“Writing in your Field” Research Assignment

The purpose of this assignment is for you to become more familiar with the types of writing you will be doing in your major. (If you have not yet declared a major, choose a field that you are interested in at present.) 

The Research:

You need to collect information on the different kinds of writing required for the field (e.g. exam essays, papers, reports, summaries, etc.) AND on the purposes for which those writing tasks/activities are carried out (e.g. reproducing material learned in class in your own words, writing up of lab experiments, etc.). MAKE SURE THAT YOU USE MULTIPLE SOURCES!!

You also need to get a text sample (one or two paragraphs) from a typical writing assignment.

In order to collect this information, you should interview professors and more advanced students in the field. You should also peruse syllabi (from SLU and from other universities – these are available on the web). You can also draw on Writing: A College Handbook for information about writing in your field.

The Written Paper

Your paper for this assignment will indicate your different sources (the names of the people you interviewed, etc.), and will also contain an essay (minimum 3-4 pages) with the following format:

1)    Introduction to the chosen field and the methods you used for gathering information for this assignment.

2)    A section explaining the different types of writing needed in the field (both in the major and beyond the university), including for each type of writing their purpose and audience. For each type, indicate its typical structure, prevalent documentation style, and any other conventions which set it apart from other types of writing.

3)    A section which includes a small text sample, which you analyze, focusing on the following: organization, typical verb tenses, use of passive/active voice, use of pronouns, contractions, nominal group types, etc.

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Writing in Different Majors