Analyzing Writing-as-a-Product
*Global-level issues are italicized; local-level issues are in normal typeface
Category	Elements	
Rhetorical	Audience; purpose; genre; occasion; media; persona of writer	
Logic	Originality; clarity of thesis; logical transitions; cohesion of claims; fallacies; analogy; documentation; types of evidence; integration of claims and evidence; rebutting arguments	
Structure	Thesis controlling structure; coherence of plan/outline; paragraphing; transitions; relation of first and last paragraphs; use of sources & evidence	
Expression	Tone; diction; syntax (sentence length, variety, structure, rhythm); active vs. passive voice; wordiness; nominalizations; correlation of idea and sentence type	
Mechanics	Grammar; punctuation; documentation style; spelling; special formats; 	

Analyzing Writing as a Process
This model views writing as ongoing, either in a linear progression or in a circular (recursive) fashion. There are several alternatives: 
o	The stage-model theory
. This viewpoints sees the writing process as a series of distinct, sequential steps: planning, prewriting, drafting, revising. It does not view the writing process as something that circles back on itself--that is, that one revises as one drafts, or that you have to stop in the middle of drafting and rethink your plan. It's a good model for structuring writing assignments and tutorials at the Writing Center (in other words, it fits into the constraints of time that institutions force on us), but it may not be an accurate reflection of what happens when people write. 
o	The recursive-cognitive process model
. Based on the work of Emig, Flowers, Hayes, Britton, and others, this model argues that the writing process is recursive (stages are constantly re-visited) and that it is rooted in the psychological environment of the writer, as well as the communication situation at hand. While adopting the basic tripartite structure of the stage-model theory (planning, translating [drafting], reviewing [revising]), this model places that structure in the context of the rhetorical situation and the memory and thinking patterns of the writer. How does this impact tutoring? First, while we generally tackle invention, global revision, and local revision in that order, we may have to backtrack (or look forward) to other stages during a tutorial. Second, we should question the client about the "environment" of the assignment: previous assignments, what was discussed in class, the expectations of the teacher, etc. Third, we need to plumb/query the student's recollection and organization of knowledge about the topic, and try to get him/her to see where and how to use those memories and ideas in the text. 
o	The conversation or social constructionist model
. This model argues that a writer is actually tapping into a whole social context when he/she writes--that he/she is responding to a multitude of voices and other texts when she/he writes. In otherwords, writing is part of a wider dialogue. A piece of writing then is constructed socially, as part of social communication. This has less immediate apparent implications for tutoring, but it does have a few implications. First, we need to look at a student's paper as part of scholarly commentary on a particular topic. This means understanding, if only broadly, some of themajor issues and writers on that topic is essential to a successful paper. If content/authority is thin, the paper will not succeed. Second, again, papers need to be seen within the social and intellectual context of the class in which they were assigned--the topic of the class, the sequence of writing assignments, the instructions and expectations of the instructor, etc. Third, the writer's task is difficult, because he/she has to find his/her own voice but still synthesize many others. 
An Overview of the Writing Process
*N.B.: Please remember this is a distillation and that these stages are recursive, not linear.
 
Stage	Strategies & Tasks	
Pre-writing	Research, reading, note-taking, web-pasting (yes, be realistic), freewriting, talking to classmates & friends, online chats, class discussions, journals, planning activities, invention strategies	
Drafting	Forming a thesis statement; plan or outline; assembling & pruning evidence/source material; writing a rough draft; finding additional material	
Revision	Revising thesis statement; testing conclusion against opening; integrating claims and evidence better; eliminating extraneous material; adding needed support, clarification, or claims; reorganizing sections; changing prose to clarify subpoints; eliminating fallacies, unsupported claims; improving logical transitions; adding in-text and end-of-text citations	
Editing	Correcting grammatical errors; clarifying confused passages; correcting documentation style errors; improving layout (e.g., indenting block quotes); correcting spelling; correcting punctuation; checking for diction errors or solecisms; reading for rhythm, tone; checking for excessive passive voice	
Proofreading	Final reading for spelling, punctuation, and documentation style errors