RESPONSIBILITIES

Instructional Assistants (IAs) who support Writing in the Disciplines (WID) courses are typically assigned to assist in courses in their home departments. However, in some cases, graduate students who are especially capable writers may be assigned to work in departments other than their own. In either case, they are to support the writing component of the course exclusively; they should not be assigned to perform the other sorts of duties that Graduate Teaching Assistants in their home departments are sometimes asked to do (e.g., lead recitation or lab sections). In any event, the faculty member of record should be much involved in the writing component of the course and remain the principal authority in matters of writing, including evaluation and grading. The IA should not be asked simply to take over the writing component of the course. Instead, it should be shared, with the IA playing a supporting role.

WID IAs may be asked to perform any of the following:

• Locate and prepare materials or activities relevant to the teaching of a topic;

• Confer with or “coach” individual students to help them formulate topics for essays and generate appropriate bibliographic sources;

• Review outlines and/or rough drafts for coherence, clarity of purpose, argument, and other “global” concerns;

• Evaluate and grade written assignments such as essays, lab reports, research papers, and provide appropriate feed-back (not simply editing) with an eye toward substantive revision;

• Hold office hours to consult with individual students.

QUALIFICATIONS

WID IAs will be expected to show a good command of English (as measured, for example, by GRE scores) and evidence of reasonably proficient writing in their own discipline. Preference will be given to doctoral candidates and graduate students who have prior teaching or tutoring experience.

Awards

Initial recommendations for WID IAs are made either by individual departments or by the Director of the WID Program. Final awards must be approved by Professor Chris Sten, Director, Writing in the Disciplines. IAs are paid a salary that varies somewhat depending on whether the graduate student is enrolled in a doctoral or a master’s program.  An IA in a Ph.D program, working five hours a week in a course with 20-24 students, for example, would be paid $1,000; one working in a larger class of 25-29 students would work approximately 7.5 hours a week and be paid $1,500; for an M.A., the comparable salaries would be $800 and $1,200.  IAs working in classes with still larger enrollments will receive a larger salary and work somewhat longer hours per week (on average).

ORIENTATION AND EVALUATION

New WID IAs are required to complete the following:

• Review all information about the University Writing Program, and the WID Program in particular, on the UWP website.
• Attend a WID orientation session at the beginning of the semester.
• Make a site visit to the University Writing Center and review the Center's statement of purpose and policies, including appointment policy, with the goal of being able to inform students about this service.
• Contact Ms. Najiyah Williams, the Executive Assistant to the WID Director, at nwilliam@gwu.edu, for information about becoming registered as a GW employee.

ASSIGNMENT OF DUTIES

Before the semester begins, the WID Director will inform each IA of his or her specific course assignment and the name of the faculty member of record. The faculty member, in turn, should communicate clearly to the IA, preferably in writing, the specific responsibilities expected of the WID IA. Faculty members should be aware of the time commitment (in hours per week, on average—typically 5, 7.5, or 10) stipulated in the IAs award and assign duties that can be completed within the stated time limit.