Toward a Welcoming Classroom: Assessment of Student Perceptions of Writing Education in Introductory Honors College Courses

Authors

Hilary K. Snow, University of Wisconsin-MilwaukeeFollow

Date of this Version

2025

Document Type

Article

Citation

Honors in Practice (2025) 21: 101-126

Comments

Copyright 2025, NCHC and the author. Used by permission

Abstract

This study examines student perceptions of an introductory-level writing program in honors at a large, public R1 university. Author considers the efficacy of pedagogical interventions aimed at identifying gaps in the experience of writing for students from BIPOC and first-generation backgrounds and at developing more inclusive teaching practices. Collective revisions to the program’s writing philosophy, objectives, and rubrics helped instructors gain clarity and consistency across sections. A two-part survey was conducted at the beginning and end of the semester, and metrics were calculated for all respondents (N = 176) and targeted subgroups (n = 37; n = 30). Results indicate that while BIPOC students performed above their peers, first-generation students performed below their peers. Author identifies pedagogical practices that students report to be beneficial and offer suggestions on how honors educators can sustain strong and inclusive writing programs within an array of curricular and co-curricular offerings. Benchmarks and selected survey questions are appended.