Technology in the Writing Center: Can Peer Tutors Use Online Programs to Help Writers?
Open Access
Author:
Tresnan, Kyle Francis
Area of Honors:
English
Degree:
Bachelor of Arts
Document Type:
Thesis
Thesis Supervisors:
Jon Olson, Thesis Supervisor Dr. Marcy Lynne North, Thesis Honors Advisor
Keywords:
writing center peer tutoring technology
Abstract:
Since the first spellcheckers, people have been using technology to help their writing. Although nearly everyone who writes on a computer uses some form of word processing that will correct basic spelling and grammar mistakes, fewer people know about web-based applications that analyze spelling and grammar more thoroughly and even check for style. As a peer tutor of writing working in a writing center, I am interested in these applications and whether or not they could be useful tools for tutors to use when working with the writers who seek help at the writing center. In this thesis, I discuss a few programs: Hemingway, BonPatron, SpellCheckPlus, and PaperRater. I discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each program and their possible applications for tutoring. I suggest that some of the sites be used to train tutors so the tutors will become more comfortable with the technology.
