Additional Writing (W)
The Additional Writing (W) requirement enriches the foundational skills developed in Composition (C) requirement courses by engaging students in discipline-specific writing practices. While C courses introduce college-level writing that develops critical thinking and student voice through inquiry and research, W courses specifically prepare students to communicate effectively within academic, professional, or other contexts.
W courses employ the same learning outcomes as C courses:
- Compose strategically, ethically, and effectively for a variety of audiences in and out of the university, including diverse discourse communities;
and
- Critically engage complex information to respond to lines of inquiry, including practicing information literacy skills;
and
- Craft persuasive, complex arguments that engage social, political, and linguistic difference;
and
- Practice strategies for revision in a structured writing process that includes giving, receiving, and incorporating feedback.
Upon successful completion of an Additional Writing (W) course, a student should also be able to:
- Demonstrate content knowledge through writing in discipline-appropriate genres, contexts, and conventions;
and
- Produce writing that addresses specific audiences, discourse communities, and scholarship relevant to the field;
and
- Engage in a structured writing process that includes prewriting, drafting, and substantive revision;
and
- Practice information literacy skills to evaluate and integrate sources relevant to the field;
and
- Apply discipline-specific conventions, terminology, and rhetorical strategies.