Writing Studies Core Courses 200 level
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General Information about the Writing Studies Classes at the 200 level.
- WRIT 200: Writing and Research Cohort. Students take Writing 100 and Writing 200 as a cohort in consecutive semesters with the same professor and students. Writing 200 builds on the study of writing and reflective practice to further develop information evaluation and research practices and the rhetorical and critical thinking skills needed to structure complex arguments. In addition, students practice evaluating sources, exploring arguments through library research, and conducting research. This course prepares students for the Writing in the Disciplines courses in their major and requires the completion of at least 4,000 words of formal writing, and an additional 1,000 words of informal writing practice.
- In WRIT 201: Writing and Research students further develop information evaluation and research practices and the rhetorical and critical thinking skills needed to structure complex arguments. In addition, students practice evaluating sources, exploring arguments through library research, and conducting research. This course prepares students for the Writing in the Disciplines courses in their major and requires the completion of at least 4,000 words of graded formal writing, and an additional 1,000 words of informal writing practice.
- WRIT 205: Technical Writing If you’ve ever thrown away instructions for assembling dorm furniture, replacing windshield wipers on your first hand-me-down car, or installing your latest tech device, only to pull up YouTube to figure out the steps, you know that communicating with technical information is equal parts art and science. In WRIT 205, we explore the strategies writers use to effectively communicate with technical information for various audiences. Students will apply what they learned in WRIT 101 to critically read and analyze diverse statistics, analytics, data & data visualizations, and more. Throughout the course, students will practice situating data within broader contexts and within ethical frameworks. By the end of the course, students will have composed a variety of professional and technical genres that will prepare them for more advanced coursework and dynamic careers paths.
- WRIT 210: Writing about the Sciences In Writing Studies, scholars examine how experts in the sciences communicate with each other and the public, and how it can be more effective and inclusive. These studies often intersect with social justice. For example, the Flint Water Crisis was finally exposed when concerned community members, citizen activists, doctors, journalists, and scientists worked together to communicate concerns with the public. In this class, we will examine public communication of science-related issues. Past students have studied how doctors communicate vaccine risks to parents, the accessibility of prescription drug warnings, and the framing of addiction, just to name a few. Through your research, you will interrogate how scientists communicate a topic that is of interest to you. Then you will use that research to advocate for more effective and inclusive methods, or explain the effectiveness of current approaches. By the end of the course, you will have a deeper understanding of research, writing, and the complicated process of communicating complex scientific information to the public.
- WRIT 215: Writing about Business and Economics In WRIT 215 students will practice researching and writing effectively about business and economics. Students will practice writing in a variety of genres to fulfill a range of purposes, including writing to analyze, writing to propose, writing to argue using research, and writing to present research to stakeholders. The focus on business and economic issues provides topical coherence and allows students who may be interested in these issues to explore how they can use reading, research, and writing to expand on these interests.
- WRIT 220: Writing about the Social Sciences In this course, we will study, practice, and refine our capacities for diverse forms of writing in the social sciences. In the first few weeks, we will focus on a particular issue that has some socio-political bearing on our world. We will study and critique how historians, economists and sociologists explained the issue to the community and to journalists and how communication with the public could be more effective and inclusive. Then, you will choose your own social science topic to explore in depth. You will examine communication--written or verbal--of an issue related to social justice. Through your research, you will explain the effectiveness of current approaches and/or advocate for improved, more inclusive communication. Behind each element of our study is the understanding that excellent, well-organized writing emerges from engaging questions, close reading, and reasoned reflection. Our responses will regularly and continuously seek to identify central claims, feature well-selected evidence, and back up our arguments with sound reasoning. By the end of the course, you will have developed the research and argument skills needed to succeed in college and beyond. Moreover, you will have developed a deeper understanding of communication on an issue that is important to you.
- WRIT 225: Writing about Arts and Humanities In WRIT 225, you will critically analyze pop culture objects (analysis), situate your analyses within a broader conversation (research), and communicate your insights in a public-facing manner (communication). You will develop critical vocabularies and frameworks for interpreting pop culture and practice composing in a variety of genres–including reaction videos, reviews, research proposals, and public-facing cultural criticism–in order to deliver those insights in a rhetorically appropriate manner. By the end of the course, you will have developed the research and argument skills needed and you will have acquired a deeper understanding on a pop culture issue that is important to you.
- WRIT 230: Writing and Argument Whether in a Seminar classroom, while writing a term paper, or after class in your dorm room, meaningful (and sometimes frustrating) argumentation is a core part of the collegiate experience. But in an age of “debate me” bros and online flame wars, making or having an argument often gets an unfortunately bad rap. This course is designed to help students master the art of persuasion, with a focus on constructing, presenting, and defending arguments in various civic and public contexts. Through a blend of writing, critical analysis, and oral persuasion, students will develop skills in argumentation that are essential for effective policy advocacy, community engagement, and public dialogue. Emphasizing both the construction and deconstruction of arguments, the course trains students to identify and evaluate different types of arguments, assess their strengths and weaknesses, and gauge their overall validity. By engaging with rhetorical theory, analyzing contemporary civic discourse, and practicing competitive debate and policy advocacy, students will refine their ability to address audiences, navigate the nuances of public persuasion, and make informed contributions to civic discourse. Through rigorous writing and practical exercises, students will emerge with the tools to craft persuasive, logical, and impactful narratives that resonate in real-world settings.