Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Call for Proposals

We want proposals and lots of them!

In keeping with the conference theme of Connect & Reflect, we invite proposals that consider and explore the connections we make as writing center professionals. A proposal is a document that requests a block of time for a presentation, whether it be a speech or poster presentation. Proposal topics could discuss how we join old things in new ways, to making connections between theories, practices, programs, facilities, and colleagues. How do we use reflection to revise these connections, purposefully rethinking what we do and how we do it?

If you are new to the proposal writing process, or simply wish to have another writing center professional read and respond to your ideas, please take advantage of our proposal review option. To submit your proposal, simply attach a Word file to an email addressed to SCWCA2011@gmail.com with the subject line “Proposal Review.” The deadline for the review process is September 15, 2010. We will review your work, respond to any questions you might have, and reply by September 22, 2010.

Final proposals are due October 1, 2010.

Here are some basic tips for writing a proposal:

  • Your proposal is a summary of your presentation. 
  • It should include at least your thesis and main points, as well as how your work is relevant to the Writing Center field.
  • For those of you familiar with APA, sometimes proposals are called "abstracts."
  • Use concise language and edit for brevity.

Here are some basic tips for creating a presentation:
  • Address a problem or loophole in your field (eg. using technology in the Writing Center).
  • Work with the language in your discipline.
  • Clearly state your thesis/argument.
  • Situate your thesis relative to the conference theme (eg. for the above example, consider "Connecting Technology Through the Writing Center").
  • Understand that you will be giving an oral presentation and may need handouts or a PowerPoint presentation (for poster presentations, your poster basically replaces the PowerPoint presentation).
  • Consider your audience and their level of knowledge (SCWCA participants are usually tutors who work at Writing Centers and their Directors/Executives).
  • Practice, practice, practice! You never know what kinks are in a presentation until you present it, and whether you are presenting to your cat, sibling, or friend, practice makes perfect!
More help for writing a proposal or presentation can be found at these links:
Tips on Writing a Winning Proposal- UHCL
Conference Paper Guide- Claremont Graduate University
How to Write a Conference Paper- Colorado State University

Hope this helps! If you have any questions, feel free to email us at scwca2011@gmail.com.

Best Regards,
Susie Queue

Poster Sessions

In an effort to promote involvement on all levels at the SCWCA 2011 Conference, we decided to hold two "poster sessions" on the Friday of the conference. What is a poster session? It's an opportunity to present research, ideas, and valuable information via a simple poster presentation.

Basically, the first group will set up their posters, and visitors will have a chance to walk around the room to read and respond to the posters. The poster presenters will stand ready by their posters for further explanations and questions.

Poster presentation topics can range from theoretical, to philosophical, to scientific. Some examples include "How to Calm a Stressed Student," "Boundaries of Tutoring," "Supplemental Instruction and the Writing Center," "Implementing an Online Writing Center," "Marketing Tips for Writing Centers," and even "Feng Shui in the Writing Center." These are just examples, so feel free to expand upon them or create your own, unique presentation. Also, take advantage of the Collaborator's Corner to discuss ideas on how to present your idea/research as well as to make sure no one else plans on submitting a similar poster.

Basic Requirements:
Tri-fold display board (or self-standing poster)
28 x 40 inches
Cardboard or foam
Any color
If technology is required, you must bring your own equipment


You can check out these sites for more inspiration and details:
Colorado State University's "Writing Guide: Poster Sessions"
Pennsylvania State's "Poster Session Tips"
Swarthmore College has some great tips for Research/Scientific Posters

Best Regards,
Susie Queue

Monday, August 23, 2010

Collaborator's Corner

Our key note speaker Lisa Ede is all about collaborative efforts! In "Collaboration and Concepts of Authorship," Lisa Ede and Andrea Lunsford call for more collaborative efforts in the humanities. To promote this opinion, we have created a forum on this blog called the Collaborator's Corner.

A Forum is a place where anyone can post a message and anyone else can comment or further the conversation. The Collaborator's Corner is open to serve as a common grounds for conference attendees to work together to create the ultimate SCWCA Conference. Whether you are looking to carpool, to discuss development of a proposal, or to find someone to work with on a presentation, the Collaborator's Corner is ready and waiting to host your discussions.

Here are some tips for using the forum:

To find the forum, look near the top of this blog for the link Collaborator's Corner. Once you arrive to the forum, you should see something like this:



To post a message on the forum, try to find an existing topic that fits your question or discussion. Once you have found a topic, like Travel Arrangements, click on the topic.

A new page will load within the topic you chose. Look for the Reply link next to the message date; if you click on this, you will be able to create your own message.

If you would like to respond to a particular message within a topic, click on the Reply link next to the date the message was created.

You can imagine a forum to be like a huge outline. There are major topics which will break down into subtopics, and each of those subtopics may also have topics within them. Discussions can be posted under any topic, or a new topic can be created from the Collaborator's Corner's home page (as seen above) by clicking the New Topic link.

