Hone your writing and critical thinking while mastering over 350 vocabulary words from college and graduate word lists and Advanced Placement (AP) writing, and learn top study skills for remembering vocabulary (and more!).
Total classes: 14
Prerequisite: Required: High School Simplified Writing 2: Beyond the Five-Paragraph Essay (HS 9-4).
Alternative Prerequisite: A passing Punctuation & Grammar Assessment (only) from the Aquinas Writing Advantage Assessment service.
Suggested grade level: 10th grade or high school students who meet the prerequisite requirements.
Suggested credit: One full semester Vocabulary & Writing, Writing, or English
In this second (Part Two) of two successive courses, you’ll continue learning advanced concepts associated with over 350 more upper-level vocabulary words necessary for success in all high school writing and literature courses, Advanced Placement (AP) English Language courses, and college-level writing. Coursework will be focused on the critical thinking and writing practice needed for your future success, and each week, you’ll learn tips and how-to’s for learning the words with comprehension and memory, as well as use the words in writing. Because vocabulary is an indicator of success in college and for the best communication practices in adult life, if you want to be prepared for college courses and beyond, this course is for you.
Class 1: Persuasion; Sources, Citations, & Plagiarism
Class 2: Research
Class 3: Critical Reading; Literary Forms & Genres I
Class 4: Literary Forms and Genres II
Class 5: Themes in Writing
Class 6: Rhetoric & Literary Techniques
Class 7: Rhetoric, Figures of Speech, and Devices I
Class 8: Rhetoric, Figures of Speech, and Devices II
Class 9: Narration; Dissecting Passages of Text I
Class 10: Description; Dissecting Passages of Text II
Class 11: Illustration, Exemplification, and Highly Effective Essays
Class 12: Comparison & Contrast in Writing
Class 13: Process Analysis & Context
Class 14: Division & Classification; Writing Cogent, Organized Essays
Course Materials: Required Book: EB Conroy’s Simplified Vocabulary Guide may be ordered at http://bookstore.authorhouse.com/Products/SKU-000430970/EB-Conroys-Simplified-Vocabulary-Guide.aspx or http://amzn.to/2FKGXDC. Microsoft Word or the ability to convert a document to a Word-compatible document is required. If you do not own Microsoft Word, you can use a system such as Google Docs that converts to Word documents FREE.
Homework: Studying for tests on the vocabulary words, for identification and use. Students will take weekly in-system quizzes (graded automatically) and complete weekly writing assignments that make your writing stronger and use the new vocabulary (graded by the instructor).
Class Dates and Starting Times:
Mondays, January 8 to April 22, 2024. No class Feb. 12 or April 1 (Easter Monday)
1:00 PM Eastern (Noon Central; 11:00 Mountain; 10:00 Central)
Duration per class: 55 minutes