teaching with writing

Checklist for a Writing-Intensive Syllabus

• Place a prominent statement indicating that it is a WI course. Students will need to be reminded of this because they need to keep track of how they are progressing in meeting their WI requirement.
  
  
• Describe the course, its goals and content, and the role writing will play in it.
  
  
• Indicate the kinds of writing instruction you will provide (opportunities to revise with comments; peer writing workshops; information about particular disciplinary forms, etc.)
  
  
• List all formal writing assignments with a brief description, indication of length, and explain what percentage of the final grade it will be.
  
  
• List all informal writing assignments (journals; essays; in-class writings) with description, amount, and percentage of grade.
  
  
• Specify your grading policy, particularly the general criteria by which you will evaluate formal and informal writing, and other supportive activities such as work on peer workshops or getting rough drafts in on time.
  
  
• Include a course calendar with basic due dates for writing assignments. For those involving revision, you might indicate when the assignment is to begin; when rough drafts will be due; when any peer workshops will be held; and when the final draft will be due.
  
  
• Indicate any special policies related to writing such as your policy on late papers, allowing further revision, or plagiarism.

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