What Is the Goal for Writing in This Course—and How Is That Trying to Help Students?

What Is Not the Goal of Writing in This Course?

With something that people talk about in many different ways (such as the word writing), sometimes it helps to state what is not the goal.

 

With writing in this course, you:

·         Are not summarizing the textbook or a primary.

·         Are not paraphrasing the textbook or a primary.

·         Do not need to repeat every fact or word in the textbook.

·         Are not showing your personal writing style while stating your feelings or your opinions or your assumptions.

 

Writing in this course is closer to the goal of writing in business or about science or an investigative reporter (one with high standards for truth):

·         You have to know everything you can learn about the subject, but you aren’t writing everything.

·         It is useful to know this because it helps you understand how things will probably work in the real world.

·         It is practical and the skills to write apply to many fields.

 

 

What Is the Goal and What Does Your Smart Cousin Have to Do with that Goal?

Instead, in this course, the goal of all writing assignments is for you to do activities that help you learn the history of our nation. One of the most powerful ways to learn something is to try to teach it so the goal is for you to pretend to teach another person—such as your smart cousin. You can also pretend you are teaching a class of freshman students who are like you.

 

That’s a multi-step skill—one skill that is also useful for most jobs you may do. You do 4 things:

1.    Read carefully the required content (and I tell you what you need to read or you use the index if you are answering a Unit written question).

2.    Understand that content.

3.    Choose carefully what anyone—such as your smart cousin—needs to learn.

4.    Teach that content in a common sense, practical way.

Why am I using the example of your smart cousin as the person you will teach?

·         You are probably comfortable with your cousin.

·         In helping your smart cousin, you will spend:
- More time trying to help your cousin learn the content
- Less time trying to say it in fancy words

 

 

 

 

Copyright C. J. Bibus, Ed.D. 2003-2016

 

 

WCJC Department:

History – Dr. Bibus

Contact Information:

281.239.1577 or bibusc@wcjc.edu

Last Updated:

2016

WCJC Home:

http://www.wcjc.edu/