The student will write a minimum of sixteen pages distributed over at least five graded compositions based on the following guidelines; individual instructors may elect to assign more graded writing assignments, somewhat longer assignments, journal writing, and/or writing exercises.

Diagnostic essay

	two pages, 500 words, graded (individual instructors will decide if the theme will count toward the final grade)
	designed to be written in a class period and to correspond to a similar exit theme in order to provide a fair assessment of the student's progress in writing over the course of the semester
	should involve the student's taking of a position on an issue.

The following three assignments should comprise a minimum of twelve pages.  Some instructors may wish to tie the three assignments together in order to offer a coherent discovery-position paper-outcome approach to the semester writing assignments.

Assignment one (two-three pages):  critique of a study (studies may be correlational, experimental, quasi-experimental, or case studies; important elements include

	Explicit thesis
	Comprehension of problems in gathering and understanding evidence
	Statistical correlation, statistical fallacies, confounding variables
	Inductive generalizations
	Causal arguments
	Necessary and sufficient conditions
	Mill's methods

Assignment two (eight-ten pages):  position paper based on an ethical or public policy issue

	MLA citation and documentation
	Outline
	Research:  relevant, sufficient, and representative evidence
	Sound arguments
	Formal arguments, syllogisms
	Analogies, dilemmas
	Fallacies

Assignment three (two-three pages):  writing a law, proposition, or policy

	clear relation to previous assignments (if the discovery approach was used)
	documentation if needed
	problems in composing definitions
	strong and appropriate conclusion

Exit theme (two pages, 500 words):  complements the critical thinking test as part of the final exam