Ways of Thinking Ways of Doing
Ways of Doing

Ways Course Information Form

Overview

Each Way represents different intellectual capacities/skills that must be made apparent in each Ways-certified course. Therefore, there are unique text prompts for each Way, so the faculty board can fully assess a course along with the course syllabus. To view the Way-specific text prompts, please select the Way below. As an instructor, you will need to respond to these text prompts on the course submission form. There is also a downloadable Ways Course Information Form to enter your responses to the text prompts under each Way link if you enlist help to submit your course on your behalf.

Enlist the help of your SSO or course administrator

If you are an instructor and enlist your department's Student Service Officer (SSO) or course administrator to help submit your course for Ways certification, please complete the appropriate Way Course Information Form using the Ways links above, so they have the pertinent information to submit the course on your behalf. Please review the Ways Guidelines to select which Way(s) best fits your course. Please note that graduate student instructors are unable to access the Ways submission portal, so please enlist the help of your department SSO or course administrator for their assistance.

Aesthetic and Interpretive Inquiry (AII)

Please review the Ways Guidelines for AII guidance.

Way-AII is sometimes confused with CE. Way-AII prioritizes the study of artistic and cultural products through examination, analysis, comparison, and reflection. CE prioritizes learning through the practice of creative expression, such as dance, art, acting, writing, design, etc. Way-AII is also sometimes confused with SI, which may deal with the study of culture as a social phenomenon.

These are the specific text prompts for AII certification:

  1. In 3-5 sentences, please explain the nature of the aesthetic and cultural objects and texts or the means of their apprehension (via the mind, the senses, belief structures, etc.) considered in your course.
  2. In 3-5 sentences, please explain how each student will be required to engage first-hand in the interpretation and/or apprehension of cultural objects and texts. It would be most helpful if you could describe specific examples of student work assignments related to this.
  3. In 3-5 sentences, please explain how students will receive substantial training and guidance in the methods of inquiry and/or theoretical frameworks and perspectives relevant to Way-AII. please be specific and refer to elements of your syllabus.
  4. In 2-3 sentences, please characterize the percent of class time, student effort, and final grade devoted to this Way. Note that because this percentage should be substantial, a course cannot be certified for more than two Ways.

Download AII Course Information Form Here

Applied Quantitative Reasoning (AQR)

Please review the Ways Guidelines for AQR guidance.

AQR and FR courses are complementary. While AQR courses focus on quantitative reasoning and numerical analysis, FR courses focus on procedural thinking and/or formal manipulation of symbols and equations.

These are the specific text prompts for AQR certification:

  1. In 3-5 sentences, please explain the types of data analysis and/or interpretive visualization that students will engage in, and what kinds of conclusions or inferences will be drawn from the data.
  2. In 3-5 sentences, please explain how each student will be required to engage first-hand in analyzing and/or interpreting empirical data. It would be most helpful if you could describe specific examples of student work assignments related to this.
  3. In 3-5 sentences, please describe the type(s) of data analysis/interpretation methodology students will be trained in, and how they will receive this instruction. Please be specific and refer to elements of your syllabus.
  4. In 2-3 sentences, please characterize the percent of class time, student effort, and final grade devoted to this Way. Note that because this percent should be substantial, a course cannot be certified for more than two Ways.

Download AQR Course Information Form Here

Creative Expression (CE)

Please review the Ways Guidelines for CE guidance.

In a CE course, students should engage with the practice of creative expression in a specific creative medium repeatedly and progressively throughout the quarter while receiving active mentorship by the instructor or another individual who is well-versed in the practice. CE can sometimes be confused with Way-AII, and vice versa. Way-AII focuses on the critical study of creative works and humanistic texts with the aim of learning about and engaging in the critical interpretation of them.

These are the specific text prompts for CE certification:

  1. In 3-5 sentences, please explain the expressive medium/discipline that students will be trained in.
  2. In 3-5 sentences, please explain how each student will be required to engage in a well-defined creative practice that requires risk-taking and/or personal expression. It would be most helpful if you could describe specific examples of student work assignments related to this.
  3. In 3-5 sentences, please describe how students will receive sustained instruction and feedback in a specific creative medium/discipline. Please be specific and refer to elements of your syllabus.
  4. In 2-3 sentences, please characterize the percent of class time, student effort, and final grade devoted to this Way. Note that because this percent should be substantial, a course cannot be certified for more than two Ways.

Download CE Course Information Form Here

Exploring Difference and Power (EDP)

Please review the Ways Guidelines for EDP guidance.

"Exploring Difference and Power" courses examine power relationships and differences between groups. Courses that deal with a variety, per se, or with "non-Western" cultures, do not qualify as EDP courses unless they treat power relationships and differences within those cultures.

