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