2). https://repositories.lib.utexas.edu/items/59a540fd-71a1-4b3f-ad11-e98fe7a13ddb 

• Nowacek, R. S., & Hughes, B. (2015). Threshold concepts in the Writing Center: Scaffolding the development of tutor expertise. In L. Adler-Kassner & E. Wardle (Eds.), Naming What We Know: Threshold Concepts of Writing Studies (pp. 171–185). University Press of Colorado. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt15nmjt7.19

• UMass Boston. (n.d). Managing imposter syndrome. Graduate Writing Resources. Retrieved July 9, 2026, from https://www.umb.edu/writingcenter/services-for-students/graduate-writing-resources/managing-imposter-syndrome/ 

• Villareal, B. J. (2021). Imposter syndrome in the writing center: An autoethnography of tutoring as mindfullness. In G. N. Giaimo, K. M. Costello, B.J. Villarreal, L. Brentnell, E. Dixon, R. Robinson, M. Mattingly, C.  Helakoski, C. Lundberg, K. Walz, S. Brown, & Y. Hashlamon (Eds.), Wellness and Care in Writing Center Work: A WLN Digital Edited Collection. WLN: A Journal of Writing Center Scholarship.  https://ship.pressbooks.pub/writingcentersandwellness/chapter/title-here-2/ 

• Weakley, M., & Pedretti, M. (2021). When is a peer not a peer?: Negotiating authority and expertise in graduate student writing consultations. In M. S. Jewell & J. Cheatle (Eds.), Redefining Roles: The Professional, Faculty, and Graduate Consultant’s Guide to Writing Centers (pp. 125–138). University Press of Colorado. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv1prssvm.13

Don’t hesitate to reach out to an admin to discuss your questions or concerns. 

NOTE: This “additional resources” section could easily be removed for length or adapted into additional training materials if necessary.

Conclusion

After completing this module and the following assignment, you should be capable of intentionally structuring tutoring sessions for advanced writers, navigating the basic distinction between novice and advanced writers, and understanding graduate writing expectations. Your understanding of these introductory materials will be assessed through a GWC tutor diagnostic activity and through an appointment with an administrator (see details below). 

Assignment Part 1: Complete a tutor diagnostic for the GWC. Your assignment asks you to imagine you are a Graduate Writing Center tutor who has been assigned a 50-minute appointment that is set to begin in ten minutes. Review the writer’s appointment materials, appointment form, assignment guidelines, and attached draft. After reviewing the materials, respond to the diagnostic questions.

Assignment Part 2: Schedule a meeting with an administrator during your shift to discuss your GWC preparation by exploring your confidence and capability in working with advanced writers. After, an administrator will remove your "admin only" status on the GWC WCOnline Schedule.

NOTE: In the UVU GWC, in WCOnline, when a tutor’s “admin only” status is removed, any patron is able to schedule an appointment with that tutor.

NOTE: In the UVU GWC, after completing this training module, tutors progress into additional asynchronous modules covering disciplinary writing and genres, such as application materials, advanced research writing, and professional and public communication, as well as training on access and education, nontraditional students, cognitive bias, language acquisition and implications, and digital literacy. These modules build on the foundation established through this module and reinforce tutors ability to support graduate writers, even if they lack direct “peerness” to the students they serve (Weakley & Pedretti, 2021).

ASSESSING FOR UNDERSTANDING

This module involves two forms of assessment: a scenario-based assignment with a reflection to assess tutor understanding of concepts and an informal conversation with an administrator to ascertain if the tutor feels confident and capable of tutoring advanced or graduate writers.

NOTE: The scenario-based assignment here is modeled on the most common type of graduate writing we support in the UVU GWC (graduate school applications); however, the same type of assignment could be easily adapted to better suit other genres. 

Assignment Part 1: Graduate Writing Center Tutoring Scenario: Access Assignment Part 1 

Assignment Part 2: Interview with an Administrator:  Access Assignment Part 2

Synchronous Adaptations

Although this module is designed to be completed asynchronously, the content and activities could easily be adapted into a 60-90 minute live, synchronous training. 

60-Minute Possible Synchronous Lesson:

• 00:00-00:10: Welcome, introduction to content, learning outcomes, & agenda
• 00:10-00:20: Lecture, understanding novice and advanced writers
• 00:20-00:35: Discussion, understanding undergraduate vs. graduate writing
• • 00:20-00:30: Hand out “Graduate Writing Strategies & Expectations” and assign tutors to review the handout with groups
  • 00:30-00:35: Group discussion about observations, takeaways, and questions
• 00:35-00:47: Watch "Chapter 4: It's a New Genre: Using Genre Knowledge Across Disciplinary Boundaries" from Phillips and Ryerson's Supporting the Growth of Graduate Writers: A Film.
• 00:47-00:57: Lecture & Discussion, supporting graduate writers through high stakes, multiple appointments
• • Discussion Prompt: What are some ideas you have about how to best support advanced/graduate writers
• 00:57-00:60: Wrap up

90-Minute Possible Extensions for Synchronous Lesson:

• Review Assignment 1: Tutor Diagnostic together, discuss question prompts as a group.
• Assign pair/share discussion about preparedness for working with and supporting advanced writers
• Host panel with experienced tutors
• Assign experienced tutors to role play tutoring sessions with new tutors
• Assign independent work time to complete assignment
• Assign group review of additional resources on affective support (see above) and discuss strategies for working through personal concerns with feeling a lack of confidence in working with graduate writers and genres

Assignment 1 Adaptations

The assignment for this module uses a sample based on the most common genre we support in our center, personal statements. The primary adaptation required to run this module in your center would be to tailor the assignment scenario and example to the most common type of graduate writing supported in your center. Sample texts might be pulled from a resource like Swales and Feak’s Academic Writing for Graduate Students, adapted from an existing student example, or, as with our assignment sample, developed in conjunction with GenAI. 

