Writing Outreach

SASC writing faculty offer in-class and group seminars that focus on strategies for writing papers to meet specific course requirements. SASC writing specialists coordinate the format and content of the seminars with students' professors. While the focus of these sessions varies to accommodate specific content areas and academic needs, particular emphasis is placed on critical and research essays, technical writing and understanding methods of citing work.

Outreach Writing Support Goals

• Improve student writing skills specific to given disciplines
• Support writing initiatives and interests within departments
• Expand opportunities for communication and interaction among faculty, students and the LAS on matters related to writing
• Emphasize the disparate writing purposes and expectations of specific disciplines

Format

Orientations 

At any time during the semester, course instructors may request an informal orientation to the writing resources and services offered through the SASC. This introduction is a brief, five-to-ten minute, in-class presentation. 

Presentations

At the request of course instructors, SASC faculty will tailor and deliver in-class presentations to teach discipline-specific or assignment-specific writing strategies. Writing instruction may include:

• Forming thesis statements.
• Using appropriate writing formats. 
• Following citation requirements.
• Organizing formal papers. 
• Using literature and research in writing. 
• Writing for student journals.

Workshops

Throughout each semester, writing workshops take place outside of class periods. Students who attend these workshops often generate the session’s content by bringing questions about assignment criteria, rough drafts, or notes from readings.

The SASC posts announcements of times, dates and locations of the workshops on walls, halls, bathroom stalls and via email. Co-moderated workshops occur when SASC instructors and course instructors co-facilitate sessions either during class periods or outside of class time. These collaborative workshops allow the course instructor to address specific assignment criteria and expectations while the SASC instructor helps students select and use appropriate writing strategies and techniques.

Procedure

Before contacting the SASC, faculty members might find it useful to consider the following questions to determine the purpose and focus of more formal writing support:

• What specific class writing assignment will this presentation or workshop address?
• How can this presentation or workshop help you to implement this assignment?
• How can this presentation or workshop help students to meet your grading criteria?
• What is the desired outcome of the presentation or workshop?
• What specific information will be necessary? Who will present it?
• What role will the SASC instructor play in the presentation or workshop, e.g., facilitator, collaborator, or guinea pig?