Written Communication [WRTG]
Written communication courses promote the clear, concise, and effective development and expression of ideas through writing. WRTG courses prepare student writers to use writing to increase knowledge, foster understanding, and/or to promote change in readers’ attitudes or behaviors. Additionally, student writers will hone organizational and analytical skills, clarity, fluency, flexibility, and accuracy in their written communication.
Writing represents one of the three UCORE foundational competencies [QUAN, WRTG, COMM – 9 total credits] intended for completion in a student’s first year of study. Students may complete one WRTG course and one COMM course, or may choose to complete two WRTG courses to fulfill their foundational competency in communication (total 6 credits).
Student Learning Outcomes
Students, regardless of major, who successfully complete a [WRTG] course should be able to:
- Compose texts that demonstrate intentional rhetorical choices, including attention to audience, purpose, context, genre, and convention (written communication).
- Use evidence to support and explain claims (information literacy).
- Recognize how and why conventions vary among disciplines and communities (critical thinking).
- Reflect on and apply feedback to increase the effectiveness of written communication (critical thinking).
Revised outcomes approved Spring 2022.
For Faculty
Whether submitting a new course for approval for the first time or submitting an updated course as part of UCORE’s renewal process, faculty should submit a completed WRTG Learning Outcomes Grid along with the course syllabus and supporting assignment prompts/activity descriptions. This grid should clearly demonstrate the relationship among UCORE designator learning outcomes, course learning outcomes, and activities and assignments that support those outcomes.
Faculty are not required to insert this learning outcomes grid into the body of the syllabus. However, per WSU syllabus policy, all syllabi must communicate the course’s student learning outcomes to students. If the course holds a UCORE designation, then that communication should occur with in the context of the UCORE designation’s required learning outcomes (e.g. critical thinking, quantitative reasoning, understanding diversity, etc.).
All UCORE-designated courses are required to include in the syllabus a statement of how the course fulfills the specific UCORE requirement.
Please adapt this WRTG course description for use in your syllabus. If possible, integrate with course specific description.
XXXX XXX satisfies the WRTG requirement for WSU’s University Common Requirements (UCORE), which is designed to help you acquire broad understanding, develop intellectual and civic competencies, and apply knowledge and skills in real world settings. Upon completion of UCORE, you will have the tools needed to seek out information, interpret it, share it, and make reasoned and ethical judgements on a wide array of issues. With these broader goals in mind, XXXX XXX works to help you develop and express ideas clearly, concisely, and effectively in writing. As an outcome you will be able to increase knowledge, foster understanding, or to promote change in readers’ attitudes or behaviors. Additionally, you will hone and improve clarity, fluency, and accuracy, and organizational skills in writing.
Departments and schools should consider how UCORE student learning outcomes (skill development) map to course level (100, 200, 300, or 400) and design assignments and activities accordingly.
| Courses | Courses often taught at 100 & 200 level; some “shared” with other departments or UCORE, or community colleges (external context) | Courses generally at 300 and 400 level, often taught by the major department (or across depts, especially in interdisciplinary programs) | ||
| Introduce (I) | Practice (P) | Refine (R) | Competent (C) | |
| Levels of Program Learning Outcomes: Content, Skills, and Complexity | Introduce skills and knowledge Practice basics (methods, skills, content knowledge) Beginner, collegiate level. | Practice components to solidify foundational skills and knowledge, build comfort and proficiency (includes practice w/ feedback) | Additional development to refine skills & deepen knowledge; use in more complex, demanding contexts (includes practice w/ feedback) | Apply methods, skills, and knowledge in multiple contexts at an advanced, complex level; know when and where to apply; Graduating senior major level. |
Additional Resources
Provost Office’s Teach page
Explore this content area of the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President’s website, which contains resources, tips, tools, and techniques to support excellence and innovation in teaching.
Assignment Design Resources
Read guidance from the Office of Assessment for Curricular Effectiveness on developing powerful, clear assignments to impact teaching, learning, and assessment.
Required Learning Outcomes
Depending on the designation, your UCORE course will carry additional learning outcomes requirements.
UCORE Policy
View departmental responsibilities for class size, graduate student instructors, shared syllabi, and more.
Library Instruction
Emphasize information literacy by scheduling with a librarian a session that is specifically tailored to your course.
Syllabus Website
Use this website to confirm required syllabus elements and recommended syllabus elements before teaching a course.