Proposes that writing centers form relationships with Applied Linguistics/ESL to research cross-cultural and cross-linguistic questions, thus fostering research grounded in the everyday work of the center, but with large cultural and theoretical implications. (SR)

Presents a 90-item bibliography of journal articles published between November 1993 and October 1994 in "The Writing Center Journal,""Writing Lab Newsletter," and "Focuses." (SR)

Traces the origins and development of writing centers. States that a reasonably solid history can be seen beginning in the early 1970s and earlier. Provides a definition of the features found in writing labs. Describes a program founded in World War II designed by the Armed Forces to teach officers two years of English in two semesters. (PA)

States that, at first glance, it is difficult to find two writing programs that seem to work better together than Writing across the Curriculum (WAC) and writing centers. Proposes, however, that the nature of the relationship between these two programs be reconsidered because their underlying epistemologies and textual features remain strikingly…

States that, in most writing centers, graduate teaching assistants and undergraduate peer tutors conduct student-centered, one-on-one tutoring sessions. Raises concerns over the orthodoxy of this system in light of personal experiences with WAC workshops. Concludes that alternative tutoring practices are provocative for the writing center, and the…

Emphasizes the importance of paying attention to how writers feel about their writing as well as what they think about it. States that textbooks deal with writers' feelings incidentally. Defines "flow" as being the opposite of writer's block. Defines "liking" and its implications for a writer's work-in-progress. Asks whether "flow" and "liking"…

States that one liberating feature of modern writing centers is the way they oblige individuals to (re)examine conventional definitions. Argues that writing centers contribute to developments in writing pedagogy. Describes the WCCD (Writing Center Conference Diagnostic) test and how it is used in writing centers. Discusses success and failure in…

Presents a short history of collaboration as a pedagogical technique in composition. Concludes with some assumptions about collaboration that might be useful to those in writing centers as they theorize, teach, confer, tutor, conduct faculty workshops, and reflect on their educational and political purposes for teaching writing. (PRA)

Examines a writing conference between a tutor and a student, both feminists. Discusses the conflicts expressed by the tutor and the student as they attempt to espouse feminist values within a patriarchal system. Concludes that feminism (and good tutoring) will have a chance only if students have options and the power to choose. (RS)

Argues that only from the inside can writers define their own metaphors to make what others say about writing centers the same as what they themselves say. Asserts that this goal will always remain elusive; and, though to pursue it is to empower writers, to achieve it would be to arrive at a definition, a comfortable but naive position. (PRA)

Asserts that changing writing "laboratories" into writing "centers" suggests in the word "centeredness" some of the best things a writing center can be in its sense of purpose and community; and, in the word "centrism," a few of the problems that writing centers may be heading for in its suggestions of monopoly and self-importance. (PRA)

Discusses collaboration in the peer writing center. Suggests that applying hierarchical and dialogic collaboration to writing centers can help to sketch out the forms of collaboration in peer tutoring, but a more fine-grained rhetorical analysis will result in richer and more precise descriptions and avoid hardbound categories and stereotypes. (RS)

Discusses the struggle between competing epistemologies. Warns of problems that arise when a theory or practice states that it is the "true" epistemological foundation for writing centers. Asserts that the stances teachers take toward how best to teach writing are determined by their view of where truth is located and how best it can be accessed…

Presents a bibliography of 76 newsletter contributions and journal articles of writing center scholarship published between April 1991 and March 1992. (PRA)

Argues for the value of humor in writing center instruction. Shows how writing center tutors can use humor effectively in tutoring settings. Relates personal experiences as a writing tutor in which humor proved useful and effective. (HB)