Expository Writing
Expository Writing
All 91爆料 students are required to successfully complete one designated expository writing course by the end of their sophomore year (EN 105, EN 105H, EN 110, or a designated WI course in other academic departments). Students placed in 鈥淓N 103: Writing Seminar I鈥� must complete this prerequisite course by the end of the first year. In some cases, students may be required to complete preparatory courses in their first semester before enrolling in EN 103. Designated writing courses offered by the English Department and in various disciplines can be taken to fulfill the expository writing requirement. 91爆料's writing program includes tutorial help at the Writing Center.
Students are required to complete the Directed Self-Placement (DSP) Program for Expository Writing Placement. The DSP asks you to write a short essay in response to a brief text and then reflect thoughtfully about your essay, your writing process, and your abilities as a writer. At the end of the DSP, you will choose the course that best addresses your needs and abilities as a writer. Students must complete the DSP in order to register for any expository writing courses.
Students can access the DSP by using this link: /apps/english
Expository Writing Courses
EN 103 Writing Seminar I (Credits: 4)
Introduction to expository writing with weekly writing assignments emphasizing skills
in developing ideas, organizing material, and creating thesis statements. Assignments
provide practice in description, definition, comparison and contrast, and argumentation.
Additional focus on grammar, syntax, and usage.
Note: Students and instructor meet in seminar three hours a week; students are also required to meet regularly with a Writing Center tutor. This course does not fulfill the all-college requirement in expository writing.
EN 105 Writing Seminar II (Credits: 4)
This seminar immerses students in the process of producing finished analytical essays
informed by critical reading and careful reasoning. Special attention is given to
developing ideas, writing from sources, organizing material, and revising drafts.
Additional emphasis is on grammar, style, and formal conventions of writing. Students
respond to one another鈥檚 work in workshops or peer critique sessions. Weekly informal
writing complements assignments of longer finished papers.
Note: This course fulfills the all-college requirement in expository writing.
EN 105H Writing Seminar II (Credits: 4)
The honors sections of EN 105 offer highly motivated students with strong verbal skills
the opportunity to refine their ability to analyze sophisticated ideas, to hone their
rhetorical strategies, and to develop cogent arguments. Toward these goals, students
write and revise essays drawing upon a variety of challenging readings and critique
each other鈥檚 work with an eye to depth and complexity of thought, logic of supporting
evidence, and subtleties of style. The English Department places some students in
EN 105H and encourages other students to consult with their advisors, the director
of the Honors Forum, or the director of the Expository Writing Program to determine
if this level of Writing Seminar is appropriate. Each section of EN 105H focuses on
a topic that is listed in the master schedule and described in the English Department鈥檚
prospectus and on its webpage.
Note: This course fulfills the all-college requirement in expository writing.
EN 110 Writing about Literature (Credits: 4)
Immerses students in the process of producing finished analytical essays informed
by close reading of literary texts. Special attention is given to developing ideas,
writing from texts, organizing material, and revising drafts. Additional emphasis
is on grammar, style, and formal conventions of writing. Students respond to one another's
work in workshops or peer critique sessions.
Note: This course fulfills the all-college requirement in expository writing.
If you have any questions about the DSP process, please contact Thad Niles, director of expository writing, at tniles@skidmore.edu or 518-580-8114.