Writing Program Learning Goals

The Writing Program comprises First-Year Writing courses, Advanced Writing in the Disciplines courses, and the Writing Center. The goals below apply to all three sites, but our expectations for how well and to what extent students will accomplish the goals vary in each. You can find the learning goals on the Writing Program website (http://www.northeastern.edu/writing/student-learning-goals-writing-program/)

  1. Students write both to learn and communicate what they learn.
  2. Students negotiate their own writing goals and audience expectations regarding genre, medium, and situation.
  3. Students formulate and articulate a stance through and in their writing.
  4. Students revise their writing using responses from others, including peers, consultants, and teachers.
  5. Students generate and pursue lines of inquiry and search, collect, and select sources appropriate to their writing projects.
  6. Students effectively use and appropriately cite sources in their writing.
  7. Students explore and represent their experiences, perspectives, and ideas in conversation with others.
  8. Students use multiple forms of evidence to support their claims, ideas, and arguments.
  9. Students practice critical reading strategies.
  10. Students provide revision-based response to their peers.
  11. Students reflect on their writing processes and self-assess as writers.

Attendance Policy

Writing Program policy requires regular attendance at class meetings. Students are allowed three absences in classes that meet for three days a week; they are allowed two absences in classes that meet for two days a week. During the summer sessions, students are allowed two absences. Also, significant and/or frequent tardiness may be counted as absences at the instructor’s discretion. Overall, it is the student’s responsibility to ascertain what each instructor requires in terms of attendance and absence policy.

Students have the right to a limited number of excused absences for conditions listed in the Northeastern University Attendance Requirements, including absences due to specific university-sponsored activities, religious holidays, military deployment, and jury duty. Students are responsible for notifying instructors in writing when facing an extended leave of absence or extenuating circumstances. Please note that University Health and Counseling Services will not issue documentation of students’ illnesses or injuries.

Because writing classes are conducted workshop-style and focus on revision, a student who misses too many class meetings is not earning credit for the same course as the rest of the class. In that case, the instructor may suggest that the student withdraw from rather than fail the course.

Collection of Student Work for Program Assessment

Your instructor may be asked to submit one or more samples of your writing to the Writing Program Assessment Committee for the purpose of program assessment. Student work is randomly selected and used solely for the purpose of program-level assessment. Looking at student writing from a programmatic perspective helps us improve our program. Student writing collected for this purpose is never circulated outside the Writing Program for any reason. While we cannot guarantee that all identifying information will be removed from all materials read by Writing Program evaluators, we report only aggregate data to those outside the program; no teachers or student are identified in these reports. If you have any questions or concerns about our program assessment, feel free to contact Professor Mya Poe, Writing Program Director, at m.poe@northeastern.edu

Email Policy

All students in Writing Program classes must use their Northeastern email addresses in order to receive email from their instructors and to access Blackboard sites for their writing courses. This ensures your emails will not mistakenly end-up in a spam folder and protects you against security attacks.

Writing Program Minimum Grade Requirement

A student must receive a grade of C or better in order to pass a required writing courses in the writing program (C is required for Graduation). Any student earning a C- or lower will need to repeat the course in order to fulfill the writing requirement. The instructor makes the final decision with respect to any grade between A and C. Any portfolio receiving lower than a C will be reviewed and signed off on by a committee of 3-6 Writing Program instructors.

TRACE (Teacher Rating and Course Evaluation) Participation

At the end of the semester you will be asked to complete an electronic evaluation of the course and your instructor. This electronic evaluation is called TRACE. Please fill out this evaluation at the end of the semester.