Writing Across the Curriculum

WHAT’S MY TEACHER LOOKING FOR?

     It sometimes seems as though each faculty member wants something different with respect to writing.  While it is true that teachers of different courses and in different disciplines vary have specific requirements, there is actually a great deal of agreement about what constitutes effective writing in any field.  USM’s Writing Assessment Committee formulated these components of effective writing in the following way:

• Excellent writing is shaped by a strong sense of purpose, and is clear and well-organized.

• Excellent writing conforms to the organizational conventions relevant for its purpose and audience.

• Excellent writing presents the reader with a clear logical and conceptual structure.

• Excellent writing takes account of the intended reader, including the reader’s point of view, assumptions, and background knowledge.

• Excellent writing conforms to standard grammatical, spelling, and punctuation conventions unless the writer consciously violates these standards for effect.

• Excellent writing draws widely on both the vocabulary of the discipline and the language as a whole to produce writing that is clear and concise.

• Excellent writing reflects a high sense of responsibility for accuracy and precision, and acknowledges other writers and researchers whose words or ideas have contributed significantly to the work at hand. 

     These are things you should strive for in all your written work.  Even if your teacher has not specifically asked for these things, s/he will notice and appreciate when you do these things well. 

This page was last updated on March 5, 2004.