AMANDA ATHON BOWLING GREEN STATE UNIVERSITY BOWLING GREEN, OH 43402 AMANDAATHON.COM AATHON@BGSU.EDU EDUCATION PhD in English, 2014 (Expected) Research interests: Dissertation: Rhetoric and Composition, Writing Assessment, The Teaching of Basic Writing, Second-language Writing and TESOL Fostering Language Diversity through Classroom-based Assessment Practices This study examines how instructors assess varieties of English in the writing classroom through the use of classroom-based practices such as rubrics, peer review, and written feedback. This classroom-based study of two sections of first-year writing at Midwestern University focuses on how students with diverse language backgrounds experience the assessment process and ways instructors might foster language diversity specifically through acts of writing assessment. Committee: Dr. Lee Nickoson (Chair) Dr. Kristine Blair Dr. Sue Carter Wood Dr. Catherine Cassara MA in Writing, DePaul University 2007 BA in English, Loyola University 2004 PUBLICATIONS Peer-Reviewed Articles Multimodal Composing as a Tool to Foster Language Diversity. Computers and Composition Online (January 2013). Web. Annotated Bibliography Annotation of Before Shaughnessy: Basic Writing at Yale and Harvard, 1920-1960. The Bedford Bibliography for Teachers of Basic Writing, 4 th edition. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin s, Forthcoming 2015. Print.
Review Essay Co-authored with Lee Nickoson. Review of Redesigning Composition for Multilingual Realities and Transnational Literate Lives in Digital Times. Kairos (Forthcoming January 2015). Web. Reviews Review of Writing Studies Research in Practice: Methods and Methodologies. Composition Studies (November 2013): 100 102. Print. Review of Is Basic Writing an Endangered Species? Featured Session C at CCCC 2012. Kairos (January 2013). Web. Review of Cross-language Relations in Composition. Composition Studies (April 2012): 135 138. Print. Review of Regards Croisés: Perspectives on Digital Literature. Computers and Composition Online (March 2011). Web. Other Publications Theory of Everything. Civic and Arts Foundation of the Union League Club, Annual Fiction Anthology. (2008). Print. 365 Writing Prompts to Keep You Writing Every Day. Writer s Digest (December 2002). Print. PRESENTATIONS Feminist Grounded Theory as a Means to Open Research. CCCC, Indianapolis, March 2014. (Proposal Accepted) Assessing Second-language Writers in a Native-speaking Environment. Ohio TESOL, Columbus, November 2013. Designing Ethical Qualitative Research Projects. Being Undisciplined: A Graduate Student Conference, University of Cincinnati, April 2013. Storytelling as Academic Discourse in the Basic Writing Classroom. Conference on College Composition and Communication, Las Vegas, NV, March 2013. Featured Panel, Fostering Language Diversity with Multimodal Compositions. Computers and Writing, Raleigh, NC, May 2012. Assimilation and Bias in 19 th Century African American Home Readers. Conference on College Composition and Communication, St. Louis, MO, March 2012.
Fostering Language Diversity in a Writing Program. Writing Program Administrators Conference. Baton Rouge, LA, July 2011. Accommodating ESOL Students in Online Teaching. Graduate Research Forum. Computers and Writing. Ann Arbor, MI, May 2011. Creating New Context: Figurative Language and Signification. Illinois Philological Association. Springfield, IL. April 2007. INVITED PRESENTATIONS Guest Speaker, English 7260: Research Methods in Rhetoric and Writing, Bowling Green State University. Fall 2012. The IRB/HSRB Approval Process. Guest Speaker, English 4840: Foundations of Teaching Writing,. November 2011. Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. Co-Presenter, Applying to PhD Programs Workshop,. October 2010. TEACHING EXPERIENCE Graduate Instructor,. 2010 2013: General Studies Writing 1100, Intensive Introduction to Academic Writing: Students drafted and revised five essays; additional emphasis on basic writing skills. General Studies Writing 1110, Introduction to Academic Writing: Students drafted and revised five essays and a self-reflection, ending with a portfolio review of their work. General Studies Writing 1120, Academic Writing: Focused on research and source evaluation; students drafted and revised four essays, ending with a major research paper. English 2070, Intermediate Writing: Thematically focused on literacy studies; students completed a literacy narrative, rhetorical analysis, website analysis, and digital portfolio. English for Speakers of Other Languages, Family English: Course for low to intermediate nonnative speakers of English; students practiced speaking, listening, and writing skills. Adjunct Instructor, Truman College, City Colleges of Chicago. 2008 2010: English 099, Integrated Communications: Introduced students to college-level reading and academic writing at the sentence- and paragraph-level.
