UWP 102J

Catalog Description

UWP 102J. Writing in the Disciplines: Fine Arts (4)
Lecture/discussion—3 hours; extensive writing. Prerequisite: course 1 or English 3 or the equivalent and upper division standing. Open to majors and minors or to students concurrently enrolled in a n upper division course in Art History, Art Studio, Design, Music, or Theater and Dance. Advanced instruction in writing about the arts and practice in effective styles of communication. GE credit: Wrt (cannot be used to satisfy a college or university composition requirement and GE writing experience simultaneously). Not open for credit to students who have completed UWP 102A in the same academic field.—I, III. (I, III.)

Topical Outline

Practicing writing in a variety of formats and genres, including detailed descriptions of specific works of art, reflective essays on one's creative history or process, lengthy public lectures, grant proposals, reviews, and personal statements. Practicing conventions of style, discourse, and documentation in the fine arts; exploring different theoretical frameworks and integrating them into one's own point of view; tracing chains of influence, including biographical, social, historical; practicing taking a critical stance and supporting it; learning to combine detailed descriptions with in-depth analysis. Understanding the writing process: prewriting, drafting, revising, editing for grammar, correctness, and style. Analyzing typical rhetorical situations, formats, genres within the fine arts: analyzing purpose, organization, and style; analyzing the needs, interests, and abilities of the audience; adapting one's writing to the audience. "Strengthening analytic reading skills within the literature of the fine arts, including the writings of artists and art historians. Examining writing on the artistic process (including blocks to creativity, ways to stimulate creativity, options for process) to understand and find a vocabulary for articulating one’s own artistic process more fully. Differentiating among varied types of sources and learning to use them appropriately. Developing an effective professional style of oral and written communication in the fine arts: being clear and specific; using language (including specialized jargon) effectively; writing clear and focused sentences; exploring the artist’s voice.

Reading

Readings will be drawn from the works of fine artists and fine art critics and historians: Excerpts from books on the creative process, such as Twyla Tharp's The Creative Habit and Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird; Excerpts from books of art criticism such as John Rupert Martin's The Baroque and Joseph Horowitz' The Post Classical Predicament; Sample grants from campus authors (Della Davidson, Anna Maria Busse Berger); Sample program notes from campus authors (Beth Levy, Ross Bauer).

Course Format and Requirements

UWP 102J is a four-unit course. Three hours per week is lecture/discussion. There is 6 hrs. of outside prep time that goes with the 3 hrs. of lecture/discussion. As with all upper division writing courses, an additional unit of credit is justified by the significant amount of work that students must do outside of class time to plan, draft, and revise that 6000 or more words of required writing (additional 3 hrs. outside of class). In addition to this substantial written requirement, students will meet individually with the instructor for discussion and evaluation of their work. The estimated time of preparation of the writing assignments (research, consultation, drafting, revision) is thirty hours, an amount consistent with Carnegie Rule guidelines.

Explanation of Potential Course Overlap

UWP 102J does not overlap with any other courses. UWP 102J is distinguished from other advanced writing courses by its focus on writing in the fine arts; it is distinguished from courses in the fine arts by its focus on writing.

General Education Justification

Grades will be based on the students' performance on in- and out-of-class writing assignments and on a final exam. Students will write a minimum of 6000 words; the number of assignments and the weight of each assignment will vary according to the instructor. Instructors may choose assignments from among the following types of assignments: oral report, summary report, literature review, proposal, research report, lab report, abstract, an article on a scientific subject directed toward a lay audience, or similar project related to scientific research. All assignments will be graded on content and style. Each assignment will be thoroughly introduced by the instructor, using models of successful work as appropriate. Students will receive frequent feedback on drafts of assignments, through instructor commentary, conferences, and peer response. Students will have frequent opportunity to revise drafts.