WID Guidelines and Principles

Guidelines and Principles

The Writing Board created these guidelines and principles in consultation with RIC faculty who teach WID courses. They are designed to support effective writing instruction across various disciplines. They draw from the Statement of WAC Principles and Practices, a foundational document in the teaching of disciplinary and professional writing in higher education produced by the Association for Writing Across the Curriculum (AWAC) and endorsed by the Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCC). They aim to enhance the quality and consistency of WID instruction at RIC.

Course Structure

Most departments and programs have two or more WID courses in each major/concentration.

• Lower-division (i.e., 200-level) WID courses often reinforce foundational writing skills, habits, and dispositions and introduce discipline-specific writing conventions, giving students opportunities to practice writing within their fields and professions.
• Upper-division (i.e., 300- and 400-level) WID courses frequently build on these skills, providing advanced writing experiences that emphasize more formal writing. Lists of WID courses can be found on department webpages.

In WID Courses, Students:

1. Write: 

   Writing is a core component of a WID course and accounts for 40-60% of a student’s final course grade. This percentage can include numerous and varied writing tasks and activities, such as in-class writing prompts, informal or low-stakes writing assignments, and formal papers or reports (it should not include timed tests or quizzes). While 40% is the minimum, it is common in WID classes that more than 60% of the final grade come from writing tasks, activities, and assignments.

2. Learn Writing Skills and Knowledge: 

   In WID courses class time is allocated to teaching what counts as effective writing in the discipline or profession and how to produce it. Discussion and analysis of assignment guidelines, peer reviews and workshops, examination and discussion of model texts, and individual or group writing conferences are some of the activities in which students engage in WID courses. Faculty who teach such courses don’t always think of themselves as writing teachers, but assigning and evaluating writing requires them to teach it as well. In WID courses, class time is regularly allocated to this task.

3. Write Frequently and Continuously: 

   Assignments in WID courses encourage regular writing throughout the term. Major assignments incorporate the full writing process (i.e., prewriting, drafting, research, revising, editing, etc.), with feedback from peers and/or faculty along the way. Minor assignments can help stage and build larger projects or support learning of course content. Writing is integrated into and throughout WID courses.

4. Write in Diverse and Varied Forms: 

   In WID courses, students engage in writing that enhances learning, demonstrates content knowledge, and illustrates mastery of disciplinary and/or professional forms. Assignments include a wide range of tasks and activities. Some are low-stakes, even ungraded (e.g., in-class reflections or notes). Others are high-stakes and count for a significant portion of a student’s final course grade (e.g., research reports, proofs, term papers, précis, essays, etc.).

5. Are Informed About WID: 

   Syllabi statements for WID courses articulate the class as WID and describe the skills with and knowledge about writing that students develop in the course. Beyond syllabus statements, faculty who teach WID courses regularly talk to students about writing and its role in the course, discipline, and/or profession, working to make writing and its learning a consistently visible part of the class.

In order to ensure that these guidelines are met, WID courses are usually capped at no more than twenty students.

If you have questions about these guidelines and principles or require assistance in developing effective writing pedagogies, please reach out to the Writing Board chair, Dr. Michael Michaud.