Distance Writing Program Course Style Guide

July 2007

This style guide is designed to create consistency among all of the Distance Writing Program (DWP) courses so that students who take more than one will have an easier time finding and comprehending what is expected of them.

There are three basic categories of consistency that we strive for in these courses:

1. Vocabulary
2. Formatting/Structure
3. Process

Revisions to the online writing course templates are made every summer to make most efficient and logical use of our course management system (CMS) and to reflect changes in the vocabulary used by WVU, the CMS licensed by WVU, the course texts, and more. While every attempt is made to locate each instance of outdated vocabulary, some may be missed and so we appreciate your help identifying these.

Use the following to check your courses before the term begins. If at any time you identify an inconsistency in your course, please 1) print the page on which you identify the inconsistency, circle the inconsistency, put the page in my box; and 2) make the correction to your course.

Send questions about these or ideas for additions to these lists for all instructors over the course of the term to Catherine (Catherine.Gouge@mail.wvu.edu).

Note: After your first term teaching a course, you will be responsible for submitting a “VCRS” form to have your course content migrated into your course shell for the term. Please use the most recent style guide to prepare your course for the term. You may make other adjustments to your course (textbook, assignment content, etc.), but please make sure your section formatting/structure and vocabulary conform to the following guidelines. See the “Start-of-Term Instructor Guidelines” for a more comprehensive list of guidelines for experienced distance writing instructors.

1. Vocabulary

Among ourselves, we will use the following vocabulary to refer to parts of the WVU eCampus CMS:

• A “Learning Module” is vocabulary we will use among ourselves to talk about the structure of one kind of unit in the WVU eCampus CMS that enables us to create a table of contents. The “Weekly Assignments” are an example of a “learning module” in WVU eCampus.
• An “html page” in WVU eCampus refers to a single page that is viewed immediately when you click on an icon and is not a part of a table of contents. The “Course Guidelines” is an example of an html page.
• An “organizer page” in WVU eCampus is an icon that links to a page with other icons (which may themselves be single html pages or learning modules). The “Coursework” icon on all course homepages is an example of “organizer page.”

For our online students, it can be very confusing when the vocabulary used (by us or our course content) to identify work due or the location of content is wrong or inconsistent. Please try to keep the vocabulary in your courses up to date and consistent with the following:

• Use the full title of “WVU eCampus” to refer to the course management system the course is taught through in every instance (not Vista or CMS or “eCampus”)
• “Weekly Modules” should be changed to “Weekly Assignments”
• “Work Due” should be changed to “Coursework.”
• “Bulletin Board” alone should be changed to “Discussion(s) Bulletin Board” or “Discussion(s) Board.”
• A “topic” on the “Discussion Board” is something you create (like “Announcements”). Students can post messages under the “topics” you create which start “threads” of discussion.
• Extended guidelines for individual assignments that are not a part of individual weekly assignments listings should be put in a “Learning Module” called “Assignment Guidelines.”
• “Quizzes and Tests” and “Surveys and Evaluations” should be created as separate learning modules under the “Coursework” icon/organizer page.

2. Formatting/Structure

To help both DWP students and instructors locate course guidelines and content, we tried to make the formatting and structure of all of the DWP courses the same. The following is a list of key formatting and structural consistencies:

• There should be no more than three icons on the homepage: “Course Guidelines,” “Coursework,” and the “Distance Writing Program” website.
• Everything other than the Course Guidelines should be located under “Coursework”: “Assignment Guidelines,” “Quizzes and Tests,” and “Surveys and Evaluations.”
• The Course Guidelines are now compiled as one, shorter html page.

3. Process

• Every course should have an “Announcements” topic on the course Discussion Board where the instructor will post any a “Welcome” message just before the start of the term, an “Office Hours” message at the start of each term, and updates to the course or special instructor announcements about the class and class progress throughout the term.
• Use simple, clear subject lines for Discussion Board postings and emails to students.
• Always reply to student questions or concerns within 48 hours (Monday – Friday).
• If a student emails you about with a question you think another student may have, post a version of your answer to the Discussion Board. This may mean the difference between three emails or Discussion Board postings that you need to reply to and fifteen.
• Over the course of the term, post at least a few progress reports via the “Announcements” to your whole class topic. These should be seen as opportunities to praise your class for what they are doing well, briefly address any outstanding or common questions/concerns, and identify some specific goals for them to work towards. For example, you might tell them that they are doing a great job on their weekly exercises; tell them that a technical glitch has been resolved; and ask them to focus on really giving each other specific feedback in their small group discussions. You do not need to call these “progress reports.”
• At midterm the first time you teach a distance writing course, put a copy of your midterm evaluations in Catherine’s box.
• At the end of the term, put a copy of your final evaluations in Catherine’s box.
• At the end of the term, print a copy of your final grades and put them in Catherine’s box.