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This course fo­cuses on essay writ­ing.

This course focuses on essay writing.

This course will focus on es­sen­tial crit­i­cal think­ing, read­ing, and writ­ing abil­i­ties that you will come to use in this class, in all of your other classes, and be­yond, in the pro­fes­sion­al­ized work­ing world. The point, and my role, is not to tell you what ex­actly to write, not even nec­es­sar­ily how to write, but to offer a struc­tured forum in which you can learn the un­der­ly­ing, prac­ti­cal pro­ce­dures used to ap­proach any writ­ing or read­ing sit­u­a­tion. We will call these dif­fer­ing tex­tual sit­u­a­tions “rhetor­i­cal sit­u­a­tions” and we will call this process of teach­ing meth­ods (rather than in­for­ma­tion) “trans­fer”. Through en­gag­ing dif­fer­ent rhetor­i­cal sit­u­a­tions, we will begin to con­sider who is speak­ing, who they are speak­ing to/for, and why they’re even speak­ing at all! Through per­sonal ex­plo­ration, rhetor­i­cal analy­sis, and re­search, we will also look at the vary­ing so­cial con­texts in which some kind of spe­cific mean­ing is ex­changed. The class will in­volve as­sign­ments en­gag­ing with a wide range of media and how these media ex­press the world we in­habit. While the goals of this course are com­mu­nal, one’s jour­ney through writ­ing is in­tensely per­sonal, and with that in mind, we will fos­ter an en­vi­ron­ment in which our unique voices, styles, and dis­po­si­tions can be heard and cri­tiqued as we en­gage im­por­tant so­cial, cul­tural, and ex­is­ten­tial re­al­i­ties. And fi­nally, we are here, my­self in­cluded, to grow as thinkers and writ­ers.

This course will focus on essential critical thinking, reading, and writing abilities that you will come to use in this class, in all of your other classes, and beyond, in the professionalized working world. The point, and my role, is not to tell you what exactly to write, not even necessarily how to write, but to offer a structured forum in which you can learn the underlying, practical procedures used to approach any writing or reading situation. We will call these differing textual situations “rhetorical situations” and we will call this process of teaching methods (rather than information) “transfer”. Through engaging different rhetorical situations, we will begin to consider who is speaking, who they are speaking to/for, and why they’re even speaking at all! Through personal exploration, rhetorical analysis, and research, we will also look at the varying social contexts in which some kind of specific meaning is exchanged. The class will involve assignments engaging with a wide range of media and how these media express the world we inhabit. While the goals of this course are communal, one’s journey through writing is intensely personal, and with that in mind, we will foster an environment in which our unique voices, styles, and dispositions can be heard and critiqued as we engage important social, cultural, and existential realities. And finally, we are here, myself included, to grow as thinkers and writers.