Young Scholars in Writing

YSW V23 Front Matter and Masthead

Cynthia Lopez Guerrero — 2026-05-20

Editor's Note

Cyndy Lopez Guerrero — 2026-05-21

Tribute to Emily Cope

Current YSW Editors — 2026-05-21

Smart Questions for Inclusive Tutoring

Ainel Saduova — 2026-05-21

Founded upon the ideas of the postcolonial writing center, specifically Gloria Anzaldúa’s “border culture” and “mestiza consciousness,” this article proposes the SMART questions as a tool that writing center tutors may use to advance inclusivity in their tutorials and re-strain the acculturative effects of academic vernacular as a power structure. This research conducted self-observations and interviews to test and compare the proposed SMART questions for writing tutorials (mimicking the existing tutoring practices,e.g., agenda-setting) in three ways: as a protocol, a list of non-consecutive questions, and a heuristic. Each use of the SMART questions was applied to three self-observations, which were followed by one-on-one semi-structured interviews with participants from each observation. Three main markers provide the basis for analysis of observation results: verbal engagement, agency, and code-switching. While the protocol participants had the most balanced engagement in the tutoring session, the heuristic exhibited the strongest agency and purposeful code-switching. Results of the interviews revealed varying levels of tutee self-identification with the academic vernacular, with the protocol participant being the least, and the heuristic participant being the most supportive of total separation of one’s personal style from the conventions of academic writing. Study concludes that the heuristic SMART intervention is most suitable for the facilitation of mestiza consciousness and the spread of awareness of acculturation among writing center tutees. SMART questions can be a helpful tool for further inclusivity research in the writing center

Feminist Rhetoric by Another Name: Examination of its Quiet and Unacknowledged Presence Across Disciplines

Allison Rivard — 2026-05-21

Feminist rhetorics, a subfield within composition and rhetoric, has maintained a quiet yet transformative presence within rhetoric across disciplines. Feminist rhetorics employ new,intersectional rhetorical strategies, such as strategic contemplation, rhetorical listening, and alternative epistemologies, that challenge the traditional and patriarchal forms and styles of rhetoric we are so frequently taught to reproduce. Unlike conventional rhetoric, feminist rhetoric is not widely known or taught, and as a result, its contributions go largely, if not entirely, unnoticed. However, as students of feminist rhetorics themselves, the authors were compelled to recognize and credit this subfield for the shifts it has sparked within rhetoric as a whole. This research assessed the presence of feminist rhetorics within avariety of academic disciplines through the experiences of seven undergraduate students. Researchers learned of each participant’s experiences with rhetoric and culture within their fields through individual interviews, and interviewees’ responses were then analyzed to determine which, if any, disciplines use feminist rhetorical strategies and whether these strategies were identified as such. The authors found that feminist rhetoric had a greater presence within the humanities compared to the social and natural sciences. However, out of all the students we interviewed, only one identified the use of feminist rhetoric and rhetorical methodologies by its name. The authors hope that this research encourages the wider and increased use of feminist rhetorical strategies within academic and professional spheres to expand our definition of acceptable rhetoric further.

Beyond the Opinion: The Rhetorical Foundations of Roper v. Simmons

Atharva Abhyankar — 2026-05-21

Amid growing polarization and declining public trust in the U.S. Supreme Court, under-standing how judicial authority is rhetorically constructed has become increasingly urgent. This paper analyzes Roper v. Simmons (2005) to show how judicial rhetoric reveals competing assumptions about the Court’s legitimacy. Drawing on Stephen Toulmin’s modelof argumentation, particularly his concept of implicit backings, the analysis demonstrate show Justice Kennedy’s majority opinion and Justice O’Connor’s dissent rest on contrasting visions of judicial authority. Kennedy frames the Court as a moral guide, grounding its legitimacy in “evolving standards of decency,” scientific research, and international norms. O’Connor instead underscores judicial restraint, precedent, and deference to democratic processes. By uncovering these implicit backings, the paper argues that the Court’s power depends not only on strategic legal reasoning but also on rhetorical framing and moral positioning. Situating Roper within broader trends of judicial polarization, the paper illustrates how rhetorical strategies shape constitutional interpretation and public perceptions of the Court.