Assignment 2 Adaptations

Although the majority of this module is designed to be completed asynchronously, the interview portion is designed to be completed in-person or synchronously online. To make this assignment completely asynchronous, consider assigning a short reflection paper or discussion board answering the interview prompts. 

Recommended Extensions

As acknowledged in facilitator notes throughout this module, in the UVU GWC, this module is handedly placed within a robust training program. As a result, I highly recommend intentionally situating this module within your own institutional and programmatic contexts and providing additional training materials and resources regarding applicable genres and center needs.

RESOURCES & REFERENCES

RefeRENCES

Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological Review, 84(2), 191–215. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.84.2.191

Bandura, A. (1993). Perceived self-efficacy in cognitive development and functioning. Educational Psychologist, 28(2), 117–148. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15326985ep2802_3

Brooks-Gillies, M. Garcia, E.G., Kim, S. H., Manthey, K, & Smith, T.G. (Eds.). (2020). Graduate writing across the disciplines: Identifying, teaching, and supporting. The WAC Clearinghouse; University Press of Colorado. https://doi.org/10.37514/ATD-B.2020.04707. 

Bruffee, K. A. (1984). Collaborative learning and the “conversation of mankind.” College English, 46(7), 635–652. https://doi.org/10.2307/376924

Finkelstein, S. R., & Fishbach, A. (2012). Tell me what I did wrong: Experts seek and respond to negative feedback. Journal of Consumer Research, 39(1), 22–38. https://doi.org/10.1086/661934

Grant, A. (2023). Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things. Penguin Random House.

Grant, A. (2024, 6 January). "I used to think the preference for criticism over praise was a matter of personality. But research reveals that it’s...” [Photograph]. Instagram. Retrieved July 9, 2026, from https://www.instagram.com/p/C1xF-RhpwJg/?img_index=1 

Huerta, M., Goodson, P., Beigi, M., & Chlup, D. (2017). Graduate students as academic writers: Writing anxiety, self-efficacy and emotional intelligence. Higher Education Research & Development, 36(4), 716–729. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2016.1238881 

Ianetta, M., & Fitzgerald, L. (2016). The Oxford guide for writing tutors: practice and research. Oxford University Press.

Lundin, I.M., O’Connor, V., & Perdue, S.W. (2023). The impact of writing center consultations on student writing self-efficacy. The Writing Center Journal, 41(2), 7–25. https://www.jstor.org/stable/27262713

Lunsford, A. (1991). Collaboration, control, and the idea of a writing center. The Writing Center Journal, 12(1), 3–10. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43441887  

Nowacek, R. S., & Hughes, B. (2015). Threshold concepts in the Writing Center: Scaffolding the development of tutor expertise. In L. Adler-Kassner & E. Wardle (Eds.), Naming What We Know: Threshold Concepts of Writing Studies (pp. 171–185). University Press of Colorado. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt15nmjt7.19 

OpenAI. (2024, Jan. 4). UVU MSW personal statement draft [Generative AI chat]. ChatGPT. https://chatgpt.com/share/69d933a1-bff8-83e8-96e7-a5f4e9850472

Phillips, T. & Ryerson, R. (2022). Supporting the growth of graduate writers: A film. University of Michigan Press ELT. https://doi.org/10.3998/mpub.12391573 

Stephens, J. D., Battle, D. C., Gormally, C. L., & Brickman, P. (2017). Show me the way: Future faculty prefer directive feedback when trying active learning approaches. Journal of College Science Teaching, 47(2), 57–65. http://www.jstor.org/stable/44580891

Swales, J. M., & Feak, C. (2012). Academic writing for graduate students: Essential tasks and skills (3^rd ed.). University of Michigan Press. https://doi.org/10.3998/mpub.2173936

Weakley, M., & Pedretti, M. (2021). When is a peer not a peer?: Negotiating authority and expertise in graduate student writing consultations. In M. S. Jewell & J. Cheatle (Eds.), Redefining Roles: The Professional, Faculty, and Graduate Consultant’s Guide to Writing Centers (pp. 125–138). University Press of Colorado. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv1prssvm.13 

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

This module is part four of a four-part onboarding and certification module. You may need to develop additional training materials to contextualize this module in your Center. I would suggest assigning this module immediately following your onboarding/orientation for graduate writing tutors. 

This module is also assigned to tutors who have already been working in our Center for two semesters. As a result, they have already completed training about tutoring basics like agenda-setting, scaffolding, and modality variation. Therefore, if training has not been covered on these topics previously, you may want to first cover these basics with your tutors.

AUTHOR INFORMATION

Maren Nield

Utah Valley University

Maren Nield, MA, is assistant coordinator of the Utah Valley University Graduate Writing Center and an adjunct faculty member for the Writing Department at Brigham Young University. Her research interests are interdisciplinary, considering writing and storytelling through historical, folkloric, and pedagogical lenses.

Nield, Center Moves, no. 6, September 2026.