By Ella Burnham (Winona State University)
Information
Effective communication skills, both written and oral, are considered core skills for statisticians. This poster will present five small-scale writing projects that were developed for an applied regression course, including the specific writing skills emphasized in each project and what each project entails. These projects were designed for classes of around 15 students at a private, residential liberal arts college in the Midwest. We will also present and discuss results from surveys on changes in writing attitudes throughout the course and student feedback on the projects. Results indicate improved attitudes toward writing and a positive experience for students. Results also suggest that students' biggest challenges were procrastination and fear of failure, rather than difficulties with the writing itself. Recommendations for incorporating the writing projects based on our experiences and potential changes will also be provided, including strategies for integrating generative artificial intelligence.