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Grammar Girl Visits During Beat Michigan Week Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing You've listened to her podcasts, read her book, checked your grammar on her Web site, and seen her on Oprah. See Grammar Girl, Mignon Fogerty, in person on Thursday, November 19, at 11:30 when she talks with students and the public in room 90 of the Science and Engineering Library. Her newest book, The Grammar Devotional, will be available for sale and signing after the event.

Fogarty began her Grammar Girl podcasts to address the frequently asked grammar questions she came across while working as a copy editor. Providing simple, smart tips in five minutes or fewer, her Quick and Dirty Grammar Tips became an iTunes sensation, and her last book, Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing, was a bestseller. Oprah put it best: "Mignon has come up with clever ideas to help even the most grammatically challenged person remember the rules."

"We are really fortunate to have Grammar Girl visit Ohio State," says Doug Dangler, coordinator of the university Writing Center and associate director of the Center for the Study and Teaching of Writing. "Everyone is writing more than ever thanks to social media sites, blogs, and the explosion of email in the past decade. Reading her tips and listening to her podcasts can help make that writing more polished and professional."

The event is sponsored by the Center for the Study and Teaching of Writing, in partnership with the Columbus School for Girls, with book sales by Barnes & Noble at Lennox Town Center.

Building the Classroom, Rubric by Rubric An interdisciplinary group of instructors met on campus in late October to discuss ways they might use rubrics (statements of the criteria by which student work will be evaluated) to teach students in second-level writing courses (367) what their expectations are and how to achieve their learning goals.

Convened by the Writing across the Curriculum (WAC) program, the participants came from Slavic language and literature, art education, history, linguistics, English, and women's studies. They used a sample rubric developed by the WAC team as a springboard to discuss which characteristics of writing would be helpful in communicating writing goals and expectations to their students. The diverse perspectives of the participants revealed different approaches to common criteria used to evaluate student writing.

"It was clear that while most instructors recognized such phrasing as 'claims and evidence' as important criteria, they understood them in very different ways," says Chris Manion, coordinator of WAC. "Instructors from each department brought different types of evidence to bear on claims writers in their field might make and had varying methods for evaluating and interpreting that evidence."

The result of the gathering was a lively conversation about how instructors might use rubrics in their classrooms. Among the ideas: give the students a blank rubric so they could participate in their own assessment and give the students one category at a time so they could concentrate on improving specific writing characteristics. Additionally, the conversation highlighted the need for using rubrics to help instructors improve their own teaching. One participant from Slavic studies observed, "As a teacher, I like the specificity of rubrics because it holds us to accountable levels of excellence and is flexible enough to adapt to multiple assignments."

WAC offers workshops about topics such as using writing to promote critical thinking, making research meaningful, and the uses of digital media assignments in the classroom. The group in October especially valued the interdepartmental conversation about teaching, Manion says. One participant from history commented, "We need to keep meeting because it is so helpful to hear other instructors talk about their own methods and problems in order to troubleshoot ideas."

Join the exciting conversation -- contact the WAC team and tell them how you are using writing in your teaching.

Donor Funds are Value Added to Writing Center Susan Bonnell's new scholarship funds student tutor Jessi Forman at the Writing Center. Writing skills are the key to success, says Ohio State history alumna Susan J. Bonnell, whose recent gift to the Center for the Study and Teaching of Writing (CSTW) created the Students First/Students Now Scholarship. Half of the funds, $2,500, are being used to fund undergraduate Writing Center tutor Jessi Forman.

"The great thing about this money is that its benefits are so widespread," says Doug Dangler, associate director of CSTW and coordinator of the Writing Center. "Jessi continues to gain valuable experience as a writing tutor, and her clients benefit from her expertise. In addition to the undergraduate tutor training course she's taken [Hum Col/Eng 467], she's exceptionally well-prepared for all kinds of tutoring."

This is Forman's third year with the Writing Center.

"I enjoy working at the Writing Center because it is rewarding to help clients learn to create writing that is clear, comfortable, and effective," she says. "Often they leave much more confident in their work than when they arrive, and it is encouraging and fun to know I contribute to this. I also really enjoy the opportunity to meet with so many people from such various backgrounds because I learn something new from each new person."

Bonnell also created the Susan J. Bonnell Endowed Fund to support the center's outreach programs. A former vice president and regional director for the Lincoln Financial Group, Bonnell retired in 2006.

STC Program: Get Your Tech Help Here Genevieve Critel trains potential Student Technology Consultants. Not only do humanities instructors need to stay current in their academic fields, they must also stay up to date on computer technologies, especially those used for instruction. To help them out, the Center for the Study and Teaching of Writing (CSTW) offers the services of students in the Student Technology Consultant (STC) program.

"This is a valuable experience for everyone involved," says Dickie Selfe, director of CSTW and creator of the STC program. "The students have an opportunity to become proficient in a range of technologies, to work closely with instructors, to lead workshops, and to be paid for their service. And instructors are grateful to receive help that addresses their specific needs."

This fall, the STC program is training 20 new consultants through a nine-week class taught by graduate student and STC assistant coordinator Genevieve Critel. "We’re focusing on the major instructional technologies used by humanities faculty and graduate students: Carmen, Media Manager, Dreamweaver, iMovie, Audacity, Flash, and a few others," says Critel. "Students who successfully complete the training course will be invited to begin working for the STC program in winter quarter."

Students in the class come from a variety of majors, including fine arts, Japanese, design, English, anthropology, computer science, Spanish, and history. Consultants working now are studying English, astronomy, business, psychology, communications, and philosophy.

The STC program offers a variety of services to humanities faculty, graduate students, and teaching staff. Consultants go to classrooms and offices to help instructors learn new technologies that will improve the academic experiences of their students. Consultants can also provide information on labs, studios, support people, online systems (like wikis, blogs, survey engines), online tutorials, and other resources. Workshops with hands-on practice in software programs are also popular. If you would like help, please contact the STCs via the website at http://www.cstw.org/stc/.

Blog is New Resource for Dissertation Writers Amelia is crazy about this bookstand. The October 12 post on the Writing Center's Dissertation Blog is titled "Things I am loving...". It's all about a bookstand that the blog's author has discovered, purchased, and fallen in love with.

The newest resource on the Writing Center website touches on a wide range of topics in addition to being a narrative of the author's writing experience. Dissertation writers will relate to the "Things I am looking at when I should be writing..." posts.

We posed questions of the blog's creator (alias Amelia) and received these responses.

Q: Why a blog?
A: Why not? Blogs, in general, have two functions and both were appealing to me when I started this project. First, a blog allows a writer to chronicle and share his or her experiences, musings, etc., and developing this archive alongside the dissertation project is pretty interesting. Second, blogs create community and dialogue -- the ability to comment and respond to comments adds a really important layer to the blog.

Q: How does writing the blog help you?
A: Dissertation work is a fairly isolating pursuit. The blog is a means of connection, and if my insights can help other writers along the way, then that makes it all the more worthwhile.

Certainly writing the blog also gets me writing on days when I really don't want to write the dissertation, and the blog also provides me a space in which I get to use my other writing voices, voices that tend to get neglected when working on the dissertation. Furthermore, it is nice to have a writing space that has no stakes attached to it, no pressure -- this blog will not decided whether I get my degree or not or tenure later on or not.

