We work across all of UVA to support writing in the disciplines. How can faculty and students improve their writing experiences as they use writing, both to learn and to communicate? 

WAC stands for Writing Across the Curriculum, which is a flexible, adaptable, and evidence-based model that emerged in the 1970s to improve student learning and student writing in courses across disciplines. Today, more than half of American colleges and universities have implemented some form of WAC. 

Writing takes place in every discipline. We might be asking students to create research essays, data charts and analyses, medical documentation, posters and presentations, sketches of buildings or machines, policy arguments, grant proposals, case notes, lesson plans---and the list goes on. Regardless, we're asking students to transcribe ideas into some form to allow them to think and/or communicate more effectively.

Assigning writing offers many critical benefits to students, including helping them better process and retain information and better acculturate to new disciplines. Still, the specific benefits and challenges vary across disciplines, courses, and assignments. We at WAC are here to help.  

Mission

Our mission is to enhance the culture of writing across Grounds by supporting writing in the disciplines.  

In particular, we work to:  

1. expand students’ opportunities for writing across their academic careers,  
2. increase students’ writing proficiency,  
3. deepen students’ engagement with learning,  
4. foster a campus culture that supports writing, and  
5. create a community of faculty actively engaged in the development of student writing through instruction and mentorship. 

Descriptive Transcript of the WAC Classroom Practices for Improving Writing Infographic

The figure is a flow chart with five labeled boxes linked by arrows. The chart is multi-directional. At each step, arrows point forward to the next box. At the end of the process of Drafting, Feedback, and Revision, the arrows proceed in a circular pattern denoting a continuous process until complete. Here the flow chart is described as lists in which the possible next steps are listed beneath each box title.

• Models (Examples of student work, published work, and/or your work to provide context and reference points)
  • forward to Discussion
• Discussion (Taking even just a few minutes to point out key features of the models, to talk about how they work, and to invite student questions)
  • forward to Drafting
• Drafting (getting ideas onto paper or screen—might be sketches, brainstorming, practical thesis statements, outlines, test paragraphs, or “complete” drafts)
  • forward to Feedback
• Feedback (Either oral or written, from instructors or peers — might be a 5-minute think-pair-share moment in class or a full draft workshop, so long as the author gets others’ responses to draft ideas)
  • forward to Revision
• Revision (revisiting draft material in light of feedback and making meaningful adjustments to ideas or approaches)
  • forward to Drafting

Descriptive Transcript of WAC at UVA Milestones

The timeline is described as lists in chronological order starting at 2017 and ending at 2026.

• 2017
  • University identifies writing as growth area for UVA; adopts Writing Across the Curriculum as model.
• 2018
  • University-wide review of initial project outcomes shapes proposal for next phase of WAC at UVA.
  • Heidi Nobles becomes new director of WAC.
  • Next phase launches with updated/expanded programming and increased lateral partnerships.
  • Incoming WAC director T. Kenny Fountain launches WAC initiative.
  • WAC begins major research and pilot phase.
• 2019
  • Associate Director Heidi Nobles joins.
• 2020 - Summer 2023
  • Programmatic research and pilot phase continues.
  • Wider WAC research launches in coordination with national efforts.
• Fall 2023
  • University-wide review of initial project outcomes shapes proposal for next phase of WAC at UVA.
  • Heidi Nobles becomes new director of WAC.
  • Next phase launches with updated/expanded programming and increased lateral partnerships.
• 2024-2026
  • Ongoing and developing support programming.
  • Developing additional programmatic assessment and WAC research.

We are proud to partner with many wonderful groups around and beyond Grounds for research and programming. These partners include: 

• Center for Teaching Excellence

• CompEd Center

• Office of Graduate & Postdoctoral Affairs

  • PhD Plus Program

• Scholar's Lab

• School of Nursing

• UVA Libraries

• Writing and Rhetoric Program

• UVA Writing Center