NSU's Quality Enhancement Plan April 2017

24 | NSU QEP Strategies courses, also referred to as writing-intensive courses, as “a writing requirement that extends writing beyond first-year writing. Each institution has its own criteria for what constitutes a writing-intensive course” (“Glossary and Notes” section). Having reviewed required elements for writing-enriched courses at other universities, including two universities (UNCP and McNeese State) that had writing-based QEPs, the QEP Committee worked with faculty members to develop the following criteria for writing-enriched courses at NSU: 1. Multiple Discipline-Specific Writing Assignments —Graded writing assignments will demonstrate discipline-specific writing and occur throughout the course of the semester. 2. Revision —Writing assignments will go through the revision process. The instructor, and/or a writing consultant/fellow, will provide formative feedback prior to the project receiving a final grade. 3. Rubrics —Writing assignments will be evaluated based on well-defined rubrics (See Appendix D). 4. Syllabus —Course syllabi will encourage students to work with writing fellows and/or writing consultants at the NSU Write from the Start Writing and Communication Center. 5. Faculty Support —Faculty members teaching writing-enriched courses across the curriculum will receive support and pedagogical assistance from NSU Write from the Start Writing and Communication Center staff members, including writing fellows. 6. Assessment —The NSU Write from the Start Writing and Communication Center and QEP Committee will work together to assess various facets of the writing- enriched initiative, including student writings. Assessment plans will be outlined in the assessment section. Faculty members teaching writing-enriched courses will apply to have the NSU Write from the Start Writing and Communication Center support their classes via an expanded version of the university’s writing fellows program. Similar to most writing fellows programs, the NSU Write from the Start Writing and Communication Center Writing Fellows will be undergraduate and graduate students who have experience with discipline-specific writing conventions and will be educated in writing center pedagogy. In addition, the writing fellows will • be connected to courses that involve significant discipline-specific writing • work closely with faculty members to develop an understanding of course and assignment goals and objectives • provide writing assistance, written and/or oral, to students outside of class • not be involved with the final evaluation or grading of writing assignments