COMW: Writing (Undergraduate)

COMW 1005  College Writing  (3,4 Credits)  

College writing focuses on the basics of academic writing: writing processes, essays, research skills. Students will write and evaluate thesis statements for essays, and learn how to develop the thesis idea with supporting details. Students will learn how to structure ideas and information in essays. Students will learn how to research, incorporate, and document sources to support a thesis argument. Depending on their goals and needs, students may take any of five different, introductory, college writing courses: (COMW 1005), (COMW 1015), (COMW 1010), (COMW 2005), or (COMW 2020). Although all of these courses deal with similar skills and knowledge (writing process, thesis, support, documentation), they have different emphases. Note that, according to college policy, students can include up to 8 introductory-level expository/college writing credits in their ESC degree.

Attributes: Basic Communication Gen Ed, *Communication Gen Ed-Oral, *Communication Gen Ed-Written, Liberal

COMW 1015  College Reading & Writing  (3,4 Credits)  

Work with reading and writing processes such as previewing a text, organizing text information, identifying main ideas, annotating, summarizing, evaluating information, outlining, writing, and revising. Read selections in a variety of academic texts, and write several essays. Read and write essays to inform, react, apply, analyze, and synthesize. Complete a final research paper applying reading, writing, and thinking skills. This course does not overlap with College Writing. While College Writing focuses mainly on the writing process with students choosing their own writing topics, College Reading and Writing focuses equally on reading and writing processes, with students writing about concepts from assigned articles to learn different ways of approaching, thinking, and writing critically about what they read. Note: this is not a remedial course. Students must write grammatically and read with understanding in order to develop reading, writing, and thinking skills on the college level. This course was previously COMW 1015 Introduction to College Reading and Writing. Depending on their goals and needs, students may take any of five different, introductory, college writing courses: COMW 1005, COMW 1015, COMW 1010, COMW 2005, or COMW 2020. Although all of these courses deal with similar skills and knowledge (writing process, thesis, support, documentation), they have different emphases. Note that, according to college policy, students can include up to 8 introductory-level expository/college writing credits in their ESC degree.

Attributes: Basic Communication Gen Ed, *Communication Gen Ed-Oral, *Communication Gen Ed-Written, Liberal

COMW 1998  Individualized Studies in Writing (COMW)  (1-8 Credits)  

Students have the opportunity to develop individualized studies with their mentor in Writing (COMW). Please contact your mentor/advisor for more details.

COMW 2005  Effective Academic Writing  (2,3 Credits)  

This course examines different types of academic writing (e.g., collage, reflective essay, critique, persuasive research essay, lesson) and key elements of style that writers manipulate to create effective writing (e.g., sentence structure, paragraph creation, diction, language choice). Although the course will provide the chance to work on basic academic writing concepts (e.g., creating a thesis, researching and documenting sources), the focus will be on extending this learning to different types of academic writing and making writing more precise, concise, and interesting. This course will provide students with the opportunity to apply and refine basic college writing skills to create effective academic prose. This course was previously CUL-232042 Effective Academic Writing. Depending on their goals and needs, students may take any of five different, introductory, college writing courses: COMW 1005, COMW 1015, COMW 1010, COMW 2005, or COMW 2020. Although all of these courses deal with similar skills and knowledge (writing process, thesis, support, documentation), they have different emphases. Note that, according to college policy, students can include up to 8 introductory-level expository/college writing credits in their ESC degree. This course may be used to fulfill educational planning credit with mentor approval.

Attributes: Liberal, Partial Basic Comm Gen Ed

COMW 2010  Grant Writing  (4 Credits)  

The purpose of this study is to familiarize students with the techniques and procedures of researching funding opportunities and writing grant applications. Students will have the opportunity to practice writing and presenting grant applications.

Attributes: Basic Communication Gen Ed, *Communication Gen Ed-Oral, *Communication Gen Ed-Written, Liberal

COMW 2015  Proposal Writing  (2 Credits)  

Develop analytical, research, and writing skills. Proposal Writing offers a way of honing these skills in a concrete, real-world context. Students will read and analyze sample proposals and build on basic communication theory to learn what constitutes appropriate proposal content and format. Students will learn how to find, use, and evaluate the quality of evidence to logically support their proposal ideas. Students will write a short academic proposal and two longer, formal, work- or community-related proposals. They will share and provide feedback on drafts as part of learning how to analyze a proposal’s effectiveness. Notes: Students cannot take both versions of the course. This course may be used for educational planning credit.

Attributes: Liberal, Partial Basic Comm Gen Ed

COMW 2020  Research Writing  (4 Credits)  

Research Writing focuses on using conventions and strategies of academic writing in order to write effectively with scholarly sources. Students will learn how to investigate and develop a critical line of inquiry about that topic. They will communicate the results of their inquiry in a thesis driven writing project (or projects) supported by scholarly sources and properly formatted according to academic conventions. Depending on their goals and needs, students may take any of five different, introductory, college writing courses: COMW 1005, COMW 1015, COMW 1010, COMW 2005, or COMW 2020. Although all of these courses deal with similar skills and knowledge (writing process, thesis, support, documentation), they have different emphases. Note that, according to college policy, students can include up to 8 introductory-level expository/college writing credits in their ESC degree.

Attributes: Liberal

COMW 2025  Arguments in Academic Writing  (2 Credits)  

This 2-credit course is designed to follow the 2-credit Introduction to College Writing. Students will continue to focus on critical reading skills and the writing process, but these skills will now be focused on the argument and incorporating researched materials. This will entail developing and supporting thesis statements and the identification and analysis of scholarly sources.