Q: How does the blog help others?
A:I think that the blog provides a point of connection. Whether or not the various readers comment, it is a site they can come to and not feel so alone in the dissertation process. Plus, unlike the hours you spend reading other blogs when you should be writing your dissertation, reading this blog makes you feel less guilty because it is dissertation related, so you can almost justify it. Almost.

Writing Minor Students Value Old, Appreciate New in Writing Technologies Aaron Portzline (l.) and Todd Jones, both from the Columbus Dispatch, talked with students in the professional writing minor "It's a very revolutionary time."

This statement, from Columbus Dispatch writer Todd Jones to professional writing minor interns this summer, set the tone for an interactive discussion of the impact of new media on journalism. Jones, along with fellow Dispatch writer Aaron Portzline, talked with students about the rapidly changing work world of traditional news media.

Portzline, a Dispatch beat writer and sports blogger, addressed the unique challenges and opportunities in maintaining blogs for the paper. He characterized writing on the web as less formal than writing for print. He also revealed that Dispatch bloggers self-proofread, a concept that surprised many of the students.

Jones, whose specialty is long form journalism, explained that "new media is forcing [him] to write longer pieces differently." Although he writes mainly for print, he finds himself writing to audiences used to the faster pace of online writing. Jones explained that he creates "short, snappy" introductions that "fool" the reader into continuing to read his piece.

Other writing tips that emerged from the conversation included: use headlines that search engines like Google pick up, get to the point quickly, and always remember your audience.

But what about the fate of print journalism in the world of RSS feeds and Twitter? Both Jones and Portzline agreed that while print journalism will not disappear, it will continue to evolve as new technologies emerge. Jones and Portzline's emphasis, not on what gets left behind in the wake of new media, but on what new possibilities new media creates for both print and online journalism, resonated well with the students. One student's comment, in particular, underscored this. Looking at Portzline, Dispatch sports blogger, she said: "I appreciate the service you provide...but I need him [Jones] in my life, too."

WAC Wiki Resources Helping Teachers to Listen to their Students' Learning
Often when busy teachers sit down to grade student papers at the end of a course, they can get frustrated when a number of students "miss the mark" and don't seem to have understood an assignment or grasped an important concept. "Why didn't I see," a teacher might think, "that these students were struggling?" Evaluating student responses to an assignment at the end of the process only tells teachers so much about what students are learning, and usually tells them very little about how they are learning. Informal, reflective writing can give instructors a window into student learning: how they go about tackling a problem or question, what challenges they face in an assignment, and what about their work sparks their personal interests and passions.

The Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) team has been hard at work developing a new resource for teachers at Ohio State and beyond that encourages instructors to think about using writing for assessment in new ways, to get at just what and how students are learning as they are learning. WAC has created a new resource wiki, which includes a whole section on writing and assessment, with tips, resources, rubrics, and sample assignments. Take a look at this new resource here: https://carmenwiki.osu.edu/display/osuwacresources/Assessment+and+Writing.

As educators and institutional partners maneuver through the WAC Wiki, they will find hyperlinks to help them navigate the many resources provided. Instructors interested in assessment should find the rubric page particularly interesting because here they'll find an opportunity to learn about different types of rubrics, tips on how to use a rubric, as well as sample rubrics from Ohio State instructors. From there, instructors can get advice on how to develop rubrics that coincide with their course learning objectives.

Teachers can also find tips on the wiki such as ideas about how to incorporate an icebreaker into a lesson plan that allows students to respond to a set of questions about the course toward the beginning of the quarter. They might ask students for the most memorable idea from last class, to describe an aspect of the material that they are finding confusing, or their favorite part of the reading for the day. Not only can short one- to five-minute writing assignments help prepare students actively participate in discussion, small group sessions, or other in-class activities that you have planned for the day, but they can also help instructors listen more closely to how students interact with their teaching methods, decisions, and course content.

How can we know how students are learning? We can ask them — and writing gives us a window into that learning.

Digital Media in a Social World Conference CSTW will again sponsor the Digital Media in a Social World conference for Ohio State faculty, staff, and students on Friday, February 19. Through sessions and discussions, we'll explore creative used of social media, new philosophies of technology use, and innovative technologies for classroom instruction. Register to present by December 4 and attend the free conference. You may also want to become a partner or sponsor.

The new CSTW Book Club has selected Dog, by creative writing professor Michelle Herman, as its inaugural book. Group members will meet twice (October 20 and 27, at 11:00 am) to talk about the book. On November 3 (also at 11:00 am) the author will join the group for a recorded discussion to be broadcast on television, radio, and the Internet. Register for the book group. The club is sponsored by media partner WCBE radio (90.5 FM).

In light of the economic downturn, CSTW is offering new funded research opportunities for faculty and staff at Ohio universities. Research on Ohio Writing and Composing in 21st Century Contexts will address these questions: How is 21st century composing entangled with economic conditions and How is our teaching mindful of these conditions? Contact CSTW Director Dickie Selfe for more information.

CSTW will host open sessions about various aspects of programming on Wednesdays at 11:00 throughout the quarter. The October 7 session is Outreach and the New Africentric Agenda. For more information or to register, contact kauffeld.1@osu.edu. Summer Students Publish e-Newsletters Consultant Brea Heidelberg leads a "Theme Talk Day" session on hip-hop music. The result was the transformation of passive listeners into informed ones that are aware of how music can shape their lives and their communities. Students at Africentric Middle School became summer journalists to produce five newsletters on selected topics during a CSTW-sponsored camp. Outreach consultants worked with 25-30 middle-school students three mornings a week for five consecutive weeks this summer at the e-Writing Camp. Students were instructed and coached in writing and revision of news articles that were published weekly in The Nubians Info.

The writing themes for the newspaper included introduction of the news reporters, social change agents, positive affirmations for creative growth, hip-hop culture, and the great literacy debate. Students worked in large groups for the "Theme Talk Day" session and in smaller groups of four to five students with their consultants.

"It did a great deal for their psyche in a positive way," says Outreach Coordinator Nancy Hill McClary. "They exhibited great energy throughout the camp, writing passionately about the diverse themes for the week."

Learning from the Writing Pros Freelancing demands networking and Web writing requires exactness. These were among the lessons learning from the "Exploring Professional Writing" panelists on Thursday, May 28.

Professional writing students in the Writing in Organizations class (HUM COL 450.02) hosted the event, which featured four guests: Alice Duncanson, development writer and editor at the Center of Science and Industry (COSI); Alicia Kelso, editor of The Publishing Group Ltd.; Kelly Kinzer Malone, vice president of media and content at Real Living, Inc.; and Dan Willis, marketing consultant for First Class Events. Student Ashley McAtee moderated the symposium.

Duncanson defined nonprofit writing as mission-centered communication, noting that writers give "voice to the organization" and play a "forward thinking role." She emphasized that writers working at nonprofits need to be flexible, especially since most nonprofits run on a shoestring budget and lack adequate staff. Developing strong interpersonal skills will serve aspiring nonprofit writers well, Duncanson said, as writers often serve as a liaison between administrators and program directors.

