Noise From The Writing Center

by Elizabeth Boquet

Boquet (English, Fairfield University) begins with what others have said about writing centers, dwelling on the clinic and lab metaphors. To this she supplies the metaphor of noise, exploring the relationship between noise and music to hear again what tutors, students, and colleagues have been saying about writing centers. The Rhode Island College is offered as a playful direction toward which tutor education might move. In the chapter, Channeling Jimi Hendrix, Boquet "Noise asks us to consider how and where the writing center echoes throughout the institution....noise positions the writing center as a site of amplification and of feedback rather than merely as a (waste) receptacle...." Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

180 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[Jessica]

I wish more academic texts had this sense of joy, humanity. As a new Writing Center Director, I cannot thank Boquet enough for her research, writing, and most of all her attitude, which is as fearless as it is compassionate toward her students and colleagues. Though this text is ostensibly for the Writing Center crowd, I would recommend it for anyone working in higher education. Do you ever find yourself wondering what role "learning" actually plays in the university, huge corporate bureaucracy that many of them are these days? Then this book is for you...

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A refreshing and creative take to the work of the writing center, one that made me think about how to approach training from a less practical and more holistic stance.

[Charlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The meta-narratives and connections to music worked well in illuminating the points and keeping the discussion light. All in all, a solid piece of critical reflection for anyone in the WC world.

[Catherine Siemann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book -- just doesn't connect too much to my own writing center experience.

[J. Neil · Rating 2 out of 5]

A good book of practical theory, despite the stupidly facile and openly sexist jargon.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got to know the author of this book a little and later
interviewed her.

[Eileen]

boquet tries to apply poststructuralist theory to the writing center and ... it's a little weird. i'm all for it conceptually, but the way she does it feels forced. chapter 3 – which is more of an ethnographic study – is v good though.