University Writing Center

Graduate Writing Groups are offered every semester.  You must apply and be accepted to participate.  Accepted students are grouped together based on their availability and will work together the whole semester.  Registration is only open a few weeks before each semester begins and we currently do not accept applications during the semester.  Check your TAMU email regularly between semesters for an advertisement or feel free to call us at 979-458-1455.

The sample syllabus* that follows may help you decide if a Graduate Writing Group will help you complete your thesis or dissertation.

Attendance Policy & Office Hours

• First meeting is mandatory, no exceptions
• Attendance policy: you cannot miss more than 2 classes, for whatever reason, or you will not be allowed to continue participation
• Your moderator will hold 1-2 office hours aside from the scheduled meeting times

 Meeting Schedule: Bimonthly meetings during fall ‘09

• Meeting 1: week of September 7-11
• Meeting 2: week of September 21-25
• Meeting 3: week of October 5-9
• Meeting 4: week of October 19-23
• Meeting 5: week of November 2-6
• Meeting 6: week of November 16-20

 Group Meeting Structure

Meeting 1 (1.5 hours):

1. Moderator explains the rules, requirements, expectations, meeting structure (i.e. how the peer response sessions will run and materials required), and each member signs a contract/fills out any paperwork
2. Each student gets a chance to briefly explain their topic
3. Presentation by moderator over responding to peers’ work/receiving criticism
4. Each student writes his/her writing goal to be accomplished by next class period

Subsequent meetings (1.5 hours):

1. Each student will talk about whether they met their previously set goal.  If a student does not meet his/her goal, the group will help brainstorm on ways for students to meet their goals. *Students are not punished in any way for not meeting their goals.
2. Students pair up, exchange the worksheet “about my writing sample” (which has been filled out before coming to class) and read over it to get a sense of what their partner wants to focus on.
3. Students will then exchange papers and read for 20 minutes.
4. Fill out the “peer response” worksheet.
5. Once each person is finished filling out the “peer response” worksheet, they can give their comments back and discuss/clarify
6. Students will spend the last 10 minutes of class journaling about their goals for next class

*Please note that this is only a sample syllabus for your reference and is subject to change for future semesters.