Malone discussed ghost writing, stressing that writers need to know the style and tone of the person they are representing as well as the medium in which they are writing, which can range from articles and magazine columns to thank you notes, blogs, and letters of recommendation.

Willis talked about freelancing, drawing on his experience in the public sector to emphasize the importance of understanding the big picture. He underscored that writers need to be aware of three factors: the person they are representing, the audience, and how their own writing skills can produce a dynamic presentation. Willis encouraged aspiring professional writers to seek out freelance work. "Always look for opportunities," he said. "If you can write on behalf of somebody else, that's a great gift."

Kelso spoke about writing for the Web, emphasizing the importance of learning RSS feeds and blogging, as well as Web sites such as Facebook and Twitter. In spite of technological advances, she noted that strong writing skills and accuracy are essential components of all professional writing.

A question-and-answer session gave students a chance to ask professionals about the worlds of work. Each writer had advice for aspiring professional writers. Duncanson emphasized that students should seek out internships and freelance work, which could lead to contract or full-time employment. Kelso recommended that students focus on building their portfolios, and also to be patient and "coachable." Malone advised students to reach out to advisors and teachers. "Go for what you're passionate about," she said. Willis emphasized that students should connect with people as much as they can and always ask the question, "Do you know of anyone who can use my skills to get me started?"

McAtee summed up what she and her classmates gained from the program: "... [T]he biggest impact, for me was the way being in a room with writing professionals made me feel like my career goals are realistic ..., and it is much clearer to me now that professional writing is a rich, multidimensional field."

The Minor in Professional Writing allows students in any major to add writing credentials to their résumés and offers a one-quarter internship at a business or organization.

Hilltop Women Tell Their Stories A group of about 15 librarians and Hilltop patrons attended the "Celebration of Hilltop Stories" on May 5 at the branch library on South Hague Avenue. While munching on fruits, cheese, and bread, the producers of digital stories talked about the value of creating an archive of Hilltop history or "herstory" (all of the produced stories were created by local "older" women from the Hilltop area). The digital stories are the culmination of a research project called "What is Your Hilltop" that trained library clients to collect and document points of neighborhood pride, such as individual histories, active citizens, creative individuals, and important community events.

"These aren't Hollywood productions, thank goodness," says Dickie Selfe, CSTW Director and leader of the project funded by a grant by the State Library of Ohio. "But they certainly are interesting, local digital storytelling that documents moments of the Hilltop's history and community."

Topics included the yearly Hilltop Bean Dinner (view on YouTube), the diverse racial and social nature of Hilltop, the welcoming nature of the Hilltop to working-class, independent thinking individuals, and a family of custom builders in the area

Selfe and doctoral student Cormac Slevin also collected one-time stories about OSU football games (in 1940); young people's lives in the shady parks; black families listening to Dr. Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech and riding on Columbus buses in the 1960s; Hilltop protest events against drug activities in the 1980s; the Greenlawn Cemetery; and the experiences of a teacher of young troubled men in the 1970s. All stories (with permission) will be archived and found (in video and audio formats) on OSU's Knowledge Bank.

The grant was awarded by the State Library of Ohio that administers the LSTA (Library Services and Technology Act) program, funded through the independent federal agency IMLS (Institute of Museum and Library Services).

For more information, Contact Dickie Selfe at CSTW, 614-688-5960, selfe.3@osu.edu.

Grammar Smackdown! It wasn't as down and dirty as wrestling, but for the students in Trish Houston's Writing in Organizations class it was a fight to the finish.

The Humanities 450.02 students demonstrated their knowledge of English syntax and grammar in a Grammar Smackdown on May 18. Developed by Deborah Gump of Ohio University and Ron Hartung, Associate Editor of the Tallahassee Democrat, the Grammar Smackdown has been used in both academic and professional settings to hone students' and professionals' writing and editing skills, Houston says.

Four teams - "The Witnesses," "The Conkerers," "Los Bobcats," and "The Defenestrators" - competed in a two-round test of syntax, grammar, and punctuation. In Round One, teams corrected five sentences with errors ranging from passive voice to comma splices. In Round Two, each team's appointed "runner" raced to collect their team's sentence, conferred with their teammates to correct the mistakes, and returned the corrected sentence. After completing five sentences, teams were ranked according to accuracy and speed. The winning team in both speed and accuracy, "Los Bobcats," consisted of Syra Arif, Mark Bradley, and Ashley McAtee. Arif says "the Grammar Smackdown doubled as a workout and a practice of our grammar skills."

Humanities 450 prepares and qualifies students to enroll in Humanities 589, the Professional Writing Internship, the capstone quarter for the Minor in Professional Writing. Says Houston, "Professional writing interns are often asked to edit and proofread all kinds of text in their workplaces. The Smackdown is a way to enhance students' professionalism-and it's a fun way to do it."

RL Stine So Popular It's Scary "I really like this part of my job," says CSTW Associate Director Doug Dangler of his time spent with children's book author RL Stine in May. "It's refreshing to meet writers of all types, but getting to know the authors before the interview makes the interview so much better."

After picking Stine up at the airport and taking him to lunch, the two visited Worthington Kilbourne Middle School where 100 eager seventh and eighth graders were waiting with questions for the Goosebumps series author. Stine says that "Goosebumps cast a spell upon children by transforming even the most reluctant students into avid readers."

After talking to the students, Stine gave a video interview in the College of Humanities studio, before going to a Faculty Club reception for Ohioana authors. The following day at the Ohioana Book Festival on May 9, loads of kids were on hand to meet Stine. "The line was very long for him," Dangler says. "His books sold out twice before the organizers had to give up." The day ended with a reception at the Governor's mansion, but not before Stine, a Bexley native and Ohio State graduate, talked Dangler into a drive past his childhood home. "I suggested that we install a commemorative plaque," said Dangler, "But Mr. Stine thought that the new owners might find that odd."

Dangler's interviews with Stine can be heard on WCBE's Writers Talk program and WDEM-tv.

Professional Writing Students Host Work-World Writers Symposium Professional writing students in the Writing in Organizations class (HUM COL 450.01) this quarter will host "Exploring Professional Writing" on Thursday, May 28, 9:45 a.m., in 060 Science and Engineering Library.

Open to anyone interested in professional writing, the event features a panel of guests from the professional world that represents industries from nonprofits to publishing. Confirmed guests include Alice Duncanson, development writer and editor at the Center of Science and Industry; Alicia Kelso, editor of The Publishing Group Ltd.; Kelly Malone, vice president of media and content at Real Living, Inc.; and Dan Willis, marketing consultant for First Class Events.

Panel guests will address the ins and outs of ghostwriting, writing for nonprofits, bridging the divide between print and online media, and the advantages and disadvantages of freelancing in today's business world. A question-and-answer session after the discussion will give those in attendance a chance to ask real-world professionals questions about the worlds of work.

The Minor in Professional Writing allows students in any major to add writing credentials to their résumés and offers a one-quarter internship at a business or organization.

New PowerPoint Resource Helps Writers Edit their Work "Can the Writing Center proofread my paper?" is one of the more common requests we hear from students at CSTW. The answer is "No, but a consultant can help you learn to edit your own work." A new PowerPoint resource lets students reinforce their sessions at the Writing Center by reviewing slides that address common errors.

