WSU
Composition Program
Orientation
Overview
Ellen Barton
Director of Composition
ellen.barton@wayne.edu
Central Questions
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Who are our WSU students, and
what is their academic profile?
How do our students take
composition courses at WSU?
What are the goals of the
Composition Program at WSU?
August 26, 2008
Composition Program Orientation
2
Who are WSU students?
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Demographics
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(2006, 2007, or 2008 information)
WSU enrollment – 33,000
Undergraduates – 21,000
tri-country residents – 87%
 income – 50% under 50K (family)
 financial aid – 70%
 work (FT or PT) – 85%
 gender -- ♂ 42%, ♀ 58%
 age (average) – 25 (national – 22)
 1st generation college students – “many”
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August 26, 2008
Composition Program Orientation
3
Who are WSU students?
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Undergraduates – 21,000
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FT/PT – FT 59%, PT 41%
FT age = 22, PT age = 29
race/ethnicity
Caucasian-American
 African-American
 Asian-American
 Hispanic-American
 Other/Unknown
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48%
31%
6%
3%
12%
6-year graduation rate – 32-33%
August 26, 2008
Composition Program Orientation
4
Who are WSU students?
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WSU Freshman
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FT/PT – FT – 85%, PT – 15%
age (average) –
gender – ♂ 40%, ♀ 60%
ethnicity
 Caucasian-American
42%
 African-American
37%
 Asian-American
8%
 Hispanic-American
3%
 Other/Unknown
10%
1st generation college students – “many”
graduation rates -- ???
August 26, 2008
Composition Program Orientation
5
Academic Profile
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ACT scores
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(2006 information)
WSU ACT composite – 19.9
 national composite – 21.7
WSU ACT English – 19.2
 national English – 21.3
WSU ACT Reading – 20.4
 national Reading – 22.5
WSU admission standards
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ACT composite 21 &/or 2.75 HS GPA
August 26, 2008
Composition Program Orientation
6
Academic Profile
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Composition classes (WSU and ACT info)
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considerable demographic diversity
considerable variation in backgrounds
 use high school strategies
 need improvement in reading strategies
 need experience in writing process
 multiple drafts and feedback
 need introduction to academic discourse
and genres
 need college-level research and
technology skills
August 26, 2008
Composition Program Orientation
7
Academic Profile
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Retention
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graduation– 32-33% overall, 10-12% AA
factors (selected)
 FT vs. PT
 better-prepared (ACT scores)
 1st year to 2nd year retention
focus (General Education)
 early completion of Gen Ed competency
requirements (BC and IC)
 assessment
 support (Writing Center)
August 26, 2008
Composition Program Orientation
8
WSU Composition Courses
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General Education Program
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[Gen Ed] requirements contribute to
the goal of ensuring that all students
have the basic skills fundamental to
success in college while
simultaneously achieving the
intellectual breadth necessary to
place specialized and professional
curricula in proper perspective.