Sincerely, Her: Analysis of Authorship and Genre in Women's Diaries

Ella Yates — 2026-05-21

Diaries have been used for centuries by women as a place to engage in writing their daily activities and emotions. The genre differs from other circulated genres as the authors are writing without a large, identified audience or publication in mind. This difference changes how diary authors engage with the genre. While diaries have been commonly researched and studied for their connections to daily accounts of historical or personal moments, thispaper attempts to connect the diary genre with larger rhetorical conversations of what makes an author. Using an autoethnographic approach to diaries, I centered my research through my own experience of having my diary read and my curiosity as to why there wasa disconnect between diary writing and other genres of writing. Through defining the diary genre, examining rhetorical literature concerning authorship, and analyzing four diaries spanning from 1851-2022, this research concluded with a new way to define authorship for unpublished authors. This research aims to emphasize and legitimize the role female diary authors have within writing and rhetoric studies.

Silent Com(pin)city: A Rhetorical Analysis of Albright's Pin Diplomacy and the U.S. Role in the Rwandan Genocide

Gwendolyn Crain — 2026-05-21

This paper examines Madeleine Albright’s practice of “pin diplomacy” as a form of soft power, with particular attention to her rhetorical response to the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Drawing on Keith Grant-Davie’s concept of the rhetorical situation, Richard Buchanan’s theory of design rhetoric, and Joseph Nye’s framework of soft power, this study analyzes how Albright used her jewelry as rhetorical artifacts to engage exigencies, address audiences, and navigate the constraints of international diplomacy. Examining three key artifacts: the serpent pin, the blue bird pin, and the golden dove pin, this research explore show visual rhetoric functioned in some of America’s darkest moments. As I found in this study, Albright’s pins demonstrate both the potential and the limits of symbolic gestures-such artifacts only gain true persuasive force only when paired with meaningful political action. Ultimately, this study shows that Albright’s tactics illustrate that diplomacy is most effective when rhetoric, symbols, and actions align to embody moral responsibility.

Engaging Children with Literacy at Armstrong Browning Library: An Archival Study of the Children's Summer Institute

Julianne Fullerton — 2026-05-21

Children’s literacy programs, as an extension of community literacy, have the potential toengage children with literacy by either complementing or contrasting school-based literacy curriculum. While many achievement-based literacy programs have been widely studied, fewer studies have focused on the value of enrichment-based approaches. The Children’s Summer Institute (CSI), a literacy enrichment program administered by Baylor University’s Armstrong Browning Library from 1989 to 1993, aimed to cultivate an interestin literature and writing by exposing the students to the best of children’s literature (CSIRecords, Box 1, Folder 1). This study investigates what the Children’s Summer Institute canteach us about children’s literacy and how its model can inform current conversations surrounding literacy. To develop a comprehensive understanding of the Institute, I combined qualitative and textual methodologies, including archival document analysis and outside interviews. I found that the Children’s Summer Institute serves as an example of how engaging programming can effectively further literacy and foster an appreciation for literature within a community literacy framework. These results highlight the importance of enrichment-based literacy programs for children, as they can be a valuable complement totraditional school curriculum.

Poison or Antidote? The Role of Feedback Practices in Writing Apprehension

Karlygash Mukanova — 2026-05-21

This study, conducted at a research-intensive, English-Medium instruction university in Central Asia, explores how feedback practices influence writing apprehension (WA) and examines the strategies low WA students use to manage it. Employing a mixed-methods design—including a survey, semi-structured interviews, and a focus group—the study reveals a strong relationship between students’ feedback experiences and their levels of WA. Receiving supportive, constructive feedback, and adopting a growth mindset about writing were found to be the most effective strategies for mitigating WA. This empiricalstudy contributes to writing center scholarship by demonstrating how Writing Center pedagogy can be applied to reduce students’ WA.

