College Writing
In this four week class, students will get a crash course in writing college level assignments, including how to break down an assignment, writing mechanics, and editing.
Charis Blake
Average rating:
5.0
Number of reviews:(2)
What's included
4 live meetings
3 hrs 40 mins in-class hoursHomework
1-2 hours per week. Homework will reinforce the skills practiced in class by having students make progress on their final project based on the skills learned each week. For example, when students learn to do a reference list or works cited page, homework for the week will be to do so for their final project. Homework is required for all students and will be graded on completion, though feedback will be offered so students can improve their learning.Assessment
There will be a final take-home paper; however, students will be workshopping it throughout the semester as topics are covered in class. The paper is required for all students and is designed with the goal of giving students practice doing assignments very similar to what they may find in college courses.Class Experience
US Grade 10 - 12
Almost all college courses require writing of some kind, from personal reflections and literary analysis to scientific reports and journal articles. The goal of this class is to bridge the gap between high school writing expectations and collegiate level writing. During this class, students will learn the basics of writing for college as well as tips and tricks to succeed in undergraduate classes. We will cover how to figure out what your professor expects from a given assignment, how to budget time and avoid procrastination (one of the main downfalls of college students!), citations, and how to proofread or edit your own writing. Throughout the class, brief assignments will be given allowing students to practice and familiarize themselves with some of the activities they may come across at the collegiate level. The first part of each class will use a lecture format to cover a specific writing topic. The second half will use activities to reinforce learning and give space for questions or discussion. For a final project, students will choose from 3 or 4 assignment prompts similar to what they can expect to find in a collegiate level course and complete it from start to finish. Weekly homework will be assigned to breakdown this project and allow students to practice implementing skills covered in class in an actual assignment. Homework assigned each week is due before the start of class the following week. Below is a rough breakdown of what we will cover over the next 4 weeks.
Learning Goals
Students will learn to write college level essays.Students will gain practice in deciphering college level assignments.
Syllabus
4 Lessons
over 4 WeeksLesson 1:
What is college writing?
We will discuss the kinds of writing that students may encounter based on their majors and gen eds and how they are similar or different from each other. What and when can you expect your professor to tell you about your assignments? When and how should you ask for more information? What does your professor expect from you? – exercise, looking at interpreting goals of common essay assignments found in college writing. 55 mins online live lesson
Lesson 2:
Writing Mechanics
Now we know what the professor expects of us in regards to outcomes; how do we achieve that goal? Blocking off times for study vs other activities, outlining and other writing strategies, what to do if you need help? How to organize a paper, making sure that you have a thesis, not just a concept, how to decide scope/what to include or discard, how to gauge length. — exercise, theses and organization practice. 55 mins online live lesson
Lesson 3:
Using Sources
When and how to paraphrase information, what are rules surrounding direct quotes, how to find secondary sources? —practice paraphrasing information. There are many different citation formats, three of the most common are MLA, APA, and Chicago. This class will break down each of these and give students an opportunity to practice each one, both in text citations and works cited/reference list. 55 mins online live lesson
Lesson 4:
Editing and Proofreading for a final draft
This week we cover how to edit our own work, including rough drafts, asking for and applying feedback, taking a step back and distancing ourselves from our own work. — exercise, swap with a classmate and give feedback on rough drafts. How to decide when a paper is good enough, what you are looking for in a final draft, have you fulfilled all the parts listed in the prompt. 55 mins online live lesson
Other Details
Supply List
Students may use Google Scholar to research sources for their paper.
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Sources
"Essay Writing..." by mortsan is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/?ref=openverse.
Joined January, 2024
5.0
2reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from Ohio Wesleyan University
I have been tutoring high school and college students in writing for several years, including working for my University's writing center. I have worked with students in multiple fields during all parts of the writing process. Additionally, having studied Comparative Literature, a large part of my degree relied on my ability to write. Reviews
Live Group Course
$25
weekly or $100 for 4 classes1x per week, 4 weeks
55 min
Live video meetings
Ages: 16-18
10-16 learners per class
