Completing College Writing: Improving Student Success in First-Year Composition

Abstract

This study attempted to improve student performance in First Year Composition (FYC) courses at Barton College by implementing a set of interventions grounded in Tinto’s (2012a) framework for institutional action. These interventions consisted of a standard syllabus for FYC courses, a requirement that underperforming students visit the campus Writing Center, individual conferences between students and their FYC instructors, and a greater opportunity for students to draw on personal experience when completing major writing assignments. A quasi-experimental design was used to determine the factors that influenced student performance and to assess the impact of this set of interventions via an analysis of course attempts made during 2023-24 versus a historical cohort control group. Data sources included final grade rosters, course evaluation results, archived course syllabi, and Writing Center visit logs. Although the interventions did not have a statistically significant impact on student performance, the study successfully identified the factors that influenced student success in FYC courses in general, which were ethnicity and repeat attempts. Gender, student perceptions of instruction, course consistency, and Writing Center use, however, did not have an appreciable impact. These insights may be of use to instructors and administrators at Barton College and at other institutions as they strive to improve their FYC programs in the future.