In this course you will develop the skills necessary to create analytic, well-supported arguments in both old and new media. You will write several papers, all of which will pass through multiple drafts as you refine both your clarity of expression and your argumentation. Throughout this process, we will place a strong emphasis on writing as an act of communication between author and audience. To this end, you will read and critique each other’s papers and blog posts, and each of you will have one of your papers read and critiqued by the entire class. Over the course of the semester, we will also read a variety of short stories and essays, as well as a novel. These texts will provide you with models of good writing to analyze and imitate, and you will have the opportunity to write about them in your papers and on the class blog.