English Composition I

Duke University via Coursera

Go to class Write review

Details

Go to class

Provider

Coursera
Pricing

Free Online Course (Audit)
Languages

English
Certificate

Paid Certificate Available
Duration & workload

1 day 1 hour 19 minutes
Sessions

On-Demand
Level

Beginner
Subtitles

Arabic, French, Portuguese, Italian, German, Russian, English, Spanish, Thai, Indonesian, Kazakh, Hindi, Swedish, Korean, Greek, Chinese, Ukrainian, Japanese, Polish, Dutch, Turkish, Hungarian, Bengali, Pashto, Urdu, Azerbaijani, Farsi

Found in

Overview

Class Central Tips

You will gain a foundation for college-level writing valuable for nearly any field. Students will learn how to read carefully, write effective arguments, understand the writing process, engage with others' ideas, cite accurately, and craft powerful prose. Course Learning Objectives • Summarize, analyze, question, and evaluate written and visual texts • Argue and support a position • Recognize audience and disciplinary expectations • Identify and use the stages of the writing process • Identify characteristics of effective prose • Apply proper citation practices • Discuss applying your writing knowledge to other writing occasions

Syllabus

The Writing Process

To start our course, we will examine your own writing process and what it means to respond to the writing of others. We will also think about what academic writing means.

Critical Reading

This week will concentrate on the skill of reading critically. Additionally, we will learn about the conventions of academic writing, including integrating evidence and schools of citation. Finally, you are encouraged to write your own critical review of "The Sweet Spot." This is an optional writing assignment, but it is a requirement to receive a honor's certificate.

Project 1: Visual Analysis

This week, the central topic is visual images in academic writing. The goal is to practice interpreting and writing about images convincingly. Plus, Dr. Comer will help you think about what area of inquiry you would like to focus on in this course and what it means to write a draft. Finally, you will write your visual analysis and learn how to give meaningful feedback.

Revision Strategies and Visual Analysis Revision

Based on the feedback of your colleagues improve your visual analysis. After you receive feedback on your final submission, submit a self-reflection quiz about your experience writing this project.

Project 2: Case Study

This week, various aspects of effective research will be discussed, such as creating an annotated bibliography, research strategies, and avoiding plagiarism. You will conduct research for your next project, a case study, contribute to an annotated bibliography, and submit your case study draft.

Writing Cohesively and Case Study Revision

In preparation for improving your case study, Professor Comer will present strategies of writing more cohesively. After receiving your final feedback, please submit a self-reflection about this project.

Project 3: Op-Ed

This week, Professor Comer introduces the idea of public scholarship, how academic writing can be transformed for a broader public. Her guest, David Jarmul, will give an overview of how to write an op-ed. You will then have the opportunity to write your own.

Crafting Powerful Prose and Op-Ed Revision

This week Professor Comer will address the topic of concise writing; how to convey meaning with fewer words. Your task is to rewrite your op-ed.

Transferring Writing Practices, Skills, and Knowledge to New Contexts

This final week is dedicated to how to move forward with your writing and apply the skills learned in this course to new contexts. Your final assignment is a self-reflection about your development as a writer over the last several weeks.

Writing in the Humanities, Social Science, and Natural Sciences

Additional videos that highlight differences in academic writing across disciplines.

Taught by

Denise Comer

Reviews

3.3 rating, based on 19 Class Central reviews

4.6 rating at Coursera based on 1188 ratings

Start your review of English Composition I

Gearoid Morley

As someone who has had no experience with academic writing or exposure to a writing process, I found this course well worth my time. I gained valuable practice in drafting and writing papers over the four projects. The peer review of your writing w…

As someone who has had no experience with academic writing or exposure to a writing process, I found this course well worth my time. I gained valuable practice in drafting and writing papers over the four projects.

The peer review of your writing was a very mixed bag and frustrating at times (I had one peer admit not reading my piece in their feedback but still rating my paper). But I guess that is the nature of MOOCs. In spite of that I did get valuable feedback, and the act of reviewing others work was a great way to think more deeply about your own writing.

I'd recommend this course for anyone who would like to improve their writing through practice, hone a writing process and get experience in writing through practical assignments.
Sami Laine

A fairly concise review of basics of academic writing. In my opinion this course suits an intermediate (ie. entering a college) or someone who is in a need for a quick refresher of basic writing skills.

Peer graded assignments were the best part of this course. Three out of four writing assignments have two phases of peer grading, first you will write a draft which is nearly finished text, get some feedback on it, then produce a final edit. How much you get out of the course depends heavily on your peers. One exception aside, I got good feedback. Occasionally some peer simply gave no feedback, yet tossed a perfect score at me, so you might end up having no feedback at all should you be unlucky to get such peers all the way.
Jos Gysenbergs

Not easy especially for non-native speakers. However, this was a most rewarding course because prof. Comer's expertise lifted the level high enough to keep attention to a maximum. If you manage to reach distinction (around 90% if I remember well) you will gain a strong confidence in writing academic texts.
Rohit Kanojiya

my name is Rohit kanojiya
I am 16 year
and I finish my 10th grade
my birthday is 2004/02/23
I live in juhu galli wireless road ekta nagar Andheri West Mumbai 400058
Jesumay Keppel
Jessica A Betlyon
Saqib Niazi
Bob

Just a horrible way to waste your time. Did not like the instructor & her way of teaching. Different strokes for different folks, some peers found it thrilling. Not my cup of tea, F-
Javed Shaikh
George Simons
Shalini Jha
Sherry Hunter
Masato Yonekawa
CRISTIANO SOARES
Dfafdasfasf
Malisaa
Andrea Lewis
Ashikin Aziz
Muzafar Khan