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The challenge in developing a "W" course syllabus is in seamlessly
integrating the writing with the course material. Your aims should
include (1) reinforcing and extending mastery of course content by
means of writing; and (2) providing practice in the types of writing
students will do in either the academy or the workplace. Keeping
these aims in mind, design a syllabus that includes not only graded
documents but also steps for creating those documents. Include
readings, lectures, web pages, homework, workshops, drafts, or class
activities that lead progressively to finished, graded documents.
Reinforcing and Extending Mastery of Course ContentOne
of the best ways to use writing is as a mode of learning or
discovery. Writing that is not graded--but to which you, a grader,
or peers respond--works very well for this purpose, and gives students
practice in getting words on paper, which will in turn help them in
more formal, graded writing.
Often the writing process is
described as a series of recursive steps that include prewriting,
writing, revising, and editing. Writing to learn can be a powerful
way to assist prewriting, the stage in which a writer thinks through a
topic, preferably on paper but also in conversation. There are
many techniques for jump-starting the prewriting process, including:
Providing Writing PracticeOne
way to provide a stepwise progression to graded documents is to take
advantage of the natural writing cycle, the recursive movement from
prewriting to writing to revision to editing. Build into your
syllabus opportunities for students to practice at each step, and you
will receive an improved finished document. You may also cut down on
students' temptation to plagiarize by helping them avoid a time crunch. Besides the techniques listed above for prewriting, build in drafting and editing techniques as class activities, for example:
- Class or small-group critiques of drafts
- Class discussions regarding questions about the assignment
- Oral reports of work in progress
- Email or computer-conferencing critiques
- In-class workshops
- Early draft due dates
- Discussion of student or professional writing models
Number, Type, and Sequence of AssignmentsA
major decision you must make up front is the number of graded writing
assignments your course will include. The recommendation from the
"W" Course Advisory Committee is a total of at least 2000 words or
eight pages of graded writing. You will have to decide on the (1)
length of assignments; (2) type of documents; and (3) sequence of
assignments.
One point to consider is what types of
writing students in your course are likely to need in the university or
in the workplace. Once you have determined that, see if your writing
assignments can give them the necessary practice. Do you want to limit
yourself to familiar documents (reports, essays) for familiar audiences
(professors like you, for example)? Could students also write to a
lay audience? Could they write brochures or letters, popular
articles or book reviews?
The
sequence of assignments should be based on learning objectives.
Generally, move from low to high order skills, from simple to more
complex documents.
Or, if an objective is to have
students write a complex argument that displays critical thinking about
a text or event, begin with an assignment that encourages close
reading, such as a one-page essay that summarizes an argument or
interprets an event. Move into a longer essay that asks the writer
to analyze an argument and, perhaps, respond to it. To further
encourage critical thinking, build in a peer critique that requires the
writer to share views and incorporate the views of others into his/her
writing.
Three Strategies for Sequencing Assignments
Strategy One: Reinforcing Learning.
Use assignments of the same basic type and give multiple opportunities
for practice, perhaps increasing the difficulty of the course content,
but not of the writing task, as the course progresses. For example, if
you wish students to write excellent lab reports by the end of a
course, have them write four or more reports.
Strategy Two: Increasing Cognitive Skills. Using a cognitive schema such as Bloom's taxonomy,
design assignments in a sequence that move from easier to more
difficult tasks. Be careful to keep the work challenging. For example,
start with observation and reporting of events, then move to analysis,
problem-solving, and evaluation.
Strategy Three: Building up to Complex Documents.
Divide a complex document into a series of sub-tasks. Have these
portions of a complex document turned in as shorter documents, then let
students edit them into a longer paper that adds another element. For
example, if you have assigned a formal report which proposes a solution
to a problem, begin by assigning a two-page state-of-the-art review for
a lay reader. Follow with a brief statement of the problem
addressed to another expert, then a longer analysis of the problem in a
third paper. In the final report, have them include a solution.
Syllabus NotesYour syllabus should include information on the following:
Additional Resources
If you'd like comments on how your syllabus accords with the aims of writing-intensive courses, send it to Valerie Balester, Executive Director, University Writing Center, 5000 TAMU.
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Classroom Management 
