Designing a Writing 2

Writing 2 centers around the critical thinking and writing within a field of study.

Instructors of Writing 2 courses may expect that students enter their courses with an understanding of effective writing process, the ability to construct an argument supported by specific evidence, critical thinking skills, an understanding of rhetorical situations (audience, message, purpose, etc.), a basic ability to do library research in order to find supporting materials, and the ability to accurately document sources in at least one citation style.

Writing 2 courses are expected to use and reinforce the lexicon of writing terminology developed in Writing 1.

Course Title and Description

Course titles should include the designation Writing 2 and a subtitle (e.g., Writing 2: Writing in the Arts).

Course descriptions will vary but will include language similar to the following:

In Writing 2: Writing for Social Justice, students will critically assess the writing styles, questions, and arguments of journalism, communication studies, and political science [include at least one discipline], in order to better understand what is considered persuasive and effective writing in the humanities. Students will respond to and evaluate writing, methodologies, ideas, and arguments and practice rhetorical strategies being employed in their own field.

Requirements for Students

Participation in a peer writing group for workshops in and/or outside of class
A source analysis assignment such as an annotated bibliography or a literature review (see below for suggestions)
An assessment of an argument or debate in the student’s discipline (within the larger field of study being discussed)
An extended argument in the field, drawing on the kind of knowledge that is persuasive to the field and using an appropriate documentation style
Three drafts of the assessment and extended argument
Suggested total amount of writing: 8,000+ words (about 32 pages) of drafts including 2,500 words (about 10 pages) of final product

Information Literacy Competencies

This course will reinforce and build upon information literacy competencies developed in Writing 1 (selection of topics, determination of type of information needed, search tools and techniques, evaluation of information and sources for authorship, relevance, and currency, importance of citations, and avoiding plagiarism) by providing instruction in the following:

More sophisticated search techniques (e.g. Boolean operators, truncation, subject headings, etc.)
Subject-specific databases
Discipline-specific documentation style and class discussion of why different disciplines use different document styles

Instructors are encouraged to consult with a librarian for additional resources on information literacy.

Other Details

Consistency of terms

In an attempt to establish and encourage a consistent vocabulary of writing and rhetoric terms across the university, thereby allowing for more transferability of writing skills between courses in all disciplines, instructors in this course will make use of a shared list of writing terms and definitions available in the Writing Program lexicon.

Relationship to other courses

Writing 1: The Art & Craft of Writing is a prerequisite for Writing 2: Genre, Evidence, & Persuasion, which is a prerequisite for Writing 3: Writing in the Disciplines.

Writing 2 may be required for a major, but this is cautioned against because it may be problematic for students who switch or transfer into the major during their sophomore or junior years.

Enrollment limit

Enrollment may not exceed 22 students.

Attendance policy

Due to the interactive nature of the course, attendance is required.

Scheduling

Class should meet 2 or 3 days per week in order to accommodate process assignments.
Up to 4 classes may be cancelled for conferences.

Suggested Assignments

Assignments will vary based on the discipline(s) being assessed and practiced, but instructors may choose to include assignments such as the following:

A source analysis (required)

Write an annotated bibliography in which students assess the usefulness and effectiveness of sources
Write a journal or blog in which students metacognitively reflect on knowledge creation and persuasion in the field
Write a literature review
Write a section of a grant proposal (real or imagined) that outlines and evaluates research that has been done previously

An extended argument in the field (required)

Choose a specific journal and write an argument according to the journal’s style requirements and for the specific audience
Form panels and write and present conference-style papers
Write a traditional thesis-driven paper

An assessment of an argument or debate (required)

Offer a group or individual presentation
Create a website with significant copy
Write a counterargument to a scholarly argument
Debate in writing or aloud with a peer

Become familiar with the academic writing styles, persuasion techniques, and questions of the field

Offer group presentations on sub-disciplines and writing styles of the field
Write short assessments of relevant journals
Write a discourse community assessment
Write a process analysis explaining how experts in the field do some aspect of their work
Write academic blog posts geared toward scholars in the student’s field

Texts

Texts will fall under three categories:

1. Each course should center around a solid writing-focused text that includes instruction on evidence and persuasion, which could be about the course’s field(s)—Writing in the Sciences: Exploring Conventions of Scientific Discourse (Penrose & Katz, 2010), for example—or a more general text on writing across the curriculum such as one of the following:

Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum (Behrens & Rosen, 2012)

The Norton Field Guide to Writing (Bullock, 2013)

From Inquiry to Academic Writing (Greene & Lidinsky, 2015)

Oxford Guide to Effective Argument and Critical Thinking (Swatridge, 2014)

An Insider's Guide to Academic Writing: A Rhetoric and Reader (Miller-Cochran, 2015)

The Argument Handbook (Peters, 2018)

2. Instructors will also provide examples of excellent writing and arguments within the field(s) in question. These may come in a textbook or in articles in pdf format.

3. Instructors may choose to require a style and documentation handbook such as A Writer’s Reference (Hacker), or they may instruct students in the use of reliable online resources such as Purdue OWL and Writing Center handouts.

28- APA Documentation and Style.pdf

29- MLA Documentation and Style.pdf

30-Chicago Packet REVISED 4.2016

Designing a new Writing 2 or Writing 3 course can be challenging! Provided are detailed overviews of the new courses, step-by-step guidance for the GE proposal form, and several other resources.

Filling out the General Education Course Certification

Sample GE Course Certification Form Submission - by Peanut McCoy

Writing 2 Syllabus Guidelines

Writing 2 Checklist

Interested in further support? Check out some helpful documents for designing a Writing 2 course.

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