Writing in the Disciplines

One model of writing does not fit all disciplines. Different fields have different ideas about how writing works and what is for, and they have different writing needs. Because of this, the Writing Institute can work with you to help identify the aspects of writing that your students need to learn. We can help you to develop materials that will allow students to engage with discipline-specific writing in productive and meaningful ways. 

If you are new to teaching a course that satisfies the Writing general education requirement, browse our Quick Start Guide for some ideas. 

The Writing Institute will support the teaching of writing in the disciplines in a variety of ways:

Individual and Group Consultations: We are available to meet with you or with a group in your department in order to talk about the teaching of writing in your discipline. We are eager to learn more about how writing works in your field and to meet those who are teaching writing-intensive courses. 

Assessing Writing in the Disciplines: We have been charged with the task of reviewing writing in the disciplines across the Dietrich School. Over the next several years, we will be working with divisions to collect and study samples of student work, teaching materials, and departmental guidelines given to teachers of W courses. The goals are to determine needs, see what is working well, and plan the future.