The Purpose of Writing to Learn

The Writing to Learn Program is a sequence of courses designed to help students develop and maintain the writing skills necessary for success in their college coursework and in their professional lives.  The Writing to Learn sequence includes the two required composition courses, ENGL 101 (English Composition) and ENGL 299 (Introduction to Research Writing). 

The first of these, ENGL 101, is intended to be taken during a student’s freshman year, and is designed to reinforce and build on the writing skills students bring from high school.

 ENGL 299, designed to be taken in the sophomore year, is intended to prepare students for the much more rigorous and demanding writing requirements of upper division coursework, particularly writing from sources, the use of source citation systems, and academic and professional writing styles.

The remaining two courses in the Writing to Learn sequence are selected by each student from the list of Writing to Learn courses in each semester’s Schedule of Classes.  Any course that includes the WL designation after the course number will count toward the WL requirement.

The Writing to Learn (WL) course is not a composition course.  Instead, a WL course is a specially designated section of a general education or other introductory course that uses writing as a way to help students learn course content.  WL courses are taught in a wide range of departments around campus.

The teacher of a WL course uses writing to help students think about the subject matter.  Students write frequently and thoughtfully about ideas presented in class.  They might keep a journal of ideas stimulated  by the required reading and write summaries of lectures or relate subject matter to their own personal experiences.  Often, they create well-reasoned arguments that communicate complex ideas clearly.

The Writing to Learn Program at Pittsburg State University offers students:

  • Critical Thinking
  • Discovery of Ideas
  • Maintenance of Writing Skills
  • Creative Solutions to Problems
  • Interaction with Teachers
  • Preparation for Junior-Senior Courses