Georgia Southern University2013 Institution Survey
Sites of writing--General Description
What is the institutional home of the writing program or department? (n=248)
independent department
If not part of the writing program or department, what is the institutional home for WAC? (n=227)
Office of Chief Academic Officer
Is writing in the disciplines part of the writing program or department? (n=265)
No
If not part of the writing program or department, what is the institutional home for writing in the disciplines? (n=184)
Office of Chief Academic Officer
Is the undergraduate writing major part of the writing program or department? (n=263)
Yes
Is the undergraduate writing minor part of the writing program or department? (n=352)
Yes
Does your institution have a writing center or learning center with writing tutors? (n=679)
Yes
Sites of writing--Writing Requirement
What does the writing requirement at your institution consist of? (n=638)
First-year composition predominately taught by English and/or Writing department (FYC)
Are there curricular requirements that are not part of the writing requirement but that have writing as an explicit goal? (n=657)
No
Sites of writing--College Writing Goals
Sites of writing--National Survey of Student Engagement
Does your institution administer the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE)? (n=667)
Yes
How does your writing program use the NSSE data? (n=425)
Data used to promote the writing program.
Data used to support curricular changes.
Is your school part of the WPA/NSSE Consortium for the Study of Writing in College? (n=494)
Yes
Sites of writing--Changes to Writing Program
Have there been changes to the writing program or sites of writing at your institution in the past 10 years? (n=666)
Yes
Which changes have taken place in regards to the writing requirement? (n=382)
The writing requirement was changed.
Other
Were there changes to the assessment of writing at your institution over the past 10 years? (n=589)
Yes
Were there any changes to the administrative structures of the writing program or the sites of writing over the past 10 years? (n=597)
Yes
Which administrative structures of the writing program or the sites of writing changed? (n=396)
Other
Was the writing program changed in the past 10 years to expand or eliminate areas? (n=609)
No
Were there changes to the staffing of the writing program or center over the past 10 years? (n=595)
Yes
Which changes to the staffing of the writing program or center have taken place over the past 10 years? (n=412)
Full-time, non-tenure-line teaching positions were added.
Adjunct faculty positions were converted into full-time, non-tenure-line teaching positions.
Other
Were there any additional changes to the writing program or the sites of writing at your institution not already mentioned? (n=588)
No
Do you foresee changes to the administrative, curricular, or support structures of the sites of writing at your institution over the next five years? (n=661)
Yes
What type of changes to the administrative, curricular, or support structures of the sites of writing at your institution do you foresee in the next five years? (n=484)
Changes to the curricular structures or writing requirement
Changes to the administrative structures
Changes to expand the writing program or sites of writing on campus
First-year writing/English composition--General Description
Does your institution have a first-year writing requirement whether explicit or embedded? (n=672)
Yes
By when must the second semester course be completed? (n=316)
First semester, second year
First-year writing/English composition--Placement and Transfer
What is your program's placement mechanism?
| FYWS (n=18) | FYC (n=373) | |
|---|---|---|
| SAT/ACT | ||
| AP/IB | Yes | |
| CLEP | ||
| In-house exam | ||
| Directed self-placement | ||
| Portfolio | ||
| Dual enrollment/ transfer | ||
| Other |
First-year writing/English composition--Goals and Assessment
How are the goals for FYW courses assessed?
| FYWS (n=66) | FYC (n=381) | |
|---|---|---|
| Paper portfolio | Yes | |
| E-portfolio | ||
| Random sample | Yes | |
| Exam | ||
| Professor evaluation | Yes | |
| None | ||
| Course evaluation | ||
| Student survey | ||
| Other |
Who participates in the assessment of the goals for FYW courses?
