Previous Writing Intensive Program faculty have reported that writing-enriched classes lead them to articulate their goals more clearly and to state objectives and criteria for grading more explicitly in their syllabi and materials. Developing a Strong Syllabus Model effective writing. Establish the purpose and role of writing in the course. Give vital information about writing assignments. Teach the writing process by charting writing assignments, their stages, and due dates. Offer clear guidelines and criteria by which work will be generated and evaluated. Constitute the course document, in both paper-based and online versions, that students are most likely to keep up with and to review most often. Introduce and articulate the role of your WIP TA. Integrating Writing Assignments Through staging—breaking assignments into manageable parts with opportunities for guidance, feedback, and revision. Through sequencing—moving from simple to more complex tasks to build students’ skills over time. Responding to Writing Resistance Because some students in lecture-based courses may not expect to write, they may be resistant to learning the writing process. To counter resistance, you may consider: Emphasizing the benefits of writing to learn course content. Emphasizing writing to support engagement in the class. Emphasizing writing as a critical competency in an information culture. Utilizing innovative writing assignments relevant to students’ university and post-university careers. Ready to Craft Your Syllabus? Check out this bank of syllabus statements from WIP faculty and use this guide to walk you through the process of crafting a strong writing-enriched syllabus for your WIP class.
