AT WRIGHT STATE UNIVERSITY
A Brief Guide for Faculty
Contents
A Message from
the WAC Coordinator
Assumptions
Underlying WAC Programs
Writing
Across the Curriculum at Wright State
Writing
in General Education Requirements
Writing
in the Major Requirements
Resources
for WAC Teachers and Their Students
Appendix A:
The Writing Center and WAC Courses
Appendix B:
Dealing with Plagiarism
Appendix C:
Writing Intensive Courses in General Education
A Message from the WAC
Coordinator
This brief guide to the Writing Across the
Curriculum (WAC) program at
One of my most important responsibilities as coordinator of this program
is to work with faculty as they incorporate writing in their classes. I will be
happy to do that in any way that I can, whether working with individual
instructors or groups of instructors who teach different sections of the same
course. If your department employs graders for large writing intensive classes,
I will gladly help you design training sessions as needed. When your department
or college is ready to begin assessing the impact of the WAC program, I may be
able to assist as you develop the criteria and procedures that best fit your
situation. In short, I hope you will call on me in whatever capacity you need.
Joe Law
Coordinator, Writing Across the Curriculum
Assistant Vice President for Articulation and Transfer
Professor of English
268 University Hall
Phone: 775-2155
E-mail: joe.law@wright.edu
WRITING ACROSS THE CURRICULUM
PROGRAMS
The following statement comes from the writing program at the
University of Hawaii at Manoa. Because it provides such a clear statement of
the assumptions on which WAC programs are based, it is reproduced verbatim
here.
·
All meaningful
language use—speaking, reading, writing—takes place within a language community
and is understood and learned only within the particular language community.
·
The forms of
“good” language use vary from one language community to another. Standards
of
good writing vary from culture to culture and, in a university, from discipline
to discipline.
·
Students
improve as writers through practice, particularly when provided with
instruction and guidance while they are working on pieces of writing within the
context of a specific discipline.
·
Writing
promotes learning; what we learn through writing we are more likely to retain
and more likely to understand.
Source:
<http://mwp01.mwp.hawaii.edu/why-wi.htm>
Though written to describe a different program, the above statement
outlines the basic principles underlying WAC at Wright State as well. The
purpose of this brief guide is to suggest ways of achieving these goals.
AT WRIGHT STATE
Goals of the WAC Program
The three goals of the Writing Across the
Curriculum program at
To help students think critically about the course
material by writing about it.
To give students an opportunity to
improve their editing skills.
To help students learn the conventions of writing in
their own field of study.
Requirements of the WAC Program
In addition to completing English 101 and 102, all undergraduate
students admitted (or readmitted) to WSU for the fall quarter of 1996 and
thereafter must complete a minimum of six designated Writing Intensive (WI)
courses—four in General Education (GE) and two in the major.
All students must complete the two-course WI
requirement in the major.
For transfer and returning students, the number of WI
GE courses required depends upon the number of GE Transfer Module hours
transferred or number of GE courses previously completed at Wright State. Students with questions should be referred to
their advisors. A full statement of the policy is available at <http://www.wright.edu/academics/wac/>.
WI courses are offered in many areas of GE, including
(but not limited to) the following:
Area II (all Non-Western World classes)
Area III (SOC 200, WMS 200; EC 290, and some sections
of EC 200)
Area IV (all Great Books classes)
Area V (some sections of some classes)
Area VI (all classes).
When course substitutions are required for particular majors,
WI sections of the substitute will be offered. See Appendix C for list.
Requirements for WI Sections of GE Courses
The requirements for WI sections are simple:
·
writing
assignments should total at least 1500 words;
·
evaluation should
consider form, style, correctness, and overall writing proficiency as well as content;
·
students should be provided an opportunity for revision and
improvement.
Assignments may include a mix of formal writing (e.g.,
several short papers evaluated in both draft and final form, a long assignment
broken into smaller parts, thus allowing for multiple drafts, feedback, and
revisions) and informal writing (e.g., journals, responses to lectures, essay
exams).
Writing assignments should be linked to the three overarching goals of
the GE program, which is intended to help students
·
sharpen their
critical thinking, problem solving, and communication skills;
·
learn about the
aesthetic, ethical, moral, social, and cultural dimensions of human experience needed
for participation in the human community;
·
increase their knowledge and understanding of the past, of the
world in which we live, and of how both past and present have an impact on the
future.
