THE DREW UNIVERSITY WRITING SEQUENCE
Overall description
The majority of students take a full year (4 credits) of College Writing in their first year at Drew, which
introduces them to college-level writing and prepares them for Writing Intensive and Writing in the Majors
courses. Students take two Writing Intensive courses, generally in the Sophomore and Junior year and one course
or course sequence designed to introduce them to the specific literacy skills at the heart of their major (this may
take the form of a Writing in the Majors Course, or the instruction may be spread across a number of courses that
are all required of majors in that discipline or program). Students will select writing from each course in the
sequence and include it in an electronic portfolio.
All courses in the writing sequence share a general concern for the written word and the process of writing. They
use writing as a mode of learning, assign frequent writing that is incorporated into the course, and provide
feedback and the opportunity to revise papers based on that feedback. College Writing courses are capped at
fifteen students, while Writing Intensive and specific Writing in the Majors courses are capped at twenty students,
allowing for timely and meaningful feedback and close attention to each writer.
In increasingly sophisticated ways, each writing class:
 engages students in written scholarly discourse
 emphasizes analytical and creative thinking and critical reading
 introduces students to appropriate uses of academic and non-academic information
 uses writing as the primary basis for classroom learning
 focuses on the writing process
 develops each student’s writing skills by both building on strengths and strengthening weaknesses.
COLLEGE WRITING (first year)
In College Writing I and II students begin to acquire, to develop, and to practice the advanced literacy skills
necessary for a liberal arts education. College Writing I builds on the sense of intellectual community developed
in the College Seminar, while College Writing II serves as a bridge between the first semester course and the
writing intensive and writing in the majors courses that follow. In each semester of the first year, students in
writing classes are co-enrolled in a 2-credit writing course and one of three of four other courses, creating writingfocused learning communities.
In College Writing I (Fall semester), the co-enrollment is with a College Seminar. Students write about topics
raised in their seminars and the Common Hour and develop exploratory writing from the seminar.
In College Writing II (Spring semester, and modified in Fall semester for some students), the co-enrollment is
with one or more breadth courses. Students use what they learn in the breadth course to help them interpret
current events reported in the media and topics presented in the Common Hour, and work in peer groups to
develop connections with what they have learned in their other courses.
WRITING INTENSIVE COURSES (Sophomore and Junior years)
Writing Intensive (WI) courses build on the academic literacy skills taught in College Writing II, and expand
those skills. They require students to use writing as a mode of learning and as a way of entering scholarly
conversations about topics presented in a course. WI courses may not require any more pages of writing than
regular sections of the same course; however, they do require that faculty provide sufficient written feedback on
student writing and that students use such feedback to rethink, revise and improve their writing. This process of
writing, engaging with feedback, and revising is the heart of the writing-intensive course experience.
WRITING IN THE MAJOR COURSES (part of the major)
Writing in the Majors (WM) courses are designed to introduce students to the conversations in the field and invite
them to join those conversations using the writing style and format of the discipline. The purpose of WM courses
is to teach students to understand and practice the kinds of writing that are specific to the discipline (or
combination of disciplines) they are studying. For this reason, no two WM courses look the same; however, all
WM courses and course sequences share the same broad goals.
Drew University College of Liberal Arts College Writing Sequence
GUIDELINES FOR FACULTY TEACHING WI AND WM COURSES
All courses in the writing sequence share a general concern for the written word and the process of writing. They
use writing as a mode of learning, assign frequent writing that is incorporated into the course, and provide
feedback and the opportunity to revise papers based on that feedback. In WI and WM courses, class size is capped
at 20, which allows for timely and meaningful feedback and close attention to each writer.
WRITING INTENSIVE (WI) COURSES
Writing Intensive (WI) courses build on the academic literacy skills taught in College Writing II and expand those
skills. They require students to use writing as a mode of learning and as a way of entering scholarly conversations
about topics presented in a course. WI courses might not require any more pages of writing than regular sections
of the same course; however, they do require that faculty provide sufficient written feedback on student writing
and that students use such feedback to rethink, revise and improve their writing. This process of writing, engaging
with feedback, and revising is the heart of the writing-intensive course experience.
Guidelines for faculty
1. The writing assignments and outcomes should build on the writing skills students have already practiced in
other writing courses and encourage them to transfer and adjust their knowledge about academic writing to this
new context. (This is accomplished by, among other things, including the writing learning outcomes in the
syllabus, using a common language to describe features of the writing process, referring students to the same
writer’s handbook and resources, asking students to draw on what they have already learned as they approach
a writing project, and asking them to reflect on this process and their increasing skills as writers.)
2. WI courses must require students to engage in revision that is “substantive,” meaning revision that involves
changes or additions to the content and organization of their texts. It is important to encourage students to edit
their papers to fix errors in spelling and grammar; however, editing for grammar is not the same as substantive
revision.
