College Writing Program
Reasoning & Writing in the College WRT 105
(formerly CAS 105)
Summer 2011
Food Matters
Rachel Lee, Department of English
MWF 1:00 - 3:55 CRN 18820
From the Obamas' White House vegetable garden to movies like Supersize Me and Food, Inc., food safety and quality are on many people's minds. Organic food has become so popular -- and profitable -- that even Wal*Mart wants to go "green." Attendance at farmers' markets is on the rise, but so is childhood obesity and diabetes -- and many people blame processed food. In this class, we will ask: What are the problems with mainstream American food production? Is the U.S. facing a food crisis? Can alternative food practices, such as vegetarianism/veganism or eating organic, help solve the problems caused by a "Fast Food" culture? As debates about food take place in both academic circles and popular media, we will investigate a range of sources so that we can better understand the influence of audience on written communication.
As a student in this class, you will become a member of an active writing community centered on discussion, self-reflection, and peer review. Informal and in-class writing will allow you to practice specific writing and critical reading skills while further developing your own ideas about the topics of the class. Your ideas will be presented in a series of formal writing assignments, including two short argumentative essays and a research project (including a proposal, annotated bibliography, and research paper). The research project centers on an authentic question you develop and attempt to answer through original research, culminating in an 8-10 page research paper whose reader-based argument will develop through the process of research, drafting, feedback, and revision.
