Theory of Writing & Perseverance Project — Class Notes

Overview of today’s session

  • Instructor greeting and acknowledgement that coursework can feel overwhelming; open Q&A about writing and process.
  • Roll call and class management to start the session, then a plan to cover the first theory of writing in-class.
  • Focus for today: introduce the theory of writing, discuss its importance, and give students time to work on it in class.
  • Quick reflection prompts to gauge students’ writing processes:
    • What is your writing process?
    • What do you like about your writing process?
    • What would you want to change or improve?
  • Core framing of writing in this class: writing is both a noun (a piece of writing) and a verb (the act of writing). The instructor emphasizes breaking these into two aspects: process and product.
  • Emphasis on the relationship: without a solid process, you’ll struggle to produce a strong writing product.
  • In-class sharing activity: students discuss personal writing processes (e.g., listening to music, talking out loud, drafting first, then editing).
    • Examples from students include:
    • Drafting and finalizing with edits in between;
    • Drafts can be shorter or longer depending on the task;
    • Some draft ideas before writing, others write in one go and refine later.
  • Varied strategies discussed:
    • Writing with music (lyrics vs. instrumental) and how it affects focus.
    • Talking out loud or in the shower as part of the thinking process; some edit after.
    • “Throwing up on the page” as a rough initial draft method for some students, then sorting and refining.
  • Environment and quiet places for focus:
    • Suggestions include quiet spots in the Student Union Building, top floors of the library, and a quiet 2nd-floor student lounge in Main Hall.
    • Instructor plugs Main Hall as a nearby option for commuters who need a quiet space.
  • Conceptual takeaways on planning and drafting:
    • Some students plan and outline paragraphs; others brainstorm freely and later organize.
    • The process can vary by assignment length and purpose; longer tasks may require more thorough drafting and organization.
  • Instructional stance on developing a writing process:
    • The semester will emphasize developing a writing process, not just producing a final product.
    • Metacognition (thinking about how you think/write) is important for establishing routines.
    • The instructor encourages students to reflect on what their process actually is and how they might improve it.
  • Activity logistics and assignments for the day:
    • If you’re done early, you can move to Week 11 on D2L (Week One → Thursday) to access the first project description.
    • The first project description explains the assignment and the rubric; the rubric is built from bullet-point criteria.
    • Students are advised to review the assignment description before submitting to ensure all criteria are met and not miss any parts.

First theory of writing and project introduction

  • The instructor highlights two interrelated components of writing:
    • Process: the steps you take to write (planning, drafting, revising).
    • Product: the final written piece.
  • The key claim: a good process yields a good product; in other words, process drives outcome.
  • The class will spend time on both process and product throughout the semester, with emphasis on metacognition and routine-building.
  • The first major project is introduced: a narrative-focused piece reflecting perseverance.

First project: Perseverance narrative/memoir

  • Project goal:
    • Reflect on a significant event in your life that required perseverance.
    • Tell the story in a personal narrative/memoir style.
    • Address a forum of students who may be facing adversity; share insights that could help them.
  • Timeframe of events:
    • The event can occur at any point from childhood to adulthood.
    • Caution: events in middle school are acceptable if remembered clearly with enough introspection and detail; elementary school events may be hard to recall with the required depth.
  • Length and formatting:
    • The paper must be 33 full typed pages (aim for the top of the 44th page).
    • Double-spaced; font size should be within 10−1210-12 pt.
  • Content requirements:
    • Use descriptive techniques to convey the events and the impact of perseverance.
    • Explode the moment: describe turning points in vivid detail.
    • Conclude with reflection on what life would have been like if perseverance hadn’t occurred.
  • Genre and style:
    • Personal narrative / memoir, presented as prose (exposition and storytelling).
    • Address the audience of fellow students facing adversity.
  • Upcoming topics and class plan:
    • Next week: explore what a memoir is, its features, discuss the genre, review examples, and discuss techniques for description.
  • Timeline and weekly structure:
    • Week 11 on D2L: Thursday has the First Project Description and related materials.
    • Students should review the project description before submitting.
  • Rubric and evaluation:
    • The bullet-point criteria in the project description translate directly into the rubric used for grading.
    • The instructor advises maintaining awareness of all required parts, not just a subset of the rubric.
  • Topic ideas and scope:
    • Topics people often write about include sports, injuries, team selection, academic failures, tutoring experiences, family adversity, and self experiences.
    • The event should be meaningful and conducive to reflection, with clear instances of perseverance.
  • Final reflection component:
    • Conclude with a thoughtful reflection on life after perseverance, including alternate scenarios if perseverance hadn’t occurred.

