Writing Intensive
Writing-Intensive Courses at Saint Louis University
Writing-intensive (WI) courses at Saint Louis University (SLU) are designed to help students learn disciplinary knowledge through writing. Writing-intensive courses are also designed to help students learn more about writing within their discipline. So, the goals of WI courses at SLU are to help prepare students to succeed in their disciplines through an increased knowledge of their field and an increased capability to write in higher-level courses, in graduate school, and in the workplace. To achieve these goals, these courses are designed to teach writing across the semester in classes no larger than 20 students. Please use the buttons and the collapsable menu below for more information on WI course requirements.
WI Announcements
Select this link to download the WI course worksheet. This is a sample of an approved WI course meant to serve as an example. You may delete content to fill in your own information.
Findings from the Year-One WI Course Programmatic Assessment: Infographic | Overview | Full
If you teach a WI course, you will be required to submit student work for assessment
Tips and Resources for AI-Assisted Writing (LLMs, ChatGPT, Etc.)
"Do teachers spot AI? Evaluating the detectability of AI-generated texts among student essays"
Resources from the MLA-CCCC Joint Task Force on Writing and AI
Best strategies for addressing these are already incorporated in WI courses, faculty development sessions
Cap WI courses at 20 – already a WI requirement
Scaffold low- and higher-stakes writing assignments across the term
Use shared platforms like GoogleDocs for student work and utilize the version history and time stamp functions
Tailor assignments as closely as possible to course rather than generic, “find something interesting to write about in X and give me 2,500 words”
Require students to submit drafts for peer review, using guided, structured workshop instructions to help students evaluate one another’s work
Require students to submit drafts for instructor review and provide specific, helpful feedback
Integrate grading rubric lesson so students know what’s expected & how to achieve course learning outcomes
Integrate project management strategies like Gantt charts, work logs, and other visuals to help student plan their time
You might also use these AI platforms in class to facilitate discussion on ethics, attribution, AI biased responses
Key Criteria for WI Courses
Core Component Learning Outcomes
Students in writing-intensive courses will:
Write for specific purposes and audiences
Analyze and synthesize claims from a variety of sources
Engage in processes of invention and revision that enable evaluation of their own and others' rhetorical choices in written messages and arguments
Reflect on the ways in which rhetorically proficient written communication contributes to ethical public discourse
These activities should satisfy two of the nine Core student learning outcomes at the Achieve level - see below.
Core Student Learning Outcomes
Writing-intensive courses will help students attain writing at the Achieve level for the following SLOs:
SLO 3: Assess evidence and draw reasoned conclusions
SLO 4: Communicate effectively in writing, speech, and visual media
To learn more about the three levels of achievement, read the WI course information sheet below.
Core Essential Criteria
Faculty development sessions will be provided to help instructors design, teach, and assess WI courses. Instructors and TAs who have not already received training in WI pedagogy will receive coaching in effective practices prior to teaching a courses attributed as "Writing Intensive." All TAs who teach or co-teach WI courses will receive WI pedagogy training.
Recognizing that writing instruction is most effective in smaller classes, WI courses will be taught at a maximum 20:1 student/instructor (including TAs) ratio.
In addition, writing-intensive courses will include the following:
Writing assignments spread throughout the term
Writing assignments that require students to develop written arguments through processes that involve several stages of invention and revision
Writing assignments that require each student to write a minimum of 5,000 words through formal and informal argumentative prose. Total word count may include outlines, drafts, correspondence between student and instructor, as well as final written projects
Writing-intensive course may also include the following:
Collaborative or group writing assignments
Discipline-specific writing
The Director of Writing Across the Curriculum and Associate Director of the Core: Writing Intensive (Dr. Allen Brizee) collaborates with instructors to develop WI course proposals. The Associate Director of the Core: Writing Intensive, Associate Director of the Core: Eloquentia Perfecta (Written and Visual Communication) (Dr. Nathaniel Rivers), and the EP1 Subcommittee reviews WI course submissions and works with instructors to accommodate the criteria listed above to specific disciplinary parameters.
Submit a Writing-Intensive Course Proposal
Complete these steps to submit a WI course proposal:
Read the WI course proposal information sheet below
Read the sample worksheets and syllabi below - coming soon!
Download and complete the WI course worksheet - this is a sample, but you can adapt it to your course
Revise your syllabus and assignment sheets to meet the requirements of WI courses
Submit your WI worksheet and syllabus through CourseLeaf CIM
At any point during this process, please contact Dr. Allen Brizee with any questions or just to chat about WI course development.
How We Can Help You with Your WI Courses
Our goal is to help you design, teach, and assess your WI course(s). We offer five ways of providing this assistance:
Individual meetings - let's chat in person or over Zoom about WI courses and ways we can help you
Faculty development sessions - interactive sessions to get you up to speed on the latest in writing pedagogy
Community of practice - correspond and/or get together with other instructors who are teaching WI courses
Sample course material - resources that will help you develop, teach, and assess your WI courses
External links - pathways to helpful online resources
WI Course Faculty Development Session Format and Schedule
Format
The two-hour interactive faculty development sessions listed below were designed by the UUCC EP1 Subcommittee and the Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) Working Group, a collaborative body consisting of the Reinert Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning, University Writing Services, faculty members, graduate and undergraduate students. The sessions incorporate team discussion to build community, activities to help you develop course resources, and short informative talks on the latest writing pedagogy.
