1. Complexity: Writing may take many (conventional and/or electronic) forms, but each course includes at least one writing assignment that features complexity in context, interpretation, explanation, analysis, evidence, or evaluation. Example assignments that fulfill this requirement can be found here: WI Assignments for Complexity.
Through writing assignments and activities, students will do at least one of the following:
- Consider real-world problems which have more than one acceptable solution
- Practice critical scholarship
- Perform critical reflection
- Take and defend a position on an issue
- Pick a topic/format and justify the choice
- Perform original research and defend research approach
- Interpret data and evidence to justify conclusions
- Other
- Quantity: Writing for the entire course totals at least 20 pages (6600 words) which can include multiple iterations of the same assignment.
- Revision: Each course includes multiple assignments that are complex enough to require substantive revisions for most students. There are at least 8 pages (2600 words) involved in the revision process. These 8 pages can be included in the 20 page course total.
- Feedback: Students receive feedback from a variety of readers (instructors, teaching assistants, and/or peers) throughout the writing process.
- Range of writing: In-class and out-of-class writing in a variety of multimodal forms and drafts is distributed through the semester rather than concentrated at the end.
- Assessment: Writing accounts for at least 50% of the total course grade or requirements. In exceptional cases, the Board will accept a course with writing comprising less than 50% (but no less than 30%) of the total course grade with justification from the instructor.
- Grading and marking of papers: In classes employing graduate teaching assistants, instructors provide careful mentoring of other teaching staff. Mentoring may include norming sessions using a common rubric and sharing grading strategies. Instructors maintain involvement in grading and giving feedback.
- Group writing: If the course contains group work, instructors elaborate on their methods of assessing individual student contributions and assigning individual student grades. See the group work guidelines for more information.
- Student/faculty ratio: WI courses are ideally designed and taught at or below a 25:1 student/instructor ratio. CWP provides funding for other teaching staff to support large enrollment courses. See the large enrollment course guidelines for more information.