Unwritten Rules List

Submitted by Lillian Ghorbani, Undergraduate Academic Assistant, Department of Political Science, Faculty of Arts, UBC Vancouver.

Key Characteristics:

Attribution and Use:

This use case is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0

Purpose 

This short activity helps students identify the “unwritten rules” they’ve absorbed in academic writing—expectations that often go unstated but deeply shape how students write. It supports inclusive writing pedagogy by promoting transparency and critical engagement, encouraging students to question where these rules come from, who they serve, and how they can be challenged or redefined. Instead of automatically following norms, students begin making intentional, informed choices about their writing.

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Overview

Students will create a quick list of 3–5 “unwritten rules” they’ve learned about academic writing. In small groups or pairs, they will compare lists and choose one rule to discuss more deeply. As a class, they will consider which of these rules are helpful, limiting, or worth challenging.

Learning Objectives

By completing this activity, students will be able to: 

  • Recognize unspoken norms in academic writing 
  • Reflect on how these norms are passed down or enforced 
  • Question whether certain rules are still useful, flexible, or exclusionary 
  • Build confidence in navigating academic expectations with intention

Activity Instructions

Time: 15 – 20 minutes

1. Intro + Prompt (3 minutes): 

Introduce the idea: Not all writing rules are written down—some are passed along silently or assumed. Ask: “What ‘unwritten rules’ have you picked up about academic writing?” 

2. Individual List-Making (3–4 minutes): 

Students jot down 3–5 rules they’ve been told or believe to be true. Examples might include: 

  • Don’t use “I” 
  • Use fancy vocabulary to sound smart 
  • Refrain from including emotion or personal experience 

3. Small Group Discussion (5–7 minutes): 

In pairs or small groups, students: 

  • Compare their lists 
  • Choose a couple of rules to discuss: Where did this rule come from? Is it helpful? Can it be challenged? 

4. Class Debrief (5–6 minutes): 

Instructor facilitates a short whole-class share-out. Focus on: 

  • Common rules that came up 
  • Surprising or contradictory advice 
  • What students want more clarity on 

Barriers & Solutions

Barrier:  

Some students may feel hesitant or shy about sharing their “unwritten rules” in front of the whole class—especially if they’re unsure whether their experiences are valid or if their prior education conflicts with university expectations. Students may feel unsure how to reflect honestly on a potentially sensitive or uncomfortable group experience or worry that the critique may be taken personally.  

Solution:  

Offer alternative ways to participate in the class debrief. For example: 

  • Have each group submit one “rule” anonymously via a shared doc or sticky note. The instructor can read these aloud. 
  • Use a think-pair-share model, where only volunteers share with the full group, or have each group elect a “reporter.” 

This ensures students can contribute meaningfully without being put on the spot, while still surfacing common patterns and supporting a transparent, shared understanding of academic writing norms.

Benefit:  

This activity opens up space for transparency and critical reflection. It helps students feel more in control of their writing decisions and makes it easier for them to ask questions about assignments, expectations, and grading.

Evaluation

This is a low-stakes activity meant to build awareness and confidence. Participation and thoughtfulness matter more than having “right answers.”   

Feedback Comments may include:  

  • “You pointed out how avoiding emotion or personal experience is often framed as being ‘logical’ which is a great critical insight into how academic voice has historically been shaped by gendered and exclusionary norms.” 
  • “You raised a thoughtful critique about how ‘fancy’ language is sometimes valued over clarity—this is an important reminder that accessibility should never be mistaken for a lack of intelligence.” 
  • “I appreciated your group’s attention to how writing norms reflect larger systems of power, especially when ‘correctness’ is used to gatekeep who belongs in academic spaces.”

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