WRIT400: Editing for Publishing

11/08/2019 to 04/16/2020 • Modified 08/19/2024

Course Description

Rationale

This course introduces the writing student to the fundamentals of editing for publishing original writing. The student will learn to critically analyze the purpose, audience, and message of verbal texts and to provide and implement editorial feedback based on his/her analyses. These skills are essential for understanding the world and impacting it for Christ.

Course Assignment

Textbook readings and lecture presentations

Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Discussions (3)

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student will engage in peer-discussion related to a variety of writing prompts specifically targeted to hone his/her writing and analysis of writing. The student is required to submit a thread of 300-500 words in response to the provided prompt listed in the discussion. In addition to the thread, the student is required to reply to two classmates’ threads, supplying the minimum word count of 200 words per reply. The student is required to interact with assigned materials, including textbooks and presentations, and cite all sources used (including textbooks and presentations) following current MLA format. (CLO: A, B, C, D, E)

The student will submit his/her completed Creative Nonfiction Proposal and Essay to the Discussion: Editing Workshop thread. Then, the student will choose three peers’ writing assignments and edit these pieces. The student will upload these back to his/her peers’ threads as replies. (CLO: A, B, C, D, E)

Writing Assignments (3)

The student will write a Creative Nonfiction Proposal and a Creative Nonfiction Essay, which will then be used for the Discussion: Editing Workshop and the Editing Creative Nonfiction Essay Assignment. These writing assignments enable the student to produce, edit, and revise publishable work in a real-world context. The Writing and Editing Analysis Assignment asks the student to analyze the intersection of writing and editing in producing publishable nonfiction.

Writing Creative Nonfiction Proposal Assignment

The student will analyze the intended message and imagined audience of the upcoming creative nonfiction essay in a 1-page, single-spaced proposal. Formatting is not required.

Writing Creative Nonfiction Essay Assignment

The student will write a creative nonfiction essay with the goal of being published in a print or online source. The essay must be between 500-1,000 words. For the ease of readers and editors, the student must double space the essay and utilize Times New Roman, 12-point font.

Writing and Editing Analysis Assignment

The student will analyze his/her experience of writing and editing in this course; explore the intersection of writing and editing in producing publishable nonfiction; and revisit his/her Discussion: Editing for Content, Focus, Language, and Grammar and reflect on how his/her ideas played out in the practice of writing, editing, receiving editorial feedback, and revising his/her nonfiction essay. This assignment must be between 500-700 words and use current MLA format. (CLO: A, B, C, D, E)

Editing Creative Nonfiction Essay Assignment

This assignment is related to the Discussion: Editing Workshop and the Writing Assignments. For this assignment, the student will submit his/her three peer workshopped edits (where he/she edited his/her peers’ work) to the professor for evaluation regarding his/her editorial skills. The student will then respond to each of his/her classmates whose work he/she edited within the Discussion: Editing Workshop; the student will attach the classmate’s edited file to the response. (CLO: A, B, C, D, E)

Revising Creative Nonfiction Essay and Proposal Assignment

The student will submit a revision of his/her Writing Assignments. Before resubmitting this, the student must address comments provided by professor and peer evaluations/workshops. The final product should still follow the guidelines of the original Writing Assignments (i.e., length, MLA formatting, font spacing). (CLO: B, C, D, E)

Quizzes (3)

Each quiz will cover the assigned reading material and presentations for the assigned Modules: Weeks. Each quiz will be open-book/open-notes, contain 15 multiple-choice or true/false questions, and have a 1-hour time limit. (CLO: A, B, C, D, E)