Advertising the Writing Center

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Here at Salt Lake Community College Student Writing Center, we created a series of new video commercials for display both online and on our campus information screens.  Creating the videos was a fun process and involved many different people in the Student Writing Center.   The commercials are based on a common theme ("Don't hate.  Collaborate!") and end up telling a story.

In any case, rather than sharing those, I'd rather share some rather creative and succinct commercials I just found from our friends at Brigham Young University.  Take a gander:









Ok,ok, if you really want to see the SLCC SWC videos, go here.

Comments

  1. Anonymous1:08 PM

    Fun videos! However, the idea of a paper sneaking up on one now seems highly disturbing...

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ashley Lunsford6:01 PM

    I really like the idea of incorporating humor with the writing center. By doing this, it effectively promotes the center as a fun and inviting place. Most people cringe over the idea of having an essay looked over by a student tutor. I think that students feel that the tutor is not there to help the writer, he or she is only there to edit the paper. When the tutee’s think of going to a tutor for help with their paper, they get the “red marker anxiety.” They believe that they are going to get a bundle of notes and negative commentary, yet their experience turns out to be the exact opposite. By connecting humor and fun video advertisements, perhaps that fear towards writing centers will dissipate.
    The Fullerton College newspaper, The Hornet, recently published an article about our Writing Center. Although I think this was a decent attempt to advertise the purpose of the center, I don’t feel that it helped bring more students in. A majority of people don’t really read newspapers anymore. Everything seems to revolve around electronics now-a-days. People get a majority of their information off the television or the internet. In order to address this, one of the faculty members created an online video explaining the location and purpose of the center. However, in my opinion, the video wasn’t very entertaining, and it was a little drawn out. When I ask people around school if they know where and what the writing center is, a majority of them don’t know what I’m talking about. I feel that they BYU advertisements are effective due to the humor, and it is short and to the point.
    Every writing center should find some way to spread the word about their purpose. The more amusing and “catchy” the advertisement is, the more likely it is that the students will pay attention and not view the center in a negative way. It is important for students to be aware of their resources in order to better their education and their confidence.

    ReplyDelete

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