It fights passivity. Many disciplines evaluate student performance in terms of writing ability. While there are other modes of learning, and while students admittedly learn differently, academic culture asks students to demonstrate learning in writing in their courses and at gateway points in their academic careers. Writing intensive courses give students more practice with the skills on which their performance in many academic situations will be assessed. The process of writing uniquely develops thinking and writing.
Writing is a generative behavior.
From email and lab notes to formal papers and essay exams, writing allows us not only to see what we think, but also to create, reflect on, and elaborate it. Such writing assignments introduce students to ways of researching, developing, and communicating knowledge that are specific to disciplines and professions. For example, students learn that what is means to think like a scientist is inseparable from what it means to write with credibility to a scientific audience. In writing intensive courses, students learn the processes and forms of writing that are important in a discipline and which they will need in post-university careers. Effective writing is vital not only in academic disciplines but also in the non-academic work place.