Writing

Writing plays a significant role in the Gutenberg curriculum. Besides being a very practical skill in its own right, writing is essential to the development of clear thinking. Therefore, writing assignments intended to foster skillful communication and clarity of thought are integrated throughout the curriculum.

In the first and second years, students receive a separate grade for writing. To help them become better writers, a writing tutor provides feedback on the assigned papers during class or through individual tutorials.

WRT 101. During their first term, students focus on the elementary principles of academic writing in a writing tutorial.

WRT 102-203. During the remainder of their first year and throughout the second year, students write a number of short papers in conjunction with the Western Civilization course.

During their third and fourth years, students write fewer but longer papers, leading to their final writing project—the senior thesis. Each quarter, third-year students write one paper on a topic they choose related to their reading in Great Conversation. In preparation for writing their senior thesis, fourth-year students write their fall-quarter paper on the perspective of one of their thesis authors and their winter-quarter paper on the perspective of their other author. The third quarter of the fourth year is then devoted to writing the thesis itself.