SPOTTED: Someone asking for the "Fourth floor please."

    The first chapter of the Bedford Guide delves into the complexities of working in a writing center and tutoring writers. It teaches the reader how to be professional in the writing center and how to connect with students and teachers. Chapter One is a wonderful place to start for anyone interested in working in a writing center because it emphasizes email etiquette, business professionalism, and the roles that can be played while working there. This chapter also has a strong emphasis on maintaining good relationships as well. 

    The sixth chapter of the Bedford Guide focuses on the benefits and drawbacks of tutoring in the digital era. The chapter discusses the various coaching approaches that can benefit from or make use of technology. The section presented two types of tutoring: asynchronous tutoring and synchronous tutoring. In addition to these strategies and their benefits and drawbacks, it discusses the digital tools available to the tutee and how they might be used to succeed. This chapter also discusses evaluating digital resources based on their worth and information. 

The eighth chapter focuses on research and how it relates to the work done in the writing center. The writing center and its members typically participate in all sorts of research and, as a result, must analyze and find materials to aid in their endeavors. The chapter also defines the phrase "literature review," which is critical to the research process at the writing center. It also goes through the various research strategies employed in the writing center. Overall this chapter was the most beneficial to me as a student.

    While all three chapters are important for anyone interested in the inner workings of the writing center, I must say that chapter eight was the most helpful to me. The sixth chapter, on the other hand, is one of the most interesting since it not only examines how to instruct in the computer age but also discusses the two forms of tutoring employed in the writing center. Overall, these chapters provide me with a comprehensive picture of the writing center in the digital age. A question I have is what would research in a fully digital writing center look like.