Writing in the Major: University Policy

Since students are required to include in their academic programs a minimum of two courses providing "significant writing experiences" within their majors, each degree-granting program must identify those courses it wishes to submit as meeting the Writing-in-the-Major [M] requirement. These courses, quite likely ones already required of majors, will be devoted primarily to instruction in the major discipline. In those departments where areas of specialization within the major are required of students, the Writing-in-the-Major courses will be in those specialized areas.

The All-University Writing Committee recognizes no universal, single definition of "significant writing experiences," but depends on each program to provide sufficient detail of what it considers to be "significant writing" within its discipline's discourse community to cause the committee to recommend the course for the [M] designation.

The Writing-in-the-Major requirement is an integral part of degree requirements and will therefore be described in the WSU Bulletin and in other official summaries of major requirements. These descriptions will also include a listing of those 300-and/or 400-level courses that have been assigned the [M] symbol. Criteria for the [M] course designation, and petition procedures, are listed below.

A petition for [M] status for each course must be submitted to the All-University Writing Committee.

Each petition will provide a clear description of how writing competence will be practiced, demonstrated, and evaluated in the course to be approved for [M] status.

Writing in [M] courses may be of a variety of appropriate professional forms: research, synthesis, argument papers, proposals, laboratory and technical reports, memoranda, progress reports, etc.

Large enrollment courses will not ordinarily be awarded [M] status. (In courses where TA's are employed, responsibility for the evaluation of written assignments will rest with the faculty member in charge).

When submitted, the petition for [M] status must provide information showing that:

The Course is listed in the WSU Bulletin at the 300- or 400-level.

The course is developed and taught by faculty in the discipline.

Writing in the course is distributed over the length of the semester. A minimum of two papers to which critical response is given is required.

Students in the course are given the opportunity to draft, revise, and resubmit writing assignments as their work is being evaluated.

Evaluation of writing assignments contributes significantly to grades in the course.

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