CALIFORNIA STATE POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY, POMONA
ACADEMIC SENATE
ACADEMIC PROGRAMS COMMITTEE
REPORT TO
THE ACADEMIC SENATE
AP-003-089
CPU 401: GWT Course Alternative
Academic Programs Committee
Date: 10/22/08
Executive Committee
Received and Forwarded
Date: 2/04/09
Academic Senate
Date: 2/11/09
First Reading
3/11/09
Second Reading
AP-003-089, CPU 401: GWT Course Alternative
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BACKGROUND:
This Referral proposes to introduce a new course as an alternative to meet the
condition of EO 665 that students satisfy the Graduate Writing Assessment
Requirement (GWAR). It was discussed first by the Academic Affairs Committee (AA006-078) which recommended approval of the proposal.
The Academic Programs Committee was given the charge to vet the GWT course
alternative as an appropriate course to fulfill the graduate writing requirement as an
option to our existing procedures.
RECOMMENDED RESOURCES:
Claudia Pinter-Lucke, John Edlund, Donald Hoyt, Frank Janger, Eric McLaughlin Alex
Small, Roger Morehouse, Karin Russikoff, Liliane Fucaloro.
DISCUSSION:
(it should be noted that during the previous round of consultation the documentation of
this referral, the new course was named either CPP 401 or CPU 401. Henceforward
CPU 401)
Students currently meet the GWT requirement either by passing the GWT Exam or,
after failing to pass three times, by applying and receiving a GWT waiver.
CPU 401 was developed as a writing course so that students can satisfy the GWAR.
Students who did not pass the GWT twice could take this course. Students learn writing,
editing and proofreading strategies and produce five essays, from which students select
the best three to submit to the GWT readers.
If passes, students’ transcript will indicate GWT requirements met.
Course outline and course requirements make this course an appropriate alternative to
meet GWAR.
RECOMMENDATION:
The Academic Programs Committee recommends approval of the referral CPU 401:
GWT Course Alternative.
AP-003-089, CPU 401: GWT Course Alternative
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Course Title: Writing Proficiency
Course No: CPU 401
Date of Outline Preparation: 9/13/07
Prepared by: John Edlund, Devon Hackelton, Len Vandegrift
Date of Last Revision: New Course
I. Catalog Description (Not more than 40 words):
CPU 401 Writing Proficiency, 4 Units, Graded CR/NC. Must have unsuccessfully attempted the
GWT at least 2 times and have permission of University Writing Center to enroll.
Instruction in essay writing including organization, development, revising, editing, proofreading,
grammar and mechanics. Students produce a writing portfolio to be evaluated by a panel of
graders. Course credit fulfills the GWT requirement.
II. Required Background or Experience:
The student must have unsuccessfully attempted the GWT at least two times.
III. Expected Outcomes:
The successful student will demonstrate an ability to respond to a writing topic in an
extemporaneous essay with 1) an appropriate thesis statement; 2) effective organization and
paragraphing, 3) sufficient development and support for arguments, 4) good control of sentence
structure and word choice, and 5) sufficient control of grammar and mechanics to communicate
ideas without confusion. The student will further demonstrate an ability to revise written work to
meet or exceed university standards established by the Graduation Writing Test.
IV. Instructional Materials:
Calibrated Peer Review Program (CPRtm), Blackboard, Cal Poly email, various news articles
and/or short (600-800 word) essay reader textbook.
V. Minimum Student Materials:
Pens, pencils, paper. Access to an internet-capable computer.
VI. Minimum College Facilities:
Classroom with an internet-accessible computer and LCD projector or an available computer lab.
VII. Course Outline:
AP-003-089, CPU 401: GWT Course Alternative
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Summary: Students write in class, submit the essay to the CPR site, review other students’
essays, revise their essays according to peer feedback and tutor comments, and submit the final
draft. All drafts of the essays selected for the portfolio will be attached. Students will receive
instructions in grammatical, syntactical, and usage problems typical of students who struggle
with the GWT. Students will write summaries of newspaper articles and other materials to
improve reading skills and language acquisition.
Week 1:
Introduction to class and CPR program; Students write three article summaries as
homework.
Week 2:
Students write in-class draft of Essay #1; Instructor presents Timed-Writing
Strategies using Powerpoint/handout; Students write three article summaries as
homework.
Week 3:
Students do online peer reviews of Essay #1 using CPR and begin in-class draft of
Essay #2; Instructor presents “Proofreading Strategies” using
Powerpoint/handout; Students write three article summaries as homework.
Week 4:
Students revise Essay #1 according to feedback from CPR and tutors; Students do
online peer reviews of Essay #2; Instructor presents “Critical Reading”
Powerpoint/handout; Students write three article summaries as homework.
Week 5:
Students revise Essay #2 according to online feedback; Students write in-class
draft of Essay #3; Instructor presents “Verb Tense” Powerpoint/handout; Students
write three article summaries as homework.
Week 6:
Students do online peer reviews of Essay #3 using CPR and begin in-class draft of
Essay #4; Instructor presents “Subject-Verb Agreement“ Powerpoint/handout;
Students write three article summaries as homework.
Week 7:
Students revise Essay #3 according to online feedback; Students do online peer
reviews of Essay #4; Instructor presents “Countable/Non-countable Nouns”
Powerpoint/handout; Students write three article summaries as homework.
Week 8:
Students do online peer reviews of Essay #4 using CPR and begin in-class draft of
Essay #5; Instructor presents “Punctuation” Powerpoint/handout; Students write
three article summaries as homework.
Week 9:
Students revise Essay #4 according to online feedback; Students do online peer
reviews of Essay #5 and draft the Portfolio Cover Letter; Instructor presents
“Syntax (Mixed Constructions)” Powerpoint/handout
Week 10:
Students revise Essay #5 according to online feedback; Students write in-class
timed writing for the portfolio; Students finish revising cover letter, choose three
best essays, and assemble and submit portfolios.
Finals Week: Instructors and GWT readers score portfolios
VIII. Instructional Methods:
The course is a hybrid course with both online and face-to-face components. The online
component will use both Blackboard and Calibrated Peer Review (CPR) to facilitate peer review
AP-003-089, CPU 401: GWT Course Alternative
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and interaction with tutors. In-class activities will include lecture-discussion and in-class
writing.
IX. Outcomes Assessment:
The students will prepare a portfolio containing 1) a cover letter reflecting on their growth as
writers during the course, 2) their three best revised essays, with all drafts attached, and 3) an ondemand essay written in controlled classroom conditions. These portfolios will be scored by
two graders after a rigorous norming session involving a scoring guide and sample portfolios.
The scoring guide, similar to the GWT scoring guide, will have a six point scale, and the scores
of the two readers will be totaled. A student with a portfolio score of 8 or more will pass the
course and satisfy the GWT requirement.