"Our culture appreciates resources that are visually appealing," says Katrina Peterson, who created the PowerPoint. "The text is easy to read and allows users to skip ahead to the parts they need while still getting the big picture."

The slides ask these major questions:
Have I followed the requirements of the assignment?
Have I checked organization?
Have I considered audience issues?
Have I edited for style?

Other slides address run-on sentences, subject-verb agreement, which vs. that, and using action verbs.

Peterson is working on a slide show about integrating quotations into writing, something she says she knew little about until graduate school. The slides will encourage students to think about how to integrate and merge quotations with their own sentence structure and show them how to use tags to introduce the quotations.

"I think students who want to become better writers will appreciate these types of resources," Peterson says. "I hope they help people."

CSTW Supports Dissertation Writers Few activities on a campus as large as Ohio State's attract graduate students from 33 different disciplines for discussion and peer assessment. But that is what happens in Center for the Study and Teaching of Writing dissertation writing groups.

Since spring 2007, 52 students have met in groups of three to five to provide feedback to one another as they write their dissertations. Rachel Clark, Writing Center assistant coordinator, schedules the groups and leads one.

"The groups are meant to be interdisciplinary to allow members to focus on developing their writing skills and their ability to explain their dissertations to non-specialists," she says. "Ideally, groups stay together for three quarters, and the third quarter they meet without a writing center facilitator. Our goal is to model how a successful group works so that the groups can sustain themselves."

Participants may join at the beginning of any quarter. They take turns sharing their written work at meetings. The consultant moderates the discussions and manages email communications among the group.

"It is a really encouraging environment, being in a room with people who are having the same problems," says Eugenia Gonzales, who runs a weekly group. "I see a lot of collegiality and even friendships form. And the group holds its members accountable to deadlines, which keeps the dissertation writers on schedule with their work."

"From my perspective, accountability is the importance of the dissertation writing group," says a member of Gonzales's current group. "After I finished the candidacy exams and was on my own to complete my dissertation, it was very easy to prioritize other things above it. Having a deadline has been enormously helpful making progress. Additionally, knowing that I will need to explain my writing to others who are not in my discipline encourages me to think through the clarity of my writing and to make it applicable to a broader audience. Finally, I have found inspiration from others in connecting concepts in their topics and academic disciplines to my own work. I have also found models in writing style that have refined how I communicate through the process of writing."

If you would like to join a dissertation writing group, please send an email to Rachel Clark or Doug Dangler.

CSTW Partners with Ohioana to Learn from Ohio Authors CSTW will be on hand when readers of all ages gather at the third annual Ohioana Book Festival on Saturday, May 9 from 10:00 am to 4:30 pm in Columbus. The festival will be held at the Ohioana and State Library of Ohio's facility in the Jeffrey Mining Center at 274 E. First Ave., in the historic Italian Village and Short North Arts District of Columbus. The event is free and open to the public.

"We share the festival's interest in Ohio authors," says Doug Dangler, CSTW Associate Director. "I'll be there with our student digital media assistants to record author interviews for the website and the Writers Talk radio show on WCBE (90.5 FM)."

Ten writers will come to Columbus early to participate in outreach programming in schools and other community venues and the media. In Worthington, Margaret Peterson Haddix will visit Wilson Hill Elementary, and RL Stine will talk to 100 middle school students interested in writing. The Ohioana authors, all stars in their chosen literary field, include:

R. L. Stine, a Columbus native, is one of the best-selling children's authors in history and most well known for his Goosebumps and Fear Street series.
Jeff Smith, who grew up in Columbus, is the creator of the award-winning graphic novel series Bone.
Peter Mansoor, an OSU graduate, is current Chair of Military History at Ohio State. A recently retired US Army Colonel, his 26-year military career culminated in his service in Iraq as the executive officer to General Patraeus, Commanding General of the Multi-National Force in Iraq. His acclaimed book, Baghdad at Sunrise, is a memoir of his experiences.
Thrity Umrigar, professor of creative writing and literature at Case Western Reserve and former Washington Post and Cleveland Plain Dealer contributor, is a Bombay, India native. She is a highly acclaimed bestselling author of three novels and a memoir, First Darling of the Morning.
John Scalzi, a California native and current Bradford, Ohio, resident, is an award-winning science fiction novelist best known for his debut novel Old Man's War. His newest release The Last Colony hit the New York Times Bestseller list last year.
Erin McCarthy/Erin Lynn of West Lake, Ohio, sold her first book in 2002, and 24 books later she is still entertaining readers with contemporary and paranormal romances. She also writers young adult novels under the pen name Erin Lynn.
Jaime Adoff, grew-up in Yellow Springs, Ohio, where he currently makes his home, is an award-winning author of popular books for children and young adults. A poet, rock-and-roll musician, and author, Adoff received the 2006 Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Award for his book Jimi and Me.
Margaret Peterson Haddix, grew-up on a farm near Washington Court House, Ohio, and is the award-wining author of more than 20 books for children and young adults, including the popular The Shadow Children series. Her new book, Found is the first in her new series The Missing.
Ann Hagedorn, a Dayton native currently a resident of Ripley, Ohio, is a former Wall Street Journal staffer and investigative report with the New York Daily News. She is the author of a number of award-winning nonfiction titles, including Beyond the River and Savage Peace.
Phil Brady, a New York City native, is Youngstown State University Distinguished Professor, award-winning poet, essayist, editor, and musician, and community organizer. His most recent work is By Heart: Reflections of a Rust-Belt Bard is a collection of essays.

During the festival, the featured authors will do individual readings and presentations, including taking part in five panels, including "The Writing Life" with R.L Stine and Thrity Umrigar; and "Why We Write, What We Write" with Erin McCarthy and Jeff Smith. Other panels include special interest topics such as writing for children and how to get published.

More information at the Ohioana Book Festival

Writing Center Veteran Wins Teaching Award
Alexis Stern was pleasantly surprised when Dean Osmer and his delegation from the Graduate School walked into the Introduction to Fiction class she was teaching on Monday. They were there to present her with a Graduate Associate Teaching Award.

"Dean Osmer talked to my students about what this honor means," Stern says. "I had to hold on to the chalk tray for support."

Nominations for the Graduate Associate Teaching Award (GATA) are solicited from students, peers, faculty and staff. The Graduate School notifies eligible nominees, who then prepare an application portfolio for review by the GATA selection committee, comprised of the Graduate School's Award Committee, undergraduate honors students, Council of Graduate Student representatives, previous GATA winners, and faculty Distinguished Teaching Award winners. The committee reviews all submissions and selects up to 10 award recipients.

Stern has a four-year history with the Center for the Study and Teaching of Writing. She tutored in the Writing Center for two year and has been a Writing Center assistant coordinator for two years.

"My work at the Writing Center brings me into contact with such a great variety of students from all over the university," Stern says. "I get to talk to them about how they feel about writing, learning, school in general, their plans in life, etc. I think it helps me understand where my students are coming from, and I know that it helps me develop exercises and assignments based on what I see working with students at the Writing Center."

