The Do's and Don'ts of Conferences

This list has been created specifically for consultants aiding students with their Business School Portfolio Projects. It is based on the "Do's and Don'ts for Writing Commentary" (click here for a link). The information provided here is intended to serve as a guide to the various strategies for conducting effective conferences. Consultants who follow these guidelines can be assured that they are helping writers in a facilitative, rather than a directive manner.

Do's

• Read draft's all the way through before you begin to comment on them.
• Actively listen to all of the writer's comments and concerns.
• Raise questions from a reader's point of view; points that may not have occurred to the writer.
• Focus on the overall problems of organization before looking at surface level errors (ie: grammar, spelling).
• Make comments text-specific, referring specifically to that writer's draft.
• Offer suggestions, not commands, when possible.
• Comment through the use of questions ("Could you make a stronger transition between these two points?")
• Request clarification if certain aspects of the narrative seem unclear.
• Make sure you address the writer's main strengths as well as things that need improvement.
• Allow for salience and waiting time.
• Supply appropriate Writers Web (click here for a link) materials to assist the writer with specific weaknesses.
• Always provide your e-mail address and phone number before ending the conference.
  

Don'ts

• Do not write for the writer. Ask questions instead. In the case of a grammatical correction, assist with a representative example.
• Do not directly point out mistakes to the writer. Instead, point the student toward finding them.
• Don't overwhelm the writer with too many suggestions.
• Don't make too many corrections on the writer's paper.
• Do not end a conference without making sure the writer has understood everything you covered. If they haven't, spend some additional time clarifying any unclear points.
• Never forget an appointment with a writer. Standing someone up even once will result in a loss of credibility for the WAC program.
  
  

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