Purdue University2013 Institution Survey
Sites of writing--General Description
What is the institutional home of the writing program or department? (n=248)
English Department
Is the undergraduate writing major part of the writing program or department? (n=263)
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)
Other
What other writing requirements does your institution have?
business or technical writing and other professional writing courses; also each department may have other requirements
Sites of writing--National Survey of Student Engagement
Does your institution administer the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE)? (n=667)
Yes
Is your school part of the WPA/NSSE Consortium for the Study of Writing in College? (n=494)
I don't know
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
Was the writing program changed in the past 10 years to expand or eliminate areas? (n=609)
Yes
How did the writing program change? (n=346)
A writing center was merged with a learning commons.
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 assessment
Changes to the administrative structures
Changes to eliminate or consolidate aspects of the writing program or sites of writing on campus
Changes to the types of staffing
If you foresee changes to the administrative, curricular, or support structures of the sites of writing at your institution over the next five years feel free to explain.
We are in a period of major transition. I do not know what to expect.
First-year writing/English composition--General Description
Does your institution have a first-year writing requirement whether explicit or embedded? (n=672)
Yes
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)
Placement test
Admissions office/ student affairs referral
Faculty referral
Student self-referral
What types of supports are available to those students? (n=489)
Special sections of FYW
Peer tutoring
Workshops
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
Summer bridge program
Peer tutoring
Other
How are students identified and/or placed into ELL writing courses? (n=239)
SAT/ACT/TOFEL
Placement test
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)
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)
English department
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
Assistance with Powerpoint or other presentation software
Assistance with new media
Assistance with how to lead a class discussion
Tutoring in other subject areas
Other
What other services does the writing center offer?
Workshops on request for classes in disciplines across the curriculum. Also, some WAC projects.
Writing centers--Consultations
What is the average length of a consultation or tutorial session offered? (n=574)
30 minutes
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)
47
During the fall of 2011, what percentage of the writing center consultants were graduate students? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=228)
53
During the spring of 2012, what percentage of the writing center consultants were undergraduate students? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=450)
47
During the spring of 2012, what percentage of the writing center consultants were graduate students? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=228)
53
How many consultants who worked in the writing center during the fall of 2011 were undergraduate students? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=448)
15
How many consultants who worked in the writing center during the fall of 2011 were graduate students? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=227)
17
How many consultants who worked in the writing center during the spring of 2012 were undergraduate students? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=449)
15
How many consultants who worked in the writing center during the spring of 2012 were graduate students? See Notes 2b & 4. (n=227)
17
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 | Yes | |
| Weekly meetings | ||
| Monthly meetings | Yes | Yes |
| Workshops before the semester | ||
| 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 | Yes | |
| Attendance at regional conferences | Yes | |
| Presenting at national conferences | ||
| Presenting at regional conferences | ||
| Reading professional journals | Yes | |
| Outside speakers | Yes | |
| Weekly meetings | ||
| Semester inservice or workshop | ||
| Written reflections on daily and/or semester work | ||
| Meet with director | 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 | ||
| Tuition waver | ||
| Course credit | ||
| Faculty salary | ||
| Release time | ||
| Other | Yes |
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 the writing center? (n=546)
Separate writing center director or coordinator (WCD)
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 | Yes | |||
| 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 | ||||
| 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 | |||
| Teach courses in the writing program/department (Not FYW) | 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 | Yes | ||
| Conduct TA training | Yes | ||
| Consult with individual faculty across the disciplines | Yes | ||
| Consult with departments across the disciplines | Yes | ||
| Supervise professional staff (writing center director, asst.director, admin asst.) | Yes | ||
| Supervise tutors (professional and/or peer) | Yes | ||
| Hire professional staff | Yes | ||
| Hire tutors | Yes | ||
| Schedule writing courses | |||
| Schedule writing center | |||
| Place students into writing courses | |||
| Facilitate placement exam | |||
| Oversee curriculum development | |||
| Train professional staff | Yes | ||
| Train peer tutors | |||
| Advertise program | Yes | ||
| Oversee program budget | Yes | ||
| Tutor students | Yes | ||
| Plan events | Yes | ||
| Serve on university committees | Yes | ||
| Maintain program website | |||
| Serve as an academic advisor | Yes | ||
| Offer student workshops | |||
| Oversee exemption and/or transfer credit | |||
| Other | Yes |