If you have any further questions, feel free to contact Britney Menconi. We hope this forum inspires more collaboration and serves as a useful hub for conference attendees!

Best Regards,
Susie Queue

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Travel Arrangements

We want your travel experience to the SCWCA 2011 Conference to be as smooth as possible, so we are providing you with useful links and tips when planning you travel arrangements!

Hotel Info
As the bulk of the conference will be held at the South Shore Harbour Resort, we have been able to lock in excellent room rates!

Room Registration Deadline: Friday, January 14, 2011
(Please note that after the 14th we will release any rooms that have not been booked, and you will no longer be able to get the conference rate.)

Single $110
Double $115
Triple $120
Quadruple $125
Room rates include breakfast, wireless internet, and parking.

The hotel also has a state-of-the-art fitness center ($5/day), spa services, and much more! Check out the Where It’s At post for more info on the South Shore Harbour Resort.

Flying Info

There are two main airports in Houston:
  1. Hobby Airport- located near the conference
  2. Houston Intercontinental Airport- located a few hours north of the conference

An airport shuttle service is provided by Clear Lake Shuttle if travelers work with the shuttle company’s schedule and arrange for service at least 24 hours in advance.

Contact Info:
Clear Lake Shuttle Bus, Inc.
2500 South Shore Blvd.
League City, TX 77573
281-334-3873 or 281-334-1000 ext. 2143

Click here to download the Clear Lake Shuttle’s airport pickup schedule.
Please note that while Clear Lake Shuttle will provide service to and from Houston Intercontinental Airport (IAH), the cost will be high. If you are traveling with a group of people and must fly to IAH, consider renting a car instead.

Driving Info
Within the registration form, there is an option for bus service to UHCL. This option was created with the intent to provide those who are unable or reluctant to drive a means of transportation to the conference on Friday. If you register early, the round trip bus fee is only $5/person.

Driving directions can be found here.


If you plan to bring or rent your own vehicle, you can familiarize yourself with the lay of the land in Clear Lake:

View Larger Map

Best Regards,
Susie Queue

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

The Schedule

We would like to release the conference schedule so that conference attendees are able to make travel plans accordingly. This schedule is tentative, and further details will be released soon!

Register Now!

It's always better to register sooner than later! Here are some tips for registration and the info you will need to have on hand:

First
Know how many people from your university/college will be attending as well as their full names and positions (Director/Faculty, Professional, or Peer Tutor). Also, make note of who would prefer vegetarian meals.

Second
Decide your travel plans. If you do not plan to rent or bring a car, there will be a bus service with a fee of $5 to $10, depending on time of registration. If you plan to attend the optional Saturday lunch, there will be a $5 fee.


Third
Visit the Registration Page on the SCWCA 2011 Conference Website. Each attendee will need to register with their own form. You have the option to print the form to distribute to those planning to attend, or you can fill out the form online. Also, payment must be made via check; your check must be made payable to "SCWCA."

Finally, mail the forms (if printed) and check to the following address:


SCWCA 2011 Conference
South Central Writing Centers Association
c/o Allison Holland, Treasurer
61 Sherrill Road
Little Rock, AR 72202

Hope this helps! If you have any questions regarding registration, please feel free to contact Katie Hart. For financial questions, refer to the SCWCA Treasurer Allison Holland.

Best Regards,
Susie Queue

Sunday, August 1, 2010

Where It's At

The South Central Writing Centers Association (SCWCA) 2011 Conference will take place at the South Shore Harbour Resort & Conference Center and at the University of Houston-Clear Lake campus! Below we have outlined our tentative schedule.

We will welcome everyone at South Shore Harbour (SSH) on Thursday, February 17th around 4 pm. SSH offers a multitude of amenities and gorgeous views of Clear Lake. The hotel section is styled in "casual elegance," creating a comfortable welcome from your weary travels. SSH also offers amenities such as:

Lobby Lounge- host of the best Bay Area sunsets
Paradise Reef Restaurant- offers a full menu and buffet
Tropical Swimming Pool- you never know, it might be warm in February!
Fitness Center & Spa- 130,000 square feet of nourishing spa treatments and exercise equipment
Marina View Lobby Bar- a great spot to end the day with hors d' oeuvres and cocktails

Friday's sessions will be held at the UHCL campus. Our Writing Center is located on the second floor of the Student Services Building, in which concurrent sessions will be held. The UHCL campus is located within a wildlife and nature preserve! Ponds and curving paths guide your way through the campus, and all your needs will be met by our friendly Writing Center staff.

Saturday's sessions will return to SSH with plenty of time for a couple concurrent sessions, lunch, and the closing session ending around 1:30 pm.

Please remember that this schedule is tentative and subject to change. We will notify guests of any changes immediately via this blog and through the SCWCA 2011 Conference Listserv.


Best Regards,

Susie Queue