Stern has taught seven different courses at Ohio State, from First-Year Composition to Introduction to the Theory and Practice of Writing Centers. Teaching is her passion, Stern says.

"It's the reason I'm in grad school, and certainly the reason I've stayed in grad school. Students are smart; they surprise me every quarter and teach me new things. I love to teach."

The GATA winners will be formally recognized at the Graduate School Awards Reception.

4th Graders Reminisce about Literacy "I liked sitting in that tall chair with those big, puffy but comfortable headphones on," reads a letter from a fourth-grader at Windermere Elementary School in Upper Arlington.

He and five other young students had their recording debut on April 1, 2009, when they visited Ohio State in a program organized by CSTW Associate Director Doug Dangler. The children read from literacy narratives they had written, which recounted how they learned to read and write.

The recording session were done as part of CSTW's digital media outreach and in conjunction with the Digital Archives of Literacy Narratives (DALN) project, a publicly available archive of literacy narratives that collectively provide a historical record of the literacy practices and values of contributors (to contribute, visit http://daln.osu.edu/). The recording was done at Humanities Information Systems' Digital Media Services Studio, assisted by Scott Sprague and Paul Kotheimer.

The students' narratives, in addition from being included in the DALN project, were edited into a five-minute radio program by the digital media group at CSTW for broadcast on Writers Talk, which airs each Wednesday at 8:01 pm on WCBE, central Ohio's NPR station. To listen to this and other Writers Talk programs and CSTW podcasts, please visit http://cstw.osu.edu/podcasts.

The class of 24 students spent time in the media studio and shared a tour of Ohio State and a sack lunch with Dangler and student digital media assistant Anne Adoryan.

"It's never too early to get them thinking about college," says Dangler. "I hope this unique experience will stick with them."

It likely will. Another student writes: "It was fun to see a college classroom. There are so many people in one class. College seems like fun. I wish I was in college."

If you'd like to know more about CSTW's podcasts and programs with Ohio writers, please contact Doug Dangler at dangler.6@osu.edu.

Hands-on Facebook: Instructional Uses and Reflections
CSTW's Anne Adoryan shares her Facebook expertise in a recent workshop. "No matter your personal feelings about social networking sites, students are using it on, around, and in your classes," says Dickie Selfe, Director of CSTW. Twenty-four faculty and staff from the Colleges of the Arts and Sciences and other university venues learned the basics of Facebook (FB) in a workshop on April 3, 2009.

The goal of the workshop, led by CSTW student employee Anne Adoryan, a six-year user of FB, was to explore FB as an opportunity for making education and learning a more social experience, both inside and outside the classroom. A panel of students talked with the group about their uses of the site, and Adoyan showed participants how to set up their FB sites, manage their privacy setting, and navigate the many FB options.

One attendee was associate professor Anne Fields, a subject specialist for English at OSU Libraries. She is working on a project to provide all library student assistants with basic education in library research, in addition to the job training they already receive. "Students at Ohio State do not necessarily receive any formal instruction in library research while they're here," she says.

"Students are unprepared to deal with information they need for their classes, and they're unprepared to enter the larger world of information once they've graduated," Fields says. "I'm interested in exploring how we might use Facebook to communicate with that huge group of student assistants, perhaps subdividing them according to their more specialized needs and interests by the library department they're working in."

Nancy Golden started using FB when she was hired as a program coordinator with the Melton Center for Jewish Studies.

"We wanted to establish a group on FB to network with Ohio State students and potential new recruits and to advertise for our educational and cultural events, which cater to both campus and the larger Columbus community," Golden says. "We also thought that social media, like FB, would go a long way toward humanizing academia and helping us bolster the Melton Center's identity on campus."

Golden says the workshop was especially helpful in setting privacy settings and improving her navigating skills.

Workshop attendees represented departments of art, English, African American and African studies, women's studies, veterinary medicine, pharmacy, music, theatre, and others. Selfe says he was unable to accommodate everyone who registered for the workshop and expects to offer it again at the end of spring quarter. If you'd like to be notified, please send an email to kauffeld.1@osu.edu.

What's Your Hilltop?
Who: CSTW, OSU Libraries, Ohio State's Goldberg Center
Contact: Dickie Selfe selfe.3@osu.edu
Description: Dickie Selfe, CSTW Director, and Missy Lodge, Head, Library Programs and Development, State Library of Ohio.
It's not unusual to see people lined up at Hilltop Branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library when it's time to open for the day. The locals are anxious to use the 44 computers, and there simply are not enough to go around.

A research collaboration that partners CSTW with the OSU Libraries and Ohio State's Goldberg Center will bring 12 laptop computers, 12 digital audio recorders, and 10 digital still cameras to Hilltop's library in a project named "What's Your Hilltop?

The project trains library clients to collect and document points of neighborhood pride, such as individual histories, active citizens, creative individuals, and important community events.

"What we're doing is creating a population of media producers - not just consumers," says Dickie Selfe, Director of CSTW. "National organizations and research studies indicate that media production is an important 21^st century literacy skill. The explosive growth of archives of online personal histories indicates that, given support and access to digital media equipment, communities are hungry to tell and archive their local histories." This spring and summer, evening classes will target under-resourced and underserved adults and teens, those who are unfamiliar with audio production, photo manipulation, and video editing. Selfe and CSTW graduate associates and undergraduate employees will teach participants how to plan stories, interview subjects, take digital photos, and produce audio and video. These skills will help participants tell the stories of important people, organizations, and events in their community.

The grant was awarded by the State Library of Ohio that administers the LSTA (Library Services and Technology Act) program, funded through the independent federal agency IMLS (Institute of Museum and Library Services).

For more information, Contact Dickie Selfe at CSTW, 614-688-5960, selfe.3@osu.edu.

On-Campus Conference: Digital Media in a Social World
When: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, Thursday and Friday, February 19 and 20
Where: Various locations to be announced
Who: OSU-affiliated faculty and staff
Contact: Doug Dangler dangler.6@osu.edu
Description: Join us in answering President Gee's call for OSU faculty, students, and staff "to define ourselves not narrowly but comprehensively [with] thinking that is no longer intramural but trans-institutional. "The OSU New Media in a Digital World Conference" will bring together faculty, staff, and students from across OSU for presentations, discussions, and networking about using educational technology.

February 19 will feature workshops in audio documentaries presented by the Third Coast Audio International Festival.

February 20 will feature both structured and informal (unconference) meetings about educational technology. With participation from areas as diverse as the Education, Statistics, FTAD, TELR, Architecture, Engineering, Student Life, and Agricultural Communications, there's sure to be something for every interest.

We invite OSU-affiliated faculty and staff to propose an informal presentation on a topic of current interest by contacting Doug Dangler or call 614-688-5865.

Cosponsored by The Center for the Study and Teaching of Writing, The Digital Union and The Harvey Goldberg Program for Excellence in Teaching.

Find out more information about the DIGITAL MEDIA in a social world event.

Author Panel: The Business/Life of Writing Horror & Dark Fantasy
When: 3:00 - 5:00 pm, Friday, September 26
Where: 010 Page Hall
Contact: Doug Dangler, dangler.6@osu.edu
Description: Authors Lawrence C. Connolly, Lucy A. Snyder, Gary A. Braunbeck, and Michael A. Arnzen will discuss making a living at writing, with a book signing to follow. This program is free and open to the public. Parking is available at the Ohio Union garage next to Page Hall.


