Writing Assignments in Writing Enhanced Courses
Generally, the kinds of writing assigned in a writing enhanced course run the range between simple/easy and complex/challenging. For the sake of simplicity, we break the kinds of assignments into three kinds:
- Low-stakes
- Medium-stakes
- High-stakes
Faculty build up to high-stakes assignments by assigning plenty of low- and medium-stakes writing. In general, a writing-to-learn curriculum relies more on the low- to medium-stakes assignments than on the high-stakes. The process is comparable to quizzes and exams: students use the quizzes to strengthen themselves for higher-stakes examinations, and students will not master the materials all at once. By emphasizing low- and medium-stakes writing, and a variety of grade weights and revision opportunities, faculty help students get control of the content before putting them on the spot with higher-stakes assignments.
Some examples of the kinds of writing that faculty could assign:
Informal, Low-Stakes Assignments
These assignments tend to be ongoing through the semester, are generally unrevised and are often not graded:
- Journal entries, logs or "idea" notebooks
- In-class writing exercises, free writes or "one minute" essays
- Blackboard "Discussion Board" posts
Shorter, Medium-Stakes Assignments
These are typically shortish assignments, generally include some revision and are usually graded:
- Correspondence (reflections emailed to you; reading responses emailed to the group)
- Short reports
- Abstracts of readings
- Micro-themes (short essays)
- Proposals
- Critical analyses of readings or disciplinary conventions
Extended, High-Stakes Assignments
These assignments are typically longer projects, go through one or more revisions, and are graded:
- Long paper or report
- Technical writing assignment
- Extended proposal, including research projects
- Case studies