| FYWS (n=53) | FYC (n=326) | |
|---|---|---|
| WPA | Yes | |
| Writing faculty | Yes | |
| Institutional faculty | ||
| Outside evaluators | ||
| English faculty | ||
| Department chair | Yes | |
| Other |
First-year writing/English composition--Curriculum
What is the content of the FYC requirement? See Note 5. (n=456)
Writing About Writing (WAW)
Themes
WAC/Topic Based
First-year writing/English composition--Enrollment Caps
First-year writing/English composition--Staffing
In the 2011-12 academic year, what percentage of FYC courses were taught by: See Note 2a. (n=422)
| Full-Time, Tenure Track English Faculty | Full-Time, Tenure Track Writing Faculty | Full-Time, Tenure Track Other Faculty | Full-Time, Non-Tenure Track English Faculty | Full-Time, Non-Tenure Track Writing Faculty | Full-Time, Non-Tenure Track Other Faculty | Part-time English Faculty | Part-time Writing Faculty | English Graduate TAs | Writing Graduate TAs | Other Graduate TAs | WPA | Other | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0% | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| 1-5% | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||||||
| 6-15% | Yes | ||||||||||||
| 16-25% | |||||||||||||
| 26-35% | |||||||||||||
| 36-50% | |||||||||||||
| 51-60% | |||||||||||||
| 61-75% | |||||||||||||
| 76-85% | Yes | ||||||||||||
| 86-99% | |||||||||||||
| 100% |
Is there faculty or professional development available for those teaching FYC? (n=457)
Yes
What form does the faculty development take for FYW faculty?
| FYWS (n=70) | FYC (n=373) | |
|---|---|---|
| Requried pedagogy course taught by the WPA | ||
| Required faculty development workshops | ||
| Optional graduate pedagogy course | ||
| Optional faculty development workshops | Yes | |
| Individual meetings with the WPA/WCD | Yes | |
| Other |
Do those attending faculty development for FYC receive additional compensation? (n=411)
No
Identifying and supporting diversely-prepared students--General Description
Does your institution identify students who may need additional writing support, including students whose primary language is not English? (n=626)
Yes
How does the institution identify these students? (n=483)
SAT/ ACT scores
Faculty referral
What types of supports are available to those students? (n=489)
Special sections of FYW
Professional tutoring, not the WPA or WCD
Other
Identifying and supporting diversely-prepared students--Basic Writing
Identifying and supporting diversely-prepared students--Support for English Language Learners
What type of supports are available for ELLs? (n=412)
Targeted optional writing courses
What percentage of the student body is placed into ELL writing courses? See Note 4. (n=160)
1
How are students identified and/or placed into ELL writing courses? (n=239)
Placement test
Admissions office/ atudent affairs referral
Faculty referral
Advisor referral
What is the institutional home of the ELL writing courses? (n=241)
Writing deparment/program
Writing across the curriculum (WAC) and writing beyond the first year--General Description
Does your institution have a WAC program and/or writing requirement beyond the first year? (n=642)
Yes
Does your institution require all students to take lower-division writing courses taught by the English or Writing department for students in other departments? Does not include the first-year writing requirement. (n=302)
No
Does your institution require all students to take upper-division writing courses taught by the English or Writing department for students in other departments? (n=303)
No
Does your institution require all students to take a mid-level writing course(s)? (n=304)
Yes
How would you describe the mid-level course? (n=124)
The course is classified as writing in the major.
The course is similar to a writing-intensive course.
Each department determines which course fits this requirement.
Does your institution require ALL students to complete a senior thesis or other writing-intensive capstone experience? (n=306)
No
Is the senior thesis an explicit part of the college writing requirement? (n=92)
No
Does the institution require some students to complete a senior thesis or other writing-intensive capstone experience? If so, what are the requirements? (n=216)
It varies by department.
Honors students are required to complete a thesis or other writing-intensive capstone experience.
Writing across the curriculum (WAC) and writing beyond the first year--Writing-Intensive Courses
Does your institution require all students to take writing-intensive (WI or W) courses taught by departments other than English or Writing? (n=303)
Yes
What form of assessment takes place of the WI goals? (n=149)
Random sample of student writing
Who administers WAC assessment?
| Paper Portfolio | Electronic Portfolio | Random Sample of Student Writing | |
|---|---|---|---|
| WPA (n=27) | |||
| Writing program faculty (n=13) | |||
| Faculty from across the institution, via committee or ad hoc group (n=49) | Yes | Yes | |
| Other (n=30) |
Who participates in WAC assessment?
