This writing course focuses on the creation of complex, analytic, well-supported arguments that matter in academic contexts. Students work closely with their peers and the instructor to develop their written prose. Our focus will be on becoming more conscious of the stylistic and conceptual expectations of academic writing. By the end of the academic term, you can expect to have learned about techniques for evaluating and revising your own work, considerations such as audience and rhetorical strategies, resources available for researching and writing, and the conventions of multiple academic styles. Most importantly, we will work toward articulating and supporting clear arguments that acknowledge the complexities of an issue while remaining persuasive.

Readings cover a variety of genres, with a primary focus on literary texts. The readings and assignments for this section will be related to themes of war and violence. As we read and write about accounts of various twentieth-century wars, we will explore the representation of war in literature, the effects of war on the aims and aesthetics of art, and the role of literature in memorializing traumatic events.