Furthermore, writing assignments should be linked to the learning objectives of the area of GE in
which the course appears.
|
GE
Area |
Learning
Objectives |
|
I. Communication and
Mathematical Skills English Composition Mathematics |
a. use writing processes to explore, think, and
learn, and to write appropriately for various tasks and audiencesb. develop logical and fair arguments, and observe
appropriate writing conventionsc. show ability to
identify main ideas and evaluate, analyze, and synthesize primary and
secondary sourcesd. use, formulate, and interpret
mathematical modelse. summarize and justify analyses of mathematical models
or problems using appropriate words, symbols, tables, and/or graphs |
|
II. Cultural-Social
Foundations History The Non-Western World |
a. describe and analyze historical-social elements of
western cultureb. describe and analyze
historical-social elements of non-western culturec. describe and analyze the
global interdependence of groups and of individuals |
|
III. Human Behavior Economics Political Science Psychology Sociology |
a. use multiple
approaches/perspectives to systematically analyze complex individual and
institutional behavior culturally, subculturally, and/or cross-culturally b. recognize appropriate ethical uses of social
scientific knowledge |
|
IV. Human Expression Great Books Fine and Performing Arts |
a. recognize and critically
discuss significant creative, philosophical, and religious works b. understand the complex blend
of personal vision, social-cultural background, ethical values, and aesthetic
judgment in such works c. discuss the diverse means of
communication in such works |
|
V. Natural Science Biology Chemistry Geology Physics |
a. understand the experimental basis of scientific
inquiry b. understand the importance of model building for
understanding the natural world c. understand the theoretical, practical, creative,
and cultural dimensions of scientific inquiry d. discuss some of the fundamental theories
underlying modern science e. understand the dynamic interaction between society
and the scientific enterprisef. recognize appropriate ethical uses of
knowledge in the natural sciences |
|
|
a. communicate with individuals
who are in the student’s major, in allied fields, and non-specialists b. understand important relationships and
interdependencies between the student’s major and other academic disciplines,
world events, or life endeavors c. additionally meet the objectives of Area I, II,
III, IV, or V |
Additional information about the General Education program is available
online at <http://www.wright.edu/gened/>.
Requirements for WI Courses in the Major
Any course in a major program may be designated “Writing Intensive” by
the unit offering the course. Writing Intensive courses in the major will
require a total of at least 4500 words (18 double-spaced pages) of writing, at
least half of which will be evaluated formally and all of which will count as
part of students’ performance in the course.
Grades in Writing Intensive Courses
Students who do not successfully complete WI classes may satisfy these
requirements in a number of ways. For more information you may consult the WAC
office or the WAC web page <http://www.wright.edu/academics/
Writing Across the Curriculum Committee
When this guide was printed, the WAC Committee for 2006-07 had not yet been appointed formally; an up-to-date list will be
posted to the WAC web page when those appointments are made.
Planning Writing Assignments
Successful writing assignments are based on the following principles:
·
Each writing
assignment should reinforce the content base of the course.
·
Writing
assignments should be sequenced from easier and personal writing to more
demanding and public writing.
·
Writing
assignments may be sequenced so that a complex task is carried out in several
more easily managed stages.
·
Writing
assignments should build in an opportunity for response and revision.
·
Writing
assignments should be paced to allow feedback before the next writing
assignment is due.
Setting Up Writing Assignments
A written assignment sheet is crucial. Even though instructors may be
quite explicit in describing the writing assignment, it will be difficult for
students to remember details unless the assignment is in print.
The sheet should include the following kinds of information:
·
the kind of writing expected (analytical, argumentative,
etc.)
·
the range of
acceptable subject matter or research questions
·
the length
requirements
·
the source or
citation requirements (if appropriate)
·
the documentation
form expected (if appropriate)
·
the formatting
requirements
·
due dates for
drafts, other preliminary materials, and final version
·
penalties for not
meeting basic requirements and deadlines
·
any other criteria
used in evaluating the paper
The following short writing assignments are meant to suggest some
possibilities for your consideration. Additional ideas can be found in the
resources listed at the end of this pamphlet.
Some Short Writing Assignments (In Class)
·
In-Class
Writings: Without taking more than
five minutes of class time, impromptu in-class writing can be used in a variety
of ways: to ask students to summarize the key points covered, to stimulate
flagging discussion, to provide an opportunity for reflection on complex
issues, to check comprehension of reading material, and the like. These brief
writings need not be graded, though you might use them as an indicator of class
participation in determining a course grade.
·
Essay Exams: Instructors often ask if essay exams “count” as part
of the writing requirement, and the answer is yes. The easiest way to keep
track of the number of pages of writing is to specify an approximate number of
words for each answer on the exam itself. Students find the guidelines useful,
too.
Some Short Writing Assignments (Outside of Class)
These assignments may be adapted to fit a variety of classes and
instructional purposes. They can be especially helpful in giving students an
opportunity to grasp and synthesize new concepts.
·
Abstracts or
Précis: Ask students to write brief
summaries of their readings in their textbook or supplementary materials.
Writing a one-sentence précis requires careful reading and revision. The
resulting sentence can reveal much about how well a reader has grasped a
writer’s argument.
