Introduction to Research & Communication

Course Overview

Introduction to Research & Communication gives students the option to focus on some of the more technical aspects of writing before moving on to literature-heavy courses. Students will experiment with many different essay structures throughout the year, and they will be given the opportunity to select the topics of their larger projects, giving this course cross-curricular appeal. This challenging course is comparable to an undergraduate-level composition course in scope and structure, with students completing weekly writing assignments, engaging with complex nonfiction texts, and embarking upon sophisticated research techniques. Students will take the time to examine their own writing processes and will work through common hurdles such as perfectionism, writer’s block, and writing in a variety of different scenarios (e.g., informal journaling, timed writing, collaborative writing). Students will also experiment with different styles of presentations, from informal speeches to highly technical poster presentations. These skills will be immediately applicable in future English classes and will aid students in the research and writing portions of their STEM classes.