Department of English

What makes good writing?  How can the writer make even the most technical or arcane subject interesting to the average reader? We will explore voice, diction, research, point of view, form, interviewing techniques, use of quotations--in short, every element that is part of a well written essay.  Students will work in several nonfiction forms, including reviews, feature stories, profiles, personal essays, ad op-ed pieces, and will analyze and evaluate each other's pieces as well as the work of journalists and authors appearing in current magazines and newspapers.  Cathy Crimins has written several books, including The Secret World of Men.  Her articles have appeared in, among others, the Village Voice, Redbook and The New York Times.  (Undergraduate majors may take this course.)

Note: This course is designed for graduate students in the "Masters of Liberal Arts Program" but *is* open to advanced undergraduate English majors.