Writing Center/OSU Speech and Debate Team Spoken Word Event
When: 3:00 - 4:00 pm, Thursday, April 12
Where: Science and Engineering Library
Who: CSTW Writing Center, 614-688-4291, wcenter@osu.edu
Description: Student performances of written material. Done quarterly.

WAC Workshop: Carmen and Writing: Make your students' writing sing!
When: 11:30 AM-1:00 PM, Thursday, April 19th, 2007
Where: Science and Engineering Library
Who : Dr. Christopher Manion, WAC Coordinator, 614-292-9650, waccstw@osu.edu
Description: Learn to organize and manage writing assignments with Carmen. Find out how to effectively use Carmen to manage student peer groups, help students prepare portfolios, link multimedia projects, and engage in collaborative writing activities.

WAC Workshop: Copyright and the Classroom: Writing and Intellectual Property
When: 11:30 AM-1:00 PM, Thursday, April 26, 2007
Where: Science and Engineering Library
Who: Dr. Christopher Manion, WAC Coordinator, 614-292-9650, waccstw@osu.edu
Description: In this workshop, we will discuss basic copyright law as it applies to the work you and your students do for your classes: materials you prepare for Carmen or bring in from other resources as well as student writing and media projects. Then we will then show how copyright law can be used as an opportunity to help your students think carefully about the contexts that they write in and understand the wider implications of plagiarism.

WAC Workshop: Drawing to Learn: Visual Composition Across the Curriculum
When: 11:30 AM-1:00 PM, Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Where: Science and Engineering Library
Who: Dr. Christopher Manion, WAC Coordinator, 614-292-9650, waccstw@osu.edu
Description: Students can also learn by composing their own visual texts. In this workshop, we'll broaden our definition of writing to include the composition of visual texts as well as texts that combine both visual and textual elements. We will discuss how composing visual texts helps students learn and think critically about course content, what challenges students face when asked to visually compose. We will explore examples of visual composing assignments and some sample student projects that resulted from those assignments, and discuss some of the available technologies for visual composing, including freeware and open source software and public domain or creative commons image archives.

Graduate School Seminar on Publishing in Research Journals
When: 2:30 - 4:30 pm, Tuesday, May 15
Where: Mendenhall Lab 100
Who: Graduate School, Karen Mayer, mayer.113@osu.edu
Description: No matter what your research field, there are certain things you can do to gain favorable responses from editors and reviewers. Join Dr. Jay Kandampully, Professor of Consumer Sciences, as he guides graduate students and new researchers through the publishing process. Workshop topics include: important general considerations in developing manuscripts, how to start preparing research for publication, and what editors and reviewers look for in good research manuscripts. Dr. Kandampully serves on 12 editorial advisory boards for scholarly and business journals and is currently the editor of the international academic journal, "Managing Service Quality," one of the top scholarly publications in the Services Management discipline. All fields are welcome to attend this interactive workshop. Register at http://www.gradsch.osu.edu/eventregistration/

WAC Workshop: Ownership of Language: International Instructors Responding to Student Writing
When: 11:30 AM­1:00 PM
Where: Science and Engineering Library
Who: Dr. Christopher Manion, WAC Coordinator, 614-292-9650, waccstw@osu.edu
Description: Teaching in a language that is not your native language can be challenging, especially if your class is a writing class or a class that has a significant writing component. Students with native English speaking knowledge may challenge the judgment of international instructors when it comes to providing feedback on their papers. In this session, we will talk about the challenges involved in teaching writing in your second (third, or fourth) language, and strategies to meet/overcome those challenges.

Godman Guild Workshops: Introductions, Conclusions, and the Paragraph
When: 12 - 2 pm and 5 -7 pm, Mon, April 3, 2006
Where: Godman Guild and OSU Extension Learning Center
Who: CSTW Outreach, 614-292-9246, outreachcstw@osu.edu
Description: CSTW workshop facilitators provide guidelines for writing strong introductions, conclusions, and body paragraphs in response to GED essay prompts.

Godman Guild Workshops: Scoring the GED Essay
When: 12 -2 pm and 5 -7 pm, Mon, April 10, 2006
Where: Godman Guild and OSU Extension Learning Center
Who: CSTW Outreach, 614-292-9246, outreachcstw@osu.edu
Description: CSTW workshop facilitators introduce GED essay exam scoring rubric, and clients score their own work and sample essays.

WAC Workshop: Theatre Department: Responding to Student Writing
When: 4:30 -5:30 pm, Tues, April 11, 2006
Where: TBA
Who: Dr. Christopher Manion, WAC Coordinator, 614-292-9650, waccstw@osu.edu
Description: The WAC team will be facilitating a workshop for GTAs in the Theatre Department on responding to student writing

WAC Workshop: FTAD: Responding to Student Writing
When: 11:30 am – 1 pm, Wed, April 12
Where: 300 Younkin Success Center
Who: Dr. Christopher Manion, WAC Coordinator, 614-292-9650, waccstw@osu.edu
Description: The WAC team will be facilitating a workshop for Faculty and TA Development on responding to student writing.

WAC Brownbag: International GTAs Teaching Writing
When: 12-1 pm, Thurs, April 13, 2006
Where: 311 Denney Hall
Who: Dr. Christopher Manion, WAC Coordinator, 614-292-9650, waccstw@osu.edu
Description: This roundtable offers the opportunity for International GTAs to openly discuss issues they have faced and overcome in their experience teaching writing.

Godman Guild Workshops: Strategies for the Timed Exam
When: 12 -2 pm and 5 -7 pm, Mon, April 24, 2006
Where: Godman Guild and OSU Extension Learning Center
Who: CSTW Outreach, 614-292-9246, outreachcstw@osu.edu
Description: CSTW workshop facilitators introduce the 4-minute plan for success, and clients take a practice timed exam.

WAC Workshop: "Pod-agogy": Making Your Writing Pedagogy Accessible in a Wired World
When: 12 -1 pm, Thurs, April 27, 2006
Where: 311 Denney Hall
Who: Dr. Christopher Manion, WAC Coordinator, 614-292-9650, waccstw@osu.edu
Description: Learn about new technologies that can help you make your teaching more accessible for your students--it's a lot easier than you might think!

Godman Guild Workshops: One-on-One Student Reviews
When: 12 -2 pm and 5 -7 pm, Mon, May 1, 2006
Where: Godman Guild and OSU Extension Learning Center
Who: CSTW Outreach, 614-292-9246, outreachcstw@osu.edu
Description: CSTW workshop facilitators meet individually with clients to go over writing produced throughout the quarter and to get feedback from clients.

Godman Guild Workshops: Lower Level Literacy Workshop, Part I
When: 5 -7 pm, Tues, May 2, 2006
Where: Godman Guild and OSU Extension Learning Center
Who: CSTW Outreach, 614-292-9246, outreachcstw@osu.edu
Description: A new workshop for adult clients with GED reading and writing scores below the sixth grade level.