·
Critiques: Have students critique the material they are reading,
perhaps asking them to identify the writer’s claim and the evidence used to
support that claim and then to assess its effectiveness. Such assignments
should be helpful in getting students to think in terms of argument, something
that they can be encouraged to carry over into their own papers.
·
Position
Papers: Ask students to write a
one-page paper justifying a given position on a controversial issue. A series
of two or three papers on the same topic might become the basis of a longer
paper. You could also provide a thesis for students to support or refute.
·
Definition and
Application: Ask students to define
an important term or concept and then illustrate the definition by applying it
to some situation outside the classroom. Alternatively, you might ask whether a
definition applies in a given case.
·
Focused
Responses: Give students a question
to consider as they read assigned material. A one-page answer might be the
starting point for class discussion.
·
Annotated
Bibliography: Have students identify
and evaluate potential sources for a longer research paper.
·
Partial
Research Paper: Ask students to
submit individual sections of a research paper in progress. For example,
writing a brief statement defining the nature and scope of the research problem
might prove useful, as might a survey of the literature on the subject.
·
From Exam to
Essay: If you give essay exams, brief
answers might become the basis of longer papers written outside of class. You
might also ask students to write more briefly about other sorts of exams; for
example, they might explain how and why calculations went awry or explain their
reasoning for incorrect choices on multiple choice exams.
Some Sample Assignments from WSU
Professors frequently express concern that students fail to grasp
certain key points in their reading. The following assignments, drawn from a
variety of classes at Wright State, all require careful reading and reflection
before students begin to write. The general strategies can be adapted readily
to all sorts of subject matter.
In COM
453 (Communication and Conflict) Dan DeStephen provides students several alternative
ways of using writing to connect theory and practice in the field. His goal is
to offer a range of assignments that students can select among according to
their own learning style. Some opt to keep a journal in which they describe the
connections between the theory they are learning in class and their own
experiences with conflict. Other possibilities include a set of article
abstracts, a paper analyzing a particular conflict, a conflict intervention
paper, or an extended interview with a professional in the field.
When Mari O’Brien (Modern Languages) teaches Comparative Literature 310
(Literary Autobiography), she asks students to select a short passage (no
longer than a paragraph) in each autobiography that they feel is the most
characteristic or most revealing—the passage that holds the key to
understanding the entire work. A short paper (1-2 pages) explaining that choice
is due on the first day a work is discussed. Not only do these papers get
students to read more analytically, but they stimulate lively class discussion
as class members discover the passages others have chosen.
David Dominic (Geological Sciences) occasionally gives his students in
an advanced course a scientific article without its abstract and asks them to
supply one. When the resulting summaries are shared in class, students are
sometimes surprised at the differences in what has been identified as a key
point, especially when they are given the actual abstract prepared by the
original author.
In English 204 (Great Books) Joe Law asks students to write a series of
short responses to questions he gives them as they read. For instance, students
nearing the end of Emma may be asked to review an earlier chapter and
explain the significance of events in light of subsequent information. With Candide,
they may be asked to identify a twenty-first century event Voltaire might
satirize if he were writing today. Because responses must be written before
these texts are discussed in class, students cannot simply repeat what was said
during class. These brief responses are sometimes the starting point of longer
papers as well.
These four examples merely begin to suggest some of the possible
writing activities that might be used to encourage students to read more
carefully. Still others developed by WSU faculty are described in some detail
in the WAC newsletters, available at <http://www.wright.edu/academics/wac/>.
Assignments range from casual letters to formal technical reports. You can find
illustrations of position papers, sequences of short papers leading to a larger
term paper, and ways to encourage students to synthesize large amounts of
information at the end of the term. The disciplines represented include music
history, economics, engineering, classics, geology, modern languages, and
biology. This collection of assignment ideas increases with each newsletter, so
be sure to check the web site on a regular basis. Copies of the newsletter are
also available in the WAC Coordinator’s office.
What Students Want to Know About Writing Assignments
The staff of the campuswide writing program at the University of Hawaii
at Manoa interviewed over 200 students about their experiences in writing
intensive classes. Their responses—which will seem very
familiar to any experienced teacher—can be condensed into four questions.
Here are their questions, along with some commentary and suggestions.
(1) “How will the writing assignment help me to learn the course
material?”
It’s easy to forget that the purpose of an assignment
isn’t automatically clear to students. Explicitly linking it to the goals of
the course will help students see its value. Saying something like “I want to
be sure you understand the difference between Concept A and Concept B” or “Your
notebooks show what you’ve learned about collecting and evaluating data”
confirms that an assignment is a way of learning the material, not busy work.
(2) “If you had to do this assignment yourself, how would you do it?”
In addition to encountering
new ideas, students are often encountering new cognitive tasks. Models are
especially helpful in such cases. For example, if you’re asking students to
evaluate research methodology, you might demonstrate ways that can be done or
provide a printed example with key features marked.
