Jessa M. Wood
Assignments & Activities Archive
Assignment Description
Prior to a first-year writing course, students often see writing as static and rule-based, and have not been challenged to reflect on how they make choices about writing and the impact those choices have on readers. I have found in teaching my first-year writing course that introducing the idea of metacognition—awareness of one’s own thought process and ability (Tinberg)—empowers writers by helping them conceptualize the role of reflection in their growth as writers. Metacognition undergirds a strong process pedagogy by helping writers reflect on their own choices and processes and revise accordingly, rather than relying on instructor or peer feedback for direction. Metacognition also is central to the process of soliciting feedback: as professional writers, we know that being able to articulate what feedback we want and need is central to a successful social writing process. Thus, class activities that push students to enact metacognition reinforce the habits of mind that will help them not only be successful in the course, but also recognize how they might productively transfer lessons learned from the course to future writing situations. This assignment helps students engage in metacognitive reflection about their drafting and writing process for major assignments. I ask students to produce a reflective cover letter articulating their process and rhetorical choices for each draft of every major assignment they complete. My students have consistently told me that they find regularly completing this assignment to be one of the most valuable experiences in the class because it pushes them to think critically about their writing and decision-making and helps ensure they receive feedback from me and their peers that responds to their own concerns about their writing.