Early this January the Writing Center once again returned to Tybee Island, Georgia. Dr. Bob and 11 students underwent the 18 hour journey out of the frozen north and into the 70 degree weather of Georgia in January. This trip was part of one of the many Topics in Composition courses that all Coe Writing Center consultants must take as part of our work in the writing center. Although there was some course work to be accomplished, we still had plenty of time to enjoy ourselves and do many things touristy.
The bulk of the course work centered around the question of what constitutes editing and how editing conferences can best be given. This is an area that I have not frequently heard much discussion of in the Writing Center, which instead prefers to focus on revision. We like to aim to improve the writer, improvement to the paper will then naturally follow. Editing is surprisingly hard to define though, there is not a clear distinction between it and revision. Some argue it is a matter of scale, while others argue it is all about changes in structure. No one really won the debate.
After about a week spent enjoying Georgia we had to pack our bags and return home. We have come back to Iowa wiser and hopeful that we can apply what we have learned there.
-Kevin Schiroo
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