Writing intensive instructors who have not already received faculty development in writing pedagogy will participate in the WI: Orientation session. All TAs who teach or co-teach WI courses will receive WI pedagogy faculty development. Instructors and TAs will then be able to choose one of the Level 2 sessions, which provide more information on the writing-intensive pedagogy overviewed in the orientation session. Instructors and TAs may choose to participate in one or all of the Level 3 sessions.
We will offer all sessions on a continuing basis to meet instructor need. Also, we will run all sessions in-person for north and south campus participants in St. Louis and Zoom sessions for Madrid and SPS participants. All participants will receive a $200 stipend for attending the WI Orientation and one Level 2 session.
Fall 2024 WI Faculty Development Sessions Coming Soon
Spring 2024 WI Faculty Development Sessions
January
Mon., Jan. 22: 3:00-5:00 PM central – WI Orientation, location BSC 351. Registration is closed.
February
Thurs., Feb. 1: 9:00-11:00 AM central – WI Equity-Focused Approach, location BSC 351. Registration is closed.
Fri., Feb. 16: 8:30-10:30 AM central – WI Orientation, location Zoom, password Horology. Registration is closed.
Tues., Feb. 27: 3:00-5:00 PM central – WI Orientation, location, BSC 351. Registration is closed.
March
Spring break and Easter break
April
Wed., Apr. 3: 3:00-5:00 PM central – WI Teaching Writing Across the Term and Providing Effective Feedback, location BSC 351. Registration is closed.
Fri., Apr. 19: 8:30-10:30 AM central – WI Equity-Focused Approach, location Zoom, password Horology. Registration is closed.
May
Thurs., May 2: 8:30-10:30 AM central - WI Teaching Writing Across the Term and Providing Effective Feedback, Zoom. Registration is closed.
Fall 2023 Rescheduled WI Faculty Development Sessions
In-Person
Thurs., Nov. 2 in Adj. 142: 9:00 – 11:00 AM central: WI Orientation. Registration is closed.
Mon., Nov. 6 in Adj. 142: 3:00 - 5:00 PM central: WI Equity-Focused. Registration is closed.
Wed., Nov. 8 in Adj. 142: 1:00 – 3:00 PM central: WI Teaching Writing Across the Term and Providing Effective Feedback. Registration is closed.
Zoom
Fri., Dec. 1 on Zoom for Madrid and SPS: 8:30 - 10:30 AM central: WI: Teaching Writing Across the Term and Providing Effective Feedback. Registration is closed.
Original Fall 2023 Sessions
Level 1 Session: WI Orientation
Thurs., Aug., 17: 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM central. Location: Switched to Zoom. Deadline to register is Aug. 15. Registration is closed.
Tues., Aug. 22: 8:30 AM to 10:30 AP central. Location: Zoom. Deadline to register is Aug. 20. Registration is closed.
Spring 2023 Sessions
Level 2 Session: WI Equity-Focused Approach (Zoom)
Fri., Jan. 13: 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM central. Location: Zoom. Deadline to register is Jan. 11. Registration is closed.
Level 2 Session: WI Teaching Writing Across the Term and Providing Effective Feedback (Zoom)
Thurs., Jan. 26: 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM central. Location: Zoom. Deadline to register is Jan. 24. Registration is closed.
WI Orientation (In person)
Thurs., Feb. 9: 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM central. Location: BSC 251B. Deadline to register is Jan. 26. Registration is closed.
Thurs., Apr. 13: 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM central. Location: BSC 352. Deadline to register is Apr. 12. Registration is closed.
Level 2 Session: WI Equity-Focused Approaches (In person)
Tues., Feb. 21: 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM central. Location: BSC 352. Deadline to register is Feb. 20. Registration is closed.
Level 2 Session: Teaching Writing Across the Semester and Providing Effective Feedback (In person)
Tues., Apr. 25: 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM central. Location: BSC 352. Deadline to register is Apr. 24. Registration is closed.
Fall 2022 Sessions
WI Orientation
Fri., Sep. 16: 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM central. Location: BSC 352. Deadline to register is Fri., Sep. 2. Registration is closed.
Thurs., Oct. 6: 9 AM to 1 PM central. Location: BSC 351. Deadline to register is Thurs., Sep. 22. Registration is closed.
Mon., Nov. 14: 12 PM to 4 PM central Location: ADJ 142. Deadline to register is Mon., Oct. 31. Registration is closed.
Level 2 Session: WI Equity-Focused Approaches
Fri., Aug. 19: 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM central. Location: DBG 404. Registration is closed.
