Writing and Composition Course

Lesson 1 • Building Coherent Paragraphs

Teaches topic sentences, supporting details, and concluding statements as a unified structure. Prepares students to build paragraph logic into full essays.

Lesson 2 • Sentence Structure Essentials

Covers subjects, predicates, clauses, and phrase types to eliminate structural errors. Directly supports paragraph-level coherence in later sections.

Lesson 3 • The Writing Process Overview

Introduces prewriting, drafting, revising, and editing as distinct, recursive stages. Establishes a repeatable workflow that students apply throughout the course.

Lesson 1 • Punctuation for Clarity

Addresses commas, semicolons, colons, dashes, and apostrophes as tools for meaning. Reduces ambiguity in student drafts through targeted punctuation practice.

Lesson 2 • Word Choice and Precision

Contrasts vague, redundant, and inflated language with precise, economical alternatives. Sharpens the clarity of every sentence students write.

Lesson 3 • Developing a Consistent Voice

Defines voice as the recognisable personality in prose and shows how syntax and diction create it. Students identify and strengthen their own emerging voice.

Lesson 4 • Style Guides and Conventions

Introduces major style systems and explains when and why each applies. Builds habits of consulting authoritative references during editing.

Lesson 1 • Introductions and Conclusions

Analyses effective opening hooks and closing synthesis strategies for expository essays. Students rewrite weak openings and closings from sample texts.

Lesson 2 • Thesis Statements and Focus

Teaches how a precise thesis controls scope, direction, and reader expectations. Students draft and refine thesis statements for their own topics.

Lesson 3 • Principles of Expository Writing

Defines expository writing and distinguishes it from narrative and persuasive modes. Sets the conceptual framework for all explanation-focused assignments.

Lesson 4 • Using Examples and Evidence

Shows how concrete examples, statistics, and expert references support explanatory claims. Prevents vague generalisation in student essays.

Lesson 1 • Identifying and Avoiding Fallacies

Catalogues common logical fallacies that undermine argument credibility. Students detect fallacies in sample texts and eliminate them from their own writing.

Lesson 2 • Foundations of Argumentation

Introduces claims, evidence, warrants, and rebuttals as the core components of any argument. Distinguishes sound reasoning from emotional manipulation.

Lesson 3 • Rhetorical Appeals in Writing

Examines ethos, pathos, and logos as persuasive tools and shows how to deploy each effectively. Students analyse published arguments before applying appeals in drafts.

Lesson 4 • Structuring a Persuasive Essay

Presents classical, Rogerian, and Toulmin argument structures and their appropriate contexts. Students choose and apply one structure to a full draft.

Lesson 1 • Writing the Research Essay

Applies all research skills to produce a multi-source argumentative or expository essay. Students move from outline to polished draft using peer and instructor feedback.

Lesson 2 • Note-Taking and Synthesis

Presents annotation, paraphrase, and summary as tools for processing source material. Prepares students to synthesise ideas rather than merely report them.

Lesson 3 • Finding and Evaluating Sources

Teaches database searching, source types, and credibility criteria for academic and professional research. Students apply evaluation frameworks to real sources.

Lesson 4 • Developing a Research Question

Guides students from broad interest to a focused, answerable research question. A strong question determines the scope and direction of the entire project.

Lesson 1 • Structuring the Personal Narrative

Applies narrative elements to the personal essay, emphasising reflection and insight over plot. Students produce a polished personal narrative with a clear thematic arc.

Lesson 2 • Descriptive Language Techniques

Teaches sensory detail, figurative language, and show-don't-tell as tools for vivid description. Students revise flat passages into immersive scenes.

Lesson 3 • Elements of Narrative Writing

Defines plot, character, setting, conflict, and theme as the building blocks of narrative. Students map these elements in published stories before applying them.

Lesson 4 • Dialogue and Scene Writing

Covers dialogue punctuation, attribution, and subtext alongside scene-building techniques. Students write and revise a complete scene with dialogue.

Lesson 1 • Understanding Revision versus Editing

Distinguishes global revision of ideas and structure from local editing of sentences and words. Prevents students from proofreading when they should be rethinking.

Lesson 2 • Proofreading and Final Polish

Covers systematic proofreading strategies including backward reading and checklist use. Students produce a final, error-free version of a previously revised draft.

Lesson 3 • Sentence-Level Editing Techniques

Targets passive voice, nominalisations, run-ons, and fragments as the most common sentence-level problems. Students edit sample paragraphs before applying techniques to their own work.

Lesson 4 • Giving and Receiving Peer Feedback

Establishes protocols for constructive peer review that balance praise with actionable critique. Students practice both giving and receiving feedback in structured workshops.

Lesson 1 • Building a Writing Portfolio

Guides students in selecting, revising, and presenting their best work as a cohesive portfolio. The portfolio serves as evidence of growth and professional readiness.

Lesson 2 • Long-Form and Multipart Documents

Addresses planning, sectioning, and maintaining consistency across extended documents. Students outline and draft a multipart document with a unified argument.

Lesson 3 • Writing for Multiple Audiences

Teaches how to adapt a single message for different audiences without losing core meaning. Students rewrite one document for three distinct reader profiles.

Lesson 4 • Writing Under Constraints

Develops the ability to write effectively within strict word limits, tight deadlines, and format restrictions. Students complete timed writing tasks and reflect on their process.