ENGL 002W. Words Matter: Crafting and Critiquing Rhetorically Effective Styles

What does it mean to write an awkward or a clear sentence? Who determines what counts as appropriate or "good" writing, and how are such notions of standardized English currently being challenged? Can a scholarly voice be an authentic personal voice, too? In this course, we will examine the grammatical building blocks of written style while scrutinizing larger cultural concerns about the effectiveness of distinct styles. While recognizing famous tenets of style in creative writing, we will primarily focus on stylistic features of academic, civic, and professional discourse. We will learn grammatical terminology and apply it in analyzing and evaluating the stylistic impact of a variety of passages while at the same time exploring the rhetorical contexts and sociopolitical implications of so-called norms for writing in English. Throughout, we will seek to equip you to make rhetorically savvy stylistic choices in your own writing for distinct purposes and audiences.
Humanities.
Writing Course.
1 credit.
Spring 2023. Mera Ford
Catalog chapter: English Literature  
Department website: http://www.swarthmore.edu/english-literature


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