Beginning in 1997, graduating seniors have been asked a series of questions about their writing experiences at George Mason, with particular focus on:
The report (December 1997) of this survey showed that, among other findings, 72% of students had been required to revise "papers, projects, or assignments" in three or more of their courses in the major. 92% had been required to revise in at least one major course (the minimal expectations defined in the WI requirement). 86% reported that they felt that their writing had improved because of the work they had done in courses in the major. Finally, responding to a list of skills that included organization (96%), critical thinking (95%), and ability to argue a position (90%), students said that their writing skills had improved "somewhat" to "very much" during their years at GMU.
For supplementary information on students' perceptions of their writing experiences at George Mason, click here for 2003 survey results.
To see the 2002 "In Focus" report on Writing Assessment at Mason, which includes the results of a university-wide faculty survey on student writing, click here.