Writing Intensive Courses

WI. Writing Intensive

The mission of General Education at The College of St. Scholastica is to help students define for themselves the issues of responsible living and meaningful work. As it seeks to fulfill this mission, the College has as one of its outcomes:

Intellectual and Foundational Skills

St. Scholastica students need intellectual and foundational skills that prepare them for responsible living and meaningful work.

Students at St. Scholastica will:

• Think critically and analytically
• Write and speak clearly and effectively
• Demonstrate linguistic proficiency in a second language
• Recognize the need and importance of living and working in a diverse community
• Demonstrate scientific, mathematical and technological abilities
• Evaluate uses and sources of information

Course indicators

This Pathway requires several of the following indicators:

a. A Writing Intensive (WI) course is one in which at least half of the final grade is based on writing.

b. Faculty teaching WI courses must spend time in and out of the course teaching writing, not just assigning writing. Faculty should adopt a process approach to writing so that students have the opportunity to practice writing and receive feedback that will help them develop their writing skills.

c. Faculty who offer writing intensive (WI) courses should ask students enrolling in those courses to write at least 4000 words.

d. Writing in WI courses may include essays, analyses, reviews, letters, journals, reports, arguments, and/or research papers.

e. 2000 of the 4000 word total must be formal, edited, and proofed texts: these texts might include essays, research reports, and/or documents which would be appropriate in a professional context.

f. WI course enrollments are limited to 20 students.

g. Faculty members who teach a WI course should have training before teaching the course. English Department faculty will offer writing workshops at least once a year.

h. Faculty who wish to offer WI courses must be prepared to demonstrate, in some detail, how writing will be incorporated in their courses, what writing activities they will assign, and how they (faculty) will work with students to help them develop their writing skills.

Student outcomes:

1. Identify personal strengths, weaknesses and strategies for improvement as a responsible and effective communicator
2. Offer and solicit feedback to enhance the ability to communicate in a variety of contexts
3. Construct and revise a message in an appropriate form for an intended audience
4. Communicate interpersonally, publicly, in oral, written and other ways
5. Demonstrate respect and understanding of differing points of view