Guidelines for Writing-Intensive 课程

Writing Intensive (WR) courses require both formal 和 informal writing. Formal writing is written to communicate ideas to another reader, while informal writing is written for the author. The distinction between these two types of writing lies in the intended audience. 一般, formal writing is evaluated for how well it communicates ideas within a discipline 和 for style elements consistent with the st和ards of that discipline. 另一方面, informal writing is used as a learning tool written by the student for the student. Informal writing is generally not evaluated, though it may be given a grade for 完整性.

It is writing for an identified reader or readers; therefore, formal writing needs to be organized 和 edited. Additionally, it has to meet the minimum proficiency st和ards as defined by the discipline. (The total of formal written assignments per semester should include at least 2,000-2,500个单词, the equivalent of 8-10 typewritten double-spaced pages). Research indicates that shorter formal assignments help students more than simply assigning one long paper. Many kinds of writing satisfy the formal writing requirement. These may include essay 和 short answer exam questions, 研究论文, 论文, 评论, 信, 备忘录, 评估报告, 批评, 案例研究, 实验报告, annotated bibliographies, 和 other discipline-specific writings.

The focus of evaluation of writing in a discipline should be on clarity, 完整性, 和组织. WR course instructors need not feel responsible for teaching the more technical aspects of writing. 然而, instructors may refuse to accept papers with numerous grammatical 和 mechanical errors 和 encourage students to edit 和 resubmit the work. Additionally, instructors may encourage students to seek help in the College’s Writing Center.

It is writing for oneself. Informal writing helps the student to think on paper; it helps the student to learn in active 和 reflective ways. This type of writing can take the form of a variety of short in-class or out-of-class activities such as recalling on paper the subject of a previous class, clarifying an important idea during a lecture, 头脑风暴, 投机, 杂志写文章, 和清单. Informal writing can be considered as notes 和 rough drafts that will later be re-worked into formal writing that is organized 和 edited for a reader. Informal writing also promotes learning by encouraging students to actively engage in the subject matter through writing without worrying about being penalized for errors in grammar, 内容, style, 或组织. In this way, students may think 和 discover through the writing process. Although informal writing is not generally evaluated, it may (if collected) be graded for 完整性.

The writing assignments required by WR course instructors will stimulate the development of analytical 和 critical thinking skills 和 will improve both teaching 和 learning. Each perceived idea is, most often, only vaguely recorded in one's consciousness. When the mind begins to organize an idea for verbal expression, it is perceived more clearly 和 recorded into consciousness more permanently. Writing is the process that calls for such an involvement of the mind. Students who write have an opportunity to cultivate their thinking skills 和 to verbalize the 内容 of their disciplines to themselves, their classmates 和 instructors, 和, 最终, others in their field of study 和 employment.