B WRIT 134 A Su 20: Composition
Course Description:
I’m not sure if anyone has ever told you, but language, writing, communication – it’s all linked to power, identity, and (unfortunately) politics. Most of you are here, in this class, because it’s a required credit; the university wants you to learn what it means to “write good” in academia, at the university level. Here’s the thing, though: No one speaks “standard academic writing” as a first language (not a single person). Everyone has to learn what this means, and what it means to “write good” in their respective fields of study. And no one actually sits down to write and immediately write the good stuff. Developing “good” writing skills takes time, practice, revision, and community. Developing “good” writing skills takes vulnerability, patience, and perseverance. (Note: “good” is fluid and dependent on the genre you’re writing in, the audience you’re writing to, and the purpose for which you’re writing – there is no “one size fits all” approach to “good” writing).
I’ve designed this course so that we can dwell in places of tension around language, culture, and identity. My hope is that you’ll be able to see the power in all of the languages and dialects that you use to move in and through this society. By dwelling in these places of tension, you’ll be able to make your own choices about what it means to “write good” and identify the rhetorical differences between genres, disciplines, audiences, etc. To do this, we’ll use a little bit of everything we have to explore writing beyond the five-paragraph essay. You’ll do a bit (maybe more than a bit) of reading, you’ll do some in class and out of class writing, you’ll do some individual and collaborative activities, and as a class, we’ll build something. What are we going to build? That’s up to y’all. :)
Student Learning Goals:
(1) Develop rhetorical knowledge
(2) Develop critical thinking, reading, and writing skills
(3) Engage in the composing process through multiple drafts
(4) Learn how to provide constructive feedback to peers on their writing
(5) Learn how to develop topics related to the genres assigned
(6) Learn how to break away from the traditional 5 paragraph essay format
(7) Engage with assumptions about language, identity, and culture
General Method of Instruction:
Our class will engage in daily discussions, reading, and writing.
Recommended preparation
It may be helpful for students to consider the assumptions they bring with them to our class about writing and identity.
Class Assignments and Grading
We'll be writing narratives, interview reports, autoethnographies, and doing a class project (e.g., a Zine). In addition to these larger assignments, we'll be writing weekly journals.