ERIC Number: EJ1243725
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2020
Pages: 13
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-8756-7555
EISSN: N/A
Restructuring Writing Assignments for Criminal Justice Courses for Underprepared Students
Miller, Jennifer M.; Nugent, Terry L.
College Teaching, v68 n1 p20-32 2020
This paper discusses a collaboration between a criminal justice professor and the coordinator of composition at a small, four-year University in a rural location. The goal was to restructure the writing assignments in criminal justice courses in such a way as to enhance student participation in writing assignments and to improve the quality of their work. Many of the student's in these courses are underprepared for college and are often simultaneously enrolled in remediation courses. Therefore, they lack the vocabulary and skills needed to successfully navigate the writing requirements in criminal justice. We found that by scaffolding assignments which reflected the writing process, students were better able to complete the work and improve the quality of their work. Furthermore, students gained confidence not only in their writing abilities, but also in their ability to successfully navigate coursework in their major. Transitioning composition pedagogy into criminal justice courses creates interdisciplinary coherence.
Descriptors: Writing Assignments, Law Enforcement, Writing Skills, Student Attitudes, Self Efficacy, Interdisciplinary Approach, Scaffolding (Teaching Technique), Writing Instruction, Rural Areas, College Faculty, Teacher Administrator Relationship, Majors (Students), Teaching Methods, Remedial Instruction, Skill Development, Vocabulary Skills, Writing Processes, Self Esteem, Universities
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Arkansas
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A