The grading center in the College of Business is geared primarily toward grammar and mechanics. The ratio is usually three to one, grammar over content evaluation, with some consideration given to format. As consultants, you will probably get a steady stream of business papers at certain intervals throughout the semester, and grammar and mechanics will probably be all you will be asked to address (writers often want you to proofread--the Editor program on the UWC public computers can help them with this). They might also be looking for input on a paper that has already been graded.

Remember that business graders are students too, and might make mistakes. The students who write these papers have the opportunity to appeal their grades, so your help could make a difference, although it is ultimately up to them to file a convincing appeal. See section 1, pages 28-29 of the UWC Operations Manual for more help. There are a few assignments that are fairly standard, some of which you can expect to see every semester. In addition to this overview, the Cornerstone Checklist is a bulleted handout for quick reference to common issues.

Some writing projects are required course supplements. For instance, Dr. Byrd's past assignments have usually been short summaries of business articles from publications (Wall Street Journal, Forbes, etc.). The Allyn and Bacon Guide to Writing has a section concerning summary writing which might be useful in these kinds of consultations (p. 557-562).

Some assignments are very concerned with content. For example, Dr. Luckett has assigned students to attach marketing principles to imaginary products or observational surveys. In these papers, content counts the same as grammar/mechanics (equal points for each). The important consideration is whether or not the writer has sufficiently answered the question. There are probably right or wrong answers in some cases, but many times students simply fail to address what is asked.

Ask about the purposes of the assignment to help students with these kinds of papers. Other professors might assign content-oriented papers as well, often expecting a variety of statistics, charts, or spreadsheets. While we may not be able to help in interpreting results, we can help writers make sure they have answered the question. The writing is your primary concern, although you should certainly ask about anything that is not clear to you.

Although we are not formatting authorities, it may be helpful to ask writers if they are formatting correctly. The assignment sheet should include format requirements. If there are sub-headings, outlines, and charts in the paper, ask if the assignment requires, allows, or does not allow for these additions.

In some cases, instructors may require a memo format. If the writer is unsure of these requirements, the UWC resource shelf has a number of texts that address standard memo format, though the final authority is always the instructor. One good source for memo basics is Business Writing Quick & Easy by Laura Brill. Most writer's handbooks, such as The Simon & Schuster Handbook for Writers, by Lynn Quitman Troyka, have an explanation of memo format and several examples.

Some Cornerstone classes require a group project, for which students compose one long paper collaboratively. These writers should schedule an hour-long appointment, but this might still not be enough time. These papers may be twenty pages or more. For papers of this length, you may not be able to deal with every issue. You shouldn't feel pressured to review a long paper in one session; writers should schedule another appointment in this case. For more assistance, see Strategies for Working with Long Paper, section 1-49 of the UWC Operations Manual.

Also, remember that these papers are either composed in separate parts by several writers. In this case, continuity and flow may be a noticeable problem; because of the varied input, the paper might seem disjointed and uneven. Look for content repetition, differences in style and voice, and sentence structure variations that disrupt the tone of the work. Transitions and overall organization may also need attention. Section 1-25 of the UWC Operations Manual, Working with Groups, provides more valuable tips for helping these writers.