WAC SURVEY RESULTS FALL 2011, SPRING 2012, and FALL 2012

WAC SURVEY RESULTS—FALL 2011, SPRING 2012, and FALL 2012

1. What year are you? FALL 2011 SPRING 2012 FALL 2012 Freshmen 8% 4 8 Sophomore 49% 60 33 Junior 21% 17 38 Senior 21% 16 20 2. Is writing important in your major? YES 79% 78 78

3. Has English 2001 prepared you for writing in your major? YES 76% 70 67

4. What was helpful about English 2001?

FALL 2011 SPRING 2012 FALL 2012 Developing my own voice 33% 40 33 Further practice with writing 52 57 59 Peer feedback on papers 29 40 42 Teacher feedback on papers 45 50 42 Portfolio use 21 31 32 Journal use 15 14 15 Conferences with teacher 29 43 25 Learning how to cite sources 34 42 39 correctly Developing an awareness of and/or 33 40 46 using different documentation styles Learning how to rhetorically analyze a text 33 42 41 Recognizing different writing genres 31 29 33 Becoming aware of different writing 34 31 41 conventions for different disciplines Gaining information about writing 37 36 32 in my major

5. Are you aware that as part of the new Gen Ed requirements, you are expected to take a third-year writing course and a capstone course in the major (referred to as the Vertical Writing Model)?

14% 56% 61%

6. Do you consider yourself a good writer?

86% 81% 87% 7. What do you do well as a writer?

FALL 2011 SPRING 2012 FALL 2012  “I am organized” 68% 57 67  “I supply good detail” 65% 50 51  “I’m good at mechanics 57% 46 52 and grammar”  “I’m creative” 52% 52 59  “I have a clear voice” 52% 46 48  “I argue well” 42% 47 41

8. What helps you as a writer?

Teacher feedback 42% 85 95% Clear, specific instructions 23% 65 75% Examples from teachers of what is a good paper 11% 56 56% Peer feedback 4% 45 58% One-on-one conferences with the professor 16% 56 47% Visits to the University Writing Center 3% 11 13% Grammar lessons .9% 21 18%

9. What areas do you struggle with as a writer?

I procrastinate a lot 67% 59 52 I have problems getting started and/ 51% 48 47 or writing conclusions I am bad at grammar and punctuation 29% 23 30 I am not good at revising my work 34% 22 29 I don’t like to write 27% 29 22 I have trouble saying what I want to say 22% 17 22

10. Do you feel you improve as a writer when you create a writing portfolio?

NA 44% yes 56% yes

11. Which of the following statements do you agree with about portfolios?

FALL 2011 SPRING 2012 FALL 2012 NA They are an extra assignment at the end of the semester. 44% 53 They give me more time to polish a paper. 43% 52 They allow me more time to revise my thoughts. 42% 44 They allow me to improve my grades. 42% 42 They allow me to showcase my best work. 39% 38 I like being able to choose which papers I want graded. 38% 37 They allow me to reflect on my writing and my progress in class. 34% 38 I like being able to see my progress across the semester. 30% 37 I'd rather have a grade on each paper during the semester. 23% 19 I don't like to revise; I don't see the importance of revision. 8% 6