3. The instructor must provide timely and detailed feedback on student writing, responding to content and
offering suggestions for revision;
4. In WI course syllabi, assignments and due dates should be spread out over the semester, so that students can
build on and continue to develop the skills they learn in earlier assignments;
5. The course syllabus or sequence must clearly articulate realistic writing-related goals that students will be
expected to achieve during the semester;
6. Where appropriate, the writing assignments for the course should develop students’ ability to find, evaluate,
and incorporate outside source material into their writing (in many cases this will mean the course instructor
works with a reference librarian assigned to the course);
7. Some class time must be spent on the writing process and revision, this might include peer response groups
and whole class discussion about formal and informal writing assignments and ways to approach them. It does
not require instruction in grammar, punctuation, or the mechanics of writing (although of course that is an
option);
8. The course will require at least 18-20 pages of polished prose over the course of the semester.
9. Taken together, all of the writing assignments in the course must count substantially toward the students' final
grades in the course.
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Drew University College of Liberal Arts College Writing Sequence
WRITING IN THE MAJORS (WM) COURSES
Writing in the Majors (WM) courses are designed to introduce students to the conversations in the field and invite
them to join those conversations using the writing style and format of the discipline (or disciplines) of the major.
The purpose of WM courses is to teach students to understand and practice the kinds of writing that are specific to
the discipline in which they are studying. For this reason, no two WM courses look the same; however, all WM
courses and course sequences share the same broad goals.
Guidelines for faculty
1. The course or sequence of courses must instruct students in the kinds of writing that are practiced by and
valued by members of the discipline or field;
2. Writing assignments in the course(s) must be designed to require all students to substantively revise and/or
rethink their work on the basis of feedback from the instructor;
3. The instructor must provide timely and detailed feedback on student writing, responding to content and
offering suggestions for revision;
4. The writing assignments and outcomes should build on the writing skills students have already practiced in
other writing courses and encourage them to transfer and adjust their knowledge about academic writing to this
new context;
5. The course syllabus or sequence must clearly articulate realistic writing-related goals that students will be
expected to achieve during the semester;
6. The course should require students to search for at least some of the texts, data, artifacts, artworks, etc. that
they will be writing about (in some courses, students may generate some or all of their own data through
interviews, experiments, observations, artwork, composition, etc);
7. The writing assignments for the course should develop students’ ability to find, evaluate, and incorporate
outside source material into their writing (in many cases this will mean the course instructor works with a
reference librarian assigned to the course);
8. Some class time must be spent on the writing process and revision, this might include peer response groups
and whole class discussion about formal and informal writing assignments and ways to approach them. It does
not require instruction in grammar, punctuation, or the mechanics of writing (although of course that is an
option);
9. The writing in this course (or sequence of courses) must satisfy one or more programmatic writing outcomes
for this major.
9. Taken together, all of the writing assignments in the course must count substantially toward the students' final
grades in the course.
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Drew University College of Liberal Arts College Writing Sequence
DREW UNIVERSITY WRITING SEQUENCE GOALS AND OUTCOMES
The following goals and outcomes should be incorporated into writing courses as and where appropriate. We
understand that not all of them will be appropriate for all classes, but faculty should incorporate those that are in
line with the overall goals and pedagogy of the course. Please list selected outcomes on the syllabus.
1. Academic Writing: the ability to use writing as a mode of learning and as a way to share ideas and
research and enter into a scholarly dialog. This includes drafting and revising papers; writing in a manner
appropriate for college-level papers; reading, interpreting, and responding to a variety of ideas and texts.
Outcomes for the College Writing Courses
1. Students understand that writing can be used as a mode of learning and exploration of ideas and concepts;
2. Students can read and summarize written texts;
3. Students can offer basic interpretation and response to written texts;
4. Students can identify the written and spoken ideas of others as part of a scholarly conversation and imagine
how they might join that conversation through writing;
5. Students have begun to develop macro-level writing skills appropriate for scholarly dialogue in college papers
(thesis, organization, paragraph integrity, transitions and cohesion);
6. Students have enhanced the micro-level writing skills appropriate for scholarly dialogue in college papers
(clarity, mechanical and grammatical correctness, tone, stylistic variety, and overall presentation);
7. Students can use the writing process to develop ideas, draft papers, and revise and edit them in response to
feedback from professors and peers;
8. Students are able to reflect on their strengths and weaknesses as college writers and know which aspects of
their writing they need to continue to develop;
9. Students understand the importance of being active writers who consider the needs of their audience and seek
responses to their writing from others
Outcomes for the Writing Intensive Courses
1. Students have developed ways to use writing as a mode of learning as they explore ideas and concepts in
their classes;
2. Students can read, summarize, and synthesize material from academic texts;
3. Students can write papers that interpret and respond to written texts;
4. Students can identify the scholarly conversations on the topic of the course and write papers in which they
enter one of those conversations;
5. Students can develop written arguments from sources and incorporate source material into their papers;
6. Students can use the writing process to develop ideas, draft papers, and revise and edit them to produce
writing that is appropriate for scholarly dialogue in college papers (thesis, organization, paragraph integrity,
transitions and cohesion, clarity, mechanical and grammatical correctness, tone, stylistic variety, and overall
presentation);
7. Students are able to reflect on their strengths and weaknesses as college writers and know which aspects of
their writing they need to continue to develop;
8. Students are active writers who consider the needs of their audience and seek responses to their writing from
others;
Outcomes for the Writing in the Major course or sequence of courses
1. Students habitually use writing as a mode of learning and exploration in their classes;
2. Students can write papers that summarize, synthesize, interpret, and respond to discipline-specific texts;
3. Students can identify the scholarly conversations of the major and write papers in which they enter one of
those conversations;
4. Students can use the writing process to develop ideas, draft papers, and revise and edit them to produce
writing that is appropriate for scholarly dialogue in discipline of the course;
5. Students can develop discipline-specific written arguments from sources and incorporate relevant source
material into their papers;
6. Students are active writers who consider the needs of their audience, reflect on their strengths and
weaknesses as college writers, and seek responses to their writing from others;
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Drew University College of Liberal Arts College Writing Sequence
2. Analytical and Critical Thinking: the ability to comprehend, evaluate and analyze resources as well as
think synthetically and creatively.
