Directed Self Placement (DSP)

College students across the United States take writing courses to complete their degree. Some enter college having already earned writing credits, either through test scores or through previous college-level course work. Others will need to earn introductory writing credits by completing first-year composition. This is especially important at �� because we have an all-university writing requirement: you’ll be writing at least 2500 words in every �� class you take! For that reason, it is important that you take the right General Education Writing (GEW) course sequence to prepare you for success.

The decision about which GEW path to take should be made through careful reflection on your own experiences with academic reading and writing.

This includes your grades in previous English and Writing courses, but also your own evaluation of who you are as a reader and a writer and how much support you need to be successful at ��. It’s also important you don’t make a quick or uninformed decision.

To help you determine which sequence is best for you, we’ve created a self-assessment survey:

About the survey

The survey will ask you to think about your typical practices for reading and writing and your level of comfort with particular writing and reading tasks. This is your opportunity to thoughtfully reflect on who you are as a writer and a learner, and then make an informed decision about what GEW pathway is right for you. We call this process Directed Self-Placement (DSP).

General Education Writing (GEW) Courses

Show All

GEW 101B: Writing as a Rhetorical Act
- 3-credit course
- Fulfills GE requirement in written communication (A2)
- In this course you will:
  - Locate, evaluate, and integrate academic sources into your writing
  - Interrogate the power dynamics and social constructions that inform academic knowledge production
  - Produce a 10-12 page research project that contributes to an academic conversation
GEW 101A: Writing as Critical Inquiry
- 4-credit course
- Fulfills GE requirement in critical thinking (A3)
In this course you will:
- Engage in textual analysis and work with sources to construct sound arguments
- Gain foundational skills for academic writing
- Produce a 6-8 page project demonstrating your skills in critical reading, analysis, and information literacy

GEW Course Pathways

The Directed Self Placement Survey will recommend that you take one of four GEW course sequences:

Show All

Pathway 2
This pathway is for students who feel confident in their critical reading and thinking skills and are ready to practice library research and academic writing without the extra support of the Writing Lab.

Students who place into this option are also accustomed to lengthy, multi-draft writing projects and are able to complete such work independently.

First semester course(s):
- GEW 101B: Writing as a Rhetorical Act (3 credits)
Pathway 3
This pathway provides the most support. Students learn the foundational skills of critical reading and thinking in GEW 101A before progressing to GEW 101B. They also have the benefit of additional writing time and feedback in the Writing Lab during their first semester.

First semester course(s):
- GEW 101A: Writing as Critical Inquiry (4 credits)
Second semester course(s):
- GEW 101B: Writing as a Rhetorical Act (3 credits)

Frequently Asked Questions:

Show All

What is Directed Self Placement (DSP)?

Directed Self Placement (DSP) is a widely-used placement practice that guides college students like yourself to choose a writing course sequence that aligns with your skills and needs. Sit down with the DSP when you have time to learn about the GEW offerings and to answer a few self-reflective questions about who you are as a writer and reader.

will lead to a recommendation of one of four possible GEW Pathways.
What is taught in different GEW courses?
There are three General Education Writing (GEW) courses at ��:
- GEW 101B: Writing as a Rhetorical Act. This 3-credit course fulfills your GE requirement in written communication (A2). It focuses on writing as a rhetorical act and on academic, research-based writing. In this course, you’ll locate academic articles through the university library and integrate those sources into your own writing project. You’ll also interrogate the power dynamics and social constructions that inform academic knowledge production. By the end of the semester, you will have produced a 10-12 page research project that contributes to an academic conversation.
- GEW 101A: Writing as Critical Inquiry. This 4-credit course that teaches critical reading and thinking as foundational skills for academic writing. You'll engage in textual analysis and work with sources to construct sound arguments. The final project in this course is a 6-8 page project that demonstrates your skills in critical reading, analysis, and information literacy for academic writing, it fulfills your GE requirement in critical thinking (A3). In addition to meeting with your class for three hours a week, you'll also participate in a once-weekly "writing lab" during which you'll workshop in-progress drafts with classmates and get feedback on your writing from the instructor. You'll also engage in some reflecton on your writing process and have an opportunity to ask questions.
Will taking GEW 101A before GEW 101B delay my time to degree completion?
No. Regardless of which writing course sequence you choose, you’ll be fulfilling your general education requirements and staying on track to graduate. GEW 101B fulfills your General Education requirement in writing communication (A2) and GEW 101A fulfills your General Education requirement in critical thinking (A3). If you don’t take GEW 101A, then you’ll fulfill the critical thinking requirement via a different course (in philosophy, literature, psychology, math, or linguistics). If you do take GEW 101A, it simply means that your general education coursework includes additional support for academic reading and writing.
What happens if I do not complete the Directed Self Placement Survey?
You will be placed into a GEW pathway according to the . This system looks at high school GPA, high school and college coursework, and standardized test scores. It does not account for your own assessment of your experiences with reading and writing. Taking DSP is highly recommended because it gives you a say in what sequence you take; as such, it is a more precise placement strategy that tends to increase students’ engagement in their coursework.

What are the different GEW course sequences?

GEW Pathways
Pathway	First Semester	Second Semester
Pathway #2 This pathway is for students who feel confident in their critical reading and thinking skills and are ready to practice library research and academic writing without the extra support of the Writing Lab. Students who place into this option are also accustomed to lengthy, multi-draft writing projects and are able to complete such work independently.	GEW 101B: Writing as a Rhetorical Act (3 credits)
Pathway #3 This pathway is for students who feel confident in their critical reading and thinking skills. They know how to analyze and integrate a variety of cources into their writing, and they're ready to practice library research and academic writing. This option also provides some extra support in the form of additional feedback and writing time in the Writing Lab.	GEW 101A: Writing as Critical Inquiry (4 credits)	GEW 101B: Writing as a Rhetorical Act (3 credits)

Where do I find the DSP Survey?

Please note that the survey closes on June 7, 2024. If you have missed the deadline, you will be placed into a course sequence according to multiple measures. Please consult your Degree Planner for more information.

Note: Directed Self Placement is a new initiative at ��, effective Summer 2022. Please consult with your academic advisor for more information

Note: Directed Self Placement is a new initiative at ��, effective Summer 2022. Please consult with your academic advisor for more information.