Course Description
The purpose of this course is to provide graduate students with a structured, evidenced-based approach to writing for academic and professional purposes.
Athena Title
Academic Writing
Non-Traditional Format
This course cannot be used to fulfill requirements on the program of study for a graduate degree.
Prerequisite
Permission of department
Semester Course Offered
Offered every year.
Grading System
S/U (Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory)
Course Objectives
This course will introduce graduate students to key strategies for writing, editing, and peer review. It will emphasize writing as a recursive process and not as a one-shot process to reduce the pressure that causes many student writers to struggle with advanced writing. Students will develop writing goals that address their individual academic and/or professional objectives, such as thesis, dissertation, journal articles, technical papers, among other types of writing. The goals of this course are to: • provide a schema and structure for tackling large-scale writing projects, i.e., the dissertation or thesis, in manageable units with an emphasis on producing a completed chapter by the end of the semester; • coach students though general issues that arise in the writing process as well as provide tailored instruction for individual concerns; • introduce students to a variety of writing strategies so that they can develop their own writing paths; • offer a safe space for students to complete writing during class time with immediate response to follow; • establish a cooperative learning environment that teaches students to not only engage each other’s writings but also to be comfortable having peers encounter their own work; • ensure students learn discipline-specific rules for producing research in their respective academic fields; • create a workshop environment where students contribute weekly, giving them a stake in showing up every week and contributing to the class community; • devote time to explaining the various services on campus to assist students in their academic progress, with a specific emphasis placed on navigating UGA’s library and subscriptions; • answer basic writing concerns related to grammar, citations, and editing so that student are in possession of standard English elements of style.
Topical Outline
I. Goals Setting II. Peer-Review III. Editing and Revision IV. Narratives V. Traditional Outlining VI. Reverse Outlining VII. Time Management VIII. Strategies for Success IX. Resources to Support Success
Syllabus
Public CV