Writing Program Mission Statement

The Writing Program at California State University, Stanislaus views the discipline of writing as both a fundamental academic skill and as a means of fostering social communication. Students are empowered by learning the rhetorical tools necessary to enter academic conversations and participate in public discourse. We emphasize analyzing and interpreting information, communicating effectively with different audiences, and learning to read and write within specific communities.

Principles of the Stanislaus State Writing Program Philosophy

  • Reading and writing are integral parts of teaching and learning. Students learn to approach writing as a process and to interact with a variety of texts. They are taught explicitly about genre, tone, rhetorical devices, and conventions.
  • Reading and writing are social activities. While reading and writing are often regarded as personal experiences, they can simultaneously promote powerful and effective public discourse.
  • Writing occurs at the intersection of knowledge and experience. Instructors help students integrate past experiences and new knowledge to help them become stronger writers and meet course goals.
  • Clearly defining expectations and assessment methods helps students successfully meet course requirements. When the purpose of writing, expectations of performance, and assessment criteria are clearly presented, students become better able to understand their tasks, know how to successfully complete them, and develop a sense of ownership of their writing.

Members of the Writing Program study current research and work to incorporate promising teaching practices. We acknowledge that the awareness of new teaching methods and changes in assessment procedures will improve students' ability to succeed in the classroom.

Writing Program Outcomes

(Adapted from the Council of WPA Outcomes)

  • Students will learn to identify and apply genre specific rhetorical strategies based on purpose and audience.
  • Students will learn to use critical reading and writing as a mode of inquiry and communication through generating their own voices and ideas and appropriately integrating them with others.
  • Students will demonstrate information literacy including the ability to locate, evaluate, organize, use, and appropriately document collected research material.
  • Students will develop flexible revision strategies and multiple processes, including working collaboratively, to develop and revise written products.
  • Students will develop the ability to recognize and utilize genre and context specific conventions including organization, use of resources, and grammar and punctuation.
  • Students will learn to critically reflect on their writing and processes of writing including applying genre specific conventions.

In addition to the stated outcomes above, some Writing Program courses include First-Year Experience (FYE) curriculum. The Writing Program FYE outcomes are:

  • Students will demonstrate an understanding of college level success skills.
  • Students will identify information needs, use the University library to locate and retrieve relevant sources, and evaluate the appropriateness and reliability of information.
  • Students will analyze their use of time in relation to goals.
  • Students will assess and articulate their future academic goals and plans.

Updated: August 10, 2023