WAC WRITING SURVEY RESULTS

SPRING 2013

1.What year are you?
Response Total / Response Percent
Freshman / / 17 / 7%
Sophomore / / 173 / 69%
Junior / / 41 / 16%
Senior / / 11 / 4%
Graduate student / / 0 / 0%
Transfer student / / 6 / 2%

2.What is your major?

Psychology 74 Computer Science 7 Geology 1

Business 26 History 5 Art 1

Education 20 Building Science 5 Dance 1

Sciences 18 English 3 Theatre 1

Health Care 18 Music 3 Women’s Studies 1

HLES 16 Mathematics 3 Sociology 1

Criminal Justice 14 Religion 3 Social Work 1

Design 11 Appropriate Tech 3 Geography 1

Communication 11 Political Science 2

Sustainable Development 7

(NOTE: Some majors were grouped according to the umbrella discipline. For example, Physical Education and Recreation Management were included under HLES.)

3.Is writing important in your major?
Response Total / Response Percent
Yes / / 199 / 80%
No / / 49 / 20%
4.What writing courses have you taken at ASU?
English 1000 / / 154 / 61%
English 2001 / / 223 / 89%
WID / / 29 / 12%

(WID classes cited include courses in Nutrition, Psychology, Biology, Physiology, Geography and Planning, Sociology, Criminal Justice and Communication)

