Writing Across the Curriculum at George Mason University

For New Century College

http://classweb.gmu.edu/nccwg/index.html

For School of Management

http://classweb.gmu.edu/mwasser1/writinghb/writing.htm

For Government 101:

http://webct.gmu.edu:8900

Then click on Fall 2000
Then click on GOV 101
Username (case sensitive): GOVT101F00
Password (case sensitive): america99
Then Click on "Writing Tools"

Course-specific web-based guides are intended to provide writing support 1) to students who will take or are taking required writing-intensive (WI) courses in the major; 2) to faculty who will be teaching or are currently teaching a WI course; and 3) to all students in the major who can easily access the web-based guide to learn about norms and expectations for writing in that major.

Web-based writing guides not only clarify expectations for writing in the major, they also help to set those expectations by laying out, for example, typical assignments; criteria for "good" writing in the major; samples of well-written papers with teacher commentary; teachersÕ likes, dislikes, and pet peeves, based on interviews with the teachers; and much more, depending on departmental preference. Two less visible but no less important outcomes are that faculty engage in sharing ideas, information, and materials related to writing; and that students see "virtual" evidence that competent writing is every faculty member's concern and is expected in every course.

The department of Public and International Affairs (PIA), New Century College, and the School of Management have already developed web-based writing guides with funding support from the Office of the Provost. PIA and the Writing Center won a "top honors" award at a Spring Innovations 2000 campus conference for our joint work on this guide.

In Fall 2000, the Office of the Provost granted additional funding to support development of web-based writing guides focused on writing-intensive courses. The departments of Psychology, Biology, and Communications and the School of Nursing are currently working on web-based writing guides for their WI courses.