MCC Daily Tribune

Writing is Everyone's Business: Submit Your WR-Course Proposal Now

Do you see your primary goal as preparing students for the workforce? If so, then you will do your students (and their future employers) a huge favor by requiring them to write often, in a variety of contexts both formal and informal.

A 2018 survey of business leaders and hiring managers, the results of which are reported in Fulfilling the American Dream: Liberal Education and the Future of Work, shows why: written communication is something business executives and hiring managers deem "very important" for college graduates. They want it to be a skill stressed in the classroom, too. Only 33% of executives and 45% of managers say that college graduates are well-prepared when it comes to the writing skills necessary for the workplace.

Further, when asked about valuable college learning experiences of job-seekers, 82% of executives and 72% of managers identify "Multiple courses requiring significant writing assignments" as making a significant difference in their hiring decisions.

You can help students increase their job prospects (as well as their success and promotion on the job) by adapting your existing courses so that they meet MCC's writing-intensive (WR) course standards.

WR courses follow the central principle of writing-to-learn: course content is enhanced through activities and assignments that enable students to write about what they're learning. Whether written in class or revised and edited on a computer, writing is, quite literally, a hands-on application of their learning. When this happens through repeated practice across all their courses, students build their skills and their confidence when it comes to written communication.

Also: Students who take at least 30 credits WR courses and maintain a B average among those courses will receive WR designation on their transcripts when they graduate.

As your department schedulers are busy working on the 2020 spring schedule, now is the perfect time to take the formal step in becoming WR-certified! Begin here, by reviewing the Guidelines for Writing-Intensive Courses and then submitting a WR-course proposal. There is plenty of time for you to become certified and have your WR section(s) on the books when registration opens in a couple weeks.

The WAC Committee is happy to assist you after that with workshops/consultations on effective practices, designing assignments, and grading strategies.

Questions? Please contact Amy Burtner.

Amy Burtner
Writing Across the Curriculum
09/30/2019