Writing Across the Curriculum & Writing in the Disciplines at UNA

Today’s Goals
Develop an understanding of Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) and Writing in the Disciplines (WID)
Develop an understanding of how composition is presented in the University Writing Center (and how it can help you!)
Begin to identify where our classroom writing practices fit in the context of these ideas
Begin to identify areas of interest and need

What is Writing Across the Curriculum?
Expressive – described as “writing to learn” (process more than product)
Emphasis on the development of ideas – of engaging in a conversation about knowledge
Examples include journals, short in-class writing, outlines, other non-graded or informal, low-investment/high-yield writing

What is Writing in the Disciplines?
Transactional – Also described as “writing to measure learning” (process and product)
Emphasis on the accurate production of texts that reflect the requirements of the discipline – both in content and in form.
Examples include research papers, annotated bibliographies, formal essays and reports, etc.

The Basics of Composition
As Presented in the University Writing Center
Writing/Composing Process
Prewriting
Often used interchangeably with the term Invention
Encompasses activities such as Brainstorming, Freewriting, Clustering, etc.
Writing
Used interchangeably with the term Drafting or Composing, though it is most often used to refer to the entire composing process
Rewriting
Encompasses Revision and Editing, which are two distinct activities that often happen simultaneously

The Basics of Composition
As Presented in the University Writing Center
Higher Order Concerns (HOCs)
These are the primary issues that must be addressed in any piece of transactional writing.
HOCs are addressed through Revision
There are seven HOCs:
Audience & Purpose
Thesis
Organization
Development
Introduction & Conclusion (my addition)

The Basics of Composition
As Presented in the University Writing Center
Lower/Later Order Concerns (LOCs)
Named for required thinking processes, they are sometimes considered “Later” concerns because they need to happen after HOCs have been addressed.
LOCs are addressed through Editing
There are four LOC categories (my arrangement):
Grammar
Mechanics
Punctuation
Spelling

Where Do Our Practices Fit?
Expressive / Transactional ?
Process / Product / Both ?
Do we emphasize:
Higher Order Issues?
Lower/Later Order Issues?
Neither?
Both ?
For all of these, WHY?

What Do We Need?
What would we like to learn more about?
Theories?
Practices? (Assignments, Assessment?)
Overcoming Obstacles? (which ones?)
Solutions to Immediate Problems?
A Forum for further discussion?
Face-to-face?
Discussion List/Board?