Writing Intensive Courses (WIC)

The Fairmont State General Studies Program indicates that "students will be required to complete at least one designated writing intensive course as part of their general studies program or their major field of study. This course will not be in addition to their other courses, but rather a course from those approved as general studies or majors courses."

Rationale for WIC

Writing intensive courses benefit students by:

1) improving writing skills as a means of self-expression
2) increasing knowledge and understanding of course content
3) enhancing critical thinking skills
           •Evaluation
           •Analysis
           •Interpretation
           •Inference
           •Explanation
           •Self-regulation

Criteria for WIC

  1. A minimum of twenty pages of written work will be assigned in a variety of formal and informal writing assignments and formats throughout the semester. This might include, but is not limited to: research reports, critical essays, laboratory reports, logs, journals, or short in-class responses.
  2. The instructor will provide opportunities for substantial revision in which the student responds to instructor feedback as well as discipline-specific writing instruction.
  3. At least 30% of the course grade must be based on writing assignments.
  4. Prerequisites- English 1101 and English 1102.
  5. An enrollment cap of twenty students.

Contact Information

Dr. James Matthews, Coordinator
Writing Intensive Courses
Room 206d Jaynes Hall
Phone: 304.367.4780
E-Mail: jmatthews1@fairmontstate.edu