This course, structured as a seminar and writing workshop, intensively develops students’ persuasive writing and critical reading skills through abundant practice and feedback. Weekly writing assignments and exercises will focus on every stage of the writing process, from brainstorming and research through drafting and revision, in three vital areas of political writing: the short opinion piece, the policy memorandum, and the polemical essay. We will read and analyze a wide variety of examples from traditional print and online media, from journalistic, government, and academic sources. We will also explore ethical considerations of policy writing, considering the ways in which our rhetorical choices—tone, word choice, even syntax—construct our subjects and frame contentious issues for target audiences.
PubPol 300 PROVIDES ELECTIVE CREDIT toward the Ford School’s undergraduate degree elective course requirement.
THE COURSE IS OPEN TO STUDENTS OUTSIDE THE FORD SCHOOL CONDITIONAL ON PERMISSION OF THE INSTRUCTOR AFTER SUBMISSION OF A WRITING SAMPLE. Non-Ford students should contact the instructor via email at [email protected] to inquire.
