Composition
Why do I need to learn to write?
Course Essential Outcomes
To generate and develop ideas and content for writing related to audience, purpose and interest.
To logically organize thoughts and ideas in sentences, paragraphs and essays.
To follow best practice writing structure.
To acquire and use appropriate vocabulary.
To continue to refine adherence to proper grammar and mechanics
But I'm not going to college. Why do I need to be in a writing class?
“Unclear writing costs American businesses real money—over one billion dollars a year, according to one estimate…Did you know the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant meltdown was partly attributed to poorly written procedures?”
(“Why Dick and Jane Can’t Write on the Job…and How to Help Them,” Janet Van Wicklen, American Society of Training and Development, 2000).
Communication is Key
“The ability to communicate effectively is the most important skill you can have, whether you’re giving speeches, pitching ideas to your boss, or simply sending off an e-mail or leaving a voice message.”
(“What You Need to Know About Career Planning,”
<http://careerplanning.about.com/cs/importantskills/>2002.)
What kind of writing will we do?
- Informative and Technical
- Digital
- Review
- Reflection and Appreciation
- Persuasive/Argumentative
Why is technical writing important?
People read literature for pleasure, essays for enlightenment, and journalism for news. People read technical writing to accomplish a job.