In order to assess what students know, most professors require
some form of writing--essays, term papers, lab reports,
summaries, responses--from undergraduates at some point in their
courses. Writing helps us see how students are grappling with
the ideas and content of a class, usually forcing them to engage
in higher levels of thinking about a subject. Rather than simply
memorizing information, students are asked to analyze or
synthesize facts and ideas to develop their skills at thinking
like a biologist or a historian or a social worker. Writing is
central to the intellectual development of undergraduates, and
currently at UMBC there is a renewed examination of the writing
requirements students must fulfill in order to graduate. A
Writing Board, appointed by the Provost at the request of the
Undergraduate Council and Faculty Senate, is examining the
writing requirement and considering adding a "Writing in the
Disciplines" component to the undergraduate curriculum. Writing
in the Disciplines (WID) programs