1. Home
  2. /
  3. WI Focus

Writing-Intensive Focus Board

The Writing Intensive Focus Board is responsible for reviewing and approving proposals for new writing-intensive courses and proposals for the renewal of existing writing-intensive courses.

Once proposers submit a completed course proposal form and course syllabus to the WI Focus Board Chair by the designated deadline, the chair then reviews the proposals to ensure compliance with the Leeward CC Hallmarks of Writing-Intensive Courses and the proposal requirements before passing the proposals and renewals to the board for review. Whenever possible, the Chair will work with those whose proposals or renewals need revisions before submission to the board.

Once the Board receives the proposals, they review and discuss proposals prior to voting on their approval or need for revision. In the case of proposals requiring revision, the board may approve the proposal, contingent upon receipt of the required revision by the deadline set by the board. For proposals requiring more substantial review, the Board may return the proposal with the board’s feedback for required revision and resubmission by the deadline set by the board. Once approved, the writing-intensive designation remains active for four years.

The Board is also responsible for evaluating the effectiveness of the writing-intensive program, as well as coordinating workshops and other campus events that promote writing-intensive course development, writing across the curriculum, and appreciation of writing.

In This Section

WI Board Members

Jeffrey Acido
Arts & Humanities
acido@hawaii.edu

Donald Carreira Ching
Language Arts
donaldc@hawaii.edu

Anika Gearhart-Edwards
Social Sciences
anikag@hawaii.edu

Michael Oishi
Arts & Humanities
mtoishi@hawaii.edu

Ashley Biddle
Social Sciences
ammorris@hawaii.edu

Cara Chang (Chair)
Language Arts
cmchang@hawaii.edu

Christian Gilbert
Language Arts
ckhg@hawaii.edu

Brandi Reyes
Language Arts
blreyes@hawaii.edu

Michael Cawdery
Social Sciences
cawdery@hawaii.edu

Matthew Egami
Professional Arts and Technology
megami@hawaii.edu

Alyssa MacDonald
Math and Science
amh4@hawaii.edu

Faculty

 

Why Use Writing in Your Classes?
  1. Writing promotes learning: As students write, they use a recursive process that involves planning, organizing, analyzing, evaluating, collaborating, and revising. This active and critical engagement with ideas deepens students’ understanding of course material and promotes the synthesis of new ideas.
  2. Writing promotes creative thinking: The more students practice their writing skills, the more adept they become at using language, voice, and mechanics to cultivate style and express themselves as individuals.
  3. Writing is vital for STEM majors: Whether it relates to the routine, day-to-day tasks within a tech company such as writing reports or composing inter-office messages, or whether it involves collaboration on large group projects, strong written communication skills within STEM fields are vital. “No matter how brilliant you are or how well you can code, if you can’t communicate your ideas, you’re not a good hire,” says Samantha Kleinberg of the Stevens Institute of Technology. Susan Ramlo, professor of Engineering and Science Technology at the University of Akron, agrees: “If you cannot communicate with a diverse set of people, there is no point in having good ideas, because you will have no way to share them with others.”1 Kristin Sainani, a health policy professor at Stanford University who teaches courses on writing in the sciences, says, “In science, research is king, and it’s important,” but she points out that over the past ten years or so, many colleges have begun to acknowledge the importance of the “soft skills,” such as writing and interpersonal communication, within various scientific fields.2
  4. Employers want candidates with strong writing skills: Despite which major or career path a student chooses, there is a sizable body of research that shows just how important written communication skills are for most prospective employers. A 2014 online survey of 400 employers conducted on behalf of the Association of American Colleges & Universities by Hart Research Associates found that “employers say that when hiring, they place the greatest value on demonstrated proficiency in skills and knowledge that cut across all majors. The learning outcomes they rate as most important include written and oral communication skills, teamwork skills, ethical decision-making, critical thinking, and the ability to apply knowledge in real-world settings. Indeed, most employers say that these cross-cutting skills are more important to an individual’s success at their company than his or her undergraduate major.”3 The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) found in its Job Outlook 2019 survey that 82% of respondents indicated that strong written communication skills were amongst the most desirable skills employers look for on resumes.4

References

  1. Study International Staff. “Why STEM Students Should Learn How to Write.” Study International, 13 Feb.2019, www.studyinternational.com/news/why-stem-students-should-learn-how-to-write/.

  2. Ossola, Alexandra. “How Scientists Are Learning to Write.” The Atlantic, 12 Dec. 2014, www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2014/12/how-scientists-are-learning-to-write/383685/.

