Introduction
The writing center is an essential resource for students at any educational level. Writing center consultants provide valuable guidance and feedback to help students strengthen their writing abilities. While walk-in tutoring sessions are an important part of any writing center’s offerings, research shows that facilitating research papers allows consultants to have an even deeper impact on student learning. By guiding students through the research paper writing process from start to finish, consultants teach skills that are transferable to many academic and professional contexts. This article will explore how writing centers can effectively support students writing research papers through various services and best practices identified in research.
Background on Research Papers in Academic Settings
Research papers are a common academic assignment across disciplines and educational levels. They require students to investigate a focused topic by finding and evaluating credible sources. Students then must synthesize information from these sources to develop and support an original argument or thesis in their own words. Research papers allow students to dive more deeply into a subject matter and demonstrate higher-level thinking skills like analysis and evaluation. They also teach students to engage responsibly and ethically with outside information through proper citation and attribution.
Given the complex set of skills required to write successful research papers, they present challenges for many students. Novice researchers especially struggle with tasks like refining a topic, developing a clear thesis, finding relevant high-quality sources, taking effective notes, organizing information cohesively, and properly incorporating outside material into their own writing. Writing center researchers have identified the research paper process as an area that warrants additional dedicated support services beyond single tutoring appointments. Offering such services can positively impact students’ writing abilities and confidence in taking on ambitious academic assignments.
Pre-Research Support Services
Writing centers can start preparing students for research papers early in the process through focused workshops and consultations. Common pre-research services identified in the research include:
Topic development workshops: These interactive sessions guide students through brainstorming potential topics within their field of study or course parameters and refining a manageable research question or thesis statement. Consultants provide feedback to help students select a question that has sufficient scope yet can feasibly be addressed.
Source evaluation tutorials: One-on-one tutorials teach students to evaluate sources critically for factors like authority, credibility, relevance, currency, and purpose. Students bring potential sources to get guidance on inclusion or exclusion from their paper.
Research planning consultations: Individual meetings help students map out a detailed research plan. Consultants assist with constructing a working outline or organizing system for taking effective notes on sources. Students leave with a clear sense of direction and next steps.
Such early interventions expose students to aspects of the research process they may have previously struggled with on their own. They also allow more time for exploration of topics and vetting of sources before the writing stage begins. Pre-research services give students a strong foundation for success.
Ongoing Research Support Services
Once research has begun, writing centers can offer additional layered services to support students throughout the process. Examples include:
Annotated bibliography consultations: Individually or in small groups, students get guidance on writing paragraph-length annotations that concisely summarize, assess, and reflect on relevance of each source to the research question.
Thesis development consultations: Students revisit and refine their working thesis based on what sources have shown. Consultants question claims and help strengthen argumentation.
Note-taking strategy workshops: Interactive sessions introduce effective note-taking methods using note cards, outlines, or databases to organize synthesized source information. Students practice taking notes with guidance.
Source integration tutorials: One-on-one appointments focus on quotes and paraphrasing skills as students bring notes and sources. Consultants demonstrate proper citation and give feedback on integrating outside information cohesively into students’ own developing analysis.
Outline consultations: Students receive feedback on their outline structure and organization of main points and subpoints supported by synthesized research. Consultants identify areas needing more evidence or transitions.
Such layered services allow students to check in regularly with individualized guidance from the research stage through developing analysis. This type of ongoing support is more conducive for learning than one-time consultations.
Draft Review Services
As research papers enter the drafting stage, writing centers can further assist through structured draft review processes. Common services supported by research include:
In-progress draft reviews: Consultants provide feedback on partial or near-complete drafts. They focus on flow, organization, strength of argumentation, use of evidence, and still-needed areas of development based on the thesis.
Structured in-person or online conferences: Students meet with consultants for 30-50 minutes to review drafts line-by-line together. Consultants model their thinking and guide students to self-identify areas of revision.
Revision guidance sessions: Individual appointments focus students on revising based on previous feedback. Consultants ensure understanding of changes needed before final drafting.
Peer review workshops: Students bring late drafts to receive peer feedback using guidelines. Consultants facilitate and ensure qualitative peer input.
Proofreading/formatting tutorials: Close to deadline, students get support on matters like mechanics, citation consistency, cover pages, abstracts, etc.
Such intensive draft review processes aid students in revising meaningfully before submission. Consultants effectively model critical thinking while maintaining student ownership over their writing.
Maximizing Student Learning Outcomes
For research paper support services to truly maximize student learning, writing centers must apply best practices identified in the literature:
Collaborate closely with subject area faculty to structure services that align with assignment guidelines and course goals. This establishes writing center work as an extension of classroom learning.
Schedule layered series of consultations or workshops throughout the term to cement skills and support long-term skill retention rather than one-time help.
Use reflective assessment tools to gauge student perceptions of learning and target further improvements based on student input.
Provide targeted handouts, guides, or online tutorials to reinforce research processes and serve as ongoing resources students can reference independently.
Train consultants thoroughly on discipline-specific research practices and documentation styles to give authoritative guidance.
Publicize services heavily and encourage all students, not just those already inclined to seek help, to utilize support for especially challenging assignments.
Conclusion
By applying research insight into intentional research paper support services and best practices, writing centers have great capacity to advance students’ higher-level thinking, writing, and learning. Comprehensive services target multiple stages from topic exploration through drafting and revision. They also accommodate diverse student learning needs through individualized and workshop formats. With proper alignment to coursework and ongoing assessment, research paper programming meaningfully augments classroom instruction to foster independent student researchers.
Andrew Stroud