(3) “How does this writing assignment or topic relate to the work that
specialists do in this field?”
Such
a question is most likely to occur in advanced classes as students think more
in terms of professionalism. In fields where written records have legal
implications, that concern ought to be stressed; questions about the amount and
type of writing done on the job might be asked of visiting professionals as
well.
(4) “If you evaluate my work on this assignment, what exactly will you be looking for?”
A clear statement of criteria for evaluating written
work can be provided in the course syllabus or the assignment itself. The
answer to this question should be clearly connected to the purpose of the
assignment as well. Here, too, examples of successful papers can be helpful.
The same survey that produced these four questions
includes some student comments that confirm the suspicions of seasoned
teachers—what we think we say is not always what our students think they hear.
How Students “Read” Writing Assignments
This distance between instructors’ expectations and students’
perceptions reinforces the importance of clear communication about the purpose
of the writing we assign. We cannot simply assume that our intentions are always
understood.
|
What
Instructors Expect |
What Students
Understand |
|
“For the short paper on a video, I wanted students
to make connections among the archeologist’s questions, the methods used to
get answers, and principles from their reading.” |
“This assignment was like writing a high-school
movie review. I wanted to give my own personal understanding about the video,
so I was going to write a narrative.” |
|
“In the journals I wanted students to really wield
their own opinions and grapple with issues, to really think about course
material.” |
“When I first heard the assignment, I thought I was
supposed to write anything, like a reaction, just to show if I learned
something.” |
|
“I wanted students to really wrestle with the
questions on the assignment sheet, to give in-depth answers. I wanted
students to distinguish between the author’s words and their own
interpretation.” |
“I was supposed to write a 6-page analysis on a
reading and juice up the answers. I tried to make it sound good by adding
lots of details and sounding excited in my writing.” |
Source: <http://mwp01.mwp.hawaii.edu/resources/wm1.htm>
Two objections to implementing writing in content area courses are
particularly frequent. First, responding to papers is always work,
sometimes unrewarding work. Moreover, instructors not trained as teachers of
writing often feel hesitant to comment on student writing because they feel
they are outside their area of expertise. Neither of these problems will go
away, but the burden of grading can be reduced. More importantly, judicious
minimal marking can help students learn the course material and improve their
writing at the same time.
A number of strategies can reduce the amount of time required for
marking papers. For example, assigning several short sequenced essays should
reduce the overall time involved because later papers will build on what has
gone before. In addition, sustaining the writing over a longer time gives the
student more opportunities for improving. Suggestions for short assignments
appear in the previous section of this booklet, and the resources listed at the
end contain more.
Sometimes the amount of time required to mark a paper could be spent
more beneficially in a conference with a student. That may not be practical
with large groups of students, but preparing a short list of concerns and
putting the student(s) in touch with the Writing Center would provide a chance
for more sustained feedback. (See Appendix A for more information about the
Writing Center and its services.)
Grading Rubrics
Using a grading rubric can reduce the amount of time spent commenting
on the papers themselves. Rubrics also highlight the objective criteria used in
evaluating papers and may be used to advantage with drafts and completed papers
alike. Categories vary according to the assignment, but the following are
fairly common:
·
content (depth of
coverage, thoroughness of development, quality of argument)
·
organization and
coherence
·
readability
·
mechanical and
grammatical correctness
Normally, the first category will be weighted more heavily than the
others. Rubrics are often presented in the form of a table, something like
this:
|
|
Exceptional |
Strong |
Average |
Weak |
|
Content |
|
|
|
|
|
Organization |
|
|
|
|
|
Readability |
|
|
|
|
|
Correctness |
|
|
|
|
A rubric should be used in conjunction with a summary comment
addressing specific features of the individual paper. An explanatory sheet
describing the qualities of each characteristic might also be supplied with a
table.
Instead of using a generalized rubric, you can tailor
one to the a specific assignment. Rick Wantz (Human
Services) designed the following one for his courses on behavioral assessment.
It identifies such assignment-specific requirements as a minimum number of
sources and adherence to APA guidelines.
WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT GRADING CRITERIA
Name ________________________ Student ID #
___________
Assignment ___________________ Total
Points _______
____________________________________________________________________
Criteria Points
Possible Points Scored
___________________________________________________________________
1. Depth of Subject 20 _____
Shows application of theory, research,
and/or relationship to subject. Adequate support and evidence by examples. Demonstrates understanding of major concepts
and elements.
2. Organization 20 _____
Is precise, pertinent, and well
supported. Provides
a logical conceptual approach. Clearly links concepts
and principles to subject. Avoids tangential material
that detracts from central focus. Provides clear
transitions between and within sections of paper.
3. Completeness and Accuracy 20 _____
Interpretation of data and concepts are appropriate.
Adheres to and fulfills the requirements of the assignment.
4. Clarity of Expression 25 _____
Sentences are clear, concise, varied, and logical.
