The Center for Writing Excellence

Junior Composition Course Development

Downloads

• Junior Composition Course Proposal Worksheet (Download Course Proposal Form)
• Guidelines for Junior-Level Composition Courses (Revised March, 2009) Download J-Course Guidelines

Criteria

1. General Criteria for “J” Courses

   • The aims of the course are broad enough to justify its existence as a writing course fulfilling a University-wide requirement.
   • The department considers the course an important component of its program.
   • Writing instruction is the focus of the course. Therefore, writing is frequent, and at least 5,000 original words are assigned. The writing will be evaluated and revised.
   • A variety of purposes and types of writing appropriate to the discipline should be assigned. Because the course fulfills a University requirement, the audience for the writing usually is imagined to be an intelligent and critical lay audience, rather than the teacher or some highly specialized members of the discipline.
   • Any prerequisites should be appropriate for junior-level students within the field of study.
   • Enrollment should be limited to 20 students to encourage evaluation and revision of writing, critical thinking, and interaction.
   • The instructor is interested in the craft of writing and in helping students achieve higher levels of competence as writers.
   • J-Course syllabi include required policy information as defined by the Faculty Handbook, including clear course goals and explicit student outcomes statements (please see http://www.ohio.edu/facultysenate/handbook/ for more information). Student outcomes statements must address both the composition/writing and disciplinary components of the course.

2. Criteria for Evaluation of Course

   • As is the case with all University courses, students evaluate “J” courses.
   • Syllabi will be collected by the CWAC every three years. Other assessments of J courses may occur as planned by individual departments, accreditation bodies, or the CWAC.

3. Suggestions for Good Writing Instruction

   • The goal is writing that is readable, lucid, and logical and seeks applicability across the disciplines.
     Matters of content, organization, and thinking receive appropriate attention. Matters of mechanics, grammar, and spelling receive appropriate attention.
   • Students receive response from peers and teachers.
   • Students receive opportunities for rewriting.
   • Students learning about writing in individual conferences with teachers as well as in class.
   • The teacher distributes a syllabus with clear explanations of assignments and criteria the instructor uses to evaluate student writing.

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