Godman Guild Workshops: Lower Level Literacy Workshop, Part II
When: 5 -7 pm, Mon, May 8, 2006
Where: Godman Guild and OSU Extension Learning Center
Who: CSTW Outreach, 614-292-9246, outreachcstw@osu.edu
Description: A new workshops for adult clients with GED reading and writing scores below the sixth grade level.

WAC Workshop: Survivor II, Exile Island: Summer Research, Teaching and Writing
When: 12 -1 pm, Thursday, May 11, 2006
Where: TBA
Who: Dr. Christopher Manion, WAC Coordinator, 614-292-9650, waccstw@osu.edu
Description: This workshop will help you stay organized and on task this summer as you rest and prepare for another year of teaching writing.

Columbus Africentric Elementary After School Tutoring
When: 3:30-5:00 pm, Every Monday Through Spring Quarter 2006
Where: Africentric Elementary School
Who: CSTW Outreach, 614-292-9246, outreachcstw@osu.edu
Description: CSTW Outreach Consultant facilitates tutoring sessions in which trained volunteers from OSU provide individualized instruction and assistance to third and fourth graders. This program is in its sixth year.

Nola NOW! Teen Newsletter Project
When: 3:30-4:30 pm, Every Friday Through Spring Quarter 2006
Where: Indianola Middle School
Who: CSTW Outreach, 614-292-9512, outreachcstw@osu.edu
Description: CSTW Outreach Consultants facilitate newsletter writing sessions with trained volunteers from OSU to provide individualized instruction and assistance to middle school students. Students plan, produce story articles, and distribute the 'Nola NOW! Newsletter. This program is in its second year.

Linden McKinley High School Writing Groups
When: Through Spring Quarter 2006
Where: Linden McKinley High School
Who: CSTW Outreach, 614-292-9246, outreachcstw@osu.edu
Description: CSTW Outreach Consultant facilitates onsite writing sessions for high school students on basic writing and preparation of college statements with assistance from CSTW-staff. This program is in its third year.

Godman Guild Workshops: One on One Student Reviews
When: Workshop 4 -- 12:00-2:00 pm and 5:00-7:00 pm, Mon, March 6, 2006
Where: Godman Guild and OSU Extension Learning Center
Who: CSTW Outreach, 614-292-9246, outreachcstw@osu.edu
Description: CSTW workshop facilitators meet one on one with clients to go over writing produced throughout the quarter and to get feedback from clients.

WAC Workshop: The Press ReleaseWrite All About It!
When: 1-2:00 pm, Tues, February 28, 2006
Where: 311 Denney Hall
Who: Dr. Christopher Manion, WAC Coordinator, 614-292-9650, waccstw@osu.edu
Description: Led by Dr. Barbara Glass, Coordinator of the Professional Writing Minor, and Melissa Soave, Director of Communications for the College of Humanities, this workshop offers practice in teaching the press release as well as innovative ways to incorporate this newsworthy genre into your courses across disciplines.

Godman Guild Workshops: The Building Blocks of Writing II: Thesis Sentences & Topic Sentences
When: Workshop 3 -- 12:00-2:00 pm and 5:00-7:00 pm, Mon, February 20, 2006
Where: Godman Guild and OSU Extension Learning Center
Who: CSTW Outreach, 614-292-9246, outreachcstw@osu.edu
Description: Clients will investigate how an essay differs from other types of writing. Session will focus specifically on thesis statements and topic sentences as constituting the skeleton of the essay.

WAC Workshop: Community-Based Pedagogy
When: 12:00-1:00 pm, Thurs, February 16, 2006
Where: 311 Denney Hall
Who: Dr. Christopher Manion, WAC Coordinator, 614-292-9650, waccstw@osu.edu
Description: Professor Vesta A. H. Daniel from the Department of Art Education will discuss her work on community-based curriculum development. This brown bag offers an opportunity for collaborative discussion on the possibilities of engaging students with contemporary issues affecting the community through curriculum development.

Columbus Public School Teacher Workshop: Writing Across the Curriculum
When: 8:00 am - 3:00 pm, Wed, February 8, 2006
Where: North Education Center Library
Who: Dr. Christopher Manion, WAC Coordinator, 614-292-9650, waccstw@osu.edu
Description: This professional development workshop will allow high school teachers to talk with colleagues in other disciplines about how to teach discipline-specific knowledge through writing, use writing to inspire critical thinking, and create meaningful writing prompts specific to their discipline.

Godman Guild Workshops: The Building Blocks of Writing: Words, Sentences, & Paragraphs
When: Workshop 2 -- 12:00-2:00 pm and 5:00-7:00 pm, Mon, February 6, 2006
Where: Godman Guild and OSU Extension Learning Center
Who: CSTW Outreach, 614-292-9246, outreachcstw@osu.edu
Description: Instruction will include looking at the fundamental elements of writing: the best word, the types of sentences, and how to construct a paragraph.

Fall Quarter Deadline for Journals and Papers
When: November 29, 2005
Where: 419 Mendenhall Lab
Who: Dr. Barbara Glass, Minor in Professional Writing, 614-688-4652, glass.107@osu.edu
Description: Fall quarter intern deadline for turning in journals and reflective papers to Internship Coordinator.

Fall Quarter Internship Class
When: 3:30- 5:18 pm, Mondays
Where: 174 Mendenhall Lab
Who: Dr. Barbara Glass, Minor in Professional Writing, 614-688-4652, glass.107@osu.edu
Description: Meetings for fall internship class.

Little Known Things (LKT) Workshop: Office of Minority Affairs
When: 5:30 - 7:00 pm, Thur, October 13, 2005
Where: Younkin Success Center
Who: K. Terzano, CSTW and OMA, 614-688-4291, wcenter@osu.edu
Description: First year students benefit from workshop on CSTW Writing Center resources and services.

Godman Guild Workshops: Scoring the GED
When: Workshop 2 - 12:00-2:00 pm and 5:00-7:00 pm, Mon, October 17, 2005
Where: Godman Guild and OSU Extension Learning Center
Who: CSTW Outreach, 614-292-9246, outreachcstw@osu.edu
Description: This workshop is designed to assist clients in understanding the scoring criteria and grading rubric used by GED exam evaluators.

Godman Guild Workshops: Strategies for Approaching the Timed Essay
When: Workshop 3 - 12:00-2:00 pm and 5:00-7:00 pm, Mon, October 31, 2005
Where: Godman Guild and OSU Extension Learning Center
Who: CSTW Outreach, 614-292-9246, outreachcstw@osu.edu
Description: This workshop teaches students strategies for breaking down the 45-minute essay test on the GED exam into workable parts.

Godman Guild Workshops: One on One Student Reviews
When: Workshop 4 - 12:00-2:00 pm and 5:00-7:00 pm, Mon, November 14, 2005
Where: Godman Guild and OSU Extension Learning Center
Who: CSTW Outreach, 614-292-9246, outreachcstw@osu.edu
Description: CSTW workshop facilitators meet one on one with clients to go over writing produced throughout the quarter and to get feedback from clients.

Godman Guild GED Workshops: Strategies for Developing Ideas
When: Workshop III - 5:00 - 7:00 pm, Mon, August 22, 2005 and 1:00 - 3:00 pm, Tues, August 23, 2005
Where: Godman Guild and OSU Extension Learning Center
Who: CSTW Outreach, 614-292-9246, outreachcstw@osu.edu
Description: One of a series of workshops that focus on brainstorming, clustering, and messy first drafts.

