Learning to Write and Writing to Learn Social Work Concepts: Application of Writing Across the Curriculum Strategies and Techniques to a Course for Undergraduate Social Work Students

Imagined, prescribed and actual text trajectories: the “problem” with case notes in contemporary social work

“…Most existing work has focused on the writing of social work students (e.g. Horton and Diaz 2011;Rai 2004;Rai 2006), with some work on graduate social workers' writing on work placements (Paré 2002;Le Maistre and Paré 2004;Paré and Le Maistre 2006). Key findings from work placement writing, echoed in more recent small studies (e.g.…”

Genre Exploration: A Frame for Understanding and Teaching Social Work Writing in Botswana

“…This approach has advocates in the field of social work writing. For example, Alter & Adkins (2006) argue for a skill-based approach at a writing centre, and Horton & Diaz (2011) describe an approach which again focuses on general writing skills in a range of assigned exercises.…”

A Longitudinal Study of Assessing APA Writing Competence at a BSW Program

“…Although relatively little has been published about the writing skills of social work students (Alter & Adkins, 2001, 2006Hooper & Butler, 2008;Horton & Diaz, 2011;Kahn & Holody, 2009;Rompf, 1995), it is a common concern that many college students have significant difficulties in composing a scholarly academic paper (Fallahi et al, 2006;Lillis & Turner, 2001;Winch & Well, 1995). Difficulties include confusion about the requirements of a scholarly paper, problems with grammar and mechanics as well as the structure, and the capacity for a clear communication of ideas (Lillis & Turner, 2001).…”

“…The need to write well is implicit in each of the 10 social work competencies expected of graduating social work students APA Writing Competence 567 (Council on Social Work Education [CSWE], 2008). However, social work education programs have been challenged in implementing best practices for improving the writing skills of students (Alter & Adkins, 2001, 2006Horton & Diaz, 2011;Kahn & Holody, 2009), not surprising perhaps in light of the increasing evidence that students at all levels of education today are less proficient in writing (Brown, Dickson, Humphreys, McQuillan, & Smears, 2008;Fallahi, Wood, Austad, & Fallahi, 2006;Lillis & Turner, 2001). In addition to improving writing skills, social work educators also need to teach students to write using the style developed by the American Psychological Association (APA), which is required by most social work journals and in the profession (Szuchman & Thomlinson, 2008).…”

“…Following the Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) movement, the program adopted the value that writing should be consistently taught by all instructors in every social work class. WAC has been recognized as a strength-based approach to improving the writing of social work students (Horton & Diaz, 2011;Kahn & Holody, 2009). The experimental program developed a tool to assess changes in APA writing skills in students' senior capstone research papers.…”