Process for Developing a Writing Plan
A Writing Plan comes about through a collaborative process in which members of an academic unit together with the facilitation of a Faculty Writing Consultant (a Writing Program faculty member) collect and examine data, reflect on values, envision possibilities, decide on priorities, and write collaboratively a document that reflects how writing is and can be infused into the discipline’s undergraduate curriculum. The process of creating the Writing Plan involves the following:
Application: Apply by filling out this application form: undergraduate academic units from CAS (departments, programs, or even majors within a unit) can apply to participate.
Assemble a team: a group of 3-5 faculty members, headed by the Chair and/or Director of Undergraduate Studies, should be assembled prior to the first meeting by the academic unit. We recommend selecting for this team (or sub-committee/task force) faculty members who are interested in student writing in the discipline and/or those who teach formal Writing-Intensive courses or courses that are writing rich. The Chair and/or DUS should be involved, since the team will be examining the unit’s undergraduate curricula and making recommendations.
Data Collection involves
(a) collection of samples of undergraduate student writing, faculty syllabi and writing assignments;
(b) surveys of faculty, students in the major, and professional affiliates (professional organizations, employers, internships, etc.); and
(c) focus group interviews of staff and select students.
In collaboration with the team and department/program staff, the WID program will collect samples of undergraduate writing, syllabi, and assignments prior to the first fall meeting of the sub-committee. In conjunction with department/program staff, the WID program will conduct the surveys of faculty and students at the beginning of the fall semester. In collaboration with the team and department/program staff, the WID program will identify relevant professional affiliates and survey them prior to the first fall meeting of the sub-committee. In conjunction with the team and unit staff, the WID program’s Faculty Consultant will conduct focus group interviews with staff and select students.
Meeting Schedule with the Writing Faculty Consultant and Team/sub-committee.
Fall
Meeting 1 – Discipline Specific Writing Skills (and Data overview)
Meeting 2 – Desired Writing Abilities (continue w/Data overview)
Meeting 3 – Curricular Integration of Writing (courses)
Meeting 4 – Curricular Integration of Writing (staffing)
Meeting 5 – Assessment
Meeting 6 – Assessment
Spring
Full Faculty Meeting – Listening Session/feedback on findings from the Fall semester
Meeting 7 – Decision Making
Meeting 8 – Decision Making
Meetings 9-10 – Writing/Editing Writing Plan
Submission of Writing Plan to the College of Arts & Sciences, the WID Program, and the Academic unit.
Next Steps – Implementation, assessment, and revision of the plan are the work of the academic unit and the WID program once the Writing Plan is submitted and shared.