Faculty Tip Sheets

The WAC Clearinghouse and the University of Delaware offer the following tipsheets for faculty development as a general resource for anyone doing workshops or seeking good advice to distribute to college faculty. They advance both writing to learn and writing in the disciplines approaches. The tipsheets were created through the Writing in the Disciplines initiative at the University of Delaware for training faculty. We have tried to cull the best advice to faculty from many sites and organize it topically for easy use. Each tipsheet points to websites and printed materials that inform the sheet or that represent the best places to go for further information. We intend these tipsheets to be printed easily and shared freely.

The links are to both Word and PDF files. You may open and edit the files, customizing the information to your own situation. If you customize a tipsheet, we would appreciate it if you would leave intact the footer with the icons and names of UD and the Clearinghouse. You are free to use the document header to include your local information. The tipsheets will be updated and added to over time. If you would like to create and contribute a tipsheet to this collection, we can send you the template file. Send an email with suggestions to Steve Bernhardt: sab@udel.edu.

Alternative Paper Assignments

PDF /docs/tipsheets/AlternativeAssignmentsSB.pdf
Word Format /docs/tipsheets/AlternativeAssignmentsSB.doc

Description: This tipsheet suggests alternatives to the typical reseach paper assignments that are used in many courses. The tipsheet describes both informal and formal writing activities that can be integrated into a range of courses. Contributed by Stephen A. Bernhardt, University of Delaware, sab@udel.edu.

Building Written and Oral Communication into Your Classroom

PDF /docs/tipsheets/IntegratingCommunicationSB.pdf
Word Format /docs/tipsheets/IntegratingCommunicationSB.doc

Description: The general tipsheet discusses ways that faculty and departments can get started on integrating writing and oral communication activities into the disciplines. Contributed by Stephen A. Bernhardt, University of Delaware, sab@udel.edu.

Grading Rubrics

PDF /docs/tipsheets/rubricsSB.pdf
Word Format /docs/tipsheets/rubricsSB.doc

Description: This tipsheet describes what grading or evaluation rubrics are and how to use them. It then offers printable examples of rubrics for various writing, speaking, and teamwork situations in various disciplines. Contributed by Stephen A. Bernhardt, University of Delaware, sab@udel.edu.

How to Manage Grammar

PDF /docs/tipsheets/grammarSB.pdf
Word Format /docs/tipsheets/grammarSB.doc

Description: This tipsheet suggests practical and effective strategies that disciplinary instructors can use to help students improve their grammar and mechanics. Contributed by Stephen A. Bernhardt, University of Delaware, sab@udel.edu.

Managing the Paper Load

PDF /docs/tipsheets/papertrapSB.pdf
Word Format /docs/tipsheets/papertrapSB.doc

Description: This tipsheet suggests ways that faculty in the disciplines can use writing in their classes without seriously over-burdening themselves with responding to and grading papers. Contributed by Stephen A. Bernhardt, University of Delaware, sab@udel.edu.

Not Your Usual 3- to 5-Page Paper

PDF /docs/tipsheets/UnusualAssignmentsSB.pdf
Word Format /docs/tipsheets/UnusualAssignmentsSB.doc

Description: Drawing on the tenets of Problem-Based Learning, this tipsheet offers insights into developing assignments that go beyond the typical brief papers and term papers. Contributed by Stephen A. Bernhardt, University of Delaware, sab@udel.edu.

Peer Review

PDF /docs/tipsheets/peerreviewSB.pdf
Word Format /docs/tipsheets/peerreviewSB.doc

Description: This tipsheet suggests ways to incorporate peer review of writing into disciplinary classrooms. Contributed by Stephen A. Bernhardt, University of Delaware, sab@udel.edu.

Preventing Plagiarism

PDF /docs/tipsheets/plagiarismSB.pdf
Word Format /docs/tipsheets/plagiarismSB.doc

Description: This tipsheet suggests instructional approaches that help plagiarism from becoming a problem in disciplinary classrooms. Contributed by Stephen A. Bernhardt, University of Delaware, sab@udel.edu.

Responding to Student Writing

PDF /docs/tipsheets/respondingSB.pdf
Word Format /docs/tipsheets/respondingSB.doc

Description: This tipsheet outlines effective approaches to responding to student writing. Contributed by Stephen A. Bernhardt, University of Delaware, sab@udel.edu.

Sequencing Writing Assignments

PDF /docs/tipsheets/sequencingSB.pdf
Word Format /docs/tipsheets/sequencingSB.doc

Description: This tipsheet suggests ways to break up assignments into a series of related planning, researching, and writing tasks. Strategies for sequencing and scaffolding assignments encourage teachers to plan interventions while work is underway. Contributed by Stephen A. Bernhardt, University of Delaware, sab@udel.edu.

Service-Learning: Reflective Writing in Science and Engineering

PDF /docs/tipsheets/servicelearningstemSB.pdf
Word Format /docs/tipsheets/servicelearningstemSB.doc

Description: Developed for service-learning courses in the the sciences and engineering, this tipsheet provides reflective writing tasks designed for specific points in the semester as well as generalized prompts that can be assigned any time. Contributed by Dorry Ross and Stephen A. Bernhardt, University of Delaware, sab@udel.edu.

Techniques to Encourage Revision

PDF /docs/tipsheets/revisingSB.pdf
Word Format /docs/tipsheets/revisingSB.doc

Description: This tipsheet suggests ways to structure and respond to student writing so as to encourage deep revision. The tipsheet also suggests to students to help them see ways to revise their work. Contributed by Steve Bernhardt, Dorry Ross, and Dee Baer, University of Delaware, sab@udel.edu.

Using Reflective Writing in Service Learning

PDF /docs/tipsheets/servicelearningSB.pdf
Word Format /docs/tipsheets/servicelearningSB.doc

Description: This tipsheet shows how reflective writing can reinforce teaching goals in service learning courses. Suggested assignments range from low-stakes, exploratory writing to high-stakes formal assignments. Contributed by Dorry Ross and Stephen A. Bernhardt, University of Delaware, sab@udel.edu.

Using Writing in Large Classes

PDF /docs/tipsheets/largeclassesSB.pdf
Word Format /docs/tipsheets/largeclassesSB.doc

Description: This tipsheet addresses the use of writing in high-enrollment classes. Contributed by Stephen A. Bernhardt, University of Delaware, sab@udel.edu.

Writing Business Reports

PDF /docs/tipsheets/writing_business_reports.pdf
Word Format /docs/tipsheets/writing_business_reports.doc

Description: This tipsheet offers insights into writing a wide range of business reports. Contributed by Stephen A. Bernhardt, University of Delaware, sab@udel.edu.

Writing Lab Reports

PDF /docs/tipsheets/writinglabreportsSB.pdf
Word Format /docs/tipsheets/writinglabreportsSB.doc

Description: This tipsheet offers insights into helping students write effective lab reports. Contributed by Stephen A. Bernhardt, University of Delaware, sab@udel.edu.