Fundamentals of Academic Essay Writing

WRIT 125: Fundamentals of Academic Essay Writing is a study of the basic principles of academic writing, including a series of assignments and learning activities that emphasize logical organization, stylistic clarity, and grammatical precision.

The course focuses on the basic elements of the academic essay: thesis statement, topic sentences, paragraph structure, and basic grammar and style. When you understand these elements, take time to practice using them, and receive feedback on your attempts, you will produce better essays.

But producing better essays is not an end in itself. The process of planning, preparing, and writing an academic essay helps you engage with a topic, think critically about it, find your own perspective and opinion on it, and present that perspective to your readers in a clear, logical way.

In WRIT 125 you will be guided through every stage of the essay writing process. As you complete pre-writing exercises, create drafts, and revise your work, you will get valuable practice using the basic elements of the essay. The feedback and coaching you receive from your teaching assistant (TA) and the peer-review process you take part in with other students will all help you sharpen your skills.

In this course, we will not only help you develop and organize your writing, but also offer instruction and exercises in basic grammar and style. Our feedback will focus on specific areas where you (as an individual writer) need to improve and the process of revising, editing, and proofreading your work based on the grammatical and stylistic principles you have learned.

As you complete WRIT 125, you will practice writing types of essays common in undergraduate courses: the critical review essay, the compare and contrast essay, and the research essay.

Note: Check with the institution regarding start/end dates, prices, and delivery method. These may vary according to program, section, and/or semester.