| Paper Portfolio | Electronic Portfolio | Random Sample of Student Writing | |
|---|---|---|---|
| WPA (n=25) | |||
| Writing program faculty (n=23) | |||
| Faculty from across the institution, via committee or ad hoc group (n=77) | Yes | ||
| Outside evaluators (n=6) | |||
| Other (n=24) |
What are the criteria for a WI course? (n=184)
Number of pages or words written
Revision
Written or verbal feedback from instructor
Which incentives are offered to faculty to teach WI courses? (n=51)
Use of writing fellows
Is there professional development available for those teaching in the WAC Program? (n=298)
Yes
What form does that faculty development take? (n=216)
Required faculty workshops
Optional faculty workshops
On-campus speakers
If faculty attend a seminar or workshop, how are they compensated? (n=129)
They receive food at the event.
They receive a stipend.
The undergraduate and graduate writing major and minor--Description of Undergraduate Major
What areas of writing can students specialize in as part of the major? (n=230)
Professional writing
Technical writing
Rhetoric/ composition
Creative writing
The undergraduate and graduate writing major and minor--Description of Undergraduate Minor
What areas of writing can students specialize in as part of the minor? (n=312)
Professional writing
Technical writing
Rhetoric/ composition
Creative writing
The undergraduate and graduate writing major and minor--Description of Graduate Programs
Does your institution offer a masters degree (M.A.) in writing, other than creative writing? (n=656)
No
Does your institution have a Ph.D. program in writing, other than creative writing? (n=654)
No
Writing centers--General description
Does your institution have a writing center or learning center with writing tutors? (n=676)
Yes
Is the writing center free-standing or part of another institutional unit? (n=612)
Part of another institutional unit
If the writing center is not free-standing, what larger institutional unit is it a part of? (n=379)
Rhetoric/writing department or program
Where is the writing center located? Note: From this point on writing center refers to both free-standing and those located within another unit. (n=612)
Academic building
What services does the writing center offer? (n=610)
Face-to-face consultations
Online tutoring via Skype or instant messaging (synchronous)
Assistance with oral presentations
Assistance with Powerpoint or other presentation software
Assistance with new media
Assistance with how to prepare a poster presentation
Tutoring in other subject areas
Writing centers--Consultations
How many face-to-face consultations were offered in the Fall of 2011? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=225)
1,388
How many face-to-face consultations were offered in the Spring of 2012? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=224)
1,388
How many face-to-face consultations were offered in the Summer of 2012? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=223)
0
How many face-to-face consultations were conducted in the Fall of 2011? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=440)
1,222
How many face-to-face consultations were conducted in the Spring of 2012? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=440)
1,069
How many face-to-face consultations were conducted in the Summer of 2012? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=428)
0
How many online consultations were offered in the Fall of 2011? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=221)
1,388
How many online consultations were offered in the Spring of 2012? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=222)
1,388
How many online consultations were offered in the Summer of 2012? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=220)
0
How many online consultations were conducted in the Fall of 2011? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=427)
27
How many online consultations were conducted in the Spring of 2012? See Note 2b & 4. (n=427)
37
How many online consultations were conducted in the Summer of 2012? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=425)
0
What percentage of the undergraduate student body had a writing center consultation during the 2011-12 academic year? See Notes 2a & 4. (n=316)
6
How many writing center consultations did your center conduct with graduate students during the 2011-12 academic year? See Notes 2a & 4. (n=184)
138
What percentage of the graduate student body had a writing center consultation during the 2011-12 academic year? See Notes 2a & 4. (n=122)
2
What is the average length of a consultation or tutorial session offered? (n=574)
Other
Writing centers--Consultants
Are some or all of your writing center consultants undergraduate students? (n=561)
Yes
Are some or all of your writing center consultants faculty who teach in the writing program? (n=548)
No
Are some or all of your writing center consultants faculty who teach in other academic departments? (n=539)
No
During the fall of 2011, what percentage of the writing center consultants were undergraduate students? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=449)
80
During the fall of 2011, what percentage of the writing center consultants were graduate students? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=228)
20
During the spring of 2012, what percentage of the writing center consultants were undergraduate students? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=450)
80
During the spring of 2012, what percentage of the writing center consultants were graduate students? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=228)
20
How many consultants who worked in the writing center during the fall of 2011 were undergraduate students? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=448)
8
How many consultants who worked in the writing center during the fall of 2011 were graduate students? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=227)
2
How many consultants who worked in the writing center during the spring of 2012 were undergraduate students? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=449)
8
How many consultants who worked in the writing center during the spring of 2012 were graduate students? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=227)
2
How are consultants working in the writing center initally trained?
