Writing Well: Write Effectively, Learn for Life

Paul M. Wood, Associate Professor, Faculty of Forestry / Member, Communications Skills Task Force
Candace Parsons, Director, Student Services, Faculty of Forestry / Member, Communications Skills Task Force
Robert Kozak, Associate Professor, Faculty of Forestry / Member, Communications Skills Task Force
Simon Ellis, Associate Professor, Faculty of Forestry / Chair, Forestry Teaching and Learning Committee

'Our students don't write so good.'

Objective: The purpose of this proposal is to help implement a program in the Faculty of Forestry to ensure that our students can write well and effectively by the time they graduate.

Rationale: The ability to write effectively is an essential skill for students during their undergraduate degree programs, in any subsequent graduate studies, when they compete for positions in the job market, and especially in their careers. Additionally, the ability to write well is inextricably connected to clear, critical thinking. Together these skills are essential for life-long learning and for our graduates to engage fully as global citizens.

Methods: We need two assistants. One would help implement a 'writing across the curriculum' program that provides instruction, practice, and constructive feedback in writing and critical thinking skills for students in each year of each degree program in the Faculty of Forestry-a truly pan-Faculty program. We need a second assistant to prepare a 'writing handbook' that each undergraduate student will use throughout his or her program of studies in conjunction with the 'writing across the curriculum' program, and that will provide consistent direction for both faculty member and students regarding a variety of writing styles.

Paul M. Wood, Associate Professor, Faculty of Forestry / Co-chair, Communications Skills Task Force
Candace Parsons, Director, Student Services, Faculty of Forestry / Co-chair, Communications Skills Task Force
Robert Kozak, Associate Professor, Faculty of Forestry / Member, Communications Skills Task Force
Simon Ellis, Associate Professor, Faculty of Forestry / Chair, Forestry Teaching and Learning Committee
Susan Watts, Assistant Dean, Faculty of Forestry / Director, Communications and External Relations

This request for a  second year of funding is to help implement four remaining components of the Faculty of Forestry's Writing Well program. Two components have already been implemented:

1. To amend the Faculty's practices and policies regarding the Language Proficiency Index (LPI) requirement.
2. To prepare writing guidebook. A Writing Guidebook for the Natural Sciences by David Godsall has been completed and is now in use by instructors and students.

The four remaining components are:

1. To establish a series of four reading- and writing-intensive core courses, common to all undergraduate students in the Faculty.
2. To create and implement a faculty-specific technical writing course.
3. To implement an in-house tutoring program for students.
4. To develop a detailed plan, in collaboration with the UBC Office of Leaming Technology, for a writing portfolio system for all undergraduate students in the Faculty. This will constitute part of the Faculty's learning technology plan.