Why Did You Come In Today? : The Role of Graduate Assistant Tutoring in Undergraduate Student Revision

Abstract

This study examines the reasons why undergraduate students use the graduate assistant tutoring, offered by the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point English department, to revise their papers. The first chapter reviews the literature on revision and includes an examination of the challenges professors face when responding to student papers. Books and articles describing different methods to use during peer review sessions were also included in this review. In the following chapter, the English graduate assistant position at UW-Stevens Point is then described in relation to recent literature. Surveys were used to gather information from students who have attended multiple sessions of graduate assistant tutoring. The responses collected were combined with information from the literature to form possible conclusions as to why students choose graduate assistant tutoring. Observations from previous semesters were also included to support these conclusions. The procedures used to gather the data and the conclusions drawn are described in detail in third chapter. The implications of this study on my future teaching are in the final chapter. This chapter also includes suggestions for future research on the use of graduate assistant tutoring.