The Inkblot Fall 2013

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arwww.aus.edu/cas/writingcenter VOL. 4, ISSUE 1 FALL 2013

Writing is as big a part of my life as anything else, and when I tried to put what it meant to me in words, I came up with this. Writing is striving to be some-thing you are. Or maybe even some-thing you are not. At least, that is how it is for me. It is ex-pressing myself in a way that I can never manage as a speaker, because I am not eloquent, or as a musician, because I am tone deaf. I cannot express myself in sports, because I have no hand-eye coordination, and I cannot express my-self in clothes, because I am blind to the world of fashion. It is exposing who I want to be, or who I am, really, because who can judge who a person really is or isn’t? Writing is gathering the thoughts that make up the components of my mind and putting them on paper and making them real. It is creating some-thing out of daydreams and woolgath-ering, and thereby transforming what could have been a colossal waste of time into something tangible.

Writing is everything. It is thoughts and spoken words. It is feelings and hopes and beliefs. It is expressing myself, but it is also hiding from a world that is

sometimes too difficult to under-stand. It is believing in myself, as sometimes only I can. It is un-threading the complexity that is life, and analyzing it, and sighing with relief when it all makes sense again. It is wishing that solving problems were as easy as writing the perfect word. And it is laugh-ing when it dawns on me that sometimes finding solutions really is as simple as writing a beautiful sentence. Who am I as a writer? I am someone who wrote all these words, and still isn’t sure if she answered that question.

“Who am I as a Writer?”

1 INSIDE

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Ala Mokhtar

The Writing Center Newsletter Fall 20131

“who am I as a Writer?”

Director’s Note

Editors’ Notes

It’s All Relative!

What inspirestutors to write?

Tutor Feature

Professor FeatureShahed talks inspiration, teaching, and academics with Dr. Pernille Arenfeldt

Nasser and Nada discover similarities between writing and their individual hobbies

Jerusha speaks to graduat-ing senior, Mehreen Masoud, about her experience work-ing at the Writing Center

Fellow Feature+ Book Review

Extras!Lynne Ronesi at [email protected]

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Notes

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Faced with a blank page and a dead-line, students may be tempted to wait for inspi-ration, to assume that the argumentative essay or research project will unfold once they write the opening sentence. Inspiration is seldom that cooperative: effort, acquired skills and a combination of critical thinking and creative thought lead to inspiration. Rather than ex-pecting inspiration to strike, it may be helpful to develop strategies for generating ideas. In the process of discussing the logical coherence of arguments, organization of ideas, reliability of sources, sentence and paragraph structure and word choice, students and tutors create the intellectual milieu that enables inspi-ration. Students who engage in collaborative writing experiences will be in a strong position to develop their thesis statements, to make connections and to produce logically, coher-ent written assignments. In this way, having conversations at the Writing Center can bring about inspiration. This is yet another reason to visit the Writing Center!

Director’s Note

“You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.”

- Jack London

Dr. Maria Eleftheriou

Contact Us!

06 - 5152278 / 06 - 5152511

[email protected]

@AUS_WC

AUS Writing Center

www.facebook.com/AUSWC2013

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w 6A special shout-out to Sara Aleem, our layout

editor!


Notes

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We love being inspired, and we’re inspired every day that we tutor at the Writing Center. We’re inspired when we brainstorm with tutees for ideas they can work with, helping not only their creative juices flow, but ours too. We’re inspired when we see good writing by tutees who have improved over the course of the se-mester, knowing that we were a part, no matter how small, of that improvement. We’re inspired by simply knowing how privileged we are to be working in the Writing Center. And because we’re such big fans of inspiration, it’s of no surprise that we chose the theme of this newsletter to be ‘Inspiration’! As tutors, we’re often asked if writing comes naturally. This is a tricky question and, as the special feature on pages 6-7 shows, every tu-tor writes for a different reason. It is hardly ever the same force that drives us to write. As has been discussed in the Writing Center frequently, a common motivating factor is the very factor we often complain, fuss, and groan about: deadlines. Does that mean that if deadlines did not exist, we wouldn’t write? We would, we most certainly would, because other factors inspire us to put pen to paper, or finger to key. We write to be heard, to have a voice on a larger scale than we would otherwise,

