The WAC Outstanding Writing Instruction Award

Applications for the 2023-2024 CSTW WAC Outstanding Writing Instruction Award   

for GTAs due Friday, March 8th, 2024 at 5 p.m. 

Are you a graduate student who uses writing in your teaching in a meaningful way to respond to students’ needs and promote their learning in your discipline? Or, have you used writing in your courses to overcome the unique challenges of this past year? Consider applying for the 2024 Writing Across the Curriculum Outstanding Writing Instruction Award.  

The award recipient will receive a $200 monetary award from the Center for the Study and Teaching of Writing and public recognition as an outstanding instructor who uses writing to teach in meaningful ways to promote student learning. The application deadline is Friday, March 8th at 5 p.m. See our call for proposals for more information: https://go.osu.edu/cfpwacaward 

Are you eligible to apply?

  • Applicants must be a graduate student during the 2023-2024 academic year.  
  • Applicants must also be a present or former instructor or teaching assistant/associate in a course at OSU. 
  • Those who have applied in the past but have not been awarded are eligible to apply.  
  • Honorable mention recipients are eligible to apply again.  
  • Past winners are ineligible to apply.  

To apply, select one course you are teaching or have taught at OSU as a GTA to focus on, and submit (in .doc, .docx or .pdf format * ) the following to osuwac@gmail.com:  
 

  1. A one-to-two page cover letter (single-spaced, 12pt font) that explains how you use writing to teach in meaningful ways that reflect both your teaching philosophy and a responsiveness to students’ challenges in the course you’ve selected. 
  1. One of the following: sample assignment, activity, or lesson plan, that shows how you have used writing to address a student challenge or need in that course. (You may want to include a few explanatory notes in the sample to provide more clarity for the judges to understand the context of your submission materials and components.) If you have questions about what to submit here, please contact Dr. Chris Manion. (manion.12@osu.edu). 
  1. The syllabus from the course you selected. 

     
    *** Please title your files with your last name and first name plus file names (example: BuckeyeBrutus_syllabus) *** 

Your submission will be judged on how well the materials: 

  • Demonstrate how the instructor connects writing to their wider teaching philosophy 
  • Connect writing to the overall learning goals and course objectives 
  • Provide evidence demonstrating how the instructor uses writing to respond to students’ challenges or needs in the course 

The review committee suggests considering what meaningful writing might look like in your instruction with the following questions: 

  • How have you used writing to innovate your students learning experience? 
  • How has writing served as an opportunity for students to learn your discipline’s practices? 
  • How has writing helped your students academic needs? 
  • How has incorporating writing helped make space to value your students experiences and skills? 

The WAC team will review applications and select finalists for interviews if necessary. We will select the winner and honorable mentions by early April. 

Have questions about your application? We encourage you to contact the WAC program (via Dr. Chris Manion at manion.12@osu.edu) to arrange an optional consultation before you submit your application materials. The last day for these consultations will be Friday, March 1th. 

Best of luck!  

Sincerely, 

The WAC Team  

The Center for the Study and Teaching of Writing 

Email: osuwac@gmail.com