Thurs., Oct. 20: 12 PM to 4 PM central. Location: BSC 351. Deadline to register is Thurs., Oct. 6. Registration is closed.
Thurs., Dec. 1: 9 AM to 1 PM central. Location: BSC 253D. Deadline to register is Thurs., Nov. 17. Registration is closed.
Spring 2022 Sessions
WI Orientation
Tue., April 12: 9:00 AM to 1 PM central. Location: ADJ 142. Deadline to register is Tues., March 29. Registration is closed.
Fri., June 10: 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM central. Location: Zoom. Deadline to register for Madrid and SPS faculty is Fri., May 27. Registration is closed.
WI Course Faculty Development Session Descriptions
Writing intensive instructors who have not already received faculty development in writing pedagogy and all WI TAs should register for the Orientation and one of the Level 2 sessions.
Orientation to Writing-Intensive Pedagogy
Covering the basic principles and practices of WI pedagogy, this session also provides an overview of the elements covered in the other session below, so instructors can better determine what they'd like to further explore: 120 minutes
Level 2 Sessions. Writing intensive instructors who have not already received faculty development in writing pedagogy and all WI TAs should register for one of these two sessions. You may choose which one you would like to attend depending on your needs and interests. You may participate in all three if you would like.
Using Equity-Minded Approaches
Translingual and anti-racist writing; first-generation writing; writing with differently-abled students; grading; and assessment: 120 minutes
Teaching Writing Across the Semester and Providing Effective Feedback
Scaffolding; individual and team writing; the argument assignment; reflection; grading and assessment; instructor feedback; peer review; the writing center; higher- and later-order concerns (organization, citation, grammar and mechanics): 120 minutes
Level 3 Sessions. These optional sessions are available for WI instructors and TAs who are interested in more guidance on their writing pedagogy. You may participate in all three if you would like.
Teaching Civic Engagement
Charity vs. justice; direct and project-based service,;partners on and off campus; in-person and online service; grading and assessment: 120 minutes
Teaching Visual, Oral Communication
PowerPoint; fliers, Prezi; memes; infographics; individual and team presentations; grading and assessment: 120 minutes
Teaching the E-Portfolio
E-portfolio assignments; content; technology and usability; grading and assessment: 120 minutes
WI Course Community of Practice
As we develop WI courses at SLU, we're not just creating new course listings, we're building a community of instructors who work with writing across the curriculum. Below you will find members of our WI Community of Practice. These instructors have developed and submitted successful WI course proposals. Their material is available below in the Documents, Samples, and External Links section. These community members also contribute to our WI faculty development sessions.
María Victoria Albornoz, PhD, Department of Spanish, Madrid, Spain
Jessica Barreca, PT, DPT, Center for Interprofessional Education and Research
Ellen Carnaghan, Professor, Department of Political Science
Vincent Casaregola, Professor, Department of English
Ellen Crowell, Associate Professor, Department of English, Director of the University Undergraduate Core
Rachel Greenwald Smith, Associate Professor, Department of English
Ana M. Montero, Associate Professor of Spanish, Undergraduate Program Director, Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures
Nathaniel Rivers, Associate Professor, Department of English, Associate Director of the Core: EP1
Jennifer Rust, Associate Professor, Department of English
WI Course Documents, Samples, and External Links
The writing-intensive course proposal information sheet is below.
WI.Course.Prop.Info.Sheet.docxSample Syllabi
Approved WI Worksheets
WI Assignments
WI Assignments
Assignments from Allen Brizee, Department of English
Assignments from Jessica Barreca, Center for Interprofessional Education and Research
Writing-Focused Assignments and Grading Rubrics You Can Adapt for Your WI Class
Researching writing in the workplace: help your students learn more about the writing they will do in their fields
Researching ethical issues in the workplace: help your students learn more about ethical issues in their fields and propose ways of addressing those issues - includes critical reflection questions
Sample WI Grading Rubric - download and use or revise to tailor it to your course
Visit these external sites to learn more about writing at SLU, writing-intensive pedagogy, and writing across the curriculum (WAC):
Student Writing Opportunities at Saint Louis University
The Kiln Project - Saint Louis University's undergraduate literary and visual arts magazine
VIA - Saint Louis University's undergraduate research journal
Convivium - Saint Louis University Madrid's undergraduate arts magazine
Poetic Us - A poetry club run by undergraduate students Katerina Super (katerina.super@slu.edu) and Elsa Mulat (elizabeth.mulat@slu.edu)
Online Writing Resources
Framework for Success in Postsecondary Writing from the Council of Writing Program Administrators, National Council of Teachers of English, and the National Writing Project
Statement of WAC Principles and Practices from the International Network of WAC Programs (INWAC) and the CCCC Executive Committee
WI Points of Contact
Allen Brizee, PhD, Director of Writing Across the Curriculum, Associate Director of the Core: Writing Intensive, Associate Professor of English: allen.brizee@slu.edu, or call him at 314-977-3458 to schedule an individual or departmental meeting.
Website credit: Byron Gilman-Hernandez contributed to the development of this webpage.