Writing Across the Curriculum Assessment (WAC)
UPWA is now WAC Assessment!
The University-wide Program-level Writing Assessment (UPWA), now also referred to as the Writing Across the Curriculum Assessment (WAC Assessment), assesses student writing from Writing Across the Curriculum Courses at Ñý¼§Ö±²¥’s Mountain Campus, Missoula College, and Bitterroot College. Writing Across the Curriculum Courses are part of the General Education Writing Requirement. Writing Across the Curriculum Course status is awarded by the ASCRC Writing Committee based upon a course application; the proposed course must meet the required Writing Across the Curriculum Course Guidelines.
The UPWA was approved by the Faculty Senate in Fall 2013 and replaced the Upper-division Writing Proficiency Assessment on the UM-Missoula campus. The current assessment provides relevant information about student writing proficiency by assessing and scoring student-revised papers from Writing Across the Curriculum Courses using a Holistic Scoring Rubric that was developed locally by faculty members. All sampled papers have come from courses that have Writing Across the Curriculum Course status. Because Writing Across the Curriculum Courses are part of the General Education Writing Requirement, the UPWA/WAC Assessment offers insight into academic work happening at the heart of Ñý¼§Ö±²¥’ overall education at UM.
The annual UPWA/WAC Assessment cycle consists of three core overlapping elements that allow for the collection and observation of timely data. Over the course of each academic year, there are two submission periods for student work (the end of Fall and Spring semester), a Spring Writing Assessment Workshop, and a Fall Writing Symposium.
At the end of each Fall and Spring semester, all Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ in Writing Across the Curriculum Courses take part in the UPWA/WAC Assessment. The assessment process provides professional development opportunities for faculty and staff that are committed to improving student writing proficiency at UM.
How are papers selected for assessment?
Papers are submitted by Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ in Writing Across the Curriculum Courses. The papers are then selected randomly for assessment at the Spring UPWA/WAC Assessment Workshop. All papers are de-identified prior to assessment (i.e., all information that can identify the student and instructor is removed).
How are the papers assessed? Who assesses the papers?
The random sample of de-identified papers are assessed by volunteer faculty, staff, and graduate Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ at The Ñý¼§Ö±²¥. The papers are evaluated using a based on the learning outcomes of Writing Across the Curriculum Courses. Volunteer scorers read and evaluate the papers and then discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the submissions.
UPWA/WAC Assessment Resources
UPWA Data Management Plan
Rubric to assess Ñý¼§Ö±²¥' work in approved Writing Courses
What are the results from the UPWA?
Results from the UPWA/WAC Assessment can be accessed from the links below: