Surveys of employers continually highlight the need for better communication skills among recent college graduates. Yet writing instruction in higher education serves far more than a transactional purpose. Writing facilitates learning, helps students gain skills in analysis and synthesis, and supports a range of other personal and intellectual developmental outcomes also important to employers. To that end, Writing in the Senior Capstone offers the rationale and practical guidance for infusing writing into culminating academic experiences for college seniors. Recognizing that writing-intensive capstones already exist on many campuses, the authors also offer a range of strategies and activities to support the development of independent senior projects, while honing students’ thinking, writing, and presentation skills. A valuable resource for any educator seeking to improve the writing and critical thinking skills of college seniors.
List of Tables and Figures
Preface
Part I: Foundations for Writing in the Senior Capstone
Chapter 1: The Senior Capstone and Writing Instruction: Helping Students Look Back and Move Forward
Chapter 2: The Role of Writing in the Capstone: Supporting Personal and Intellectual Development
Chapter 3: Guidelines for Writing Instruction in the Senior Capstone
Part II: Writing Activities for the Senior Capstone
Chapter 4: Informal Writing: Promoting Creativity and Critical Thinking
Chapter 5: Portfolios and Assessment of the Senior Capstone
Chapter 6: Strategies for Supporting Research Writing
Chapter 7: A Range of Persuasive Purposes in Academic Discourse
Chapter 8: Oral Presentations: Unifying Spoken and Written Communication
Conclusion--Writing in the Senior Capstone: Recommendations for Successful Practice
References
Index
About the Authors
“Those teaching advanced majors will find in this book an array of focused writing assignments from many disciplines. They will feel compelled, as was I, to re-imagine and revise course plans as they read, recognizing in these assignments the very piece that was missing in last semester’s seminar.”
Susan Welsh, Writing Program Coordinator, Indiana University of Pennsylvania