Keywords
Synchronous, pedagogy
Abstract
It was during summer 2015, my first month into being newly in charge of the University of Georgia’s writing centers (WCs), that I met X through our synchronous online consultation (SOC) service. Based on his pre-filled appointment questionnaire, I knew that he was a social sciences graduate student, that he wanted help revising his first rejected academic article. Nothing stuck out; his was a request that I had assisted a number of other students with over the years. Only after logging in and speaking with him did I understand the emotional depth that our work would entail: new to higher education’s standards and publishing demands, he took the rejection personally. The reviewer who had declined to publish X’s article included a list of twenty(!) detailed points to consider. Whoever the reviewer was, he/she clearly understood that the submission belonged to a young scholar. In devoting hours to marking up the article, the reviewer had attempted to put forward a kind face to a world that often deals in silent rejection. Unfortunately, X considered the copious notes as reason after reason elaborating his failure.
Citation Information
Type of Source: Journal Article
Author: Robby Nadler
Year of Publication: 2019
Title: “Sexual Harassment, Dirty Underwear, and Coffee Bar Hipsters: Welcome to the Virtual Writing Center”
Publication: The Peer Review, 3(1)