Notes toward a writing course plan

Preliminary notes toward a course plan and syllabus. I started to blog my thoughts ~ a theory of applying Standard Writing and basic rhetoric as well as combining writing disciplines to teach advanced writing ~ academic, business, technical writing under the same umbrella, likewise applied and meta writing.  


1. Application
Writing the Application or Cover Letter

2. Introductions: 
personal writing and writing the personal statement

3. Individual Goal Setting
Have students set own goals for writing class, discuss assignments, portfolio; decide which writing mode (general writing/personal communication, academic, business, techical, timed essay writing they will focus on)

Writing assignment:
a) post to discussions about writing goals
b) submit proposal for projects (assignments) for achieving writing goals; use project proposal format

4. Thinking about writing:
Kinds or modes of writing based on purpose: informative, persuasive, expressive, personal, private. Which do you use and when? How does purpose affect style and organization?

Writing assignments: 
a) start a writing or learning reflection journal to write about writing
b) post to Discussions on individual learning styles, application to writing, and how students feel about writing

Writing assignment/ prompt: 
Describe how you feel about writing. Do you enjoy or dread writing? Did a particular incident, experience or situation influence the way you feel about writing?

5. Writing Areas

• General writing and personal communication
• Academic Writing
• Business Writing
• Technical Writing
• Writing Timed Essays: essay questions in exams and standardized tests that will be machine scored, TOEFL and IELTS prep

6. Voice and audience

7. Topics - Parts of the Process

• Mind-mapping
• Outlining
• Sentences
• Paragraphs
• Introduction
• Body
• Transitions
• Conclusion
• Support (filling in the canvas): specific examples, facts/data, anecdotes, descriptions, concrete details, citations from sources

8. Stages of the Writing Process:

• Pre-Writing
• Drafting
• Revision: Writing Groups and Peer Review
• Revision: Universal level for content and organization

9. Rhetorical Models: Organization models or types of essays / straight and mixed

• Narrative
• Descriptive
• Process Analysis
• Compare / Contrast 

Readings

• Politics and the English Language, George Orwell (1946) essay on basic rules for clear writing
• check blogs and online publications for articles (essays) about writing, writing and the internet, etc
• readings on specific topics according to students' interests and writing goals

Sample Writing Assignments

Prompts