Expository Writing
Not all courses are available to SSP students. For example, some courses are offered only for graduate credit. Note especially any listed prerequisites.
- EXPO S-C Cross-Cultural Expository Writing
Expository Writing S-20
- EXPO S-20a Writing and Literature
- EXPO S-20d Writing about Social and Ethical Issues
- EXPO S-20e The Essay
EXPO S-C
Cross-Cultural Expository Writing (31344)
(Syllabus) (Print version)
Paul A. Thur
(NC) T,Th 12:30-3 pm, Sever Hall, Room 104. Eight-week session. Tuition $2,275. Limited enrollment.
Harvard College students see additional information.
Designed primarily for students whose first language is not English, this course offers practice in expository writing, providing work beyond advanced Institute for English Language Programs (IEL) courses for students who need additional preparation for rigorous college writing courses. Special attention is paid to ways in which English writing and grammar differ from those of other languages, but the primary emphasis is on preparation for writing strong academic essays.
Expository Writing S-20
Expository writing S-20 courses are based on the freshman writing course at Harvard College. Students learn strategies of argument, discovering and arranging persuasive ideas and evidence through a process of drafting and revising. Each course concentrates on a special topic (EXPO S-20a on literature, EXPO S-20d on social and ethical issues, EXPO S-20e on the essay). A typical EXPO S-20 class requires several short writing assignments and three longer essays: an exploratory essay that uses personal experience as a starting point; an analytic essay that focuses on a single primary text; and an essay that calls on students to work with both primary and secondary sources.
EXPO S-20a
Writing and Literature
(4 credits: UN) Eight-week session. Tuition $2,275. Limited enrollment.
Harvard College students see additional information.
Section 1 (31891) (Syllabus) (Print version)
Sarah Ferguson-Wagstaffe, M,W 9:30 am-noon, Sever Hall, Room 111.
Section 2 (31280) (Syllabus) (Print version)
Thomas A. Underwood, M,W 12:30-3 pm, Barker Center for the Humanities, Room 211.
Section 3 (31279) (Syllabus) (Print version)
Thomas A. Underwood, M,W 3:30-6 pm, Barker Center for the Humanities, Room 211.
Section 4 (31278) (Syllabus) (Print version)
Sarah Ferguson-Wagstaffe, T,Th 12:30-3 pm, Robinson Hall, Room 106.
Students read literary works and write focused, persuasive essays on literary topics. Discussions encourage students to read closely and think clearly in order to write more effectively. Students learn to write essays that demonstrate their competence as critics.
EXPO S-20d
Writing about Social and Ethical Issues
(4 credits: UN) Eight-week session. Tuition $2,275. Limited enrollment.
Harvard College students see additional information.
Section 1 (31711) (Syllabus) (Print version)
Anthony B. Cashman III, M,W 9:30 am-noon, Center for Government and International Studies, Knafel Building, Room N107.
Section 2 (31999) (Print version)
Benjamin E. Wise, M,W 12:30-3 pm, Sever Hall, Room 302.
Section 3 (31893) (Syllabus) (Print version)
Jill Constantino, T,Th 9:30 am-noon, Center for Government and International Studies, Knafel Building, Room N107.
Section 4 (31710) (Print version)
Benjamin E. Wise, T,Th 12:30-3 pm, Sever Hall, Room 302.
Students read varying viewpoints on controversial current issues, such as affirmative action, homelessness, the war on terrorism, medical ethics, legal issues, or the environment, and learn how to analyze and present conflicting opinions. They learn how to critically analyze texts and write papers in a social science context. They also learn to transform their own assertions and viewpoints into coherent arguments.
EXPO S-20e
The Essay
(4 credits: UN) Eight-week session. Tuition $2,275. Limited enrollment.
Harvard College students see additional information.
Section 1 (31753) (Print version)
Brett Flehinger, M,W 9:30 am-noon, Center for Government and International Studies, Knafel Building, Room N108.
Section 2 (31288) (Syllabus) (Print version)
Kelsey McNiff, M,W 3:30-6 pm, Center for Government and International Studies, Knafel Building, Room N109.
Section 3 (31926) (Print version)
Thomas Akbari, M,W 6-8:30 pm, Sever Hall, Room 212.
Section 4 (31290) (Syllabus) (Print version)
Paul A. Thur, T,Th 3:30-6 pm, Sever Hall, Room 104.
Students read essays that highlight this literary form's variety and richness. They write analytical essays that focus on technique and the way other writers use language. Through sequenced assignments, students learn to transform their own experiences, observations, and thoughts into evidence.