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Annotated Bibliography: Writing Centers Scholarly Sources

Academic Exchange Quarterly. Editorial: Issues and Trends in 21st Century Writing Centers
Winter 2014 18.4 (2014): n. pag. JSTOR. Web. 20 Mar. 2015.

This resource examines the history of trends in writing centers and the problems that can
arise in the 21st century from using a multi-media writing center for the purpose of writing
tutorial and remediation. Throughout this text, many types of writing center layouts and
modes of teaching are discussed. These provide the backbone for exploring the effectiveness
of techniques used to enhance writing center efficiency and to promote improvement in
student writing in the college environment.

Baraka, Imamu Amiri. Writing Centers and Writing across the Curriculum Programs: Building.
S.l.: Information Age Pub, 2008. Print.

Baraka shows the necessity for cross-curriculum writing instruction and the use of the
writing lab to support non-English specific writing. Through the use of classroom writing
assignment integrations, he analyzes the importance of writing centers in helping second
language students develop their ability in academic writing and their need for a structured
and systematic approach throughout the entire writing process.

Barnett, Robert W., and Jacob S. Blumner. The Allyn & Bacon Guide to Writing Center: Theory
and Practice. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 2001. Print.

This resource looks at many different theories on conducting and maintaining writing
center. By following both the history and the progress of writing centers, Barnett and
Blumner track the effectiveness of the writing center as resource. The book deals with
theories of the writing center, defining the writing center's place, writing-across-the
curriculum, the practice of tutoring, cultural issues, and technology in its chapter
breakdowns, each adding a dimension of value to the overall understanding of the
complexity within the writing center. The onset of technology has advanced the
resourcefulness and improved the effectiveness of writing centers, and as a result, Barnett
and Blumner discuss the new trends in writing center technologies that are helping
students in accomplishing collegiate academic writing in new trends and forums.

Barnett, Robert W., and Jacob S. Blumner. The Longman Guide to Writing Center Theory and
Practice. New York: Pearson Longman, 2008. Print

This writing center resource uses similar technique to the previous book, as it is both
created by the same authors and incorporates the same subsections for discussion. Where
it does differ from the aforementioned book, however, is in its relevancy as a more current
version of information with extended theory and statistical information as a result of the
analysis of statistical data concerning the 2001 assertions of effective techniques in the
writing center. Barnett and Blumner also continue to review changing trends in the
role that the writing center plays in the college atmosphere.

Gillespie, Paula. Writing Center Research: Extending the Conversation. Mahwah, NJ: L.
Erlbaum Associates, 2002. Print.

This resource helps to extend discourse about theory and research of the writing center.
Through the use of statistics and reflective theory, Gilespie explores the many facets of
rhetoric and ethnographic study that add into the overall assessment of theory and practice in
writing centers. More so, the book looks at contrasting information to help pinpoint areas for
further debate, recognizing that there is no one answer or methodology that will fit the
ever-increasing challenges and needs of the college student in regards to writing proficiency
and craft.

Inman, James A., and Donna N. Sewell. Taking Flight with OWLs: Examining Electronic
Writing Center Work. Mahwah, NJ: L. Erlbaum Associates, 2000. Print.

This book analyzes the true effectiveness of incorporating technology and web based
tutorials into the function of the writing center . One of the key ideas mentioned in this book
is the need for continual transformation in the onset of a rapidly-expanding technology that
needs to be fine-tuned on a regular basis in order to remain current and effective. As its
name would suggest, the idea of the Purdue University Owl Online Writing Tutorial webpage
is mentioned as one of the more recent advances in writing center ability and accessibility for
students both in a classroom and engaged in distance and online learning.

Maasik, Sonia, and J. Fisher Solomon. Signs of Life in the U.S.A.: Readings on Popular Culture
for Writers. Boston: Bedford, 1997. Print.

This book shows students critical essays about popular culture, allowing them to draw
personal connections and life experience into the quality of their writings literary and

critiques. By helping students to interpret the signs of our times, they are well prepared to
understand literature in deep and introspective ways, allowing for an understanding of
everyday life through a collegiate lens. This, in turn, fosters writing quality and cohesiveness
based on true understanding and relation to the ideologies and theories that are present in the
modern day world.
Murphy, Christina, and Byron L. Stay. The Writing Center Director's Resource Book. Mahwah,
NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2006. Print.

This book focuses on the role of the writing director in the writing lab. It helps with
understanding the writing challenges and obstacles that students face in order to formulate
strategies for success. By analyzing current trends in writing and samples of student writing,
directors are more prepared to undertake the level of support necessary to help writers,
especially struggling ones, maximize their full potential. This book also acts as a guide
through common issues in writing that are able to be addressed through multiple
methodologies in a writing center environment.

Murphy, Christina, and Joe Law. Landmark Essays on Writing Centers. Davis, CA: Hermagoras,
1995. Print.

This book contains selections of academic papers that not only discuss the history and theory
of writing instruction, but also demonstrate the cornerstones of writing scholarship. By

outlining the political agendas behind certain writing trends, this book is able to establish a
true look at the shortcomings of the current writing center and offers insightful new strategies
to overcoming them. As a globalized world quickly changes in both demands and language,
this book also focuses on the idea of compromise between current theories and approaches as
the only hope for the future and evolution of college writing,

Olson, Gary A. Writing Centers: Theory and Administration. Urbana, IL: National Council of
Teachers of English, 1984. Print.

This book catalogues nineteen scholarly essays from leaders in the writing and rhetoric field,
such as Bruffee and Friedlander. Through explaining how writing communicates the world
story, these essayists accomplish several goals. First, they discuss the key role of writing
in society. In addition, they examine the challenges of writing in the 21st century. Finally,
they look at the issues of foreign language development and the various learning needs
that diverse cultures and sociological groups hold in writing for an academic Englishspeaking audience. This book also holds support from Bedford/St. Martin as a reference
source of pioneers in the teaching of writing field.