REPORT ON RECERTIFICATION OF W COURSE: OCEN 407
 
CERTIFICATION PERIOD: 1/1/22 to 1/1/26                  
 
We recommend that OCEN 407 Design of Ocean Engineering Facilities II 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) 33% of the final grade is based on writing quality; (2) the total number of words is 2000; (3) the instructor to student ratio is 1:24 (1:15 in Galveston); and (4) the assigned writing is appropriate to the major.
 
Two faculty share the workload for students in OCEN 407 in College Station. Students write a portion of a long document on a design project. Students describe their component of the work and explain how it fits into the larger project goals. Group members peer review the work, which is then revised and submitted for a second round of formative feedback from instructors. Students are encouraged to get writing center feedback as well. For instruction, students hear a lecture by a professional journal editor on writing technical reports, and further instruction is provided on other relevant writing issues such as avoiding plagiarism.