Simon Fraser University

Writing-Intensive Learning (W) Courses

A focus on learning

Writing-intensive learning courses can be summarized in two key phrases: "writing to learn" and "learning to write". Writing to learn focuses on using different kinds of low-stakes writing (also called exploratory or informal writing) to explore ideas and concepts, develop critical thinking and to provide feedback. Learning to write involves high stakes writing (also called formal writing) and focuses on teaching students how to write the various kinds of writing encountered in philosophy.

 

While W courses can involve a lot of writing (not all of it is graded), they are also reading-intensive courses, and most importantly, learning-intensive courses. W courses are designed to help students move from surface learning to deep learning. They work to engage students actively with the material.

A disciplinary context

All of the writing, reading, and learning that goes on in a W course happens in a disciplinary context - in this case, philosophy. So students don't learn how to write - they learn how to write philosophy. Similarly, they are learning how to read, think, and do philosophy. A W course isn't a course in how to write, it's a course in how to do philosophy.

W course criteria

A W course at SFU is one that has been designated as writing-intensive learning (W) and meets the criteria as set out in the undergraduate curriculum requirements. Here are the criteria from the undergraduate curriculum site:

 

"A W course is one that fulfills the following conditions:

  1. Students have opportunities to use writing as a way of learning the content of the course and are taught to write in the forms and for the purposes that are typical of the disciplines and/or professions, in ways that are clearly distinguished from remedial and foundational skills courses.
  2. Examples of writing within the disciplines are used as a means of instruction about typical structures, modes of reasoning, styles of address, and the use of technical language and of evidence.
  3. Students receive appropriate feedback and response to their writing that is based on explicit criteria and is directed at improving the quality of their writing.
  4. Revision is built into the process of writing for formal assignments, usually in terms of revisions of the same paper, or alternatively, in revisions accomplished through successive similar assignments.
  5. At least half the course grade is based on written work for which students receive feedback (see Criterion 3).

On these criteria, courses that require written assignments but do not provide explicit instruction on writing would not qualify as W courses."

 

In the Philosophy Department, Phil 100 and Phil 120 have been designated as W courses, as well as Phil 421, Phil 444, Phil 451, Phil 455, and Phil 467.

TAing a W course

TAs are an integral component to ensuring the success of a W course. To this end, all TAs who are new to a W course (whether or not they have previous TA experience) will take six hours of W training, covered in three workshops. These workshops, led by the "W Lecturer" for philosophy, are designed to orient TAs to W courses and to provide some techniques to use in tutorials and when responding to writing. The W Lecturer is also available throughout the semester to answer questions and help with W-related concerns.

 

The TA workload of a W course is similar to that of non-W courses, with a maximum of 210 hours in a semester. W tutorial sizes are smaller than non-W tutorials, and W TAs take three tutorials, instead of four. These measures ensure that TAs have sufficient time for responding to writing assignments.