LEARNING ASSISTANCE CENTER

Because we believe that

we ensure our students have

Writing is a process (it involves prewriting, drafting, revising, and editing)

• an understanding of the separate elements of the writing process
• the knowledge and ability to use process tools effectively (e.g., brainstorming, clustering, outlining, criteria-based content and structure evaluations)
• an understanding of basic grammar rules-not just as discreet sets of knowledge but, more importantly, as they are used holistically to make the articulation of thought more effective
• the ability to use their knowledge of grammar to make their writing more effective
• an understanding that writing is not simply "correcting" errors but a process that is the result of effective habits

Writing is recursive (the best way to learn how to write is to write, not simply practice discreet skills)

• sufficient time to work on multiple drafts and pieces of their process, not just grammar exercises and sentence-level work

Writing is a thinking process (and academic writing almost always involves critical thinking-including but not limited to analysis, synthesis, and evaluation)

• the knowledge and ability to recognize levels of thinking in writing
• the ability to identify elements of coherence in their writing and revise their writing to make it more coherent
• sufficient time to discover and control their thought processes in their writing

Effective writing is a product of effective self-monitoring of the writing process (including but not limited to the knowledge and use of metacognitive strategies)

• an understanding of the importance of metacognitive processes and tools (self-evaluation, reflection, diagnosis)
• the ability to develop and use effective self-monitoring strategies