Vocabulary and terminology are appropriate to the subject, purpose, and
audience. Subjects agree with verbs. Elements are parallel. References and word
order are clear. Spelling, punctuation, capitalization, possessive forms, etc.,
are correct. Manuscript has been proofread
and corrected.
5. Consistent with APA Standards 15 _____
Publication Manual of the
American Psychological Association. Documentation provided when appropriate in APA
format. For maximum credit a minimum of six scholarly references related to
content/tests are required.
___________________________________________________________________
Comments:
Minimal Marking
You don’t have to mark every mechanical error in a paper in order to
give good feedback. Attempting to do so is often counterproductive, in fact.
Research indicates that studying the mechanical aspects of writing in isolation
has little long-term impact on writers, whereas things learned in context are
likelier to be retained and applied. Thus, you can best help students by
responding primarily to subject matter and putting comments about their writing
in that context. Asking writers to clarify ideas requires them to address
writing.
Limiting marks to the most important concerns can also foster
independent learning. The thorough marking of a representative passage or two
can provide a useful model for other revisions; submerging a paper in a sea of
red ink is likelier to result in the correction of surface error than real
revision. Extensive marking of mechanical problems also may obscure much more
important comments about content. In a draft, there is no reason to spend much
time identifying individual surface errors if the writer is going to be making
extensive changes to the text.
Some WAC specialists suggest avoiding grammatical terminology and
relying instead on simple language and pointed questions to guide revision:
“How does this evidence support your argument?” “Where do Brown’s findings fit
in?” “No need to quote so much. Summarize instead.” “Better—your evidence is
stronger here.”
To draw attention to mechanical errors that do not impede
understanding, point out that errors distract a reader from the writer’s
message. It is often effective to describe errors in terms of what is or is not
acceptable in professional writing in the field. A reminder that career
advancement is often linked to writing abilities may also have an impact on our
highly pragmatic students.
Identifying things that interfere with reading does
not require an extensive vocabulary of arcane terms. In “A Quick Guide to Lite
Marking,” Ray Smith, Director of the Campus Writing Program, Indiana
University, recommends using only a few symbols, abbreviations, and words in
the margins:
Symbols
1. circles locating errors
confined to one or two words
2. wavy underlines noting
larger errors
3. checks praising good word choices
4. straight underlines
highlighting well-put phrases or sentences
5. arrows and question marks
pointing out puzzling connections of words
Abbreviations/Words
1.
AGR (agreement)
2. FRAG
(fragment)
3. MM
(misplaced modifier)
4. CS
(comma splice)
5.
REF (reference)
6.
PRED (illogical predication)
7.
//STR (parallel structure)
8.
Wordy
9.
Choppy
10.
Unclear
11.
Awkward
12.
Good
Even Ray’s short list may be more than is needed. The five symbols and
items 8-12 in the second list are probably sufficient for most situations. It’s
crucial that students know how to interpret the marks you make on their papers.
If you use abbreviations, provide a key and some illustrations. Good ones
appear in Ray’s article <http://www.iub.edu/~cwp/assgn/quickguide.shtml>.
What Students Want You to Know
about
Marking Papers
Working as a writing specialist in the Claude J. Clark
Learning Center, SUNY College at Plattsburgh, Mary Dossin heard many comments
about the way professors mark papers. She summarized her findings in an article
printed in the October 1992 Composition Chronicle. She was surprised by
students’ reaction to one teacher who was well known for his demanding grading.
Because they understood most of his marks and comments on their papers, they
were more likely to tell her how much they learned from him than to complain.
They were likelier to respond negatively when they did not understand what
their instructors had written. Here, briefly, are Dossin’s conclusions:
·
What students
appreciate most is the opportunity to rewrite their papers after they have been
marked or discussed.
·
Students respond
well when instructors’ comments show that they have made a real effort to
understand the student’s point and message.
·
Students are
irritated by indecipherable handwriting and obscure jargon or abbreviations.
·
Students respond
well when standards are clear.
·
Students are most
frustrated by papers that are returned with only a grade.
·
Students complain
most about professors who make only negative comments on their papers and don’t
tell them what they have done well. They also need to be told what they have
done well so that they can continue doing it.
·
Students resent
what they perceive as condescension and sarcasm.
·
Finally, students
like to receive their papers back as quickly as possible, certainly before the
next writing assignment is due.
AND THEIR
STUDENTS
WAC Office
WAC Coordinator: Dr. Joe Law
268 University Hall
Phone: 775-2155
E-mail: joe.law@wright.edu
The WAC Coordinator is available to consult with individual faculty
members about ways to incorporate writing in their classes. The WAC office also
schedules faculty workshops each quarter and produces a newsletter.