Outcomes for the College Writing Courses
1. Students can identify the basic organizational structure of a written text (their own and others’);
2. Students can identify their own assumptions, audience and rhetorical strategies;
3. Students can recognize and articulate contradictions, dilemmas, and irresoluble differences in perspective;
4. Students can synthesize and integrate ideas into a solution or description;
5. Students can make connections between course material and current events;
6. Students can work with others to create and revise texts.
Outcomes for the Writing Intensive Courses
1. Students can articulate the impact of the organizational structure of a written text (their own and others’) and
consider the impact of alternative structures;
2. Students can approach class discussion and readings without allowing their own assumptions or the
rhetorical strategies of the authors to cloud their judgment;
3. Students can articulate contradictions, dilemmas, and irresoluble differences in perspective and incorporate
those differences into formal writing;
4. Students can synthesize and integrate ideas into an interpretation or series of research questions;
5. Students can use course material to interpret current events or things they learn in other courses;
6. Students can work with others to create and revise texts.
Outcomes for the Writing in the Major course or sequence of courses
1. Students can recognize the organizational structures and stylistic features of discipline-specific texts (their
own and others’) and consider the impact of those differences;
2. Students can approach class discussion and readings with a mind open to new interpretations and conflicting
ideas;
3. Students can respond appropriately to contradictions, dilemmas, irresoluble differences in perspective,
ambiguity, and uncertainty and understand their role in the discipline;
4. Students can synthesize and integrate ideas into an interpretation or series of research questions appropriate
to the discipline;
5. Students can use course material to interpret current events, new material in the field, or things they learn in
other courses;
6. Students can work with others to create and revise texts appropriate for the discipline.
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Drew University College of Liberal Arts College Writing Sequence
3. Information Literacy: the ability to evaluate and explain the appropriate use of different kinds of
information from a variety of academic and non-academic sources, engage with that source material, and
correctly incorporate information into their own writing.
Outcomes for the College Writing Courses
1. Students know how to recognize and describe different kinds of source material;
2. Students know how to evaluate and explain appropriate uses of different kinds of sources;
3. Students know how to evaluate information, data, or images that may be used as evidence to support a claim;
4. Students know how to recognize an author’s assumptions, audience, and rhetorical strategies;
5. Students know how to incorporate source material in a variety of ways (accurate summary, paraphrase, or
quotation);
6. Students can correctly cite and document sources and understand why this is important to scholars,
researchers, and other students.
Outcomes for the Writing Intensive Courses
1. Students can use the library catalog and on-line databases and search engines to find appropriate sources for
academic papers;
2. Students have consulted with Reference Librarians to help them identify relevant source material;
3. Students can evaluate source material appropriate for academic research and papers;
4. Students can evaluate and assess the accuracy and relevance of information, data, or images that are used as
evidence to support claims in texts they read;
5. Students can evaluate and assess the accuracy and relevance of information, data, or images that they may
use as evidence to support a scholarly argument;
6. Students can recognize and analyze an author’s assumptions, audience, and rhetorical strategies;
7. Students can incorporate source material in a variety of ways (accurate summary, paraphrase, or quotation)
and understand that different disciplines have different conventions for source use;
8. Students can correctly cite and document sources and understand that there are a variety of methods for
doing so.
Outcomes for the Writing in the Major course or sequence of courses
1. Students are familiar with and can use discipline-specific library and on-line databases;
2. Students can find appropriate discipline-specific sources and evaluate their relevance to a paper topic;
3. Students can use their knowledge of the discipline to evaluate and assess the accuracy and relevance of
information, data, or images that are used as evidence to support claims in texts they read;
4. Students can use their knowledge of the discipline to evaluate and assess the accuracy and relevance of
information, data, or images that they may use as evidence to support a scholarly argument
5. Students can analyze an author’s assumptions, audience, and rhetorical strategies and locate them within the
conversations of the discipline;
6. Students can incorporate source material in a variety of ways appropriate to the discipline;
7. Students understand the role of discipline-specific citation and source use conventions and can use those
conventions to correctly cite and document sources.
Approved by the CLA faculty December 6, 2008. Revised by CAPC October, 28
2009
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