Revision Paper GlossaryThe following definitions are key terms used in the coauthoring revision paper. These definitions should clarify how the terms are intended and used within the context of this paper.

Author- An author is a person who creates a written text. The “Author” with a capital “A” implies a historical understanding of the author and what constitutes authorship. Traditionally, the Author is white and male. He creates original ideas alone. He owns the text that he creates. Therefore, this genius figure has extreme agency and authority over his texts. More nuanced conceptions of authorship acknowledge the social construction of all texts, written or in other modes, and displaces the capital “A” Author from the central role of authority in the text.

Coauthoring/ship- A multi-writer, alphabetical, and single-voiced practice of creating a single document. All writers take equal responsibility for the entirety of the document. There are no property lines as each writer “owns” all of the text equally, giving them agency to edit and revise freely over each other’s work. Every writer participates at least in the writing of the document. However, each member has equal opportunity and responsibility to intervene at any point during the writing process. In this model, the writers do not need to write every word together; however, they must be able to edit freely and openly across the document in order to maintain and achieve a single voice.

Collaboration- Two or more people working together for a single goal. In writing, collaboration operates as an umbrella term that can take many forms, including coauthoring and workshopping (see definitions “Coauthoring/ship” and “Workshopping”). Collaboration takes places at any or every stage of the writing process including brainstorming, writing, revision, editing, etc.

Group work- Assignments in which two or more students work together to create a single textual product with distinct pieces and voices. However, textual ownership and control remains entirely with the student who wrote an individual section within that overall product, and individual sections are stand alone pieces in and of themselves. This definition derives from Anthony Atkins’ use of group work within “Collaborating Online: Digital Strategies for Group Work.”

Single voice- One dominant tone and style, such as the official writing from a corporation. Each writer’s voice is indistinguishable from the next.

Workshopping- A collaborative practice (see “Collaboration”) that asks students to review one another's work and make suggestions on their writing. There is only person who has the ability to make final decisions about the writing, and that person is the Author.