Survey of Past Writing Experiences of First-Year Students
at the University of Tennessee
This survey is part of a research project on student writing. In order to improve our English writing courses, it would help us to know about the kinds of writing you have done in the past, both in school and out of school. We are hoping you will be willing to help us with this project by completing this survey.
Your participation is completely voluntary. By completing the survey, you are giving us permission to use the information that you provide us here, but your personal identity will remain confidential except to the project researchers. None of the information we gather here will have any effect on your grade in this course.
English 101 course section:
Major/intended major:
Minor/intended minor:
Post-college plans:
High School Attended:
City, State, County:
Type of School: (public, private, charter, home schooled, other—please specify)
Number of students in graduating class:
Class Rank (top 10%, top 25%, 25-50%, below 50%)
English ACT/Verbal SAT:
Gender: m/f
Race: (American Indian/Alaskan Native, Asian, Black or African-American, Caucasian, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander)
Ethnicity: (Hispanic or Latino, Not Hispanic or Latino)
DOB: mm/dd/yr
Economic Class (Upper, Upper Middle, Middle, Lower Middle, Lower)
Languages spoken/used at home, outside of home:
Parent/guardian educational background: (some high school, high school diploma, some college, college degree)
Access to technology at home and school
· Home: Family/shared computer or individual computer, computer type/operating system/software used
· School: 1) Computer lab accessible during study periods or other times of the school day, 2) Library with computers accessible during study periods or other times of the school day, 3) Computer used in Language Arts/English/Writing class, 4) Computers used in other classes (specify), 5) Used personal laptop/notebook computer in class, 6) Computer type/operating system/software used
Types of communication (reading, writing, speaking) you participated in during high school:
· Summary
· Description
· Reports
· Book report
· Oral report or speech
· Lab report
· Lecture notes
· Notes on reading
· Letter
· Business letter
· Listserv
· Online discussion board
· Class discussions
· Instant Messaging
· Blog or online journal entry
· Blog or online journal response
· Chat
· Analytical essay
· Personal essay
· Research paper (with information/sources given to you)
· Research paper (with information/sources you had to find yourself)
· Professional article
· Web page text or hypertext
· Web design (including coding)
· Powerpoint slide shows
· Resume or CV
· Interview
· Journalism
· Creative writing
Poetry
Spoken word
Short stories
Long fiction
Creative nonfiction
Song lyrics
· Other (Please specify)
Of the kinds of communication you participated in high school, which ones did you perform most often/most repeatedly?
Any communication you did outside of school:
· Journal/Diary
· Letters to friends/family
· Letters to the editor
· Business letter
· Listserv
· Online discussion board
· Instant Messaging
· Blog or online journal entry
· Blog or online journal response
· Chat
· Web page text or hypertext
· Web design (including coding)
· Powerpoint slide shows
· Resume or CV
· Journalism (editorials, feature articles)
· Creative writing
Poetry
Spoken word
Short stories
Long fiction
Creative nonfiction
Song lyrics
· Other (Please specify)
Of the kinds of communication you participated in outside of school, which ones did you perform most often/most repeatedly?
Communication on the job (written, oral, digital), if applicable:
· Summary
· Description
· Report
· Letter
· Business letter
· Newsletter
· Listserv
· Online discussion board
· Instant Messaging
· Blog or online journal entry
· Blog or online journal response
· Chat
· Oral Presentation
· Analytical essay
· Research paper (with information/sources given to you)
· Research paper (with information/sources you had to find yourself)
· Professional article
· Web page text or hypertext
· Web design (including coding)
· Powerpoint slide shows
· Resume or CV
· Journalism
· Creative writing
Poetry
Spoken word
Short stories
Long fiction
Creative nonfiction
Song lyrics
· Other (Please specify)
Of the kinds of communication you participated in on the job, which ones did you perform most often/most repeatedly?
Open-Ended Questions:
What is your favorite kind of writing? Why?
What is your least favorite kind of writing? Why?
What kinds of writing have you had the most success performing?
What do you consider your most successful piece of writing (in school or out) and why?
What do you consider your least successful piece of writing, and why?
What do you do when you encounter new writing tasks? What resources, skills, or habits do you draw on?
Since most of you have received your 101 syllabus, have written a first-week diagnostic paper, and are in the midst of or have completed work on the first essay, what high school writing experiences (if any) do you think will help you most to succeed in this course or in writing at the University of Tennessee?
If you would be willing to allow us to collect your diagnostic writing and Paper 1 and then do a short, follow-up interview (no longer than 20 minutes) to talk with us further about your previous writing experiences and how they did/did not prepare you for English 101, would you please include your name and email address here so that we may contact you?
Name:
Email: