Class Syllabus: Writing Improvement 101
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Class Syllabus: Writing Improvement 101

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Office Hours: Continuous
Course Meeting Times: Continuous
 

Course Description

 
We know that effective writing will help students in their coursework but it's equally important to write well in the workplace. If a job interviewer is considering two qualified candidates, the candidate who can write well will have the edge. If you're interested in improving your basic writing beyond correct grammar and punctuation, this course will help you.  The more you write the more confidence you will begin to have in your abilities as writer

 

The best grammar and punctuation in the world can still be used to churn out average or even poor writing if you don't know how to use the sentences properly or which type of sentence works best to get your point across.  By the same token, if you can write lyrical sentences but you string them together into paragraphs that are a tangled mess, the sense and impact of each sentence is lost. 

 

The course is designed to give students the most flexibility and independence.  You set your own schedule and learn at your convenience.  Just because the course is online doesn't mean you're left on your own.  The instructor will be reviewing and grading assignments and is always available to answer questions through email.
 
This course assumes you have a high school reading and writing level in English and understand sentence structure, grammar and punctuation.

 

Course Requirements

There are no educational requirements other than a high school English reading and writing level. This course is not an ESL beginner's course.  It assumes you have a good grasp of  English sentence structure.

Course Goals

In this course students will improve writing skills by learning how to combine and form correct sentences, types and formats of paragraphs,learn how to improve dialog writing, learn strategies to use to proofread and edit writing, and learn how to increase the effectiveness of writing by avoiding poor phrasing.

Course Materials

All course materials will be online and no outside purchases will be required.

Grading Policy

The course consists of eight lessons. At the end of each lesson will be an assignment based on the lesson material. There are points for assignments and  tests. A percentage grade will be given based on point accumulation.

Course Outline

  1. Introduction to Writing Improvement
  2. Lesson 1: Refining Your Sentences
  3. Lesson 2: Paragraph Structure
  4. Lesson 3: Types of Paragraphs
  5. Lesson 4: Writing Dialogue
  6. Lesson 5: Proofreading and Revising Your Writing
  7. Lesson 6: Substitutions for Poor Phrasing
  8. Additional Writing Resources

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