English 100, Integrated Communications: Introduced students to college-level reading and academic writing, at the paragraph- and essay-level. English 101, Academic Writing: Focused on academic research and synthesizing multiple sources in an essay. Adjunct Instructor/Teaching Intern, College of Lake County. Grayslake, IL. 2007: English 129, Introduction to Fiction: Students read and responded to various genres of American literature; students compiled a final portfolio of three literature analysis essays. ADMINISTRATIVE EXPERIENCE Assistant to the Director, English for Speakers of Other Languages,. 2012 2013. Maintained student records; worked with departmental advisors to manage degree progress. Designed plagiarism course module. Managed program matching students for conversation practice. Placement Evaluator, General Studies Writing,. Summer 2012. Evaluated student placement essays and determined student registration into one of the three courses of General Studies Writing. Assistant to the Director, General Studies Writing,. Summer 2011. Updated department manuals, completed a template syllabus for new and returning instructors, designed program activities and essay assignments for three first-year writing courses. Test Proctor, English for Speakers of Other Languages,. Fall 2011. Assisted students taking placement test for determining their appropriate ESOL writing course. EDITORIAL EXPERIENCE Acquisitions Editor, Research Exchange: An Index of Contemporary Writing Research, Colorado State University. 2012 present. Solicit and review submissions to this composition research database. Associate Editor, McGraw-Hill Inc. Chicago, IL. 2007 2009. Edited and wrote textbooks for basic writers and second-language writers. Projects included graphic novels, a middle-school writing program, and high school literature readers. Project Coordinator/Editor, Nieman Inc, Chicago, IL. 2004 2007. Edited and wrote educational materials for this contractor of McGraw-Hill Inc. Projects included content-based textbooks for middle-school ELLs and high school literature textbooks. Poetry Editor, Threshold, Fall 2006 Spring 2007.
Solicited and edited poetry submissions for DePaul University s literary journal. Editorial Assistant, Writer s Digest Magazine. Cincinnati, OH. 2002 2003. Copyedited articles, brainstormed new features, updated website, compiled data, and fact-checked articles. SERVICE Post-prelim Group,, Fall 2013 Spring 2014. Co-lead this organization for ABD students in the Rhetoric and Writing Program; work with faculty and students to develop and execute meeting agendas and topics of interest. Graduate Committee,, Fall 2012 Spring 2013. Assisted in reviewing policies on graduate admissions, fellowships and assistantships, curriculum degree requirements and graduate programs. Elected position. Steering Committee, Third Friday,. Fall 2010 Spring 2012. Developed and planned the content of BGSU s Third Friday groups, a monthly meeting of Rhetoric and Writing students and faculty. Teacher Mentor, English to Speakers of Other Languages, Fall 2012. Mentored two graduate students in the teaching of English to nonnative speakers; mentees observed sections of my course and developed lesson plans. Graduate Student Committee,, Fall 2011 Spring 2012. Assisted with various tasks relating to the General Studies Writing department at BGSU, including the organizing of the summer assistantship applications and graduate elections. Elected position. Tutor, English to Speakers of Other Languages, Spring 2011. Met weekly with students enrolled in ESOL coursework to practice writing skills. Communications Director, Literacy and Writing Skills Transfer Consortium. Fall 2011 present. Designed and updated the web presence of this listserv group dedicated to literacy studies and writing transference. Co-Director, Digital Mirror Computer Camp, Summer 2011. Co-presented a blogging workshop and assisted in other technology workshops during this annual, three-day residential computer camp for girls in grades 6-8. Tutor, Loyola Community Literacy Center, Fall 2002. Taught weekly lessons to low- to intermediate-level nonnative speakers of English. AWARDS Dissertation Research Fellowship,, 2013 2014.
Finalist, Jill Carr Award for Outstanding Graduate Student,, 2013. Finalist, Outstanding Graduate Administrative Assistant,, 2013. 3 rd place, Shanklin Research Symposium,, 2012. Graduate Assistantship,, 2010 2013. MEMBERSHIPS AND CERTIFICATION Modern Language Association National Council of Teachers of English Conference on College Composition and Communication Writing Program Administrators Graduate Organization GRADUATE COURSEWORK Writing and Pedagogy PhD Studies Composition Instructors Workshop Computer-Mediated Writing Theory and Practice Writing Assessment Advanced Writing Pedagogy Methods in TESOL MA Studies Stylistics The Essay: History and Practice Teaching Literature Rhetorical Theory and History PhD Studies Intro to Rhetoric and Composition Rhetoric of Written Discourse History of Rhetoric Ethics of Technical Communication MA Studies Renaissance and 18th Century Rhetorics Modern Rhetorics History of the English Language
Research and Publication PhD Studies Research and Publication in Rhetoric/Writing Research Methods in Rhetoric/Writing REFERENCES Dr. Lee Nickoson Associate Professor Rhetoric & Writing Program (419) 372 7556 leenick@bgsu.edu Dr. Kristine L. Blair Professor and English Department Chair Rhetoric & Writing Program (419) 372 8033 kblair@bgsu.edu Dr. Sue Carter Wood Associate Professor Rhetoric & Writing Program (419) 372 8107 carters@bgsu.edu Dr. Donna Nelson-Beene Director, Bowling Green Perspectives General Education Program Office of Undergraduate Education (419) 372 4864 dnelson@bgsu.edu Kimberly Spallinger Director, English for Speakers of Other Languages Program (419) 372 8145 spallkk@bgsu.edu