In recent years, scholars within the writing center community have urged for improved research practices within the held.Lore and experience have long been the field's guiding influence.In response, many writing center professionals have called for action, rightly suggesting that rigorous research will invigorate the field.Lore has its place in informing scholarship, as others have pointed out (Babcock & Thonus, 2012;Gillam, 2002;Gillespie, 2002;Sosnoski, 1991).But reliance on lore alone leads to missed opportunities and can result in scholarly stagnation (Eodice, Jordan, & Price, 2015; Wcenter threads; calls for action lodged over and over indicating that the call is going largely unanswered).Discussions surrounding the format of asynchronous online tutoring exemplify the shortcomings of relying on lore alone; a format that could have represented an innovation has instead been largely relegated to the sidelines of the field.This article traces the conversation surrounding asynchronous online tutoring in order to demonstrate the divide that occurs when the field relies on lore.Then,