Online WAC Resources
The web page for Wright State’s WAC program <http://www.wright.edu/academics/wac/>
includes the full text of the document outlining the program as adopted by Academic
Council in April 1995, including subsequent modifications. It lists WAC
workshops scheduled for the current term, back issues of the WAC newsletter,
and links to web sites that offer especially good materials on designing
assignments, responding to student writing, dealing with the paper load, and
other practical matters.
Some Print Resources for WAC Information
A number of other books offering practical guidance for incorporating
writing in classes—including specialized guides for writing in individual
disciplines—are available in the WAC office. Two especially useful ones are
John C. Bean’s Engaging Ideas: The Professor’s Guide to Integrating Writing,
Critical Thinking, and Active Learning in the Classroom (San Francisco:
Jossey-Bass, 1996) and Richard Bullock’s St. Martin’s Manual for Writing in
the Disciplines: A Guide for Faculty (New York:
St. Martin’s, 1994).
Center for Teaching and Learning
Director: Dr. Dan DeStephen
023 Paul Laurence Dunbar Library
Phone: 775-3162
Web page: <http://www.wright.edu/ctl/>
The Wright State University Center for Teaching and Learning provides a
number of services, including a guest speaker series, brown bag lunches, book
discussion groups, workshops, and a monthly newsletter. Faculty
are invited to use the Center’s collection of books, newsletters,
articles, manuals, and videos focusing on teaching enhancement. In addition,
private consultations and self-assessment programs are also available.
The University Writing Center
031 Paul Laurence Dunbar Library
Phone: 775-4186
Director: David Bringhurst
Hours: 9:00-5:00 and 6:00-8:00 Monday-Thursday;
9:00-4:00 Friday (Fall 2005)
Note: Evening hours will vary in winter and spring quarters.
The Writing Center is not open for tutoring during the first week of each
quarter, the last days of finals week, and breaks.
Writers may receive help with a variety of tasks, such as generating
and expanding ideas, organizing and revising drafts, editing and proofreading
papers, and formatting papers according to MLA, APA, or other guidelines. In
conjunction with the WAC program, the Writing Center offers workshops linked to
specific writing intensive GE courses at instructors’ request.
For more about the Writing Center, see Appendix A or <http://www.wright.edu/academics/writingctr>.
Online Resources for Students
An abundance of online information and assistance is available to
students. The following links have been chosen because they address certain
common needs of writers, but they are merely a sampling of the available
resources. Please share them with your students.
Online Tutoring
<http://writingcenters.org/owcdb/index.php?mwa=id:6>
Many of the
entries on this list of writing centers that offer online tutoring restrict
their services to students enrolled at a particular school; however, some do
work with students from other schools. Advise students
to check carefully to be sure services are available to them.
Paradigm Online Writing Assistant
This interactive,
online handbook, developed by Chuck Guilford of Boise State University, deals
with such subjects as discovering topics, organizing, revising, and editing. It
also covers various types of writing (e.g., thesis/support essays, exploratory
essays, argumentative essays, informal essays) and documenting sources.
Research and Documentation Online
<http://www.dianahacker.com/resdoc/>
Developed
by Bedford Books to accompany Diana Hacker’s handbooks, this site is organized
in four large areas devoted to the humanities, social sciences, history, and
sciences. Each is subdivided into a section on locating sources and one on
documenting them according to the style most frequently used in each area (MLA,
APA, Chicago, and CBE style, respectively). The site has been updated to
reflect the fifth edition of the APA Publication Manual (2001). To be
absolutely current with APA style, you can send students to the APA site listed
below.
APAStyle.org
<http://www.apastyle.org/elecref.html>
Maintained by the American Psychological Association,
this is the site to visit for truly authoritative guidance on dealing with
electronic resources in APA style. You can also subscribe to receive updates to
the publication manual via email.
Evaluating Web Resources
<http://www.widener.edu/Tools_Resources/Libraries/Wolfgram-Memorial-Library/Evaluate_Web_Pags/659
>
Guidelines for Critiquing Web Sites and Web Style
Manuals
<http://osf1.gmu.edu/~montecin/webcritique.htm>
Both sites
provide unusually thorough guidelines for evaluating information found on the
Internet. Each includes numerous links to other sites dealing with the same
subject.
WSU Writing Web
< http://www.wright.edu/cola/Dept/eng/wsuwweb/>
Developed by
members of the Wright State English Department, this site is linked to many
writing classes at WSU as well as to help with basic technical computing
problems. (Note: This URL is case sensitive.)
THE WRITING CENTER
AND WAC COURSES
A Message from the University Writing Center
The University Writing Center welcomes students in writing intensive
courses across the curriculum. We offer writing consultation, free of charge,
to all WSU students. Any student may schedule one thirty-minute appointment per
week; international students and students taking developmental classes or
registered with the Office of Disability Services may schedule more time.
Students may also walk in without an appointment at the top or bottom of an
hour and work for thirty minutes with a consultant if one is available at that
time.
