The goal of Missouri S&T’s Writing Intensive (WI) courses is to enhance students’ learning through substantial engagement with writing as a process of inquiry, problem-solving, and communication. WI courses are not designed to provide remedial instruction in basic writing skills; rather, they integrate writing deeply into the learning of disciplinary content. Writing Intensive courses promote critical thinking, deepen disciplinary knowledge, and improve communication skills crucial for professional success.

Writing Intensive courses directly support Missouri S&T’s North Star Goals by:

• Prioritizing Student Success: WI courses promote active learning strategies that help students develop essential communication, reasoning, and critical thinking skills necessary for professional excellence.
• Elevating Research and Creative Work: Through writing-to-learn approaches and field-specific research projects, WI courses foster students’ ability to engage with and contribute to the advancement of knowledge in their disciplines.
• Enhancing Campus Reputation and Impact: By embedding high-quality, discipline-specific writing into the curriculum, WI courses ensure that S&T graduates are prepared to lead, innovate, and communicate effectively in their professional communities.

Faculty proposing a WI course must demonstrate how the course will engage students in the process of drafting, receiving feedback, revising, and producing polished final written products. The instructor’s professional commitment to writing as a mode of learning is essential.

1. Writing as a Mode of Inquiry and Learning

Writing serves as a fundamental tool for exploration and understanding. In WI courses, students engage in writing tasks that prompt them to analyze concepts, synthesize information, and construct knowledge. This process-oriented approach encourages students to view writing not merely as a means of communication but as a method for deepening their comprehension of subject matter.

2. Emphasis on the Writing Process and Revision

WI courses prioritize the writing process, recognizing that effective writing emerges through drafting, feedback, and revision. Students are encouraged to view their initial drafts as starting points, with subsequent revisions serving to refine their ideas and arguments. This iterative process fosters critical thinking and allows students to develop their writing skills progressively.

3. Integration of Multimodal Communication

Recognizing the evolving landscape of communication, WI courses incorporate various modes of expression beyond traditional text. Students may engage in creating visual, digital, or oral presentations, such as infographics, videos, or podcasts, to convey their ideas effectively. These multimodal assignments are designed to meet the same rigorous standards of critical engagement and revision as written work.

4. Discipline-Specific Writing Conventions

WI courses are tailored to reflect the writing styles and conventions of specific academic disciplines. Students learn to produce work that adheres to the genres, formats, and rhetorical strategies prevalent in their fields of study. This focus prepares students for professional communication within their chosen field.

5. Constructive Feedback and Collaborative Learning

Effective WI instruction involves providing students with timely, constructive feedback from instructors, peers, and writing centers. This feedback guides students in refining their work and encourages collaborative learning environments where students can engage in meaningful discussions about their writing.

Writing Intensive (WI) courses must require students to complete a substantial body of work in written, visual, digital, or multimodal forms. This work should demonstrate sustained engagement with the processes of composing, revising, and communicating complex ideas.