This course examines genres (see below) and requires smaller scaffolded assignments, drafts, and peer review workshops, in order for completion.

“Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere. Start by getting something — anything — down on paper. A friend of mine says that the first draft is the down draft — you just get it down. The second draft is the up draft — you fix it up. You try to say what you have to say more accurately. And the third draft is the dental draft, where you check every tooth, to see if it’s loose or cramped or decayed, or even, God help us, healthy.”

– Anne Lammott, Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life

• Diagnostic Writing Assignment- 500 words

  • Students will write a 500 word introductory letter about themselves; informs readers

    about your academic goals and course expectations while reflecting on your perspective on writing and communicating science.

  • Letters must have all conventions of the formal letter genre, including but not limited to- address of origin (you can make this up if you’re not comfortable giving out your address), address of destination (see below for my address), salutation, closing with signature (changing the font to a brush script is fine)

• Scientific Communication- Article vs Narrative

  • This assignment is a multi-layered, multi part assignment designed to help scientific writers understand and compose in specific genres. Students will complete an extensive genre analysis on a scientific article of their choice, and then compose a corresponding scientific narrative. This assignment will be completed in a scaffolded process with several parts and due dates, leading up to one overall final due date.

• Informative Review & Annotated Bibliography project #3- informative review f23

  • A genre that updates readers about knowledge on a focused topic or research issue without taking a position. Informs the public about a certain issue by presenting both sides of the argument with evidence without taking a position. Neutral stance with the purpose of informing. Critical analysis and synthesis of already published material that examines the progress of current research. The annotated bibliography will push students to collect and review research in order to write the Informative Review.

• Public Service Announcement (PSA) group project-

•          Students will be assigned to teams of 3-4 and For this assignment, you are being asked           to create an engaging 30-45-second digital Public Service Announcement about an                   environmental organization in NYC and their internships offerings, or about a City                   College environmental club or campus sustainability project. You may select a topic                 that interests you from list at this link, but your topic and the platform you use to                   create the PSA must be approved by the instructor. Your digital PSA will be shared                 with your class, as well as shown on the public display screens around the whole City             College campus

• Final portfolio and self reflection

  • A rhetorical analysis of the student’s work that should include references to elements of the rhetorical situation: genre, audience, purpose, exigence, stance, and media/design and provide samples of revised student work created as a digital project on the CUNY Commons website.
    • This is a department wide assessment submitted for a grade but also departmental review.

** All major writing assignments will require a written self-reflection component, which will be discussed in class.