August 26, 2008
Composition Program Orientation
9
WSU Composition Courses
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General Education Program
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Competencies
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Groups and Areas
 written
communication, oral
communication, mathematics,
computer literacy,
analytical/critical thinking
 natural
sciences, humanities,
society and institutions; cultural
diversity, ethics/society,
science/technology/society
August 26, 2008
Composition Program Orientation
10
WSU Composition Courses
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Gen Ed Composition Sequence
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BC/Basic Composition -- 4 credits
 ENG 1020*
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*ENG 1010 remedial to 1020
IC/Intermediate Composition -- 3
credits
 ENG 3010, 3050, Lit & Writing
WI/Writing Intensive – 3 credits
 course in major
Total – 10 credit hours
August 26, 2008
Composition Program Orientation
11
WSU Composition Courses
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Placement*
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*based on a study correlating ACT
scores to passing grades in 1020)
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ENG 1010 – ACT English < 20
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ENG 1020 – ACT English > 21
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 F,
2007 placement – 46%
 F,
2007 placement – 54%
or EQE (English Qualifying Exam)
2008-09 mandated placement
 English
August 26, 2008
Permit-to-Register system
Composition Program Orientation
12
WSU Composition Courses
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Gen Ed WC pre-requisites and
graduation requirements
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effective Fall, 2008 (system in progress)
BC (ENG 1020) -- C or better to fulfill
graduation requirement
BC  IC (ENG 3010, …) -- C or better prerequisite in BC (ENG 1020)
IC (ENG 3010, …) -- C or better to fulfill
graduation requirement
IC  WI (Writing Intensive in the major) -- C
or better pre-requisite in IC (ENG 3010, …)
August 26, 2008
Composition Program Orientation
13
WSU Composition Courses
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English Department
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F, 2008 -- 71% of undergraduate
sections are Composition
(110/154)
 ENG 1010
 ENG 1020
 ENG 3010
 Lit & Writing
 ENG 3050
 ENG 3060
August 26, 2008
24/16%
42/27%
25/16%
12/8%
4/1%
3/1%
Composition Program Orientation
14
Goals of Composition Program
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teach General Education courses
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teach w/in a common curriculum
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New Common Syllabus project
 focus on academic discourse
 technologies of writing
teach w/ consistent grading
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writing across the university
assessment
January grading workshops
teach w/ quality support
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Wiki (Composition Faculty Handbook)
Writing Center
August 26, 2008
Composition Program Orientation
15
Goals of Composition Program
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Gen Ed courses – learning objectives
model
 based on WPA Outcomes Statement
 focus on reading, research, writing,
and technology
 BC (ENG 1020) – writing in college
courses
 IC (ENG 3010) – writing across the
university
 assessment
August 26, 2008
Composition Program Orientation
16
Goals of Composition Program
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Common curriculum
 New Common Syllabus project
 learning objectives
 textbooks
 writing requirements (word counts)
 genre assignments
 ENG 1010 – summary, response,
analysis, argument
 ENG 1020 – analysis, argument
 research-based assignments
 technologies
 Wiki – sample syllabi, assignments,
graded papers
August 26, 2008
Composition Program Orientation
17
Goals of Composition Program
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Consistent grading
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Grading Workshops  assessment planning
grade distributions (historical)
 ENG 1010 – 75% S/25% U or other
 ENG 1020 – 75% C or better/25% other
grade distributions (against grade inflation)
 ENG 1020 – C or better requirement
A
15-20%
 B
35-40%
 C
15-25%
 <C or better
25%
 “Students will rise to the occasion.”
wiki – sample graded papers
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August 26, 2008
Composition Program Orientation
18
Goals of Composition Program
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Quality support
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support for teaching
Orientations, workshops, wiki
 WSU OTL (Office for Teaching and
Learning) – individual and workshops
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support for students
Writing Center
 in-person and on-line tutoring
 GTA and professional tutors
 WSU Academic Success Center –
individual and workshops
suggestions?
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August 26, 2008
Composition Program Orientation
19
Goals of Composition Program
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WSU Composition Faculty
Handbook
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wiki address:
http://wsucompositionfacultyhandbook.pbw
iki.com
wiki password:
teaching
Please contribute feedback and
materials to the wiki:
 ellen.barton@wayne.edu
August 26, 2008
Composition Program Orientation
20
Administrative Matters
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Syllabus checklist/English
New Common Syllabus
 mandatory for ENG 1010 and ENG 1020
 in prep for ENG 3010, 3050, Lit & Writing
Sample syllabi and assignments -- wiki
*Syllabus review -- department and graduate
program*
Plagiarism Policy/English
 SafeAssignment on Blackboard
 *all cases discussed w/ Asst/Assoc Chair*
Grade challenges/English
Contact info -- ellen.barton@wayne.edu, 77696; office hours – drop in (most afternoons)
and appointments
August 26, 2008
Composition Program Orientation
21