Until recently, the conventional wisdom about the conjunction of peer tutoring and writing in the disciplines was that a tutor unfamiliar with subject matter actually operated at an advantage. In spite of some of the theoretical advantages of ignorance, recent research suggests that it is difficult to ask probing questions and make useful…

One teacher's experience with changes in writing skills and attitudes while teaching writing led to studies of the experiences of three female graduate student writing tutors with widely varying backgrounds working in a university tutorial service. One was a student from a blue collar family who had entered college as a mature student; one had…

The head of the writing center at Rollins College, in an attempt to develop a metaphor for the writing center turned to peer writing consultants. Their suggested metaphors structure an essay about what a writing center should be: a community of consultants and clients working together, respectful of diversity, originality, tolerant of differences.…