Self-efficacy survey and asynchronous work for Tuesday

  • Tuesday’s session will be asynchronous (no live meeting) with tasks due by 11:5911:59 PM.
  • Required asynchronous tasks:
    • Complete the Writing Self-Efficacy Survey at the start of WRT 120 and again at the end of WRT 200 to measure growth.
    • Self-efficacy: belief in one’s ability to perform writing tasks; the survey collects your perceptions anonymously as data for the course.
    • Watch examples: Nelson Mandela’s experiences with adversity (class discussion on Thursday to follow) and Dear Sweet Nancy Sugar (example of perseverance as a blind individual who went through life with legal blindness unknown until college).
    • Begin thinking about potential topics for the perseverance narrative, including sports (e.g., making or not making a team), academic challenges (failing a class, needing a tutor), family issues, self-development, etc.
  • Focus prompts for topics:
    • Personal adversity across sports, academics, family, or self; the goal is to identify a meaningful adversity and plan a narrative around it.

Practical guidance on file organization and submission

  • Students are encouraged to create an organized file structure to manage assignments:
    • Create a folder named after the class (e.g., WRT 120120) and then a subfolder for Theory of Writing.
    • Use a consistent, descriptive folder naming system to avoid loss of work.
  • How to create folders and manage files on Mac (example steps):
    • Open Finder, go to Documents, click New Folder, name it (e.g., "WRT
      120 - Theory of Writing").
    • Inside the folder, create subfolders as needed (e.g., "Theory of Writing").
    • Right-click to create additional folders or subfolders as you organize your work.
  • File formats and submission:
    • You can use Google Docs for drafting; export a PDF for submission if required.
    • To submit, download your Google Doc as a PDF and upload to D2L (or your LMS).
    • OneDrive can be used for backup; ensure files are saved to a recognized cloud location (e.g., Mac Documents, iCloud Drive, or OneDrive).
  • Troubleshooting and tips:
    • If you’re new to Macs or PCs, don’t hesitate to ask for help with basic file organization and software compatibility.
    • Always save a backup copy of your work in a cloud storage location to prevent data loss.
    • The instructor encourages using Google Docs when comfortable and then exporting to PDF for submission if required.
  • Reminders:
    • This class uses D2L (or analogous LMS) for assignment descriptions, rubrics, and submission.
    • Review the project description each time before submitting to ensure all rubric criteria are met.

Key concepts and takeaways

  • Metacognition: Thinking about how you think and write; developing awareness helps establish routines and a reliable writing process.
  • Process vs. Product: A strong process leads to a strong product; both are important and intertwined throughout the semester.
  • Narrative and memoir techniques: Descriptive language, moment-exploding details, and reflective conclusions are central to the perseverance narrative.
  • Audience awareness: Writing for peers who face adversity shapes tone, structure, and the kinds of insights shared.
  • Real-world relevance: The focus on perseverance is applicable to academic challenges, personal growth, and professional development.
  • Ethical and practical implications:
    • Honesty and vulnerability in memoir writing can help peers, but also invites ethical considerations about privacy and sensitivity when sharing personal stories.
    • Reflection on adversity can foster resilience and community, but requires careful handling of traumatic or sensitive topics.

Connections to previous work and upcoming topics

  • This theory of writing serves as the foundation for later units on memoir features, narrative technique, and descriptive writing.
  • Expect deeper exploration of techniques for describing events, character development, and thematic framing in upcoming weeks.
  • The class will continue to connect concepts of process, planning, drafting, revision, and reflection to build robust writing habits.

Practical notes for students

  • Before submitting any assignment, always revisit the assignment description and rubric to ensure all criteria are satisfied.
  • Start organizing your files early and maintain a consistent folder structure for the class (e.g., WRT 120120 -> Theory of Writing).
  • Use quiet spaces and environment strategies discussed in class to optimize your writing sessions.
  • Consider experimenting with different pre-writing strategies (talking out loud, outlining, “throwing up on the page”) to discover what works best for you.
  • Use metacognitive reflection to identify strengths and areas for growth in your writing process, aiming to develop a more effective routine over the semester.