Writing consultants are available to offer help to writers on tasks
such as generating and expanding ideas; organizing and revising drafts; editing
and proofreading; formatting papers in MLA, APA, or other styles; tackling
grammatical problems; and dealing with other writing concerns. Writing
consultants offer one-on-one assistance; however, writers must do their own
work. Consultants do not write or edit clients' work.
The Writing Center also offers a library of resource books on various
writing topics, a computer lab (consultants and clients have priority), help
using computers or word processing, workshops on various writing topics, and a
Writer's Hotline for quick or one-time questions that can be answered over the
phone.
You can help your students make the best use of the Writing Center by
following these suggestions:
·
Ask students to
bring all printed information you have given them about a particular
assignment.
·
Send us copies of
your current assignments at 031 Paul Laurence Dunbar Library. Let us know if
that information is available on a web site, so that consultants can access it
during a tutoring session.
·
If you have
“models” of a particular assignment that students have submitted in previous
quarters, we would like to keep them on file here for tutors’ reference.
Information about what you are not looking for in an assignment would
also be helpful (e.g., not citing a textbook, not using first person).
·
Provide specific written
suggestions to your students about what you would like them to focus on with a
tutor.
·
Request a “tutor
talk” for your classes by one of our writing consultants. This 5-7 minute
presentation covers what kind of help students may seek in the Writing Center.
·
Inform your
students about the Writer’s Hotline. Students, faculty, and staff can call
775-2158 to ask questions about grammar, punctuation, usage, writing style, or
documentation.
In addition, the Writing Center director will be happy to work with you
to develop in-class activities or supplemental instructional materials for use
in connection with a particular writing assignment.
Please contact the University Writing Center at 775-4186 with any
questions or requests. E-mail may be sent to David Bringhurst, Director (david.bringhurst@wright.edu).
DEALING WITH
PLAGIARISM
Most instructors have been urged to include a
statement on every course syllabus saying that academic dishonesty—including
plagiarism—will not be tolerated. Some refer their students to the definition
of academic dishonesty appended to the Code of Student Conduct in the Student
Handbook. It is available online at <http://goto.wright.edu/students/judicial/integrity.html>.
Despite such warnings, students still occasionally
submit written assignments that fail to acknowledge their sources
appropriately. They do so for several reasons.
Much student plagiarism is unintentional. Even when
students have covered the topic in high school and college writing classes,
they may not yet have an entirely clear sense of what constitutes fair use of
others’ words and ideas—particularly as they begin working with unfamiliar
concepts in new subject areas. For these students, spending a few minutes in
class looking at the way writers in the field handle outside sources may be
useful. It might be worthwhile to distribute a handout defining and
illustrating acceptable practices. (Some models are available in the WAC
office.)
International students sometimes face additional
difficulties in this area. In some cultures, for example, students are taught
to memorize and copy the work of respected figures as a mark of respect for
them. For more information on this topic—along with suggestions for working
with these students—see issue 6 of Writing Matters, published by the
University of Hawaii Manoa <http://www.mwp.hawaii.edu/resources/wm6.htm>.
At times, however, plagiarism is deliberate,
especially when desperate writers rush to complete work at the last minute.
Certain teaching strategies can help reduce the occasions (and temptations) for
that sort of plagiarism. The following suggestions are adapted from Steve Reid
and John Pratt’s “Coping with Plagiarism” (Composition Chronicle,
December 1988) and Robert Harris’s “Anti-Plagiarism Strategies for Research
Papers” <http://www.virtualsalt.com/antiplag.htm>.
·
Limit choices of
topic and change the list often.
·
Don’t accept papers deviating from a clearly specified format.
·
Be very specific
about the kind of paper you want and provide a copy of your criteria for grading
it.
·
Require a number
of very recent sources.
·
Require that
writers incorporate certain sources, perhaps data that you provide to the
class.
·
Require a working
bibliography early in the term and have students note where they found each
source.
·
Ask for a
tentative outline well before the final version of the paper is due.
·
Specify a date
after which students cannot change topics.
·
Assign an oral
presentation as part of the project.
·
Give an
unannounced test on the paper topic shortly before the final version is due.
·
Have students
submit notes and all drafts with the final paper.
·
Along with the
final copy, ask for photocopies of outside sources (or a printed version of
downloaded files), with quoted passages highlighted.
·
Require a second
copy of the paper you can keep on file.
While nothing will completely prevent plagiarism,
strategies like these should reduce its likelihood. In addition, requiring that
students submit materials as they work on a project should improve the quality
of the final product.
WRITING
INTENSIVE COURSES
IN
GENERAL EDUCATION
This list of writing
intensive (WI) courses provides a general overview of the WI courses in the GE
program implemented Fall 2003. This list does not
include substitutions required by various colleges or majors. Note, too, that
not all sections of EC 200 are WI and that WI sections may vary from quarter to
quarter in Area V (Natural Sciences).