  3. Hart Research Associates. “Falling Short? College Learning and Career Success.” Association of American Colleges & Universities, 2015, www.aacu.org/leap/public-opinion-research/2015-survey-falling-short.

  4. NACE Staff. “Employers Want to See These Attributes on Students’ Resumes.” National Association of Colleges and Employers, 12 Dec. 2018, www.naceweb.org/talent-acquisition/candidate-selection/employers-want-to-see-these-attributes-on-students-resumes/

Faculty
Teaching a WI Course

Leeward CC offers a substantial number of writing-intensive (WI) courses each semester. Faculty interested in teaching a WI course at Leeward must submit a WI course proposal form, along with a course syllabus. Writing-Intensive courses are capped at 20 students to afford a greater opportunity for student-instructor interaction. Students in these classes are required to produce a minimum of 4000 words of writing, 1000 words of which must be in the form of formal writing. Formal writing, unlike informal writing, requires individual instructor feedback and revision. Writing assignments, not including in-class exams and drafts, must make up at least forty percent (40%) of each student’s course grade. Instructors will be responsible for ensuring that each student meets the required word count in order to fulfill the writing-intensive requirement, particularly in cases in which students do not submit formal and/or informal writing assignments or do not adhere to word counts for these assignments.

Writing Intensive courses also cannot have a Foundations designation. For more information, see the Writing-Intensive Hallmarks and Proposing a WI Course sections below.

How long a Writing-Intensive designation lasts

A Writing-Intensive designation is effective for four years from the original approval date. As an example, if a course is approved in Spring 2021, the instructor would need to submit a renewal in Spring 2025. After that period, if the instructor wants to continue offering the course as WI, he or she needs to submit another WI course proposal form for Writing-Intensive Focus Board review to ensure that the course still meets WI guidelines. WI course renewals will also be effective for four years.

At Leeward CC, WI designations are granted for the course taught by the instructor submitting the proposal; if another instructor wishes to teach the same course as WI, he or she is required to submit a proposal for it.

Prerequisite for Writing-Intensive courses

The prerequisite for Leeward CC writing–intensive courses is the completion of English 100 or equivalent with a grade of C or better.

For ENG 100 students, receiving a D grade signifies minimal passing achievement and students receive three credits for ENG 100 when a D grade is earned; however, if ENG 100 is a prerequisite for other courses at Leeward CC, including those designated as Writing Intensive (WI), students must earn a grade of C or better in ENG 100 in order to meet that prerequisite.

Graduation Requirement

Leeward CC’s Associate of Arts degree requires that students successfully complete five Focus courses, two of which must be writing-intensive. The following statement appears in the Leeward Community College General Catalog [new window] :

Because writing helps students both to learn and to communicate, Leeward Community College requires students to take two writing intensive courses. Small writing intensive classes, in which instructors work with students on writing related to course topics, are offered in various disciplines. Students need to satisfy the Written Communication “FW” requirement with a grade of C or better before they enroll in writing intensive courses. Approved sections are identified in the College’s Class Availability with a “WI”; offerings vary each semester.

Writing-Intensive Hallmarks

The Leeward Community College Writing Intensive Focus Board uses these hallmarks [new window] as they evaluate Writing-Intensive proposals:

  1. The course uses writing to promote the learning of course materials. Instructors assign formal and informal writing, both in class and out, to increase students’ understanding of course material as well as to improve writing skills.

  2. The course provides interaction between teacher and students while students do assigned writing; in effect, the instructor acts as an expert and the student as an apprentice in a community of writers. Types of interaction will vary. For example, a professor who requires the completion of one long essay may review sections of the essay, write comments on drafts, and be available for conferences. The professor who requires several short papers may demonstrate techniques for drafting and revising in the classroom, give guidance during the composition of the papers, and consult with students after they complete their papers.

  3. Writing contributes significantly to each student’s course grade. Writing assignments, not including in-class exams and drafts, must make up at least forty percent (40%) of each student’s course grade.

  4. The course requires students to do a substantial amount of writing—a minimum of 4,000 words, or about 16 pages. This may include informal writing. Depending on the course content, students may write analytic essays, critical reviews, journals, lab reports, research reports, or reaction papers, and other types of writing. In-class exams and drafts are not counted toward the 4,000-word minimum.

  5. To allow for meaningful professor-student interaction on each student’s writing, the class is restricted to 20 students.

Proposing a WI Course
These are suggested steps to take for faculty who are interested in submitting a WI course proposal:
  4. Fill out the appropriate WI application form:
    • Instructor-Based WI Application [new window]
    • Course-Based WI Application [new window]

    Submit the completed form, with your syllabus, to the WI Chair.

