Writing Intensive Curriculum Program

Word Count Table for Proposed WIC Course

Filling out the Word Count Table (Word doc) will help you determine whether your course meets the WIC writing requirements.

Column 1. Add the assignment title.

Column 2. The term “ungraded” here encompasses assignments that are minimally graded—that is, ones where students receive credit simply for turning the assignment in; where the writing is evaluated on a check minus, check, or check-plus basis; and so on.

Column 3. One typed double-spaced page of 12 pt. text = approximately 250 words; thus, a 5-page assignment would translate here to 1,250 words.

Column 4. In WIC courses, at least 25% of students’ grades must be based on individual writing. Individually written sections of group papers can count toward this requirement only if the sections are graded individually.

Column 5. To meet the WIC requirement, students must revise a minimum of 2,000 words; the revision work may be applied to a single 8-or-more-page assignment or divided between one 1,250 word (5 page) assignment and one additional assignment of at least 750 words. 

Column 6. When a student revises a paper, the word count of the draft and the revision both count toward the total word count.  Thus a 2,000 word paper that is fully revised counts as 4,000 words.