For more detailed information, consult the most recent catalog or <http://www.wright.edu/gened/>.
Area
II Cultural-Social Foundations
The Non-Western World
CSE 250-4 Comparative
Non-Western Economic Systems
CST 221-4 Comparative
Non-Western Environments
CST 231-4 Comparative
Non-Western Literature
CST 232-4 Comparative
Non-Western Religions
CST 241-4 Comparative
Non-Western Cultures
CST 242-4 Comparative
Non-Western Cultures: Music
CST 243-4 Comparative
Non-Western Cultures: Art
CST 251-4 Comparative
Non-Western Social Systems
HLT 202-4 Eastern
Influences on Western Health
RSE 260-4 Regional
Economic Studies: Pacific Rim
RST 261-4 Regional
Studies: Japan
RST 262-4 Regional
Studies: China
RST 271-4 Regional
Studies: Africa
RST 281-4 Regional Studies:
Latin America
RST 291-4 Regional
Studies: Middle East
URS 200-4 Growth and
Change in Urban Society
Area III Human
Behavior
Economics (WI)
EC 200-4 Economic Life
(some sections are WI)
EC 290-4 Economic,
Business, and Social Issues
SOC 200-4 Social Life
WMS 200-4 Approaches to
Women’s Studies
Area
IV Human Expression
Great Books (WI)
CLS 204-4 Great Books:
Classical Beginnings
ENG 204-4 Great Books:
Literature
PHL 204-4 Great Books:
Philosophy
REL 204-4 Great Books:
Religion
Area
V Natural
Sciences (Some Sections WI)
BIO 105-4 Introductory
Biology: Food
BIO 106-4 Introductory
Biology: Biodiversity
BIO 107-4 Introductory
Biology: Disease
CHM 105-4 Chemistry of
our World: Living Things
CHM 106-4 Chemistry of
our World: Materials
CHM
107-4 Chemistry of our World: Energy and the Environment
GL 105-4 The Planet Earth
GL 106-4 The Evolving Earth
GL 107-4 The Earth and Human Affairs
PHY 105/115-4 Sounds and
Colors
PHY 106/116-4 Planetary
Astronomy
PHY 107/117-4 Stars,
Galaxies and the Cosmos
Area
VI College Component
College of Education and
Human Services
CNL 210-4 Understanding
Emotional Intelligence
ED 210-4 Education in a
Democracy
RHB 210-4 Introduction
to Alcohol and Drugs
College of Liberal Arts
AFS 200-4
What is African and African American Experience?
ATH
241-4 Introduction to Physical Anthropology
ATH
242-4 Introduction to Archaeology
CSE
250-4 Comparative Non-Western Economic Systems
CLS
204-4 Great Books: Classical Beginnings
CLS
260-4 Introduction to Classical Mythology
CST
221-4 Comparative Non-Western Environments
CST
231-4 Comparative Non-Western Literature
CST
232-4 Comparative Non-Western Religions
CST
241-4 Comparative Non-Western Cultures
CST
242-4 Comparative Non-Western Cultures: Music
CST
243-4 Comparative Non-Western Cultures: Art
CST
251-4 Comparative Non-Western Social Systems
EC
290-4 Economic, Business, and Social Issues
ENG
204-4 Great Books: Literature
HST
200-4 Western Europe and Non-Western World
HST
220-4 Introduction to Gender History
HST
221-4 American Diversities
MUS
290-4 African American Music: America and Beyond
PHL
200-4 Critical Thinking
PHL
204-4 Great Books: Philosophy
REL
204-4 Great Books: Religion
RSE
260-4 Regional Economic Studies: Pacific Rim
RST
261-4 Regional Studies: Japan
RST
262-4 Regional Studies: China
RST
271-4 Regional Studies: Africa
RST
281-4 Regional Studies: Latin America
RST
291-4 Regional Studies: Middle East
SOC
200-4 Social Life
SW 272-4
Cultural Competence in a Diverse World
TH
250-4 Script Analysis
URS
200-4 Growth and Change in Urban Society
WMS
200-4 Approaches to Women’s Studies
College
of Engineering and Computer Science
EGR
190-4 Fundamentals of Engineering and Computer Science
Raj
Soin College of Business
EC
290-4 Economic, Business, and Social Issues
FIN
205-4 Personal Financial Decision Making
College
of Science and Mathematics
EH
205-4 Environmental Science and Society
PSY
110-4 Psychology: The Science of Behavior II
WSU
- Miami Valley College of Nursing and Health
HLT
201-4 Human Expressions of Health
HLT
202-4 Eastern Influences on Western Health
HLT
203-4 The Languages of Health Data
NUR
2I2-4 Nursing for Health and Wellness Lifestyle