One of the missions of BGSU is to ensure that all students have the ability to communicate effectively. In order to help accomplish this, the University has established and developed the General Studies Writing Program. Designed around a set of nationally-approved learning outcomes, this program consists of a number of important parts which work together to produce a comprehensive, competency-based writing program grounded in current theory and practice. To discover what GSW has to offer, please investigate the links to the left or continue below.

General Studies Writing
Sometimes referred to as “first-year composition” or “freshman writing,” the General Studies Writing Program (GSW) at BGSU introduces students to academic writing at the college level.

Courses Offered
The GSW Program offers three core courses: 110, 111, and 112. Virtually all students who attend BGSU will take one or more of these courses. Class sizes are small; instructors provide much individual assistance.

Writing Placement Essay
Prospective students submit an online essay that determines which GSW course—110, 111 or 112—best suits their needs as writers.

Portfolio Assessment
At the end of the semester, each student’s writing portfolio is assessed by one or more evaluators in addition to the instructor. In this way, students receive feedback from multiple instructors, and the GSW program is able to maintain consistent standards across the many sections of each course.

Grading Systems
-- Satisfactory/No Record grading in 110 and 111
-- A/B/C/No Record grading in 112
Because GSW views writing as a process that takes some students longer than others to master, students are not penalized in traditional ways (with D’s or F’s) if their writing has not reached minimal proficiency by the end of the term.

Learning Outcomes
Students who successfully complete their GSW courses will have achieved GSW’s Learning Outcomes, which focus on the following:
-- Rhetorical Knowledge
-- Critical Thinking, Reading, and Writing Skills
-- Writing Processes
-- Knowledge of Conventions
-- Values Exploration

Technology Integration
Students in GSW courses use computer technology as they draft their essays, conduct academic research, and explore methods of inquiry. As well, they work with a class Blackboard site, are introduced to the usefulness of visual rhetoric in their writing, and are encouraged to include their GSW papers in an electronic portfolio which they will maintain throughout their college career.

Library Integration
GSW students learn to navigate BGSU’s library system and critically assess the credibility, currency, and relevance of source materials in both traditional and digital formats.