The original mission of Academic.Writing was to provide information for – and an opportunity for interaction among – scholars interested in writing, speaking, and otherwise communicating across the curriculum (CAC). In late 2002, when the journal shifted from being the "container" for the WAC Clearinghouse and became, instead, one of the publications available on the newer WAC Clearinghouse Web site, the scope of the journal shifted from a repository of all forms of information about communication across the curriculum to a more standard academic journal. The primary goal of the journal continued to be supporting CAC researchers, program designers, and teachers interested in using communication assignments and activities in their courses. Many of the original materials provided through the journal, however, migrated to the larger WAC Clearinghouse site.

Academic.Writing eschewed the conventional volume/issue format of print and many online journals. Instead, it functioned as an evolving, growing document (or, more accurately, a collection of documents) on the Web. As such, articles and other materials were published as they were accepted. A formal table of contents exists for each volume, but additional navigational aids provide alternative ways of accessing materials on the site. At regular intervals, announcements about new materials on the site were published. Similarly, regular calls were published for submissions and invitations for various sections of the journal (e.g., CAC Connections, Teaching Exchange, CAC Research).

The editorial board of Academic.Writing was a working editorial board in which members of the board regularly reviewed submissions to the journal. For more information about the journal, please contact Mike Palmquist at Mike.Palmquist@ColoState.edu.