Department of English

Nature, science and the environment are subjects of enormous interest and importance in daily life. The ability to convey these complex topics to a general audience is essential. Why are gasoline prices so high? Is global warming a real or imagined threat? Are Clean Air Act health standards adequate to protect children? This course will consider how to research and explain technical subjects to make them fascinating and relevant to the average person. We will read a variety of explanatory articles, and study how and why they work (or don't work). There will be a heavy emphasis on writing, with assignments ranging from brief essays to a final project paper that will account for 50 percent of the class grade. (This is a sequel to English 493-660, offered in the Fall, 2000, but other students are welcome.)