Attributes: Liberal, Partial Basic Comm Gen Ed

COMW 2998  Individualized Studies in Writing (COMW)  (1-8 Credits)  

Students have the opportunity to develop individualized studies with their mentor in Writing (COMW). Please contact your mentor/advisor for more details.

COMW 3005  Proposal Writing and Logical Argument  (3 Credits)  

Develop analytical, research, and writing skills at the upper level. Proposal Writing offers a way of honing these skills in a concrete, real-world context. Students will read and analyze sample proposals and build on basic communication theory to learn what constitutes appropriate proposal content and format. Students will learn how to find, use, and evaluate the quality of evidence to logically support their proposal ideas. Students will write a short proposal planning assignment and two longer, formal, work- or community-related proposals. They will share and provide feedback on drafts as part of learning how to analyze a proposal’s effectiveness. Students will also investigate proposals as a form of logical argument, learning about basic elements of argument, different argument strategies, and common errors in logical argument. Additionally, they will learn about visual rhetoric and do a short oral/visual proposal presentation and written analysis of visuals used to support their evidence. student must have the ability to do advanced-level work Notes: Students cannot take both Proposal Writing (COMW 2015) and Proposal Writing and Logical Argument (COMW 3005). This course may be used for educational planning credit with mentor approval.

Attributes: Basic Communication Gen Ed, *Communication Gen Ed-Oral, *Communication Gen Ed-Written, Liberal

COMW 3006  Research Writing: Advanced  (3-4 Credits)  

This course is designed to provide in-depth work in research writing. Students will learn how to create a research question, find and reading journal articles, check facts, and question a source, while doing an annotated bibliography, drafting-writing-revising a literature review, and doing an oral presentation based on the literature review. The course will focus these assignments on one topic of the student’s choice for the term. Students also maintain a journal throughout, to promote fuller understanding of themselves as writers and researchers. Students will end the term with an advanced-level, analytical research paper as well as an understanding of the multiple ways in which research may be approached. This course may be used to fulfill educational planning credit with mentor approval. To be successful in this course, students should have the ability to do advanced-level work including familiarity with library-based research; introductory-level work in college writing preferred.

Attributes: Basic Communication Gen Ed, *Communication Gen Ed-Oral, *Communication Gen Ed-Written, Liberal

COMW 3015  Technical Writing  (4 Credits)  

Technical Writing investigates how to create concise, usable information for end users who need to learn how to do a task, use a product, or complete a process. Course assignments may include such things as instructions, work documentation, analytical reports, oral reports, and/or web page mock-up. Students learn how to plan for writing by analyzing their specific audience and purpose as the first step in the document design process. Students also learn what constitutes appropriate information and effective design, how to use visuals and headings, and how to choose precise language appropriate to the document’s purpose and audience. The goal of the course is to create a variety of technical documents that are usable, readable, and accessible, as well as culturally, ethically, and legally appropriate. Technical Writing is suitable for students in all fields who need to articulate practical information clearly and efficiently. Required Skills: The ability to read a journal article and write at an advanced undergraduate level.

Attributes: Basic Communication Gen Ed, *Communication Gen Ed-Oral, *Communication Gen Ed-Written, Liberal

COMW 3020  War Stories: Reading & Writing About the Impact of War  (4 Credits)  

This course invites students to explore our growing awareness of the cultural and psychological-- even cognitive--effects of war. We'll be looking at how men and women have used stories to give meaning to experiences of war, and we'll be writing our own. Research has shown that writing helps people process events, gain perspective, and even heal from trauma. Writing clarifies our thinking and provides a record of our experience; it is how we develop our critical thinking skills. Most importantly, by giving voice to our stories we connect with others and affirm the self. Through a series of guided writing assignments, readings, videos and discussions students will experience the writing process as a tool to rethink and reshape both experience and beliefs about war.

Attributes: Humanities Gen Ed, Liberal

COMW 3122  Proposal Writing  (2 Credits)  

Develop analytical, research, and writing skills at the upper level. Proposal Writing offers a way of honing these skills in a concrete, real-world context. Students will read and analyze sample proposals and build on basic communication theory to learn what constitutes appropriate proposal content and format. Students will learn how to find, use, and evaluate the quality of evidence to logically support their proposal ideas. Prerequisite (must complete before registering): Ability to do advanced-level work Notes: Students cannot take both COMW 3122 Proposal Writing (2 cr.) and COMW 3005 Proposal Writing & Logical Argument (3 cr.). This course may be used for educational planning credit with mentor approval.

Attributes: Liberal, Partial Basic Comm Gen Ed

COMW 3996  Special Topics in COMW  (1-8 Credits)  

The content of this course will vary by term and section. Students may repeat this course for credit as long as the topic differs. Please refer to the Term Guide for course topic offerings.

COMW 3998  Individualized Studies in Writing (COMW)  (1-8 Credits)  

Students have the opportunity to develop individualized studies with their mentor in Writing (COMW). Please contact your mentor/advisor for more details.

COMW 4020  Advanced Writing & Research  (4 Credits)  

This is an advanced level course which is intended for students who already have an intermediate knowledge of academic writing. Students will learn how to express themselves coherently in more advanced styles of writing such as academic essays, expository essays, and academic research articles. Additionally, students will learn how to conduct academic research.

Attributes: Liberal

COMW 4998  Individualized Studies in Writing (COMW)  (1-8 Credits)  

Students have the opportunity to develop individualized studies with their mentor in Writing (COMW). Please contact your mentor/advisor for more details.