Why or in what ways is writing important to your discipline/field/profession?
Writing plays an integral role in both the wellness industry and exercise science. It is used to communicate between professionals and their clientele, patients, athletes and colleagues. Writing allows professionals in these fields to record athlete and patient progress, construct personal and professional philosophies and advocate for policy change. Professionals use the scientific manuscript to disseminate research findings in an empirical and objective way.
Which courses are designated as satisfying the Writing in the Discipline (WID) requirement by your department? Why these courses?
The wellness and exercise science program has designated HPE 309: Exercise Prescription and HPE 427: Wellness and Exercise Science Internship as our WID courses.
HPE 309 is typically taken during the Fall Semester of year three. In this course, there is a written report where students practice assessing and programming on an individual basis. This comprehensive report demonstrates critical thinking, evidence-based practice and an introduction to APA formatting. The nature of this report allows for explicit writing instruction with multiple drafts and peer editing.
HPE 427 is taken during the final semester of the wellness and exercise science program. In this course, a capstone research project is required. This project contains a major writing component, with multiple revisions, peer editing and class time dedicated to writing. For these reasons, this course was chosen to be the final WID course in the major.
What forms or genres of writing will students learn and practice in your department’s WID courses? Why these genres?
The range of written genres in which students engage and practice in the WID courses include academic writing, professional writing and reflective writing. Professionals in these fields write research manuscripts, policy papers, individual/program plans and evaluations and advocacy statements. These artifacts allow professionals to disseminate ideas and research findings and to communicate guidelines, recommendations and industry standards.
- Academic – literature reviews, research proposals, scientific reports, presentations
- Professional – individual evaluations, community needs assessments, plans and programs, promotional materials, posters
- Reflective – journals, philosophy statements, informal responses
Engaging with these genres allows students to demonstrate proficiency in content knowledge, professional application, and personal growth.
What kinds of teaching practices will students encounter in your department’s WID courses?
The wellness and exercise science program recognizes writing is an iterative process. We strive to meet best practice models by scaffolding writing assignments in the following ways:
- initiating the writing process in class and/or collaboratively
- starting with low-stakes, informal writing and progressing into more technical high-stakes writing
- working with students on drafts and revisions
- utilizing varied forms of feedback: peer-editing, rubrics, qualitative comments and/or one-on-one consultations
When they’ve satisfied your department’s WID requirement, what should students know and be able to do with writing?
Upon completion of our WID courses, students will be able to use writing to:
- develop the habit of learning through writing
- demonstrate proficiency in the application of content knowledge
- make informed decisions about evaluation and program planning
- develop practical skills essential for the profession
