This document describes a three-pronged approach to support developmental writing students that coordinates instruction between the classroom, learning center, and library. It aims to increase student engagement and long-term success through dedicated instruction from a librarian and academic coach. Students receive personalized meetings to set goals, learn time management, and receive referrals to other support services as needed. Barriers to success like difficulty evaluating sources or organizing papers are addressed. The program assesses outcomes through assignments, feedback forms, and class statistics.

1. Write Right, Right?
A Collaborative Approach to
Student Accountability in
Developmental Writing

2. Abstract
Developed three-pronged approach, coordinating Learning
Center and Library services with classroom instruction.
Goal: to create a comprehensive academic support system
that increases student engagement and long-term success
Strategies: devoted instruction from a librarian and an
academic success representative
Also facilitate referrals to other support services, such as
counseling, disability services, and career services.

3. Barriers to success
 inability to articulate goals and self-assess
 inability to break down an assignment into manageable
pieces
 difficulty evaluating academic sources
 struggle to read scholarly articles
 difficulty developing ideas into a well-organized paper
 challenges with written communication

4. Learning Outcomes
 Demonstrate competence in writing about reading by
refining active and critical reading skills
 Demonstrate basic skills in information management
including managing bibliographic information,
locating and citing sources, maintaining academic
honesty, and avoid plagiarism
 Use computer technology for word processing,
researching library database systems, and/or the
internet

5. Goal Setting and Academic
Support
 Personal Meetings (3x)
 Learning Center: how to read a syllabus and an assignment
along with time management
 Library: academic integrity & how to use the library
 Journal Activities

6. Personal Meeting #1, Homework
• What is College to me?
• Why do I want to go to College?
• What is the one quote, keyword, song, person, or
image that you can call upon when you need
motivation in class? Why?
• Respond to the CNN interview with Malala
Yousafzai
• Complete the handout titled, “My English
Essentials Action Plan.”

7. Personal Meeting #1, Agenda
• Discuss answers to the journal questions
• Receive personalized feedback on the first-day
writing sample
• Develop an action plan for class success
• Receive individualized advice about HACC support
services

8. From Personal Meetings
Sample – as low as middle school
level. Motivated, but is at risk.
Coming from 050. No support
system at home; family thinks
college is a waste of time. He has no
goals, except to get a better job than
at the grocery store. Suggested he
see Amanda and do all his work in
the Learning Center/on campus
and less at home.
Sample – 050/051 level;
spent most time
discussing how stressed
he is by his course load
and work/life schedule.
We discussed options
for him and I sent him
to see his advisor.
Sample – paragraphing/grammar issues, but shows
creativity. She likes to read. Was cyber schooled.
Never had a classroom structure or had to meet
strict deadlines/expectations. Feels misunderstood
by her family. Grew up sheltered and she’s shy. But,
she’s bursting to shine. A diamond in the rough.
“Military/family man.
Has learning gaps; but
just needs to brush up. Is
eager to do what is asked
of him to succeed for his
daughter.”
More concerned about
student’s well-being
than writing. Severe
depression; can’t move
beyond brother’s
death. No emotional
support at home.
Contact counselor for
possible intervention.

9. Relevance and Engagement: Journal
1. 5 Sections
 Daily Writing Prompts
 Vocabulary and Questions
 Scholarly Articles
 Pre-writing
 Grammar and Writing Note
2. Their Functions
 Personal goal setting
 Note-taking
 Processing
 Brainstorming and Prewriting
 Critical Thinking
 Vocabulary Building
 Self-Reflection

10. 1. Write 1-paragraph explaining specifically how you see written
communication as being a part of your chosen profession.
2. Write 1-paragraph explaining what you can do now in this class to
better
prepare for your chosen profession.
3. Bring in an employment ad for a job in your chosen profession.
Write a 1-2paragraph analysis of the ad. Consider the type of candidate
the employer is looking for. What personal traits and professional skills
does the employer want in the candidate? Look at both the literal
wording, like “team player,” but also what the words imply, like “willing to
work late.” Determine how you “measure-up” at this point and make a list
of traits/skills you will need to work on in order to compete for the
position after you graduate.
Career Preparation

