Undergraduate Writing Assignments: An Analysis of Syllabi at One Canadian College

Abstract

Studies of university writing assignments demonstrate inconsistencies in the elements examined, making it difficult to achieve a clear understanding of the range, frequency, and characteristics of assignments that students might encounter. In this research study, syllabi from one university college were analyzed to determine the types and frequency of assignments and how these assignments vary by program and level. A total of 179 syllabi from all courses taught during 1 academic year were collected. On average, 2.5 writing assignments per course were assigned. Almost half of all assignments were 4 pages or less in length. Though length and grade value of assignments were significantly correlated, students did not write significantly longer or more high-stakes assignments as they progressed. The most common type of assignment was the term or research paper, though task labels were highly variable. Program profiles revealed differences between programs in frequency of assignments, learning goals, nested assignments, and in-process feedback. Implications for Writing Across the Curriculum programming and the development of departmental writing profiles are discussed.

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“…Indeed, the genres often go by the same names as those the students wrote in secondary school (essay, report), and thus bring attendant confusion and unlearning necessary to sort out the differences in the kinds and disciplines of thinking/writing (Graves et al, 2010;Donahue, 2008). So students must consciously wrestle with writing.…”

“…The University of Minnessota (2013) Writing Enhanced Curriculum, for example, has a team of WAC experts work with individual departments to survey their needs, change curriculum, develop interventions, and assess them in a three-year iterative cycle. (See also Graves, Hyland & Samuels 2010;Toronto, NCSU.). However, these are rare.…”

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“…Additional strategies for analyzing assessment activities for what they ask students to do and learn can be found in writing across the curriculum investigations of writing tasks that undergraduate students complete in the course of their studies (e.g., Britton, 1975;Graves, Hyland, & Samuels, 2010;Melzer, 2009). These investigations have analyzed writing assignments for the assignment category (exam, paper, presentation, etc.…”

“…Of the 43 writing assignments in the study corpus, no details were provided for 18 term papers. Due to the variance in assignment names (also found by Graves, Hyland, & Samuels, 2010), we divided the remaining assignments into six descriptive categories (see Table 3). We also coded for the "real audience" who would read the students' work and the imagined or real "specified audience" to whom students were directed to write as well as the general genre-related "position" or role that assignments situated students within.…”

“…Biggs & Tang, 2011;Joughin, 2010;Boud, 1990). For the purposes of this study, we depart from more comprehensive investigations of assignments across the curriculum (e.g., Britton et al, 1975;Graves, Hyland, & Samuels, 2010;Zhu, 2004;Leedham, 2009;Melzer, 2009) to consider in particular the rhetorical nature of assessment activities, specifically in terms of what they ask students to do (their purposes, aims, and actions) and for whom (their intended real or imagined audiences).…”