What is the Writing Associates Program?
The Writing Associates Program (WAP) is a student- and faculty-centered initiative designed to link trained undergraduate and graduate Writing Associates with students from specific classes across TCU’s campus. The program places Writing Associates within classes where faculty members have a significant writing component during a semester’s course.

How does the program work?
Faculty and staff select and train undergraduate and graduate students who have an affinity for writing and helping other students. The Writing Associates (WAs) complete intensive writing curriculum training and enroll in a three-hour class that will provide them with upper-level writing emphasis credit. Then, these peer-writing instructors are “linked” to a specific course where professors use writing assignments as an emphasis within their semester-long course. This long-term time investment allows students to increase both their skills and confidence level in their ability to write as well as position them to better understand how writing may serve as a conduit for critical thinking.

What exactly do Writing Associates do?
Writing Associates serve as peer-writing coaches who collaborate with both student writers and faculty members within a specific course setting. These tutors do not grade student papers, nor do they play any role in determining a student’s grade. Their responsibilities include working with the faculty member to understand the rhetorical nature and purpose of a writing assignment as well as reading and critiquing student drafts to engage and focus students on the necessity of revision to improve their writing.

Why did TCU establish this program?
TCU’s leadership recognizes that writing plays a key role in how students and faculty members create knowledge within the college setting. Writing is a learning tool that enhances and expands critical thinking skills. By changing the views and perception of writing within a college setting, the WAP will focus on writing as a transparent activity, no longer a “subject” restricted to specific courses.