W1 Online Course Proposal Form

This checklist has two purposes: to verify that a proposed course meets criteria for W1/W2 courses and to record practices in the teaching of writing. Questions on the checklist are keyed to criteria adopted by the faculty in May, 1983 and revised and reapproved in April, 2006.

For the Composition Council charged with approving courses for W1 designation, the checklist serves efficiently as 1) an index to relevant information in course descriptions and syllabi, 2) a basis for further questions and answers, if needed, toward helping all proposed courses meet the criteria and 3) a source of information-sharing about varied methods and practices in W courses.

1. Criterion #1 calls for reinforcing the development of writing skills by frequent instruction according to the teacher's chosen methods. What methods will you use? Please check all applicable responses.

2. How much class time will be devoted to writing instruction?

3. Criterion #2 calls for teaching writing as a process that consists of planning, composing, revising and editing. How will your course teach writing as a process (for example, by helping students understand the writing task; by sharing invention strategies and/or research strategies; by promoting techniques such as free writing, reflexive writing [i.e., writing about the writing task], or using a reverse outline; by providing opportunities for revision based on feedback on drafts; by teaching proofreading strategies; etc.)?

Planning: 
Composing:
 
Revising:
Editing:

4. Criterion #3 calls for teaching strategies for addressing intended audiences; achieving purposes; organizing entire papers, paragraphs and sentences; choosing appropriate words; and punctuating and spelling correctly. How will your course address each of these concerns?

5. Criterion #4 calls for frequent writing by students, with prompt response by instructors, peers, tutors or assistants. How often will your students write?

6. What types of responses will they receive?

7. Criterion #5 calls for teaching writing as a means of discovery and organization, causing students to engage in intellectual work as well as to communicate the knowledge that comes from that work (i.e., writing to think, not only to report thought). How will your students use writing to explore as well as to develop their understanding? Examples include free writing, journals, abstracts, question formulations, short answers to prepared questions, and non-graded drafts of papers, reports, essays and term projects.

8. Is your course cross-listed?

yes

no

When you have completed this form to your satisfaction, please click below to submit.
If you wish to include a Microsoft Word document, such as a syllabus or assignment, with your proposal, please attach it to an e-mail message to wcourse@bucknell.edu.