writing_news

**New Writing courses for Biology majors**

ALL BIOLOGY MAJORS: beginning with the Fall 2006 semester the department is changing how you can take Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) courses within the major. The significant changes to the curriculum for biology majors follow:

Beginning fall 2006 only seminar, independent study, and honors program courses (BIO 491, 492, 495, 496, and 497) will satisfy the WAC requirement.
No other 300-, or 400-level biology course by itself will satisfy the WAC requirement.
Beginning fall 2006 two new courses will be offered on Wednesday and Friday 11:00 to 11:50. They are BIO 390 Writing in Biology I (two credits), and BIO 391 Writing in Biology II (one credit). Since these are new courses they do not yet appear on the class schedule. Both courses will count as biology electives. Both courses must be taken concurrently with a 300- or 400-level biology content course. Instructors of the content courses must give written permission for their students to simultaneously enroll in either writing course; thus content course instructors can limit the number of BIO 390/391 students in their courses. Grades in BIO 390/391 will be determined by instructors of both the writing and content courses. Students in both BIO 390 and 391 will prepare a paper that satisfies the WAC requirement, and present a short oral presentation in class. In addition, students in BIO 390 will do assignments and short projects relevant to the writing and oral presentation processes. The course descriptions follow:

BIO 390 Writing in Biology I (2-0-2). Prerequisite: A declared biology major. This course is designed to develop the writing and oral presentation skills of students through assigned projects and in-class activities. Students will write conceptual (review or theoretical) papers according to a standard format. A substantial written report is one of the requirements. Students must be concurrently enrolled in a 300- or 400-level content-based biology course. Prior to registering for BIO 390, students must obtain a written agreement from the content course instructor indicating willingness to serve as a grader of the required written report. The content course instructor, in consultation with the student, will determine the topic of the written report. Writing.

BIO 391 Writing in Biology II (1-0-1). Prerequisites: BIO 390 and a declared biology major. Students will write conceptual (review or theoretical) papers according to a standard format and give in-class oral presentations. A substantial written report is one of the requirements. Students must be concurrently enrolled in a 300- or 400-level content-based biology course. Prior to registering for BIO 391 students must obtain a written agreement from the content course instructor indicating willingness to serve as a grader of the required written report. The content course instructor, in consultation with the student, will determine the topic of the written report. May be repeated with change in title of the content course. Writing.

See Dr. Bast (r.bast@csuohio.edu, SI 232) with questions. Contact your fall semester 300-, or 400-level content course instructor up to the first class meeting to get her/his permission to simultaneously enroll in BIO 390. Permission forms are in the BGES Office (SI 219).

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Update: 30 May, 2006