The purpose of the sequence is to teach and thereby enable students, through intensive practice, to read critically and write appropriately in a variety of academic contexts.
Classes are seminar-size and center on discussion of student work.
The two-quarter sequence emphasizes written argumentation based on primary and secondary sources. The readings are accessible, scholarly writings that interrogate aspects of this relationship, and may include novels, short stories, essays, autobiographies, political documents, and book-length nonfictional treatments of the theme. Thus, the writing and readings prepare students for their studies in the Ethics and Society course as well as for their work in various academic disciplines. In both 10A and 10B, student writing is duplicated and discussed by the class in a workshop setting. Instructors hold conferences with students individually during the quarter and provide written and oral commentaries on student work.