** The deadline for Spring 2026 new course proposals and current WI course renewals for courses to be taught starting Summer/Fall 2026 is Friday, January 23, 2026 **


Required Statements for Your Course Syllabus:

Please include the following information in your course syllabus:

“Prerequisites”

Completion of English 100 or equivalent with a grade of C or better is a prerequisite for this and all other Writing Intensive courses at Leeward CC.

“Writing-Intensive Statement”

In this Writing-Intensive course, you will do a substantial amount of writing (a minimum of 4,000 words) to help you learn the course content and improve your writing skills. Receiving credit for a Writing-Intensive course may depend upon satisfactory completion of all writing assignments. While Writing-Intensive courses can be demanding, many students find writing about course content helps them to think more deeply about that content. Since Writing-Intensive courses have smaller class sizes, there will be increased opportunity for interaction with your instructor about your writing. Your instructor will help you work on your writing skills by providing individual feedback on your writing and requiring revision, in response to that feedback, on at least one major writing project. Students in Writing-Intensive courses may be asked to participate in an online survey to assist the college in assessing the Writing-Intensive coursework offered at the college.

“Writing Center”

The Writing Center provides free writing support for Leeward CC students. Writing consultants are fellow students who are available to help with writing assignments for any Leeward CC class, scholarship essays, and college success skills (including Laulima, OER, time management, organization, note taking, and reading).

Contact Us

The content tutors and writing consultants are available online on both an appointment and drop-in basis. Go to https://web.penjiapp.com to schedule an appointment. See the LRC and Writing Center websites for instructions on using Penji.

Include the following information as per Leeward CC’s Policy L5.201 on Curriculum Review and Revision [new window]:

Instructor-Based Course List

Active Instructor-based WI courses are effective Spring 2026, as of September 17, 2025.

See the Catalog [new window] for a complete list of courses and course descriptions.

Course-Based Course List

Active Course-based WI courses are effective Spring 2026, as of September 17, 2025.

See the Catalog [new window] for a complete list of courses and course descriptions.

Previous Active WI Course and Instructor Lists

Summer/Fall 2026 Active Course and Instructor List [new window]

Spring 2026 Active Course and Instructor List [new window]

Summer/Fall 2025 Active Course and Instructor List [new window]

Spring 2025 Active Course and Instructor List [new window]

Summer/Fall 2024 Active Course and Instructor List [new window]

Spring 2024 Active Course and Instructor List [new window]

Summer/Fall 2023 Active Course and Instructor List [new window]

Spring 2023 Active Course and Instructor List (docx) [new window]

Summer/Fall 2022 Active Course and Instructor List (docx) [new window]

Spring 2022 Active Course and Instructor List (docx) [new window]

Summer/Fall 2021 Active Course and Instructor List (docx) [new window]

Spring 2021 Active Course and Instructor List (docx) [new window]

Summer/Fall 2020 Active Course and Instructor List (docx) [new window]

Summer/Fall 2019 Active Course and Instructor List (docx) [new window]

Summer/Fall 2018 Active Course and Instructor List (docx) [new window]

Spring 2018 Active Course and Instructor List (docx) [new window]

Summer/Fall 2017 Active Course and Instructor List (docx) [new window]

Spring 2017 Active Course and Instructor List (docx) [new window]

Summer/Fall 2016 Active Course and Instructor List (docx) [new window]

Spring 2016 Active Course and Instructor List (docx) [new window]

Summer/Fall 2015 Active Course and Instructor List (docx) [new window]

Spring 2015 Active Course and Instructor List (docx) [new window]

Summer/Fall 2014 Active Course and Instructor List (docx) [new window]

Students

What are Writing-Intensive courses?

Writing-Intensive courses are specially designated courses in which…

  • Writing is used as a tool for learning the subject.

  • The instructor interacts with students to help them improve their writing.

  • Writing is a major element in the course grade.

  • The student does a significant amount of writing — at least 4,000 words (equivalent to 16 typed pages) during the semester.

  • Class size is limited to 20 students to allow for substantial instructor-student interaction.

Are there any prerequisites for Writing-Intensive courses?

  • Yes. Almost all WI courses taught at Leeward CC require previous completion of English 100 or equivalent with a C or better.

I took a class in which I wrote much more than 16 pages. Why didn’t I get WI credit for it?

  • In order for a class to receive WI designation, the instructor has to submit a proposal to a faculty committee for approval. Not all instructors choose to do this.

Why does Leeward CC have a Writing-Intensive requirement for the AA degree?

  • Because writing skills are important — both in college courses and in “real life”. Employers want to hire graduates who have good communication skills; these are also the employees who are most likely to advance on the job.

