Writing Process

Throughout the semester, each project will follow a similar set of inquiry and invention moves. This process includes six steps of scaffolded inquiry and work that advances students towards the completion of the major project and engagement with the WRC FYW learning goals.

These include:

1. A proposal

2. Invention/Sense-Making Activities

3. Drafting

4. Feedback

5. Revising

6. Reflection (embedded through the process).

Proposal

The proposal is the first piece of writing students will produce at the beginning of a project. The proposal serves as a way for students to brainstorm possible topics, audiences, and organizations for their draft. Prompts may ask students to ask what they plan to do, how they will do it, why they want to do it, and for whom they will do it.

Invention/Sense-Making

Sometimes, within the teaching and learning cycle, there may be moments when students engage in short responses/tasks in between the steps provided here. Obviously, these kinds of tasks continue to scaffold the larger inquiry and projects. To that end, these kinds of responses/tasks capture work/inquiry that exceeds the proposal→drafting→feedback→revision cycle. An example might include asking students to post potential interview questions or review a helpful resource for a remix project.

Drafting

The drafting stage represents a student’s early iteration of a project. During the drafting process, students work through ideas, organization, clarity, and coherence in a written draft. The goal of drafting is for students to get ideas on paper and have enough content for their peers and instructor to provide meaningful feedback.

Feedback

Feedback is a crucial component of the writing process where students can read one another’s work and provide comments and suggestions through peer review. Feedback prompts may include questions such as “what is the topic of the paper?” “what’s working well?” “was anything confusing or unclear?” and “what should the writer focus on during revision?” Feedback is valuable for both givers and receivers. It teaches students to read closely and look for clarity and organization within their own texts.

Revising

Revising is a moment for students to further refine and develop their drafts based on what they learn from feedback. Students may add to or refine their work based on their own assessment, the assignment guidelines, and comments from their peers and instructor.

Reflection

Reflection is a valuable space for students to write about and reflect on their experiences during the writing process. Reflection gives writers a chance to think critically about the decisions they made during the writing process and helps them set goals for the future. It is also a place for them to advocate for themselves by explaining what barriers they encountered and how they learned from those moments. Because reflection is where students name and articulate their learning, it is also essential to our assessment practices in WRAC.