1) The document discusses how teaching assistants are writing teachers in their disciplines and outlines a three step program for accepting this role: acknowledging that you are a writer, accepting your role as a writing teacher, and accepting that you are part of a larger writing teaching team. 2) It provides practical advice for teaching writing such as setting objectives, using rubrics, introducing writing conventions, commenting on student work, and referring students to additional resources. 3) The document emphasizes that teaching assistants are not alone in teaching writing and lists additional supports available to students such as faculty, librarians, peers, and the Writing Centre.

1. Writing: It’s Just What
We Do
Being a “Writing Teacher” in Any Discipline
Teaching Assistants’ Workshop
September 2007
Dalhousie Writing Centre

2. Before we begin
What is your image of a writer?
Are you a writer?

3. Three Step Program
1. Acknowledge your problem
- you are a writer
2. Accept your role
- you are a writing teacher
3. Accept that you are part of a team
- you are not the only writing teacher

4. 1. Acknowledge your problem: You are
a writer
• What are your feelings generally about writing?
§ Are you a fairly competent writer? Where are your
major challenges?
§ Do you see writing as a process or as a product?
§ What is writing like in your field or discipline?

5. 2. Accepting your role: you are a writing
teacher – in your discipline
• Who are you teaching?
§ Undergrad or grad?
§ Majoring / honouring or other?
§ Year / age?
§ Experience in the discipline?
§ Intelligence? Aptitude? Interest?
§ Gender? Nationality/ethnic group?
§ ESL or native speaker?
§ Previous writing experience?
§ How will their background affect their writing?

6. Being Practical
What can you do to help your students become good
writers in your discipline?

7. What can you do?
• Decide what you want students to achieve (behavioural
objectives)
• Indicate evaluation method (rubric) and explain it in detail
before assignments
• Allow students to discuss evaluation methods (What do they
see as important in writing/subject?)
• Introduce them to the writing conventions of the discipline
(You will need to recognize them.)
• Provide examples of work (e.g. a lab report or an essay)
• What makes them good? What makes them poor? Go through them
with the students. Discuss.

8. Evaluating writing
• Evaluate for both content and writing (rubric must
reflect both) – the journal editors certainly do
• Don’t edit – you waste your time!

9. How to comment on work
• Find the first instance and comment (tell them to look in the
document for more of the same problems)
• Tell them where the writing meets expectations and where it
doesn’t
• Refer them to reference books (“See p. 34 note on passive voice
or parallel structure”)
• Teach them about spell checkers and grammar checkers
• Show examples of how you would like a section structured or
worded (e.g. discussion section)
• Introduce them to the discipline’s jargon when
• If you have the time, allow them to rewrite or to do a similar
assignment
• Watch for signs of plagiarism, cheating, etc.

10. 3. Accept that you’re part of a
team of “writing” teachers
• You are not alone
• You have a faculty member
• You have a librarian subject specialist
• You have peers (faculty and grad students)
• You have the CLT
• You have the Writing Centre

11. Additional resources
• www.writingcentre.dal.ca and
www.library.dal.ca/how/how.htm
• Faculty sites -
http://users.cs.dal.ca/~eem/gradRsources/thesisHints.html
• Keene, Michael L., Adams, Katherine H., & Clow-Bohan, M.
(2006) Instant access. Toronto: McGrawHill.
• Buckley, Joanne. (2003). Checkmate: A writing reference for
Canadians. Toronto: Thomson Nelson.
• Secretary of State of Canada. (1997). The Canadian style: A
guide to writing and editing. Toronto: Durham.
• Murphy, C.,& Sherwood, S. (2003). The St. Martin’s
sourcebook for writing tutors. Boston: Bedford St. Martins.

12. More resources
• Day, R.A. (1998). How to write & publish a scientific paper.
Westport: Oryx
• Northey, M.,& Jewinski, J. (2005). Making sense: A
student s guide to research and writing. Toronto: Oxford.
• Pechenik, J.A. (2004). A short guide to writing about
biology.Toronto: Pearson.
• Adams, K.H.,& Keene, M.L. (2000). Research and writing
across the disciplines. Toronto: Mayfield.
• Crème, P.,& Lea, M.R. (1997). Writing at university: A guide
for students. Maidenhead: Open U.
• Writing Centre website for more links to discipline-specific
writing guidelines www.writingcentre.dal.ca

13. Dalhousie Writing Centre:
Services
§ One-on-one appointments
§ Seminars
§ ESL non-credit course

14. Contact the Writing Centre
§ www.writingcentre.dal.ca
§ writingcentre@dal.ca
§ 494-1963 (appointments & information)
§ G40M in Learning Commons

15. P.S.
• Have patience
• Enjoy the experience
• Send your students to see us
• Come yourselves!
Thank you for your time.