Writing Across The Curriculum

Shifting Responsibilities: When Chemistry Replaces First-Year College Writing

The Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry has developed and implemented a writing-intensive, second-semester, introductory advanced Chemistry course based on writing across the curriculum (WAC) model, CHMC 2051. This 6-credit course, offered during the spring semester, combines the objectives and requirements of both the second-semester college writing course and introductory chemistry courses. It was designed in an effort to improve students' conceptual understanding of chemical principles, writing abilities, and student interest and retention. The goals for this project include:

  1. Utilize the “writing to learn” methodology to develop and implement a new kind of the second semester general chemistry course which can substitute for second-semester college writing.
  2. Assist students in acquiring skills for reflection and self-assessment in chemistry and writing.
  3. Assess the effectiveness of this approach to improve student learning, writing, and critical thinking skills in chemistry and composition.
  4. Disseminate the results through presentations, workshops, and publications, so that this course may be used as a model course for other institutions to replicate.

Contact Jerome Haky, Ph.D. (hakyj@fau.edu) and Donna Chamely-Wiik, Ph.D. (dchamely@fau.edu), Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and J. Galin, Ph.D. (jgalin@fau.edu), Department of English for details.