Writing Center Summer Quarter Finals Week Hours
When: Hours to be determined and posted, August 23 - 24, 2005
Where: Mendenhall Laboratory
Who: CSTW Writing Center, 614-688-4291, wcenter@osu.edu
Description: Operation hours for finals week.

International Student Orientation
When: August 31, September 7, September 14
Where: Ohio Union
Who: CSTW Writing Center, 614-688-4291, wcenter@osu.edu
Description: Writing Center staff present information on services.

A Conference for New TAs
When:, 1:15 - 2:30 pm and 2:45 - 4:00 pm, Thur, September 15, 2005
Where: Location to be Determined
Who: Hosted by Faculty & TA Development
Who: CSTW Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) Coordinator, 614-292-9650 waccstw@osu.edu
Description: WAC Coordinator presents on "Responding to Student Papers."

GA Involvement Fair
When:, 1:15 - 2:30 pm and 2:45 - 4:00 pm, Thur, September 15, 2005
Where: Location to be Determined
Who: CSTW Writing Center, 614-688-4291, wcenter@osu.edu
Description: Writing Center staff present information on services.

New TA Training Fair
When:, 4:30 - 6 pm, Wed, September 14, 2005
Where: Location to be Determined
Who: CSTW Writing Center, 614-688-4291, wcenter@osu.edu
Description: Writing Center staff briefly describes its services.

Writing Center Summer Quarter Finals Week Hours
When: Hours to be determined and posted, August 23 - 24, 2005
Where: Mendenhall Laboratory
Who: CSTW Writing Center, 614-688-4291, wcenter@osu.edu
Description: Operation hours for finals week.
Godman Guild GED Workshops: Strategies for Developing Ideas
When: Workshop III - 5:00 - 7:00 pm, Mon, August 22, 2005 and 1:00 - 3:00 pm, Tues, August 23, 2005
Where: Godman Guild and OSU Extension Learning Center
Who: CSTW Outreach, 614-292-9246, outreachcstw@osu.edu
Description: One of a series of workshops that focus on brainstorming, clustering, and messy first drafts.

Summer Institute: Multiple Literacies and Digital Media: A Studio Course
When: 9:00 a.m.- 2:00 pm, July 11-15, 2005
Where: 343 Denney Hall
Who: CSTW, 614-688-5865, cstw@osu.edu
Description: The workshop, facilitated by Scott DeWitt, Director of the Digital Media Project, examines the multiple literacies students bring to school. Participants learn how to work with multimedia technologies (i.e., creating/ editing images, audio, and video) and explore how they might be applied in the classroom.

Summer Internship Application Deadline
When: Friday July 1, 2005
Who: Minor in Professional Writing, Dr. Barbara Glass, Coordinator, 614-688-4652, glass.107@osu.edu
Description: Application deadline for summer quarter internship class. Applicants must turn in three writing samples, a resume, and a cover letter in addition to a completed application form. See "Your Portfolio" on the Minor Web page http://cstw.osu.edu/writingMinor/default.htm. Eligible students will have completed 15 hours toward the Minor in Professional Writing, including HUM COL 450.

Summer Institute: Seeking Common Ground through Common Goals: Helping Students Negotiate the Transition from High School to College Writing
When: 9:00 a.m.- 2:00 pm, June 13-17 and June 20-24, 2005
Where: Digital Union, Science and Engineering Building
Who: CSTW Outreach, Kay Halasek, halasek.1@osu.edu Abby Dubisar, dubisar.1@osu.edu
Description: Middle school and high school teachers to spend either one or two weeks with colleagues from Ohio public schools and OSU exploring the ways that teachers can productively prepare students for college work. Class topics include digital media, college and high school teacher feedback on student writing, curriculum development, and Ohio English Language Arts Standards.

Writing Center Winter Break Closing Dates
When: June 13 - 17, 2005
Where: Mendenhall Lab and Younkin Success Center
Who: CSTW Writing Center, 614-688-4291, wcenter@osu.edu
Description: Mendenhall and Younkin will be closed.

Writing Center Spring Quarter Finals Week Hours
When: Hours to be determined and posted, June 6 - 8, 2005
Where: MendenhallLab
Who: CSTW Writing Center, 614-688-4291, wcenter@osu.edu
Description: Operation hours for finals week. Younkin Success Center will be closed during finals week.

Writing in 367: A Multidisciplinary Inquiry
When: Noon - 1:30 pm, Fri, May 6, 2005
Where: Hale Multicultural Center Multi-Purpose Room
Who: CSTW Writing Across the Curriculum Consultants and a Panel of Seasoned 367 Instructors, 614-292-9650
Description: A panel of 367 instructor/experts from Art Education, Comparative Studies, Engineering, English, and Psychology explore differences and similarities in writing for each department. Focus: Successes and failures in the 367 (second-level writing) classroom.

CSTW Presentation: Honors Collegium
When: 5:30 - 7:30 pm, Thur, May 5, 2005
Where: The OSU Writing Center, 475 Mendendhall Laboratories
Who: CSTW Writing Center, 614-688-4291, wcenter@osu.edu
Description: Faculty Coordinator for the Writing Center conducts a workshop on writing personal statements for honors student applying for scholarships.

CSTW Presentation: Writing a Dissertation
When: 5:30 - 7:30 pm, Wed, May 4, 2005
Where: Faculty Club, hosted by the Graduate School
Who: CSTW Writing Center, 614-688-4291, wcenter@osu.edu
Description: Writing Center Assistant Coordinators present information on writing a dissertation and services provided by the Writing Center.

Writing Group & Electronic Portfolio In-School Workshops
When: 9:00- 11:00 a.m., Continuous Through Spring Quarter 2005
Where: Linden McKinley High School
Who: CSTW Outreach, 614-292-9512, outreachcstw@osu.edu
Description: Trained CSTW Outreach and Writing Center consultants provide tutoring assistance to ninth, tenth and eleventh grade students at Linden McKinley on their writing. Students also work with Writing Center Coordinator, Dr. Kay Halasek on electronic portfolio activities in which they are engaged in ongoing e-mail discussions about their writing with CSTW Writing Center online tutors.

CSTW Panelist: Grant Writing for M. Ed. Graduates
When: 4:30 - 6:48 pm, Thurs, April 14, 2005
Where: Arps Hall
Who: CSTW, 614-688-5865, cstw@osu.edu
Description: CSTW participates in a panel discussion on grant writing for pre-service teachers in foreign and second language education in the College of Education.

Writing Across the Curriculum for ESL Learners
When: 8:30 - 12:30 pm, Sat, March 12, 2005
Where: Denney Hall
Who: CSTW Outreach, 614-292-9512, outreachcstw@osu.edu
Description: CSTW Outreach hosts the Teacher Seminar Series of professional development workshops for Ohio's P-12 teachers. In this workshop, Dr. Khadar Bashir-Ali will engage P-12 teacher-participants in a 4-hour interactive workshop on how to successfully respond to the writing needs of English as a Second Language (ESL) learners.