What We Talk About When We Talk About Writer's Identity

Although it is used by some first-year writing (FYW) instructors to help students improve their writing, the term "writer’s identity" does not have a clear, agreed-upon definition. This study therefore investigates the use of "writer’s identity" in UNC Charlotte’s University Writing Program. Based on survey results, FYW instructors at UNCC use "writer’s identity" to refer to a student’s self-identification as a writer, a student’s presentation of self in their writing, or a student’s personal process. While not every instructor encourages their students to self-identify as writers, many of them believe that acknowledging the students’ "writer’s identities" helps them improve their rhetorical decision-making. This study is a step toward understanding how "writer’s identity" functions in UNCC’s FYW classrooms, and it raises questions about how effective encouraging the development of a "writer’s identity" is in promoting transfer of writing skills to settings outside FYW.