Wac Writing Survey Results

WAC WRITING SURVEY RESULTS

FALL 2011, SPRING 2012, FALL 2012, SPRING 2013

1.What year are you?
Response Total / Response Percent
Freshman / / 31 / 6%
Sophomore / / 300 / 60%
Junior / / 101 / 20%
Senior / / 54 / 11%
Graduate student / / 1 / 0%
Transfer student / / 10 / 2%
2.What is your major?
Psychology 107 English 8 Computer Science 13 Religion 3
HLES 37 Communication 21 Industrial Design 17 Geography & Planning 6
Geology 6 Art 4 Graphic Arts 4 Sociology 4
History 23 Music 10 Apparel Design 7 Social Work 5
Education 52 Theatre and Dance 3 Business 39 Sustainable Development 21
Sciences 35 Nursing 49 Anthropology 2
(Some of the majors listed on the survey were combined under the dominant discipline. For example, Exercise Management and Athletic Training were included under the blanket major of HLES.)
3.Is writing important in your major?
Response Total / Response Percent
Yes / / 398 / 80%
No / / 101 / 20%
Total Respondents(For this Question) / 499 / 100%
4.What writing courses have you taken at ASU?
English 1000 / / 304 / 56%
English 2001 / / 416 / 77%
WID class / / 70 / 13%
Total Respondents(For this Question) / 542
6.What was helpful about English 1000? (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY)
Response Total / Response Percent
Developing my own voice / / 151 / 28%
Further practice with writing / / 282 / 53%
The ability to choose my own topic / / 168 / 32%
Class size / / 172 / 32%
New invention techniques/ ways to get started on a paper / / 98 / 18%
Peer feedback on papers / / 164 / 31%
Teacher feedback on papers / / 240 / 45%
Portfolio use / / 121 / 23%
Journal use / / 62 / 12%
Conferences with teacher / / 164 / 31%
Learning that it’s okay to use “I” and contractions in a paper / / 102 / 19%
Learning how to cite sources correctly / / 156 / 29%
7.Has English 2001 prepared you for writing in your major?
Response Total / Response Percent
Yes / / 321 / 69%
No / / 141 / 31%
8.What was helpful about English 2001 in preparing you for writing in your major? (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY)
Developing my own voice / / 205 / 39%
Further practice with writing / / 316 / 60%
Peer feedback on papers / / 220 / 41%
Teacher feedback on papers / / 264 / 50%
Portfolio use / / 157 / 30%
Journal use / / 107 / 20%
Conferences with teacher / / 200 / 38%
Learning how to cite sources correctly / / 239 / 45%
Developing an awareness of/ using different documentation styles / / 223 / 42%
Learning how to rhetorically analyze a text / / 223 / 42%
Recognizing different writing genres / / 183 / 34%
Becoming aware of different writing conventions for different disciplines / / 195 / 37%
Gaining information about writing in my major / / 215 / 40%
9.Have you taken English 2001 and Psychology 3100 or another Writing in the Disciplines (WID) class simultaneously?
Yes / / 18 / 7%
No / / 248 / 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 / 23%
use of APA style / / 58 / 22%
formatting in-text citations correctly / / 56 / 21%
summarizing / / 43 / 16%
paraphrasing / / 47 / 18%
writing in report format (with Introduction, Method, Results, Discussion) / / 28 / 11%
importance of audience / / 33 / 12%
rhetorical analysis of texts / / 32 / 12%
matters of style (active and passive voice, point of view, tone) / / 27 / 10%
organization / / 51 / 19%
developing a hypothesis / / 25 / 9%
having one idea per paragraph / / 19 / 7%
providing evidence to support claims / / 35 / 13%
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 / / 77 / 29%
using APA style / / 59 / 22%
formatting in-text citations correctly / / 66 / 25%
summarizing / / 52 / 20%
paraphrasing / / 51 / 19%
writing in report format (with Introduction, Method, Results, Discussion) / / 41 / 15%
importance of audience / / 47 / 18%
rhetorical analysis of texts / / 30 / 11%
matters of style (active and passive voice, point of view, tone) / / 24 / 9%
organization / / 63 / 24%
developing a hypothesis / / 40 / 15%
having one idea per paragraph / / 20 / 8%
providing evidence to support claims / / 43 / 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 / 38%
It would be best for students to take English 2001 and Psychology 3100 or other WID class during the same semester. / / 14 / 5%
Other: It doesn’t matter (8); Only the WID class should be required (3)
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 / / 322 / 67%
No / / 159 / 33%
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 / / 20 / 4%
Advisor or teacher / / 259 / 51%
Classmate / / 43 / 8%
WAC film / / 4 / 1%
Open House / / 30 / 6%
Classroom instruction / / 36 / 7%
15.Do you consider yourself a good writer?
Response Total / Response Percent
Yes / / 372 / 78%
No / / 102 / 22%
16.What do you do well as a writer? (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY)
Response Total / Response Percent
I’m creative / / 275 / 55%
I’m organized / / 285 / 57%
I’m good at mechanics and grammar / / 229 / 46%
I stick to the point / / 166 / 33%
I have a strong, clear voice / / 234 / 47%
I supply good detail / / 252 / 51%
I have a large vocabulary / / 183 / 37%
I like to write / / 179 / 36%
I argue well / / 213 / 43%
I am a good researcher / / 193 / 39%
17.What helps you as a writer? (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY)
Peer feedback / / 233 / 47%
Teacher feedback / / 436 / 88%
One-on-one conferences with the prof / / 271 / 54%
Visits to the University Writing Center / / 69 / 14%
Grammar lessons / / 92 / 18%
Examples from teachers of what is a good paper / / 289 / 58%
Clear, specific instructions / / 342 / 69%

Other: practice; rereading; proofreading; time; passion for the subject

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 / / 123 / 25%
I’m not creative / / 88 / 18%
My grades are never satisfactory to me / / 64 / 13%
I don’t like to write / / 157 / 32%
I can’t make the papers flow clearly / / 113 / 23%
I am not very organized / / 63 / 13%
I have problems getting started and/ or writing conclusions / / 251 / 50%
I have problems supplying enough detail / / 72 / 14%
I have trouble reaching the required page length / / 113 / 23%
I do not have a large vocabulary / / 85 / 17%
I have trouble saying what I want to say / / 106 / 21%
I procrastinate a lot / / 275 / 55%
I am not good at revising my work / / 153 / 31%
Other: page length; focus; spelling
19.In what classes have you created a writing portfolio?
First Year Seminar / / 31 / 6%
English 1000 / / 269 / 54%
English 2001 / / 362 / 73%
I have never created a writing portfolio. / / 49 / 10%
Others: high school; community colleges; other universities; Geography and Planning; Senior Seminar; Education; English; Sustainable Development; Mathematics
20.Do you feel that you improve as a writer when you create a writing portfolio?
Response Total / Response Percent
Yes / / 222 / 45%
No / / 242 / 49%
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. / / 235 / 48%
They allow me more time to revise my thoughts. / / 203 / 41%
They are an extra assignment at the end of the semester. / / 263 / 53%
They allow me to improve my grades. / / 212 / 43%
I like being able to choose which papers I want graded. / / 178 / 36%
They allow me to showcase my best work. / / 192 / 39%
I don't like to revise; I don't see the importance of revision. / / 34 / 7%
They allow me to reflect on my writing and my progress in class. / / 169 / 34%
I'd rather have a grade on each paper during the semester. / / 107 / 22%
I like being able to see my progress across the semester. / / 160 / 32%