  • To give students a head start if they’re transferring to UH-Mānoa, where five WI courses are required for the Bachelors degree. Two of these courses can be lower-division (100- or 200-level). WI courses you take at Leeward CC count toward this degree requirement when you transfer.

How many WI courses are required for Leeward CC’s AA degree?

  • Two WI courses are required.

  • For students who began here before Fall 2003, one WI course is required for the AA degree.

If I transfer to another community college or UH campus in Hawai’i and I already took WI courses at Leeward CC, will they count toward the requirement at the other college?

  • Leeward CC’s WI courses will transfer and be accepted to fulfill the lower division WI requirements at any other UH system institution which requires lower division WI graduation requirements. Please be aware that every UH institution has different graduation requirements. Please check with a counselor for more detailed information.

Certificate in Writing

What is the Certificate in Writing?
Leeward CC offers a Certificate in Writing (Academic Subject Certificate in Writing) that consists of 18 credits (ENG 100 and five additional courses). Developing your writing skills can transform your life by giving you the tools to reach your educational and career goals. Creative and business tracks are available.

Information can be found in the Catalog [new window].

How will the Certificate in Writing benefit me as a student?
Writing is “visible thinking.” When you write about what you are learning, you will find it easier to understand new information, organize your thoughts, and demonstrate what you have learned. As you improve your writing skills, you will notice how much better you are doing in your courses. Taking the courses required for the Writing Certificate will help you become a better student at Leeward and other colleges.

How will the Certificate in Writing help me at work?
The ability to present yourself clearly on paper will help you get a better position in today’s competitive job market. Employers will notice the quality of your written work in your resume, correspondence, memos, and reports. How well you write communicates a great deal about you as a person and an employee. As a clear, effective writer, you will advance faster than employees who don’t write well. When employers see your Certificate in Writing, they will know that you have developed a writing proficiency that will benefit them.

How do I find out more about the Certificate in Writing?
Contact Susan Waldman, Leeward CC Writing Certificate Coordinator, at 455-0428 (LA-218) or at swaldman@hawaii.edu

Certificate in Writing

What is the Certificate in Writing?
Leeward CC offers a Certificate in Writing (Academic Subject Certificate in Writing) that consists of 18 credits (ENG 100 and five additional courses). Developing your writing skills can transform your life by giving you the tools to reach your educational and career goals. Creative and business tracks are available.

How will the Certificate in Writing benefit me as a student?
Writing is “visible thinking.” When you write about what you are learning, you will find it easier to understand new information, organize your thoughts, and demonstrate what you have learned. As you improve your writing skills, you will notice how much better you are doing in your courses. Taking the courses required for the Writing Certificate will help you become a better student at Leeward and other colleges.

How will the Certificate in Writing help me at work?
The ability to present yourself clearly on paper will help you get a better position in today’s competitive job market. Employers will notice the quality of your written work in your resume, correspondence, memos, and reports. How well you write communicates a great deal about you as a person and an employee. As a clear, effective writer, you will advance faster than employees who don’t write well. When employers see your Certificate in Writing, they will know that you have developed a writing proficiency that will benefit them.

How do I find out more about the Certificate in Writing?
Contact Amanda Silliman, Leeward CC Writing Certificate Coordinator, asillima@hawaii.edu.

 

WAC at Leeward CC

The Writing Intensive Focus Board sponsors workshops every semester to provide opportunities for faculty to share teaching ideas, techniques that will encourage the use of writing as a tool for students to learn course content and also develop their writing and critical thinking skills. Workshops include formal or informal presentations and open discussion of the rewards and challenges of incorporating writing into college instruction.

The handouts or summaries listed below are some of the products of Leeward CC’s Writing Across the Curriculum workshops:

Check out this list of past workshops the Writing Committee has sponsored in recent years

Writing-Intensive Student Surveys

Nearly every semester the WI Focus Board conducts electronic student surveys in order to gather data on the effectiveness of the writing-intensive program and to assess how we are meeting student needs. Students are asked questions pertaining to their individual experiences within writing-intensive courses in which they were enrolled, the types of writing they did within these courses, why they enrolled in a writing-intensive course, their utilization of writing-related resources (i.e. The Writing Center), and their educational goals.

Spring 2022 [new window]

Fall 2021 [new window]

Spring 2021 [new window]

Fall 2020 [new window]

Spring 2020 [new window]

Fall 2019 [new window]

Fall 2018 [new window]

Spring 2018 [new window]

Fall 2017 [new window]

Spring 2017 [new window]

Fall 2016 [new window]