COOK FAMILY WRITING PROGRAM

Language is one of the main ways we are perceived, categorized, and even assessed for opportunities. Ideas about what language “should be” shape how we are understood in classrooms, workplaces, media, and everyday interactions. These ideas influence whose knowledge is valued, whose voices are heard, and whose ways of speaking and writing are labeled “professional,” “intelligent,” or “correct.” Yet few people and institutions ever stop to ask why this is or how we might do things differently. This seminar takes those questions as its starting point! We’ll examine how language reflects and reproduces social hierarchies while also exploring strategies for resistance and change. We’ll focus on language as a social practice rather than a fixed object or set of rules. This focus will allow us to question dominant narratives about language, consider how institutions (including universities) uphold or challenge those narratives, and explore language diversity as a source of belonging, equity, access, and justice. As a first-year writing seminar, our course will focus on developing core academic skills such as framing questions, analyzing evidence, engaging with and synthesizing sources, writing for different audiences, and revising in response to feedback. Our readings will come from scholarly sources as well as popular non-fiction. Throughout our writing projects and class discussions, you’ll get to pursue your own curiosities and concerns about language and power.

From viral podcasts to streaming documentaries, True Crime has become an increasingly popular genre of media in the 21st century. This course traces its evolution from 19th-century crime writing to modern investigative journalism, films, TV shows, podcasts, and online communities. We’ll explore how True Crime balances storytelling, ethics, and activism—sometimes sensationalizing crime, other times exposing flaws in the justice system. Through critical academic and pop cultural readings, we will examine the genre’s legal, ethical, and social ramifications, questioning why True Crime captivates audiences and how it impacts our understanding of justice.

The goal of this course is to develop your ability to write clearly, persuasively, and interestingly for a variety of audiences. Students will learn techniques for writing effective informative, reflective, persuasive, and research essays. These techniques include the effective use of specific details; methods of organizing ideas clearly; strategies for editing sentences for clarity and conciseness; and ways to give your writing a distinctive voice. Students will submit drafts and revisions of essays.

Across all industries, employers consistently rank written and oral communication in the top five skills that a new employee needs. However, employers also say that students overestimate their ability to communicate effectively in a workplace context. English 282 is designed to address that gap. The course is designed to help you think strategically about communication, make effective communication decisions, and produce writing and presentations that are well-organized, clear, and compelling. In addition, course assignments provide an opportunity to enhance your critical reading and thinking; your ability to communicate effectively about data; your understanding of visual communication; and your understanding of interpersonal communication. There will be no final exam.

Across all industries, employers consistently rank written and oral communication in the top five skills that a new employee needs. However, employers also say that students overestimate their ability to communicate effectively in a workplace context. ENG 282 is designed to address that gap by helping students communicate efficiently, effectively, and ethically in business settings. To achieve the learning objectives established for all ENG282 sections, this section emphasizes applying business communication fundamentals to problem-solving tasks, such as delivering an individual business talk, designing and delivering business communication training materials, producing a persuasive proposal, conducting and presenting an evidence-driven case analysis, and developing an original business case with a corresponding recommendation report. This section involves teamwork. There will be no final exam. However, students must participate in team-based presentations during the final class period.

Across all industries, employers consistently rank written and oral communication in the top five skills that a new employee needs. However, employers also say that students overestimate their ability to communicate effectively in a workplace context. ENG 282 is designed to address that gap by helping students communicate efficiently, effectively, and ethically in business settings. To achieve the learning objectives established for all ENG282 sections, this section emphasizes applying business communication fundamentals to problem-solving tasks, such as delivering an individual business talk, designing and delivering business communication training materials, producing a persuasive proposal, conducting and presenting an evidence-driven case analysis, and developing an original business case with a corresponding recommendation report. This section involves teamwork. There will be no final exam. However, students must participate in team-based presentations during the final class period.