6.What was helpful about English 1000? (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY)
Response Total / Response Percent
Developing my own voice / / 74 / 29%
Further practice with writing / / 153 / 61%
The ability to choose my own topic / / 80 / 32%
Class size / / 81 / 32%
New invention techniques/ ways to get started on a paper / / 49 / 20%
Peer feedback on papers / / 83 / 33%
Teacher feedback on papers / / 126 / 50%
Portfolio use / / 62 / 25%
Journal use / / 30 / 12%
Conferences with teacher / / 80 / 32%
Learning that it’s okay to use “I” and contractions in a paper / / 46 / 18%
Learning how to cite sources correctly / / 84 / 33%
Other, please specify / / 39 / 16%
7.Has English 2001 prepared you for writing in your major?
Response Total / Response Percent
Yes / / 174 / 73%
No / / 63 / 27%
8.What was helpful about English 2001 in preparing you for writing in your major? (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY)
Response Total / Response Percent
Developing my own voice / / 105 / 42%
Further practice with writing / / 165 / 66%
Peer feedback on papers / / 119 / 47%
Teacher feedback on papers / / 144 / 57%
Portfolio use / / 78 / 31%
Journal use / / 68 / 27%
Conferences with teacher / / 106 / 42%
Learning how to cite sources correctly / / 131 / 52%
Developing an awareness of/ using different documentation styles / / 116 / 46%
Learning how to rhetorically analyze a text / / 116 / 46%
Recognizing different writing genres / / 100 / 40%
Becoming aware of different writing conventions for different disciplines / / 109 / 43%
Gaining information about writing in my major / / 128 / 51%
Other, please specify / / 9 / 4%
9.Have you taken English 2001 and Psychology 3100 or another Writing in the Disciplines (WID) class simultaneously?
Yes / / 18 / 7%
No / / 233 / 93%
10.What was helpful about English 2001 in your work for Psychology 3100 or your WID class? (Check all that apply.)
Response Total / Response Percent
citing sources correctly / / 62 / 25%
use of APA style / / 58 / 23%
formatting in-text citations correctly / / 55 / 22%
summarizing / / 41 / 16%
paraphrasing / / 45 / 18%
writing in report format (with Introduction, Method, Results, Discussion) / / 28 / 11%
importance of audience / / 31 / 12%
rhetorical analysis of texts / / 32 / 13%
matters of style (active and passive voice, point of view, tone) / / 26 / 10%
organization / / 49 / 20%
developing a hypothesis / / 25 / 10%
having one idea per paragraph / / 18 / 7%
providing evidence to support claims / / 34 / 14%
Other, please specify / / 19 / 8%
11.What lessons were emphasized in both English 2001 and Psychology 3100 or your WID class? (Check all that apply.)
Response Total / Response Percent
citing sources correctly / / 74 / 29%
using APA style / / 59 / 24%
formatting in-text citations correctly / / 65 / 26%
summarizing / / 50 / 20%
paraphrasing / / 49 / 20%
writing in report format (with Introduction, Method, Results, Discussion) / / 40 / 16%
importance of audience / / 45 / 18%
rhetorical analysis of texts / / 30 / 12%
matters of style (active and passive voice, point of view, tone) / / 22 / 9%
organization / / 60 / 24%
developing a hypothesis / / 40 / 16%
having one idea per paragraph / / 20 / 8%
providing evidence to support claims / / 39 / 16%
12.Which of the following statements do you agree with? (Check one.)
Response Total / Response Percent
It would be best for students to take English 2001 before taking Psychology 3100 or other Writing in the Disciplines (WID) class. / / 102 / 41%
It would be best for students to take English 2001 and Psychology 3100 or other WID class during the same semester. / / 14 / 6%
Other: Please explain your answer / / 30 / 12%
13.Are you aware that as part of 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)?
Response Total / Response Percent
Yes / / 188 / 75%
No / / 63 / 25%
14.If the answer to number 13 is yes, how did you learn about this? (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY)
Response Total / Response Percent
WAC website / / 11 / 4%
Advisor or teacher / / 150 / 60%
Classmate / / 30 / 12%
WAC film / / 4 / 2%
Open House / / 20 / 8%
Classroom instruction / / 17 / 7%
15.Do you consider yourself a good writer?
Response Total / Response Percent
Yes / / 186 / 74%
No / / 65 / 26%
16.What do you do well as a writer? (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY)
Response Total / Response Percent
I’m creative / / 148 / 59%
I’m organized / / 142 / 57%
I’m good at mechanics and grammar / / 115 / 46%
I stick to the point / / 85 / 34%
I have a strong, clear voice / / 122 / 49%
I supply good detail / / 131 / 52%
I have a large vocabulary / / 89 / 35%
I like to write / / 93 / 37%
I argue well / / 105 / 42%
I am a good researcher / / 90 / 36%
17.What helps you as a writer? (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY)
Response Total / Response Percent
Peer feedback / / 120 / 48%
Teacher feedback / / 228 / 91%
One-on-one conferences with the professor / / 148 / 59%
Visits to the University Writing Center / / 39 / 16%
Grammar lessons / / 45 / 18%
Examples from teachers of what is a good paper / / 155 / 62%
Clear, specific instructions / / 182 / 73%
18.What area(s) do you struggle with when writing? (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY)
Response Total / Response Percent
I am bad at grammar and punctuation / / 61 / 24%
I’m not creative / / 44 / 18%
My grades are never satisfactory to me / / 36 / 14%
I don’t like to write / / 95 / 38%
I can’t make the papers flow clearly / / 60 / 24%
I am not very organized / / 35 / 14%
I have problems getting started and/ or writing conclusions / / 138 / 55%
I have problems supplying enough detail / / 42 / 17%
I have trouble reaching the required page length / / 67 / 27%
I do not have a large vocabulary / / 45 / 18%
I have trouble saying what I want to say / / 62 / 25%
I procrastinate a lot / / 143 / 57%
I am not good at revising my work / / 97 / 39%
19.In what classes have you created a writing portfolio?
First Year Seminar / / 12 / 5%
English 1000 / / 145 / 58%
English 2001 / / 207 / 82%
I have never created a writing portfolio. / / 27 / 11%
20.Do you feel that you improve as a writer when you create a writing portfolio?
Response Total / Response Percent
Yes / / 112 / 45%
No / / 140 / 56%
21.Which of the following statements do you agree with about portfolios? Check all that apply.
Response Total / Response Percent
They give me more time to polish a paper. / / 128 / 51%
They allow me more time to revise my thoughts. / / 105 / 42%
They are an extra assignment at the end of the semester. / / 153 / 61%
They allow me to improve my grades. / / 112 / 45%
I like being able to choose which papers I want graded. / / 89 / 35%
They allow me to showcase my best work. / / 99 / 39%
I don't like to revise; I don't see the importance of revision. / / 18 / 7%
They allow me to reflect on my writing and my progress in class. / / 87 / 35%
I'd rather have a grade on each paper during the semester. / / 57 / 23%
I like being able to see my progress across the semester. / / 85 / 34%
Other, please specify / / 6 / 2%