51ÂÜÀò

Skip to main content

Current Students

Learn more about the writing competency requirement for current sociology majors.

Writing Competency Requirement for Sociology Majors

Purpose

The Writing Competency Requirement (WCR) is a university assessment of students written ability in the following three areas:

  1. Written communication
  2. Critical thinking
  3. Information literacy

These skills are taught and practiced throughout several sociology courses which should help you be successful in passing the WCR in order to graduate. There will be 1–2 faculty readers that will determine the strength in which you were able to meet these requirements. Both papers must pass with a combined score of 12 or more. If you score under 12, you will be asked to submit a new paper for review.

What should I do?

You are required to submit two sociology essays that best demonstrate your writing skills. They can come from theory, methods or another sociology class. They must cite references (secondary data) and/or primary data you’ve collected (e.g. interviews, field notes, survey data, content analysis, etc.). The deadlines for submission should be one year before your anticipated graduation date. You must turn in your two papers without any identifying markers (no name or ID), fill out the grading sheets, and place in a manila envelope with your name and ID number on front of the envelope only. Turn packet in to the Administrative Coordinator, Myrna Paige, by October 1 (fall) and February 15 (spring) in Emerson 106.

How do I know if I pass?

The Sociology department will send you a letter about one month after your submission to let you know if you must re-submit your papers for approval OR to let you know that you have passed the WCR.

Student Checklist

  1. Select two essays (must be from upper division sociology course and must cite resources (secondary data) and/or primary data you've collected (e.g. interviews, field notes, survey data, content analysis, etc.).
  2. No identifying marks on either paper (no name or ID on or in either essay).
  3. Fill out the for both papers (including name of course for which the essay was written, semester course was taken, submission date, expected graduation date, etc).
  4. Place both papers in manila envelope.
  5. Write name and ID number on the outside of the manila envelope.
  6. Submit to Emerson 106.