Guidelines for Writing in First-year Composition Courses
Students should have opportunities for multiple writing, both informal and formal, that build upon each other within a process framework.
Formal writing might include a range of genres such as essays, articles, research papers, reviews, rhetorical analyses, collage, etc. Students should be assigned a minimum of three or four formal writing assignments (a minimum of 20 pages) over the course of a quarter.
Informal writing to enhance the processes of learning and writing might include freewriting, project logs, journals, reflections, notes, etc., and students should be assigned a minimum of 20 pages of informal writing over the course of a quarter. Not all informal writing assignments need to be graded by the instructor; some can receive credit (e.g., check, check plus, check minus) and/or peer/instructor feedback.
Revision strategies should include students bringing full drafts (the minimum required pages of the final draft) of each formal writing assignment to class, prior to the due date for the final draft, for peer and/or instructor feedback. Instructor feedback may include individual and/or group conferencing. Once grades are assigned on formal writing assignments, students should have the opportunity to revise at least two of the papers for a new grade.