MLA interview questions

(I'm getting back into a regular posting mode.)

I figure I'll start the new year with a list of some of the questions I was asked in interviews at MLA.

Background info: I was interviewing primarily for general comp/rhet jobs with a teaching emphasis (teaching load of 3-3 to 4-4). A few of the schools had composition MA options.

• Talk about how your teaching and research are related.
• Tell us more about your dissertation project.
• Give an example of a time with a difficult student.
• Talk about a class you taught where you encountered some problems.
• What was interesting to you about our job ad?
• Why are you interested in our school?
• What is your next project?
• What is your philosophy of writing program administration?
• Talk about your experience in the writing center.
• How do you plan to balance teaching, research, and service?
• If you were teaching a graduate course in composition theory, which texts would you include?
• If you were teaching a graduate course in rhetorical theory, which texts would you include?
• What does an average day in your class look like?
• Do you have a dissertation defense date scheduled?
• Of our existing courses, which ones are you most prepared to teach?
• Given our existing course offerings, what courses would you like to add?
• In what ways do you plan to disseminate your research findings?
• How do you structure your first-year writing class?
• How would you teach a developmental writing class?

Those were the most common questions. I'll update the list if I remember other ones.