An Overview of the Survey
The PWTARP survey attempts to gather data and narratives on the long- and short-term effects of tutor education and of work as a peer writing tutor. By doing so, it aims to answer this question: What do peer tutors take with them after graduation? In the initial phase of this research, we geared the questions to focus on undergraduate tutors.
The survey we offer here has gone through several draft versions that we piloted with small groups at our three schools (see Introduction). We based the survey on anecdotes we had heard from former tutors and on letters thanking us for the experiences and training that have led to career opportunities for tutors. We also incorporated suggestions from those who attended sessions we offered on the Peer Writing Tutor Alumni Research Project at conferences.
We designed this survey with certain goals and criteria in mind:
- To structure questions so they build on one another and lead into one another.
- To offer tutors an opportunity to write reflective replies, not just rank items.
- To gather primarily narratives and reflections and some limited numerical data.
- To keep it as brief as possible, to avoid tiring alumni or having them put it aside for later and then forget it. We also wanted to make it brief enough to allow individual writing center directors conducting similar research to use the core of this survey and tailor it to their context and research goals by adding a few of their own questions.
- To allow tutors to discuss effects on their personal and family life as well as on their professional life.
- To gather demographic data on the tutors so we can look at differences between long-term effects of tutoring and short term effects.
Current Version of the PWTARP Survey
Here is the current version of the PWTARP survey, which we have developed over several pilot drafts. We strongly recommend that you read the Survey Overview before examining the survey.
You may format it for paper mailing by creating additional space after the questions that call for written responses.
If you would like to have this survey as a Word document, please contact Brad Hughes at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (bthughes@wisc.edu), and he will be glad to send it to you electronically.
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Current PWTARP Survey:
Demographic Information
Your name:______________________________________________
(optional)
Your email address:_________________________________________
(optional)
Today’s date:
What is your age?_____
What is your gender?___
When did you graduate?_______
What was (were) your major(s)?________
Have you pursued any additional education after graduation? Please specify degree(s) and institution(s). If you are currently a graduate student, please specify institution and degree.
How many semesters or terms did you tutor in the Writing Center/Writing Fellows Program ?_____
Did you take a credit-bearing tutor training/education course as an undergraduate?
Yes___No___
What other forms of tutor development did you participate in (please check all that apply)?
____none
____regular staff meetings
____regional or national conferences
____summer workshops
____social events
____other (please specify)
What occupation(s) have you pursued since graduation?
Reflections on Your Tutoring Experience:
1. What are the most significant abilities, values, or skills that you developed in your work as a peer writing tutor? Please list them.
2. Of the abilities, values, or skills that you listed above, would you illustrate those that strike you as most meaningful by sharing an episode or event that took place during your time as a tutor or a trainee?
3. Did those abilities, values or skills that you developed as a peer tutor seem to be a factor in your choice of job or graduate work? Would you elaborate?
4. Did these qualities seem to play a role in your interviewing, in the hiring process, or in acceptance to graduate school? How do you come to that conclusion?
Would you rate the importance of your training and/or experience as a tutor in the interviewing or hiring process for your first job?
5 4 3 2 1
Very influential Not influential
5. Do any of the qualities you listed in question one play a role in your social or family relationships? Can you give an example?
6. In your occupations(s), have you used the qualities you developed as a writing tutor, if at all? Would you elaborate? Give an example?
Would you rank the importance for your occupation of the skills, qualities, or values you developed as a tutor?
5 4 3 2 1
Highly important Unimportant
7. To what extent do you think your own writing has been influenced by your experience as a writing tutor? Please explain.
To what extent has your writing been influenced by your training and/or work as a tutor?
5 4 3 2 1
Very influenced Not influenced
8. What have you learned from working with the writing of others? Please elaborate or provide an example.
9. Were there any downsides to your experience as a peer writing tutor? Please elaborate.
10. Would you please rate the importance your writing center training and experience as you developed as a university student?
5 4 3 2 1
Highly important Unimportant
Please explain your rating.
Thank you for taking the time and effort to respond to this survey. I will keep you informed about the results.