Effective Writing
(Online Synchronous)
Times
Thursday, 6 pm - 9 pm
Instructor Information
D. Flynn
E-mail: flynnd@sympatico.ca
Course Description
University invites students to take a preliminary dive into the discipline(s) of their choice. In order to navigate the new information and ideas they encounter during this preliminary dive, university students generally need to do two things: first, they need to remember, understand, and use discipline-specific terms (specialized discourse); second, they need to analyze, evaluate, and, eventually, compose texts that effectively combine discipline-specific words and everyday familiar words such that readers can easily decode and comprehend the message. This class is designed to help students transition skillfully from expository writing (which is what most people focus on in high school) to critical and analytical writing (which is what you will be asked to produce in university). The online workbook will take you step-by-step through a cumulative process that will enable you to meet the increasingly challenging tasks involved in generating critical insights, articulating thoughtful ideas, and composing persuasive written documents not only in this class but in all your university courses.
Required Readings
- Critical Transitions: Writing your Way from High School through University (adapted for online learning).
This text/workbook will be available on Quercus two weeks prior to the start of classes. There is no additional textbook for the course. You need not purchase any textbook.
First Three Authors/Texts
- Chapters 1-3 in the online text/workbook, Critical Transitions: Writing your Way from High School through University (adapted for online learning).
Methods of Evaluation
- 60% for Product Assignments, consisting of 3 essays worth 20% each.
- 40% for Process Assignments, consisting of the following:
- 8 almost-weekly exercise sets (8% total)
- 6 bi-weekly process assignments (6% total)
- 3 discussion board entries (6% total)
- 3 rough drafts (12% total)
- 1 annotated bibliography (6%)
- 1 formal topic outline (2%)