MLD-718M A: Intensive Writing for Politics and Policy

Semester: Fall Mod1

Credit: 0.5

Syllabus: Click here for syllabus

Faculty: Greg Harris

Schedule

Day Time Location
First Day 9/3
Meet Day T/Th 1:10 PM - 2:30 PM L332
Review

Description

This is an intensive six-week course in effective writing. We will focus on the strategies and techniques behind great policy writing and on the skills and habits of excellent political writers past and present. Weekly writing assignments, along with many focused exercises, will hone skills on the levels of words, sentences, paragraphs, editing, rhetoric, argument, and structure. Every element of the writing process will be explored and addressed, with special attention paid to those elements most important to real-world writers. Module C prioritizes policy writing, ranging from the Spring Exercise and PAE to the diverse styles and expectations of professional memos, white papers, briefs, and proposals; modules A, B, and D explore a wider variety of formats, including op-ed writing, persuasive essays, letters, speeches, and longer-form journalism. Students are strongly encouraged to consult the course syllabi and websites to find the best fit.