to reach an audience much larger and more diverse than the one our circumstances afford us. We write to make change, to establish our beliefs and to say that we’re not going anywhere without making a difference. We write to explore our creativity, to learn the depths of thought our minds hold, for this is far more exposed to our own selves when allowed to leave the confines of a small space by translation into words. We’re always amused at the numerous possibilities that take flight by means of the 26 simple letters in the English alphabet—it’s a chilling thought, truly. We also write because it is what we love doing. Tutors from the Writing Center vary in terms of their different educational background. As opposed to popular belief, we are not all English majors. We have tutors from every school on campus—CAS, SBM, ENG, and CAAD—and it is partly this that contributes to the diversity and excellence of the Writing Center. The other part that contributes to the excellence of the AUS Writing Center is that tutors genuinely wish to help students who walk into the Center. The patience with which each tutor listens to their tutee, looks over professors’ comments, analyzes how they could make this sentence more effec-tive or that thesis more convincing is apparent in a simple hour-long observation of the Writ-ing Center. Tutors care, and because we do, we strive to ensure our tutees care about their work, that they haven’t just secured an appointment because their professor required it of them. We want them to want to come to the Writing Cent-er, to give our jobs meaning and, as they do every single day, inspire us.

Editors’ NotesYumna IsmailYumna Ismail and Rida Faisal

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It’s All Relative!

Drawing to WriteNasser Alzayani


The other day I was tutoring a student at the Writing Center. As per usual, I jotted down our thoughts and ideas on one of the notepads found on the tables. In the middle of our discussion, she turned to me and asked, “Do you draw?” I smiled and answered, “Yes, but how did you know?” and she explained that it was from the way I wrote. I asked whether it was my hand-writing or the way I held my pen that gave me away, but she said she just knew. This got me thinking about how I have grown accustomed to drawing what I think, especially when I am in my architecture studio talking to my peers and professors. I did not know, however, that

Both processes—writing and drawing— are used as tools to document both internal and exter-nal stimuli. To truly capture the sense of a particular moment, I need to both draw and write to capture what I feel. Now that I think about my tutee’s observation, I am convinced that the development of my writing and drawing skills is a symbiotic process of discovery.

this method of expression affects the way I write. Flipping through my sketchbooks, I saw a pattern forming. When I visit a new place, I like to document my experiences in a sketchbook. Last summer, I spent two months in Italy for an internship, and I drew what I saw every day. What I learned from my sketchbook is that I also enjoy collecting things I touch and recording what I hear, smell, taste, and think. By noting down the taste of my cappuccino, the sound of the pi-geons fluttering by, and the smell of freshly baked pizza, my drawings come to life as memories that can be re-experienced.

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Figure Skating and Writing: An Unforeseen Connection

Nada Ramadan


Its All Relative!

Until recently, two of my life’s passions, writing and figure skating, have coexisted with presum-ably nothing in common. After trying to under-stand why it is that I enjoy these two unrelated hobbies, I came to the sudden realization that writing an essay and choreographing a routine involve a very similar thought process and course of action. When I choreographed a skating routine on my own for the first time, I felt utterly lost; however, I knew that I first had to perfect the spins and jumps I intended to add in my program. Only then did I add those that I could perform solidly. Next, matching them with the music’s tempo, I formed a quick program in my mind with all the jumps and spins. At that point, it was just a matter of experimenting with what worked best between jumps and spins. I kept the moves that flowed and changed those that didn’t. Lastly, I polished up the program with graceful hand ges-tures and expressions to give it an artistic touch. You may not see the connection just yet, but I’m fairly sure you go about writing your es-says the same way I choreographed my program. First, looking at your essay’s topic (skating music),

you would have to decide on the arguments or main points you wish to make (jumps and spins) and become quite familiar with them through research. Then, keeping the essay’s pace in mind, you would sketch out a quick outline, so you’d know where your main points should be. It is then time to get down to the nitty-gritties—to start writing the introduction, transitions, conclusion, etc. Lastly, proofreading and making final touches to your essay will give it the profes-sional touch it needs. I’m sure you’re as fascinated as I am at this moment to learn that these two massive parts of my life that I once thought were worlds apart have actually been next-door neighbors all along.

The Writing Center Newsletter Fall 20136 The Writing Center Newsletter6

WHAT INSPIRES TUT ORS T O WRITE?

The pressure of deadlines.

Reading good writing is my main

inspiration.

Intriguing people.

