sample information sheet

The Undergraduate Writing Fellows Program
College of Letters and Science
University of Wisconsin-Madison

What is the Writing Fellows Program?

The Writing Fellows Program selects and trains undergraduates to serve as peer tutors in writing-intensive and Communications-B courses across the curriculum. These tutors, called Writing Fellows, are students chosen for their excellent writing skills, their interest in learning more about writing, and their commitment to helping their peers.

If you’re reading this, your professor has decided to use a Writing Fellow in this course. [You can personalize this: Professor X has decided to use Writing Fellows in XYZ this semester.] That means that everyone in your class will consult with a Writing Fellow on two papers this semester.

Fellows are not teaching assistants; we do not make assignments or grade papers. Instead, we write comments on drafts and hold one-on-one conferences to discuss your work in progress, offering suggestions for revision before your papers are submitted for a grade. To prepare to help you, all Writing Fellows take a special three-credit seminar on tutoring writing across the curriculum.

This program is premised on the belief that all writers--no matter how accomplished--benefit from revising their work. It is not designed only for students who need extra help with their writing; instead, it is set up to help writers of all levels. Please be sure to take advantage of it! Learning to write effectively is perhaps the most practical skill you can acquire in college. The Writing Fellows Program offers you a unique opportunity to hone your writing skills by collaborating with a peer. As peers, Fellows act as sympathetic readers and advisors, providing informed, constructive criticism.

How will you work with the Writing Fellows Program?

Each student in your class [you can insert class here] will be assigned to a Writing Fellow. You will submit your papers to your Writing Fellow before handing them in to the professor. Don’t worry; time is added to the syllabus to accommodate this process.

Your Writing Fellow will take a week to comment extensively on your draft in writing. After your draft is returned to you, you will have an additional week to meet individually with your Writing Fellow and to revise your paper, before handing in both versions (the one with the Fellow’s comments and the revision) to the professor. The individual conferences with your Writing Fellow are especially valuable times to ask questions, work through difficult drafts, and discuss your writing process in detail.

As you revise your paper, you may accept or reject your Fellow’s specific suggestions. Since participation in the program is mandatory, however, you must submit both drafts of your paper for the assignment to be considered complete.

Due dates for papers

Paper #1 [insert title or short description of paper]
· Full draft due to your Writing Fellow on [insert date in bold].
· Conference with your Writing Fellow [insert week/time frame of your choice].
· Revised draft AND original draft with my comments due for grading on [insert date in bold].

Paper #2 [insert title or short description of paper]
· Full draft due to your Writing Fellow on [insert date in bold].
· Conference with your Writing Fellow [insert week/time frame of your choice].
· Revised draft AND original draft with my comments due for grading on [insert date in bold].

Before you turn in your draft to your Writing Fellow…

Write your name AND your Fellow’s name on your draft.
Type and double-space your paper, using at least one-inch margins.
Number the pages in the upper right-hand corner.

Writing Fellow(s) for [insert class here]

Name: [add name]
Contact Information: [add contact information]

What do I do if I have questions about the program?

If you have questions, feel free to contact Emily Hall, associate director of the program, at ebhall@facstaff.wisc.edu or 263-3754, or Rebecca Entel, the assistant director, at rbentel@wisc.edu or 263-2946.