11. Mechanics of tutoring services
Dissected course syllabus
Reviewed family Heritage essay assignment

12. Back to Basics
Created a binder
•concrete, visual
•framework to
discuss syllabus &
essay
•the right tool for
organization

13. Outcomes
 Collaboration
 Student responses
 Coaching Appointments

14. •Why we use research
•Difference between an academic and popular article
•How to read a journal article
•How to use a journal article in an essay
•Evaluating websites
•Definition of plagiarism
•Using Library Databases and D2L

15. Evaluation Results
 Location of library (1)
 Location of databases and catalog on website (4)
 How to search databases and catalog (6)
 How to read and article to see if it is applicable (1)
 How to evaluate websites (1)

16. Reading and Writing Connection
 Home and Family essay - Research report on a topic developed around
the themes in the book, The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio.
 Topics included: marriage roles, parental alcoholism, and the wage gap.
 Guidelines – 2 pages; 2 sources (HACC Library databases); no personal
experience or use of “I;” no use of the novel in the essay.
 Overview: The point of this essay is to research a topic inspired by our
reading of The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio. You will be asked to
write an academic research report that explains one of the topics in
detail, as instructed. This essay assignment asks you to use related key
definitions, theories, research, and statistics as they apply to the chosen
topic and your thesis. Choose the topic to which you can best relate.
Researching one of these topics may help you understand a personal
issue you face. Armed with knowledge about these issues we can often
improve our lives. Knowledge can be a true source of power.

17. Academic Coaching
 Individual use of tutors
 Individual coaching appointments
 Individual research appointments

18. Assessment and Feedback
 Feedback Forms
 Anecdotal Observations
 Student Assignment Assessment
 Class Stats:
 22 enrolled; 2 never attended; 3 dropped (1/health issues; 1/behavioral; 1
dropped out of HACC)
 Midterm grades: A (2); B (7); C (5); D (3)
 Scantron Grammar Test: A (1), B (10); C (4); D (2); F (0)
 Essays: A (2); B (7); C (4); D (2); F (1); 0 (1)
 Attendance remains strong. Only 1 or 2 people are consistently absent; everyone else is
present and engaged each class.

19. Writing Samples – Family Heritage
Overview: The point of this essay is to explore those
influences in our lives that have shaped who we are and how
we see the world. This essay assignment asks you to consider
a key skill, lesson, or personal trait you have learned from a
family member. You could also consider why a traditional
event is important to your heritage. Remember, the focus is
on the lesson.

20. “When a child is young it is such an
important time to build bonds and teach life
skills. This helps children who are deprived of
these opportunities. When I was younger, my
mom and dad taught me a lot by having a family
game night with my sister and me every weekend.
They wanted to have family time to teach us and
pass down valuable lessons to use with our own
families. Again for a child, even just something
like family game night can teach us life lessons,
strategies that can be passed down and develop
child’s character on who they will be when they
are an adult.”

21. “For a child, your biggest role models are your parents.
However, in my situation my biggest negative role model was my
father. My father was the kind of person who taught me everything
about what not to do in life. My father taught me three important life
skills, one, he taught me that being selfish gets you nowhere in life
and it makes people not like you. Two, he taught me how lying does
nothing but get you in trouble. And third, he taught me how cheating
can ruin lives. “

22. “Every child growing up deserves to have both parents in
the picture. If one leaves then the development [of] the
thought process and in essence the person is changed
entirely. But the change doesn’t need to be for used in a
bad way, what if the child takes the negative and uses it
as a [positive] standard later in life? There are people like
me, who have faced head on severe lessons in life and
turned the negatives into a type of motivation to change
the future. In this essay I will tell the story of my making
and the lessons I learned in the t[m]aking of this life. “

23. In Closing
It sometimes takes courage to
persevere, but with a support team
promoting goal setting and
academic success, the student can
stand tall.

24. Q&A
 Leslie Boon, Campus Director Academic Success,
lmboon@hacc.edu
 Heidi Gillis, Adjunct Librarian, hhgillis@hacc.edu
 Amanda Hartzel, Specialist, Academic Success
amhartze@hacc.edu
 Kathleen Heidecker, Librarian, kbheidec@hacc.edu
 Cristal Renzo, Assistant Professor, English,
clrenzo@hacc.edu