Farzana

Ameena

Ala

Dana

Julia

Dannah

Umika

Seeing what people do around me; they can be

anyone.

Travelling to the times of parchment and quills, but in this century, I get inspired by a warm, cozy, coffee

shop ambiance.

A bubble of emotions, experiences, good times, beauty, nature and inspiration itself can be a source for inspiration.

I like seeing my thoughts

on paper, organized,

rather than muddled up in

my head.

Special Feature


WHAT INSPIRES TUT ORS T O WRITE?

I am inspired to write about themes

in films I have watched or novels I

have read.

Yumna

SOmto

Mehreen

Farah Nada

Cherry

Rahil

Noor Zeeni

Pain... Of the emotional kind.

Night time, ex-periences, and emotional stress, but mostly love.

Things that I consider important-for me, that

is football.

I write to learn. Writing brings out a personality in me that criticizes and

carries out multi-disciplinary research to get to the roots of things.

Spiritual highs, travel experiences, and moments

of gratitude.

Injustices - I would want my writing to make a differ-ence, and to add a new perspective to social issues.

Cherry Warburton

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Saying GoodbyeJerusha Sequeira

Challenges facedHowever, the work is not all fun and games. “I believe the greatest challenge has been tutor-ing those students who do not want you to tutor them,” she says.

Mehreen adds that the Writing Center commu-nity, including the tutors and tutees, is a “great environment to be a part of.” She goes on to say that the Center’s stu-dent-run environment al-lows for more independ-ence and flexibility in an otherwise restricted and supervised university environment.

International Studies major Mehreen Masoud says she will miss working at the AUS Writing Center, particularly because of the friends she made and the “independent and creative” envi-ronment that it offers.

Mehreen, who graduates this fall, is currently in her third semester at the Writing Center.

“I absolutely love the Writing Center for multiple reasons,” she says. “First, I really do enjoy tutor-ing. It is something I’ve done in the past, and I’m glad to have the opportunity to continue doing so at AUS.”

Mehreen says she transferred to AUS from the University of Maryland (UMD). During her time there, she worked for a semester assisting Hispan-ic students at a bilingual charter school.

Though the students of UMD were high school students, she notes that like AUS students, they had to face the challenges of writing in an ac-quired language.

Mehreen points out that many university stu-dents do not enjoy writing because they simply weren’t prepared properly in high school. “I honestly believe that the fundamentals are never established; that’s why most students do not like writing,” she notes. “After working at the Writing Center for the last two years, I’ve had many students come in who just do not enjoy writing because in their high schools they never wrote, and then when they get to college, it just becomes a chore.”

Graduation plansCommenting on her plans after graduation, Mehreen says that she hopes to pursue her mas-ter’s degree, but in the meantime, she plans to find a job. She adds that she would prefer work-ing at an NGO or a research institute after AUS.

“I would like to study Arabic possibly,” she says. “It’s something I feel can help you a lot if you choose to keep working in the Middle East.”

Advice to fellow tutorsShe encourages her tutor colleagues to try their hand at “fellowing”, a program where tutors are assigned to a class to provide support to its students with writing assignments throughout the semester.

“This is my first semester fellowing, and I’m really enjoying it,” she says. “It gives you more flex-ibility in that you can set your own timings. You get to work with the same group of people, so you can see how they grow. I think that if you get a professor who you work well with, it can be a phenomenal experience.”


Tutor Feature

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Professor Feature

An Interview with “Dr. P”Shahd Qamhiyeh


of the material we cover. This provides a strong foundation for creating a constructive learning envi-ronment.” Dr. P attributes her inspiration to teach and conduct research to her students, saying that it “if one is committed to educa-tion in its broadest sense,