What's in a Question? Tutoring Technique Through the Lens of Bloom's Revised Taxonomy

Luiza Aitkozha — 2026-05-21

This study explores the alignment between questions asked by a tutor during a writing center consultation and the cognitive goals outlined in Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy (BRT). By analyzing six writing center consultations at a research-intensive university in Central Asia, this research demonstrates that BRT can be used to understand the cognitive purposes of questioning in tutoring. The findings reveal that tutors frequently employ questioning techniques that target lower-order thinking skills, such as remembering and under-standing, but less often prompt students to engage in higher-order thinking skills such as evaluating, and, especially, creating. Moreover, this study highlights the role of wait time in facilitating students’ responses, showing that insufficient time constrains deeper thinking. These findings highlight the need for tutor training that prioritizes purposeful questioning and mindful wait time as key strategies for supporting critical thinking, particularly in multilingual post-Soviet educational contexts.

Marching in the Margins: A Historical & Rhetorical Analysis of the Role of Essential Women in the History of the Baylor University Golden Wave Band, 1932-1967

Marisa Sandifer — 2026-05-21

Feminist theory regarding college women has been a prevalent topic in the modern day world as of late. The “marching arts [like collegiate marching band] are not often thought of as an athletic activity” but if only one would look deeper into archival history. 1 What is the connection between “self-compassion and body image” through the lens of marching band? 2 My archival research on specifically women in the Baylor University Golden Wave Band in Waco, Texas involved combing through the Baylor University Digital Archives for mentions in the newspaper articles, press releases, and yearbook pages. Historically, women in the Baylor University Golden Wave Band served a simultaneously essential yet underappreciated role in the development of the band itself over the span of 1932 to1962 while being made to be distinct from their male counterparts both linguistically and visually—rhetorically. The existence of these distinctions still affect the Golden Wave Band to this day both positively in the growth of female marchers and negatively in the stagnancy of the tradition surrounding auxiliary members. The results of this article’s analysis can theoretically improve the current knowledgeability around performing arts psychology and feminist theory. The implications that were discovered around the auxiliary members’ susceptibility to eating disorders and appearance-related pressures can cause people to take a step back to look at themselves and further consider those around them in relation to these theoretical ideas that could have practical applications and consequences in today’s modern world.

Beyond the Anglophone Norm: Evidence from Post-Session Reports in a Multilingual Writing Center

Marzhan Salmenbayeva — 2026-05-21

Post-session reports submitted by tutors after consultations constitute a fairly typical element of how tutoring is institutionalized in various writing centers. However, despite prior research agreeing on the merit of the reports as a tool to support student progress, little attention has been given to how they can reinforce the center’s mission. When treated as a form of big data, the reports provide valuable insights into institutional practices and student needs. This study investigates the role of post-session reports in a multilingual writing center - Nazarbayev University in Kazakhstan, where English is a foreign language for most students - using a mixed-methods design that includes textual analysis of the reports and an online survey administered to faculty and undergraduate tutors. The analysis of nearly 200 post-session reports revealed that multilingual students’ writing concerns largely fall into four categories: organization, brainstorming, conciseness, and grammar. While brainstorming and grammar reflect conventional challenges, organization and conciseness encompass a variety of writing issues, depending on how they are interpret-ed. Survey results showed that tutors varied in how they viewed post-session reports, with most treating them as routine administrative tasks rather than meaningful tools for reflection or feedback. This study not only identifies ways to improve current practices by evaluating student concerns and tutor perceptions, but also expands research on post-session reports by bringing in a unique geographic and institutional context.

