Expository Writing
To encourage the improvement of undergraduate writing, the Yale College Writing Center offers various courses and tutorials within the curriculum and outside it. Some of the most intensive writing courses in the curriculum are offered by the English department, including Writing Seminars I and II (ENGL 114a or b and 116b), Literature Seminars I and II (ENGL 115a or b and 117b), Reading and Writing the Modern Essay (ENGL 120a or b), and Daily Themes (ENGL 450b). For further information, see course listings under English in chapter IV.
Outside the English department, courses designated WR give special attention to the writing of students. Departments in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences offer a wide variety of writing courses.
Beyond the regular departmental offerings, the Yale College Writing Center provides several ways for students to get help with writing. The most important of these is the presence of a Writing Tutor in each residential college. Tutors usually meet with students on a one-to-one basis to discuss rough drafts of work in progress; they may also meet with small groups of students to discuss research techniques, revision strategies, or other matters relevant to effective college writing. Tutors are available to help with any writing project: senior essays, course papers, graduate school and fellowship applications, or anything intended for publication. The Writing Partners, another resource, are undergraduate and graduate students who offer drop-in help to students at any stage of writing. Finally, the Writing Center offers occasional workshops and meetings on special topics, such as editing for crisper style or learning the conventions of American argument.
The Yale College Writing Center is maintained through the continuing support of the Bass family, the Newhouse Foundation, and other foundations. Its mission is to support excellence in writing and the use of writing for learning throughout the College. More detailed information is available from the Writing Center Web site.