These are the specific text prompts for EDP certification:

  1. In 3-5 sentences, please explain the social contexts in which difference and power relations will be analyzed.
  2. In 3-5 sentences, please explain how each student will be required to address challenges that emerge in interactions between people with different backgrounds, worldviews, and opportunities, and/or to explore power relationships in specific contexts. It would be most helpful if you could describe specific examples of each student work assignments related to this.
  3. In 3-5 sentences, please describe the ways in which students will be instructed/ trained in the rigorous analysis of difference and inequality within social, political, and cultural domains. please be specific and refer to elements of your syllabus.
  4. In 2-3 sentences, please characterize the percent of class time, student effort, and final grade devoted to this Way. Note that because this percent should be substantial, a course cannot be certified for more than two Ways.

Download EDP Course Information Form Here

Ethical Reasoning (ER)

Please review the Ways Guidelines for ER guidance.

Addressing an issue or topic that has a value component or is ethically important is not sufficient to be an ER course. The majority of the course must be devoted to enabling students to reason about ethical problems and issues. Analysis of cases, or discussion of ethical questions in the absence of explicit presentation of one or more systematic frameworks, is not sufficient for ER.

These are the specific text prompts for ER certification:

  1. In 3-5 sentences, please explain the nature of ethical questions or problematics that will be scrutinized.
  2. In 3-5 sentences, please explain how each student will be required to apply formal ethical frameworks to social or political theory or policy, and/or to analyze ethical questions or dilemmas. It would be most helpful if you could describe specific examples of student work assignments related to this.
  3. In 3-5 sentences, please describe the ways in which students will be instructed/ trained in systematic ethical theories or frameworks that can be used to evaluate competing ethical perspectives on human problems and actions, and/or defend ethical judgments about right and wrong action or policy. Please be specific and refer to elements of your syllabus.
  4. In 2-3 sentences, please characterize the percent of class time, student effort, and final grade devoted to this Way. Note that because this percent should be substantial, a course cannot be certified for more than two Ways.

Download ER Course Information Form Here

Formal Reasoning (FR)

Please review the Ways Guidelines for FR guidance.

FR and AQR courses are complementary. While FR courses focus on procedural thinking and/or formal manipulation of symbols and equations, AQR courses focus on quantitative reasoning and numerical analysis.

These are the specific text prompts for FR certification:

  1. In 3-5 sentences, please explain the logical/ procedural framework that students will be trained in.
  2. In 3-5 sentences, please explain how each student will be required to engage first-hand in mathematical or symbolic reasoning, design and coding/specification of algorithms, or broader types of procedural thinking. It would be most helpful if you could describe specific examples of student work assignments related to this.
  3. In 3-5 sentences, please describe the ways in which students will be instructed/ trained in symbolic reasoning, design/coding of algorithms, or broader types of procedural thinking. Please be specific and refer to elements of your syllabus.
  4. In 2-3 sentences, please characterize the percent of class time, student effort, and final grade devoted to this Way. Note that because this percent should be substantial, a course cannot be certified for more than two Ways.

Download FR Course Information Form Here

Social Inquiry (SI)

Please review the Ways Guidelines for SI guidance.

SI courses should encourage direct engagement with research methods appropriate for social inquiry, applied systematically to a substantive area. Courses that explore social themes but focus chiefly on other issues, e.g., the analysis of aesthetic objects, detailed interpretation of texts, or applied quantitative reasoning, may be better suited to Ways other than SI.

These are the specific text prompts for SI certification:

  1. In 3-5 sentences, please explain the social contexts/arrangements/behaviors/organizations to which students will apply systematic methods of inquiry.
  2. In 3-5 sentences, please explain how each student will be required to utilize quantitative and/or qualitative empirical investigation to analyze historical and social change, social institutions and structures, and/or social behaviors. It would be most helpful if you could describe specific examples of student work assignments related to this.
  3. In 3-5 sentences, please describe the ways in which students will be instructed/ trained in methods of empirical research and inquiry. Please be specific and refer to elements of your syllabus.
  4. In 2-3 sentences, please characterize the percent of class time, student effort, and final grade devoted to this Way. Note that because this percent should be substantial, a course cannot be certified for more than two Ways.

Download SI Course Information Form Here

Scientific Method and Analysis (SMA)

Please review the Ways Guidelines for SMA guidance.

While many SMA courses consider the social context, historical development, and/or ethical implications of science, a focus on student practice of scientific methods or analyses is essential, as well as engagement of natural science principles.

These are the specific text prompts for SMA certification:

  1. In 3-5 sentences, please explain the scientific domain addressed by the course, which should fall within the physical or natural or life sciences as opposed to information science, social science, etc.
  2. In 3-5 sentences, please explain how each student will be required to engage first-hand in the formulation and testing of hypotheses, as opposed to learning about examples of hypothesis formulation and testing performed by others. It would be most helpful if you could describe specific examples of student work assignments related to this.
  3. In 3-5 sentences, please describe the ways in which students will be instructed/trained in productive formulation and rigorous testing of hypotheses. Please be specific and refer to elements of your syllabus.
  4. In 2-3 sentences, please characterize the percent of class time, student effort, and final grade devoted to this Way. Note that because this percent should be substantial, a course cannot be certified for more than two Ways.

Download SMA Course Information Form Here