Writing 121 - Argument and Intro to Exposition Notes

Writing 121: Argument and Intro to Exposition

Course Overview

  • Writing 121 focuses on argument and exposition, aiming to transition students from basic writing to impactful, real-world writing.
  • The syllabus contains all essential information about the course, including grading and assignments.

Transition from Writing 115

  • Writing 115 focuses on breaking bad habits and familiarizing students with real-world writing. Writing 121 emphasizes papers designed to achieve specific goals.
  • The course moves beyond the traditional five-paragraph essay or book report, which are deemed impractical in professional contexts.
  • Instead, you will learn how to provide valuable insights and analysis tailored to an audience's needs and interests.
    • Example: Instead of summarizing a book, you'll learn to write a review or analysis that informs potential readers.

Real World Writing

  • Real-world writing is transactional, meaning it aims to achieve a specific purpose with an audience.
  • It involves three key components:
    • The author (I).
    • The message (It).
    • The audience (Them).
  • Effective transactional writing requires considering various factors.
    • Example: Writing a shopping list for someone else requires anticipating their needs and preferences.

Papers in Writing 121

  • You will engage with four different papers designed to achieve distinct goals with specific audiences.
  • This requires adopting different conventions and adapting your persona as the writer.

Audience Consideration

  • Understanding your audience is crucial for effective exposition.
  • Key questions to consider include:
    • Who are they?
    • What do they already know?
    • What are their expectations and preferences?
    • How do they respond to different types of information (e.g., statistics, jargon)?
    • What are their beliefs and biases regarding the topic?

Types of Messages (According to the Greeks)

  • The Greeks identified three main types of messages used in rhetoric:
    • Forensic: Focuses on cause and effect, examining how things work in the past tense.
      • Example: A forensic pathologist analyzing a crime scene.
      • Goal: Discovering what happened and it's potential significance.
    • Political: Deals with future actions, focusing on what should be done.
      • Example: Politicians persuading voters.
      • Goal: Inspiring or convincing some action to be taken.
    • Ceremonial: Centers on the present, evaluating the quality or value of something.
      • Example: A speech at a boat launching or a celebrity roast.
      • Goal: Promoting the value of how thing are in the world.

Applying the Message Types

  • The goal of a paper should determine the primary message type.
  • Each type has a specific focus.
    • Forensic: How things work.
    • Political: What should be done.
    • Ceremonial: What is good or bad.
  • Papers may contain elements of multiple types, but one should be dominant.

The Author

  • As the author, you have several factors to consider when writing:
    • Voice: Your personal style and identity. This will be heavily covered later in the course.
    • Tone: How you present yourself in relation to your audience.
    • Bias: Your perspective and relationship to the subject matter.
  • You must decide on these factors to align with the goals of the paper.

Intentional Writing

  • Effective writing involves making intentional choices about:
    • Presenting yourself.
    • Crafting the message.
    • Reaching the audience.
  • The goal is to optimize the paper's impact and achieve its desired purpose.

Importance of Writing

  • Writing is a fundamental skill applicable to various fields and situations.
  • Even after college, life will present situations requiring effective written communication.
  • Writing 121 aims to equip you with the skills to handle these situations successfully.

Final Points

  • The course will present various scenarios, challenging you to apply your writing skills effectively.
  • The next video will discuss the means to achieve these goals.
  • Remember to read the syllabus.
  • Life assigns you papers, and sometimes you have to you or you have to communicate through writing. How do you put all of the pieces together to make the biggest impact and do the best job that you can through this writing?