Writing 20

Writing 20, Duke's one-semester, first-year course in academic writing, offers students a foundation for and introduction to university-level writing. Writing 20 courses enroll no more than 12 students per section, creating a seminar environment consisting of vigorous class discussion and careful consideration of student writing. As part of the University Writing Program, Writing 20 helps students develop strategies for generating, supporting, and sharing their ideas within a community of scholars.

Writing 20 faculty have doctorates in a variety of disciplines--including biology, English, history, literature, anthropology, ecology, and philosophy--and have completed specialized training in the teaching of writing.

Duke students can select a section of Writing 20 from a wide range of topics in order to explore areas of academic interest. From gothic literature to religious mysticism, militia movements to bioethics, students have a rich array of courses from which to choose. While specific reading and writing projects vary by professor, all sections of Writing 20 share the same course goals and practices.

These goals and practices prepare students for the rigorous scholarly analysis of information and evaluation of competing claims they will encounter throughout their undergraduate careers. Students in all sections of Writing 20 to learn how to:

· engage with the work of others;

· articulate a position; and

· situate their writing within specific contexts.

In developing their work-in-progress, students are offered practice in:

· researching;

· workshopping;

· revising; and

· editing.

Please browse our site to learn more about Writing 20 and our faculty. The 'Students' section provides students more specifics on our course goals, advice about how best to select a section of Writing 20, and useful links to such sites as Duke University Libraries, FOCUS, and the Writing Studio. Current and prospective faculty can visit the 'Teachers' section for helpful links, guidelines, and opportunities for grants and awards, such as the Duke University Award for Excellence in Teaching Writing. The 'Publications' section features Correspondences, the UWP newsletter, and Deliberations , our journal of first-year writing. For detailed descriptions of current and past Writing 20 courses, please visit 'Courses,' and for access to Duke's individualized, electronic portfolio system, which features students' personal achievements, course work, and projects, please visit 'Portfolio@Duke'.