The Icebreaker: First in-class exercise

Format

• Make a list of some of the “rules of good writing” they have learned in school.
• Answer the questions “Do these rules make writing easier or more difficult?” “Do the rules apply to all writing or are they determined by the context in which one writes?” “Who benefits from the rules?”
• Write a response reflecting on you particular experiences with a rule that you’ve listed.
• Assemble in groups to create a new set of rules based on criteria you value.
• The class as a whole will then create from those lists a master list that will be discussed and applied throughout the course.
• As each writing assignment is completed, we will spend time reflecting on the list of rules and discussing other aspects of writing.

Reading Assignments

• 10 Myths of College Writing – handout

• Excerpt from "The Subject in Discourse" by John Clifford

• "Composing Guidelines" by Sondra Perl

• Instructional writing materials as needed

• Additional reading materials as needed

Download here.