Section by Section

This guide was developed to help faculty develop a course syllabus that clearly identifies the course as writing-intensive and articulates the ways in which writing enriches the course and informs its learning objectives, coursework, and the plan for the semester.

Course Title

Ideally, writing-intensive courses should have a W-suffix or include the phrase “Writing-intensive.” To learn more about adding a W-suffix to a course, please visit this page on our website.  

Course Description

Writing-intensive courses should include at least one sentence related to writing and the role writing will play in the course in the description. Or, you might add a separate paragraph to describe the writing-intensive nature of the course. See examples on our website.

Learning Objectives

Learning objectives for the course should identify what students will learn about and from the writing students will do in the class. Writing-intensive courses should include at least two learning objectives related to writing. See examples below.

  •  What do you want your students to learn about writing? The student will. . .
    • Identify elements and conventions of disciplinary genres (e.g., scientific research article, critical literary analysis, qualitative research proposal, etc.). 
    • Employ a process for writing that involves brainstorming, outlining, drafting, revising, and polishing. 
    • Apply feedback from instructors and peers to improve writing-in-progress through a drafting process.  
  • What do you want your students to learn from writing? The student will. . .
    • Use low-stakes writing to explain key concepts and theories.
    • Synthesize research on a topic to summarize current understanding.
    • Identify gaps in existing research to situate new projects.
    • Compose arguments informed by the literature/evidence. 
    • Engage in regular reflective writing to assess learning, thinking, and writing processes.

Writing Assignments

The syllabus should introduce the course’s writing assignments. Specifically, consider detailing the following for each assignment: 

  • Stakes (low-stakes/writing to learn, mid-stakes/writing to engage, high-stakes/writing to perform)
  • Type (reflective, research, critical analysis, creative, etc.)
  • Genre and audience (reading response, annotations, abstract, proposal, research article, poster presentation, contribution to a special collection, etc.)
  • Number (weekly blog posts, one research article developed in stages with two drafts etc.)
  • Assessment strategy (with criteria outlined or at least grading approach used: rubric for a high-stakes assignment, completion for low-stakes assignment, etc.)
  • Purpose and rationale (explanation for the assignment, its role in the course, what students will get out of it, etc.)
    • Example from LING 3150 (Mark Wenthe and Vera Lee-Schoenfeld):

The homework assignments for this class, which is a part of the Writing Intensive Program (WIP), will require you to compose your answers in essay-like, coherent prose. You will learn how to make a strong argument by supporting your claims with convincing evidence, a skill that can be applied to many other academic disciplines.

Role of the WIP TA

The WIP TA should be introduced in the course syllabus. This introduction should address the following: 

  • Name
  • Office location and office hours
  • Role in the class (See models on our website)
  • Anticipated interactions with students (written feedback, conferences, writing workshops, grading writing assignments, etc.)

Course Agenda

Writing-intensive courses should include the following information on the course agenda, as applicable: 

  • Writing-related topics/lessons
  • Writing workshops
  • Peer review sessions
  • Writing assignments
  • Writing assignment stages/processes (e.g., introduction, methods, etc.; outline, annotated bib, drafts, etc.)
  • Due dates