This study will analyze the process of revising a first-year writing program at a large Midwestern university. The institutional structure and practice of first-year writing, particularly the connected subject of basic writing, creates a site where many interrelated areas of research converge—disciplinary, pedagogical, institutional, and especially larger social concerns about diversity and equal opportunity in education. Thus, while the reform effort is internally motivated, there are numerous external factors to consider.

The primary goal of this study is to understand and represent the reform effort as situated within larger social and institutional contexts. The over-arching question is this: What is at stake and for whom in revising the current curriculum? This question allows me to explain the impact of institutional history, the role of administrative processes, and the significance of different strands of research. Using critical theory, especially critical theories of discourse, this study will highlight the complex relationship between institutions, persons, and social change In particular, institutional documents will be examined for the key role they play in the process of change.