| Undergraduate students (n=505) | Graduate students (n=251) | |
|---|---|---|
| Full-credit course | Yes | |
| Half-credit course | ||
| Weekly meetings | ||
| Monthly meetings | ||
| Workshops before the semester | Yes | Yes |
| No training required | ||
| Other |
What on-going professional development opportunities are offered for consultants working in the writing center?
| Undergraduate students (n=461) | Graduate students (n=237) | |
|---|---|---|
| Attendance at national conferences | ||
| Attendance at regional conferences | ||
| Presenting at national conferences | ||
| Presenting at regional conferences | ||
| Reading professional journals | Yes | Yes |
| Outside speakers | ||
| Weekly meetings | Yes | Yes |
| Semester inservice or workshop | ||
| Written reflections on daily and/or semester work | ||
| Meet with director | Yes | Yes |
| No opportunities available | ||
| Other |
How are consultants working in the writing center compensated?
| Undergraduate students (n=509) | Graduate students (n=263) | |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly wage | Yes | |
| Stipend | Yes | |
| Tuition waver | Yes | |
| Course credit | ||
| Faculty salary | ||
| Release time | ||
| Other |
Writing centers--Course-based Peer Tutoring
Does your institution have a writing fellows (course-based peer tutoring) program? (n=577)
No
Administrative structures
Who has primary responsibility for administering first-year writing requirement? (n=565)
FYWD
If the FYWD director was not hired for this position, how did he/she assume these responsibilities? (n=128)
Other
Who has primary responsibility for administering the writing center? (n=546)
Separate writing center director or coordinator (WCD)
Where does the WCD or LCD's tenure line reside? (n=118)
Rhetoric/ composition/writing
What is the teaching load for writing administrators?
| Average faculty member (n=501) | FYWD (n=265) | WAC director (n=62) | WCD (n=387) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-0 | ||||
| 0-1 | ||||
| 1-1 | ||||
| 1-2 or 2-1 | ||||
| 2-2 | Yes | |||
| 2-1-2 | ||||
| 2-2-2 | ||||
| 2-3 or 3-2 | ||||
| 3-3 | ||||
| 3-1-2 | ||||
| 3-1-3 | ||||
| 3-4 or 4-3 | ||||
| 4-4 | Yes | |||
| Other | ||||
| Varies |
What are the job responsibilities for writing administrators?
| FYWD (n=267) | WAC director (n=63) | WCD (n=392) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teach courses in the first-year writing program | Yes | ||
| Teach courses in the writing program/department (Not FYW) | Yes | Yes | |
| Teach courses outside the writing program/department | |||
| Assess all or some aspects of the writing program | |||
| Assess the development of student writing on campus | |||
| Conduct faculty development with faculty across the disciplines | |||
| Conduct TA training | |||
| Consult with individual faculty across the disciplines | |||
| Consult with departments across the disciplines | |||
| Supervise professional staff (writing center director, asst.director, admin asst.) | |||
| Supervise tutors (professional and/or peer) | Yes | ||
| Hire professional staff | |||
| Hire tutors | Yes | ||
| Schedule writing courses | |||
| Schedule writing center | Yes | ||
| Place students into writing courses | |||
| Facilitate placement exam | Yes | ||
| Oversee curriculum development | Yes | ||
| Train professional staff | Yes | ||
| Train peer tutors | Yes | ||
| Advertise program | Yes | ||
| Oversee program budget | Yes | ||
| Tutor students | |||
| Plan events | |||
| Serve on university committees | Yes | ||
| Maintain program website | Yes | ||
| Serve as an academic advisor | Yes | ||
| Offer student workshops | |||
| Oversee exemption and/or transfer credit | |||
| Other |