6The Underdeveloped Student  
 
The Underdeveloped Student has a thesis and a basic framework for his essay. He is clear about his purpose, and he knows his audience. He claims that his paper is all done, but it is less than a page. It is clear to you as a tutor that his paper needs to be fleshed out. This student needs to work on sentences and paragraphs.
  A good first step in the process of enhancing a paper that already has a framework is to establish a clear informal outline. Point out to the student that the supports listed on his outline will become topic sentences in his paragraphs. Encourage the student writer to think about how to illustrate or explain his supporting statements and to talk to you about his ideas.

Then, suggest ways that he can transition smoothly between what he already has in his one-page essay and the explanations he is able to give you orally.

There are different methods of paragraph development that a writer can use to improve a paper.

 
 

 
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The Writing Center: Past and Present The Student/Tutor Relationship The Clueless Student The Unfocused Student The Disorganized Student The Underdeveloped Student The Unrevised Student The Unpolished Student ESL Strategies Research Strategies Discipline-Specific Assignments Documentation Styles Writing Center Ethics Writing Center Publicity

 
© 1999, 2000, 2002 Virginia Bower (Mars Hill College), Charlene Kiser (Milligan College), Kim McMurtry (Montreat College), Ellen Millsaps (Carson-Newman College), Katherine Vande Brake (King College). All rights reserved. This manual was made possible by a Culpeper grant from the Appalachian College Association; click here for information. If you encounter difficulties with these web pages, please notify kmcmurtry@montreat.edu.