An Analysis of Text Box Interfaces: Connecting Games with Writing and Unlocking the Rhetorical Possibilities of Systems Within Multimodal CompositionS

Nicholas Daggs — 2026-05-21

As more research observes how digital multimodal texts transform the activity of writing, one intriguing opportunity to explore is how interactive media, such as narrative-driven video games, shape in-game text through various forms of rhetoric within gameplay systems to create a compelling user experience. To better assess rhetoric in these interactive narratives, this article presents findings from an analysis of four computer role-playing games (RPGs) released through Steam, an online video game distribution service. Asa common system used in games to display text and convey narrative to users, this article argues that text boxes demonstrate the rhetorical potential of video games and other digital compositions through their use of text, visuals, and procedurality. I propose that a rhetorical examination of each game’s text box provides two interconnected, though distinct, possibilities for consideration in multimodal texts: 1) Text boxes act as their own compositions with intentional design choices that link forms of rhetoric to engage reader-response interactions from users; and, 2) Text boxes act as a cohesive part of a multimodal text by serving a video game’s narrative and immersion. My arguments reveal that game designers employ writing by composing a narrative and designing the gameplay interfaces which communicate that narrative to users, along with showcasing that parts of a multimodal text can be assessed alone for their rhetorical features and in the broader context of what they achieve for their work.

Reflection on Mentorship Networks: Building Undergraduate Writing Studies Research as a Stem Major

Nickel Spartz — 2026-05-21

Undergraduate research in Writing Studies continues to grow, and recent scholarship has begun to explore how mentorship supports these experiences. The majority of current mentorship research comes from STEM fields, however, the Writing Studies field offers distinctive undergraduate research contexts shaped by collaborative methods, varied outputs, and complex methodologies. Continued attention to mentorship in these contexts can help identify the practices most beneficial for undergraduate researchers and their mentors. Through an autoethnographic review of my own Writing Studies research, I highlight the ways my professional, collaborative, and research capabilities have grown through my use of a mentorship network. I demonstrate how various mentors have aided in each step of my research project and offer suggestions for mentors and students considering their own joint projects. By highlighting the symbiotic nature of my mentorship relationships, I hope to lay the groundwork for the Writing Studies community and other adjacent disciplines to adopt undergraduate mentorship strategies that can support the complex nature of the methodologies employed in the humanities.

Mind the Gap: A Critical Examination of Scholarly Conceptions and Student Perceptions of First Drafts in Writing Pedagogy

Nicole Kiama — 2026-05-21

In Writing Studies, ongoing scholarship emphasizes drafting as a crucial stage of the writing process, one through which writers engage in social and cognitive development. However, while scholars’ theoretical models of composing are well developed, less is known about how students themselves define and experience the notion of a “first draft.” Through interviews with four college sophomores reflecting on their high school experiences with first drafts, this study reveals that students largely perceived drafts as burden-some assignments for teacher surveillance rather than as integral tools for meaningful re-vision or critical thinking. Participants’ self-constructed definitions spanned from skeletal outlines to nearly finished papers, demonstrating a striking misalignment between scholarly conceptions of first drafts and students’ lived perceptions of them within writing pedagogy. By foregrounding student perspectives, this study highlights a critical pedagogical gap: without explicit instruction, students miss the cognitive and developmental benefits of drafting, suggesting the need for clearer, theory-informed teaching of first drafts.

One-third of College Writing Course Instructors Do Not Mention the Writing Center to Students: An Audit of Syllabi

Raphael Jon Moreno — 2026-05-21

Many students who visit a college Writing Center (WC) do so on recommendation from a course instructor, so the way that instructors introduce the WC to students is crucial to get-ting them “in the door” to help them improve their writing. The first point of contact that students have with their instructors and course materials is in the syllabus. Drawing inspiration from audit methodology used in social science research, I collected a representative sample of 40 course syllabi for general education writing-intensive courses with the goal of evaluating how professors describe the WC to their students. This is the first study that analyzes a representative sample of college course syllabi to investigate how professors describe the Writing Center to students, a factor crucial in directing students to the WC. I found that over a third of course instructors never mention the WC to students in their syllabus. About half of those who do mention the WC either describe it in vague, general terms or for assisting with proofreading. The findings from this study suggest that WC administrators ought to find multiple ways to communicate with course instructors in order to more clearly convey the WC’s purpose and benefits to their students, especially in general education courses taken by underclassmen unfamiliar with institutional resources.

Contributors

YSW Authors — 2026-05-21