Assumptions

Successful writing courses involve active collaboration between students and teachers. We hold the following basic assumptions about students taking writing classes in UA’s First-Year Writing Program and about those instructors teaching in our Program:

Students

  • Attend classes regularly
  • Read syllabus and become familiar with course policies
  • Participate actively in class discussions and peer editing groups
  • Complete reading and writing assignments on time
  • Understand that good writing involves a process of analyzing, drafting, revising, evaluating, and editing
  • Work toward achieving the Writing Outcomes of each specific course
  • Consult Writing Center staff for advice and help when needed
  • Consult course instructors outside of class, either in person or via email

Instructors

  • Hold classes regularly
  • Notify the English Department before canceling any class session
  • Distribute a complete syllabus with course goals, policies, writing outcomes, plagiarism statement, and complete calendar of activities, readings, and assignment due dates
  • Distribute written instructions for all writing assignments that include assignment goals, due dates, clear procedures, and grading criteria
  • Understand that teaching students to write well involves familiarizing them with the process of analyzing, drafting, revising, evaluating, and editing
  • Hold regular office hours
  • Comment on students’ papers in writing and include suggestions for improving that writing so that students can develop as writers