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  1. Home
  2. Academics
  3. General Education Courses

(GWS) Writing and Speaking

COMMUNICATION ARTS AND SCIENCES
CAS 100A (GWS) Effective Speech
ENGLISH
ENGL 15 (GWS) Rhetoric and Composition
ENGL 30H (GWS) Honors Rhetoric and Composition
ENGL 202A (GWS) Effective Writing: Writing in the Social Sciences
ENGL 202C (GWS) Effective Writing: Technical Writing
ENGL 202D (GWS) Effective Writing: Business Writing

COMMUNICATION ARTS AND SCIENCES

CAS 100A (GWS) Effective Speech

Principles of communication, implemented through presentation of speeches, with some attention to group discussion and message evaluation. CAS 100A Effective Speech (3) (GWS) This general education course studies the purposeful use of oral communication as a means of addressing practical problems, both professional and civic. It is designed to introduce students to principles of effective public speaking, implemented through the design and presentation of individual speeches and through practice in message analysis and evaluation. Class size is limited and class meetings involve considerable attention to developing public speaking skills through in-class activities, collaborative learning, peer critiques, and analysis of public speeches and other messages. At least three individual, graded speeches are required in this course. Additional presentations (graded or non-graded) may be required by some instructors. Course work may also include instruction and practice in group decision making. Assessment includes evaluation by examination (one or two; no final exam is given in the course) and by occasional quizzes and other activities, all of which emphasize the mastery and application of the conceptual content of the course. Public presentations are evaluated for content, organization, and presentation.

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ENGLISH

ENGL 15 (GWS) Rhetoric and Composition

ENGL 15 is an intensive, rhetorically based experience in reading and writing that will prepare you both to understand the communications that surround you and to succeed in your own communication efforts. Thus, in this course, we will focus specifically on analyzing verbal and visual texts (our reading) as well as on producing such texts (our writing), always in terms of rhetorical principles. Even if the term rhetoric isn't familiar to you, you bring a good deal of rhetorical skill to this class: you already know how to gauge the way you perceive and produce language according to the speaker, the intended audience, and the purpose. You may not always gauge perfectly, your perception may not always be accurate, and your production may not always be successful, but you still often try to interpret and choose language that is appropriate to the rhetorical situation. When you do not succeed, you often try again. The goal of ENGL 15, then, is to help you build on what you already know how to do as you become a more confident reader and writer. You will become more attuned to your goals as a writer, more aware of the ongoing conversation surrounding the topic, and more resourceful in terms of the appropriate delivery of your information, the rhetorical appeals at your disposal, and the needs and expectations of your audience. You will also learn to research and synthesize multiple outside sources in order to support your arguments effectively and ethically. In other words, we hope you'll come to write with skill, conviction, sophistication, and grace, if not immediately, then soon. In the process, you'll learn how to read more critically as well.

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ENGL 30H (GWS) Honors Rhetoric and Composition

English 30H is an intensive, rhetorically based experience in reading and writing that will prepare you both to understand the communications that surround you and to succeed in your own communication efforts. Thus, in this course, we will focus specifically on analyzing verbal and visual texts (our reading) as well as on producing such texts (our writing)-always in terms of rhetorical principles. Even if the term rhetoric isn't familiar to you, you bring a good deal of rhetorical skill to this class: you already know how to gauge the way you perceive and produce language according to the speaker, the intended audience, and the purpose. You may not always gauge perfectly, your perception may not always be accurate, and your production may not always be successful, but you still often try to interpret and choose language that is appropriate to the rhetorical situation. When you do not succeed, you often try again. The goal of English 30, then, is to help you build on what you already know how to do as you become a more confident reader and writer. You will become more attuned to your goals as a writer, more aware of the ongoing conversation surrounding the topic, and more resourceful in terms of the appropriate delivery of your information, the rhetorical appeals at your disposal, and the needs and expectations of your audience. You will also learn to research and synthesize multiple outside sources in order to support your arguments effectively and ethically. In other words, we hope you'll come to write with skill, conviction, sophistication, and grace-if not immediately, then soon. In the process, you'll learn how to read more critically as well. As an honors section, ENGL 30H is enriched by more rigorous requirements (longer papers, additional research component where the student is required to cite and engage critical sources and conversations). Participation requirements are also enhanced, making for a richer honors experience.

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ENGL 202A (GWS) Effective Writing: Writing in the Social Sciences

ENGL 202A introduces students to the types of writing that social scientists typically do in the workplace, including research proposals, proper citation practices, literature reviews, and research reports. In discussing writing and writing activities, this class will focus on some of the more common forms of social science research - among them, experiments, interviews, observations, and surveys. Students will learn to formulate ideas and create coherent pieces of writing from the research they have conducted and read about. In short, this course will introduce students to a variety of writing and research strategies from which they can begin to develop their own identity as a social scientist. (A student may take only one course for credit from ENGL 202A, 202B, 202C, and 202D.)

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ENGL 202C (GWS) Effective Writing: Technical Writing

Writing for students in scientific and technical disciplines. (A student may take only one course for credit from ENGL 202A, 202B, 202C, and 202D.) ENGL 202C is an advanced writing course designed to help students in science and engineering develop the writing strategies that they will need to communicate successfully on the job and to help them understand why those strategies are appropriate and effective. A key emphasis will be on the rhetorical principles of effective communication, including context analysis and defining clear, actionable purposes. Students will gain experience with a wide range of technical writing genres, including reports, descriptions, definitions, procedures, job application documents, emails, memos, and web applications. Students will also learn about the importance of document and graphic design, including how best to design communications to maximize their potential for success.

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ENGL 202D (GWS) Effective Writing: Business Writing

Writing reports and other common forms of business communication. (A student may take only one course for credit from ENGL 202A, 202B, 202C, and 202D.) ENGL 202D is an advanced writing course designed to help students develop the writing strategies that they will need to write successfully on the job and to help them understand why those strategies are appropriate and effective. A key emphasis will be on rhetorical principles of effective communication, including audience analysis and defining clear, actionable purpose. Students will gain experience with a wide range of business writing genres, including reports, letters, job application documents, emails, memos and web applications like business blogs, online articles, social media profiles and personal branding. Students will also learn about the importance of document design, including how best to utilize headings, page layout, graphics and other visuals to maximize the potential for communication success.

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General Education Courses

  • (GA) Arts
  • (GH) Humanities
  • (GHW) Health and Wellness
  • (GN) Natural Sciences
  • (GQ) Quantification
  • (GS) Social and Behavioral Sciences
  • (GWS) Writing and Speaking
  • (INTER-D) Integrative Study Courses

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Penn State Brandywine

Penn State Brandywine is Philadelphia's "next-door" neighbor. The 112-acre campus lies just 20 miles west of Center City and offers four-year baccalaureate degree programs, associate degree programs and workplace professional education programs.
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