CALL FOR 2009 WPA RESEARCH GRANT PROPOSALS

The Research Grants Committee of the Council of Writing Program Administrators invites proposals for research projects that investigate issues and practices in writing program administration. Maximum awards of $2000 may be given; average awards are $1000. Applicants must be current WPA members; all current WPA members are eligible to apply.

Deadline for Proposals: January 30, 2009

Please organize your proposal as follows:

I'm serving on a summer committee which has been tasked to research if and how smaller freshmen writing class sizes serve to incease retention within both the freshman writing course(s) and later composition courses. The report that we'll be presenting in September is directed at the college deans and provosts, so we need to uncover data that supports what most writing teachers know--smaller classes equals a better chance at student success, and we need to consider the issue from an institutional / financial as well as classroom/pedagogical perspective.