Through writing rhetorical analyses and invention exercises which use the figures and schemes, students become more sophisticated readers and versatile writers. Focuses on the writer's audience, on how a writer adjusts his voice to be more effective with various readers and how one creates the reader within the text. A study of the argumentative essay as an evolving form for political, social, and personal discussion. Emphasis on the writer's choice of topic, strategy, structure, evidence, and style during different historic periods. Writers range from Aristotle to George Will, and topics from civil disobedience to genetic engineering.
Students write a variety of pieces, short and long, on a contemporary issue of their choice.
Students practice writing features and news features in a workshop envoronment. Emphasis on developing feature writing techniques that add dimensions of emotion, human interest, and personal style to the basics learned in news writing. Students work on advanced concepts in design to develop a more sophisticated understanding of the design process. Design problems given to strenghten each student's skills in the areas of typography, creativity, concept development, and production of work. A complete review of communications law covering such areas as libel, copyright, privacy, fair comment, ECC and FTC regulations, contempt, censorship, secrecy, sunshine laws and constitutional guarantees of Freedom of the Press.