ECCB 460 Nature, Values, and Protected Areas
College: Agriculture and Life Sciences
Department: Ecosystem Science and Management
Type: W
Status: Approved
REPORT ON RECERTIFICATION OF W COURSE: ECCB 460
CERTIFICATION PERIOD: 9/1/24 to 9/1/28
We recommend that ECCB 460 Nature, Values, and Protected Areas be certified as a writing (W) course. We have reviewed a representative syllabus and have determined that the course meets or exceeds the following criteria: (1) 80% of the final grade is based on writing quality*; (2) the total number of words is 5,450*; (3) the instructor to student ratio is 1:25; and (4) the assigned writing is appropriate to the major.
*The course expired, so collaborative writing no longer counts towards percentages or totals. The proposal and syllabus specify that half the 20% of the collaborative assignment is an individual grade, and each student contributes at least 5 pages (approx. 1,250 words) of writing to it as well).
ECCB 460’s individual writing component consists of five reaction papers, a book review, and a chapter submitted to a group project that results in a book. Instructor comments given on early reaction papers serve as formative feedback for later reaction papers; students also receive formative feedback via two ungraded drafts of their book chapter that they submit to the instructor. Writing instruction consists of partial class periods devoted to discussing trends among student papers, as well as lectures discussing assignments and rubric concepts.
CERTIFICATION PERIOD: 9/1/24 to 9/1/28
We recommend that ECCB 460 Nature, Values, and Protected Areas be certified as a writing (W) course. We have reviewed a representative syllabus and have determined that the course meets or exceeds the following criteria: (1) 80% of the final grade is based on writing quality*; (2) the total number of words is 5,450*; (3) the instructor to student ratio is 1:25; and (4) the assigned writing is appropriate to the major.
*The course expired, so collaborative writing no longer counts towards percentages or totals. The proposal and syllabus specify that half the 20% of the collaborative assignment is an individual grade, and each student contributes at least 5 pages (approx. 1,250 words) of writing to it as well).
ECCB 460’s individual writing component consists of five reaction papers, a book review, and a chapter submitted to a group project that results in a book. Instructor comments given on early reaction papers serve as formative feedback for later reaction papers; students also receive formative feedback via two ungraded drafts of their book chapter that they submit to the instructor. Writing instruction consists of partial class periods devoted to discussing trends among student papers, as well as lectures discussing assignments and rubric concepts.