{"id":623772,"date":"2024-10-25T19:04:15","date_gmt":"2024-10-25T23:04:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/newscenter\/?p=623772"},"modified":"2024-10-28T13:57:38","modified_gmt":"2024-10-28T17:57:38","slug":"writing-skills-in-communication-required-course-623772","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/newscenter\/writing-skills-in-communication-required-course-623772\/","title":{"rendered":"Writing 105: The class you need\u2014and want\u2014to take at the University of Rochester"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Rochester Curriculum\u2019s only required course teaches writing skills that benefit undergraduate students throughout college\u2014and well beyond, too.<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Each year, thousands of courses are offered to undergraduates enrolled in the School of Arts & Sciences<\/a> and the Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences<\/a> at the University of Rochester<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But only one course is required as part of the Rochester Curriculum<\/a>: the primary writing requirement, or Writing 105: Reasoning and Writing. This four-credit course is run by the Writing, Speaking, and Argument Program<\/a> (WSAP) and it teaches students fundamental and essential writing skills.<\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>Learning to write is about more than communication. It conditions the mind to sort and prioritize information, to be precise, and to organize complex ideas into logical patterns.\u201d<\/div>\n

Whether you\u2019re from China or California, Denmark or Denver, India or Indiana, this course is the first step for Rochester students on the road to becoming effective academic communicators\u2014and join the broader community of researchers, scholars, and writers.<\/p>\n

Writing 105 instructors frame their courses around particular topics, making it likely that students can write about a topic that interests them\u2014or have their curiosity piqued by something they hadn\u2019t considered before.<\/p>\n

\"Katherine
WORDSMITHS AT WORK:<\/strong> Katherine Schaefer, an associate professor in the Writing, Speaking, and Argument Program at the University of Rochester, is one of the instructors for Writing 105: Reasoning and Writing. (University of Rochester photo \/ J. Adam Fenster)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cStudents pursue their passions or discover new interests within a vibrant intellectual community,\u201d says Deborah Rossen-Knill<\/a>, WSAP\u2019s executive director. \u201cThey dig deep into the unknown and puzzle through uncertainty aided by research, argument, speaking, and writing in order to articulate, test, and refine their ideas.\u201d<\/p>\n

Writing 105 classes fill up quickly, so WSAP\u2019s advice is to compile a list of several sections<\/a> that appeal to you. If you miss your preferred section in the fall, fear not: most of the same classes are offered again in the spring. It is, however, strongly encouraged that you enroll and complete this course by the end of your first year at Rochester.<\/p>\n

Here are four other things to know about the one required course at the University of Rochester.<\/p>\n

Workshop with your peers, connect with your instructors<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The average incoming undergraduate class at the University of Rochester has approximately 1,400 students. Yet Writing 105 classes are deliberately capped at 15 students per class, with some sections maxing out at 10 people.<\/p>\n

\"Laura
COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE:<\/strong> Writing 105 classes are capped at 15 students per class. Likewise with many of the upper-year writing classes offered by the Writing, Speaking, and Argument Program. (University of Rochester photo \/ J. Adam Fenster)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

With a handful of exceptions, each class is taught by one instructor, making for an interactive learning environment reminiscent of a writers\u2019 workshop or retreat. This gives you the chance to get to know your teachers while developing your communication and writing skills with a cohort of peers.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s very helpful to first-year students who need recommendation letters for various scholarships and other programs,\u201d says Whitney Gegg-Harrison<\/a>, an associate professor in WSAP and a Writing 105 instructor.<\/p>\n

Focus on the write stuff<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\"Circle
\u201cThe writing skills I developed helped me immensely throughout my college career,\u201d says alumna Maggie Scholer \u201924, who majored in chemistry and environmental science. (Provided photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Students are required to write as part of nearly every undergraduate major throughout college\u2014and Writing 105 helps prepare them with the necessary writing skills. Students who assume that going into STEM fields or performing arts means they won\u2019t be doing any writing are in for a surprise.<\/p>\n

\u201cLearning to write is about more than communication,\u201d says Paul Funkenbusch<\/a>, a professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering<\/a> and with the Materials Science Program<\/a>. \u201cIt conditions the mind to sort and prioritize information, to be precise, and to organize complex ideas into logical patterns. In my experience, the ability to write well is strongly correlated with the ability to think well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Maggie Scholer \u201924, who earned degrees last spring in chemistry and environmental science, says her Writing 105 course titled \u201cModern Love\u201d was formative for her college experience. \u201cIt not only refined my writing abilities but also improved my editing skills through our regular peer-review process for assignments,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

\"Circle
Writing 105 \u201chas taught me the art of effective reading,” says first-year student Vedant Agrawal \u201928. (Provided photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Pittsford, New York, native liked it so much that she became a content editor for an undergraduate research journal her sophomore year. \u201cThe writing skills I developed\u00a0helped me immensely throughout my college\u00a0career in writing lab reports, graduate school applications, fellowship applications, and even manuscripts for publication in scientific journals,\u201d says Scholer, who is pursuing a PhD in atmospheric and oceanic sciences at the University of Colorado.<\/p>\n

Vedant Agrawal \u201928 is taking a 105 course this fall called \u201cPost Human Future: The intersection of AI, Identity, and Ethics.\u201d The Kolkata, India, native chose this section because he\u2019s a fan of Isaac Asimov\u2019s novels, \u201cand the class subject matter seemed to intersect with those domains.\u201d<\/p>\n

But Agrawal is getting much more than he expected.<\/p>\n

\u201cAcademic writing has a very particular style that can be quite formidable for first-year students,\u201d he says. \u201cThis course has taught me the art of effective reading, and understanding how to decipher what the author is trying to say. I tend to interpret passages in ways that suit my biases, so the process of constructing arguments based on sources and citations has been extremely constructive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Take your pick\u2014from dozens of topics<\/strong><\/h3>\n

For the fall 2024 semester, there are more than 60 sections of Writing 105 focused<\/a> on subjects ranging from friendship, mindfulness, artificial intelligence, and critical reading to horror stories, reality TV, video games, and monsters.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey have to write about something, and it may as well be something they\u2019re interested in,\u201d Gegg-Harrison says. \u201cWhen we\u2019re interested in what we\u2019re writing about, we tend to engage more deeply and feel more motivated to do the work. That leads to better learning and better writing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Know your A, B, Es<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\"University
PUT INTO WORDS:<\/strong> University of Rochester students can take part in one of several Writing 105 sections, including 105E, an extended version of the course. (University of Rochester photo \/ J. Adam Fenster)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Speaking of variety, there are several sections in addition to the standard Writing 105 course. These sections match students to the level of support they need to develop their writing skills. The content, range of themes and topics, and requirements of the classes are the same.<\/p>\n