Science/Writing

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This Faculty Designed Independent Study course is designed to be completed in one quarter. Given the type of assignments, and the fact that you will be observing change in the natural world over time, it cannot be completed in less than this time. However, it is recognized that a certain percentage of students are unable to complete FDIS courses within the quarter that they enroll. Such students can complete the work of the class during the following quarter.

Please be aware, however, that the class assignments must be done in the order that they are presented. In addition, you must allow time to elapse between each writing assignment. In other words, do not take two months off from the coursework, then turn in three assignments all based on the same momentary observation of your site. There should be at least a week between each observational visit.

Email your assignments to pmonagha@wppost.depaul.edu. The instructor will respond to each assignment within one week. Comments will include both specific praise, so that you know what works for the reader; and suggestions for improvement, so that you can learn from less effective passages in your writing.

Grades are based upon the competence sought. For those seeking PW/S competences, your work will be evaluated in terms of the care with which you have observed and recorded what you observed. For those seeking AL/A competences, your work will be evaluated in terms of the care with which you expressed your insights and observations. No student can pass the class without completing at least eight of the assigned ten writing projects. No student can achieve the grade of "A" without completing all the assigned projects.

Please note that this is a course in prose writing. Upon arrangement, you may complete one assignment in a poetic form, but in general, full paragraphs and other conventions of prose writing will be requested. Each of your pieces should be approximately 500 words long. In conventional manuscript format, that means approximately 2 pages. You may occasionally expand to as much as 1000 words, or twice the required length. However, do not write more than that. It is harder to write briefly than to write without limits. Revise your work until it fits the required length.