At AUS, we have several professors who inspire their students to get through the adventure that is university life. One such individual is Dr. Pernille Arenfeldt—or Dr. P, to her students—a professor at the International Studies department. To learn why so many students think so highly of Dr. P, I had the great pleasure of interviewing her. When I first asked Dr. P about what made her pursue a career in teaching, she responded by saying, “I never planned to go into teaching. How-ever, while still a graduate student, I was offered a temporary position as a lecturer at a British University and – to my great surprise – I enjoyed teaching very much.” She further explained that her decision to teach is fundamentally related to the students at AUS themselves, stating, “Once I started teaching at AUS, I knew that this was what I wanted to do.” Dr. P places a lot of emphasis on the writ-ing skills of her students and even has Writing Fel-lows for her classes. She stresses the importance of writing, explaining that “it is a tool for learning and thinking, and [one] without which the results of learning-- knowledge, understanding and argu-ments --cannot be communicated to others.” She adds that there is an intrinsic link between being able to produce clear, concise written work and being able to engage in critical reading and think-ing. When asked how she successfully keeps her students motivated and driven through the busiest, most hectic times of the semester, Dr. P explains that that she believes the material she covers in class is of great relevance and is essential to students’ success in life. Moreover, Dr. P feels that the “very diverse and motivated student body” at AUS plays a great role in keep-ing both professors and students motivated. She states, “The explicit recognition of the value of these mutually beneficial relationships contributes to mutual motivation [and] most students are as eager to help me understand their thoughts/re-flections as I am to facilitate their understanding

there is no greater joy than seeing and feeling how knowledge can transform a human being. I am also grateful and conscious of the many ways in which the knowledge I acquire from students contributes to my development as a human be-ing.” She adds that it is difficult to find sufficient time for research during semesters but goes on to say, “my own curiosity is luckily sufficiently strong to make me spend most of my breaks on research. Curiosity keeps you going, and the immense sense of satisfaction that results from completing a man-uscript is a great reward.” I am positive most of us can relate to the satisfaction she is referring to! The immense effort and dedication on Dr. P’s part was recognized when she was awarded the CAS teaching award. When asked about what this award meant to her, she answered, “It was an extremely humbling experience….The fact that both students and colleagues contributed to the selection process made me appreciate the award all the more. However, the award also made me reflect on new ways in which my teaching can be further developed, and I hope to be able to find the time to pursue these aspirations.” As a closing remark, Dr. P is keen to remind us all that “we have to make an effort not to be blinded by our own privileges.” We at the Writing Center feel so fortunate to have been able to have such an important fig-ure of AUS featured in this issue and wish Dr. P all the best with all of her future endeavors!

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Fellow Feature + Book Review

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Faculty, this one’s for you! If you teach a course that requires students to submit writing assignments and believe that your students could benefit from a little extra help, you might want to look into the Writing Fellows program. The Fellows program enlists the help of top students who have been trained as peer-tutors in a semester-long course to as-sist a professor with the writing instruction in his/her course. Throughout the semester, the Profes-sor and Fellow meet regularly and discuss the objectives and the desired outcomes of course assignments. The Fellow then meets with stu-dents on a regular basis to ensure that these objectives are met. Although the Fellow fo-cuses on language and structure primarily, the frequent meetings with the Professor teaching the course gives the Writing Fellow one impor-tant advantage over Writing Center tutors: they are familiar with the course material, evalua-

tion criteria and course objectives. This leads to all-round benefits for professors who receive better work from students and students who have worked harder and with more guidance on their papers.Currently, there are Writing Fellows in several courses including International Studies, Engineering, English, and Environmental Studies. There is poten-tial for the inclusion of more courses in the Program, and the possibilities for success are plenty!

If you are a professor who would like to become a part of the Fellows program, please contact Dr. Ma-ria Eleftheriou for further details at [email protected].

“Can You Keep a Secret?” by Sophie Kin-sella is a funny and heartwarming book. After losing a big client for her company, getting on an airplane during bad weather, and declaring all her personal and intimate secrets about her-self and family to a total stranger, Emma thinks that she has had the wildest day of her life. However, the real wild roller coaster ride begins when she discovers that Jack

‘the stranger’ Harper is actually the CEO of the company she works for… Read the book to find out what happens! The romance, comedy and drama keeps you hooked until you know all of Emma’s secrets.

Book Review:‘Can You Keep a Secret?’

Writing Fellows Program

Noor El-Zeinni

Yumna Ismail


Extras!

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churchm.ag/blogging-grammar-tips/

Locations

Library Ground Floor (LIB-024)SBM First Floor (SBM-176)

Working Hours:

1o:00 AM - 4:00 pm

Writing Center Class Visit s:

Our tutors can v is i t your c lass to promote the Writing Center ’s serv ices or conduct min i workshops on spec if ic top ics .

Facu l ty can contact Maria Eleftheriou at writingcenter@aus .edu to co-ord inate a v is i t .

Documents

The Inkblot Fall 2013