Classes About Writing

Each department requires different writing classes for its majors, and students may benefit by clarification of the course content of these classes. Alternatives to W231, offered by other departments on campus, are listed below:

X204:

Department: Business

Pre-requisite: W131 or equivalent. This course looks at the use of correct English in preparation of letters, memoranda and reports, with special attention to such topics as visual aids, proposals, presentations, and persuasive messages. For more information, contact the business department at 274-2466.

W132:

Department: English

The course stresses argumentation and research concurrently, with a secondary emphasis on critical evaluation in both reading and writing. Evaluation is based on a portfolio of the student's work. For more information, contact the English Dept. for more information.

TCM 220:
Department: Technical Communications

Primarily for students in technology majors. Students explore the roles of written communication in organizational contexts, learn to identify and analyze audiences, and prepare two types of documents frequently used in technical organizations: reports for decision-making and instructions.

TCM 320:

Primarily for majors from the School of Science. Requires junior standing or consent of instructor. Students learn a reader-centered approach to document design and production. Assignments help students prepare for post-baccalaureate work in an academic discipline or in industry. They include reading and analysis of discipline-specific documents and development of several documents for organizational audiences.

All of the TCM writing courses require English W131 (or the equivalent) as a pre-requisite. In all of the courses, students are expected to select and/or adapt situations and topics for their writing assignments from their workplace or other experiences. Instructors assist students in finding appropriate topics and information; however, the courses do not provide direct instruction on research methodologies or strategies for technical investigation. TCM 360 is limited to engineering majors. TCM 340 deals primarily with external communications. TCM 350 is an upper-level course in document design that requires a basic TCM course as a pre-requisite, although W231 may sometimes fulfill that requirement.

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