The First-Year Writing Seminar introduces students to the Whittier College Writing Program.
These seminars—themed courses designed by faculty from all disciplines—delve into challenging intellectual questions which first-year students explore in class discussions and in essays. Composition instruction emphasizes writing as a process involving the constructive critical collaboration of author, the author's peers, and the instructor. Seminar size is limited to 15 students and differ in content each year. Each seminar is a 3-credit course, and is taken for a letter grade.
Program Objectives
Through the program, students:
- Sharpen critical reading and thinking skills by analyzing complex texts chosen to frame a central course theme.
- Transfer and apply these skills to writing assignments designed to teach the use of description, narration, exposition, analysis, argument, and synthesis as developmental strategies, not as ends in themselves.
- Are introduced to research-based writing, writing under time pressure, and correct mechanics of language. Extensive revision is also emphasized as integral to the writing process.
- Identify, summarize, and critique the arguments presented in class readings.
- Demonstrate the ability to write an effective essay, stating and supporting a thesis.
- Demonstrate the ability to clearly communicate conclusions about complex problems, in writing and orally.
- Evaluate the mechanical strength of their writing.
- Develop a habit of revision.
- Write a final analytical paper of more substantial length supported by research.
Writing Across the Curriculum
First-year writing seminars at Whittier are taught on the “Writing Across the Curriculum” model. This model holds that, since writing is essential to learning generally and a prized skill in all disciplines, writing instruction is the responsibility of every department and not a compartment of the English department. Thus, our first writing classes are taught by professors from a wide variety of disciplines.
