Adding Application to Writing Assignments < Erica Ellsworth

In composition, we generally assign a term project in English writing terms: Write a five page college level essay. Adhere to the five paragraph format, use APA, and Standard American English for grammar and mechanics.

Sometimes, we will even place a rhetorical limitation: For your final project, you will use persuasive writing.

Often times, we, as English teachers, lament about the quality of work. Our students don’t seem engaged in the writing process. We get excited to see emerging ideas on the topic, but are often let down when we see the final project. Where did all of those brilliant ideas go?

What if? What if instead of using English terms, we flip the assignment into concepts our students understand? No, we don’t all need to learn text or IM language. We do, however, need to show our students why writing is meaningful and important in their majors and in future careers.

In criminal justice composition, I make a challenge to my students to think like a criminal justice major. At first, my students feel like I am not serious. When I give them the “new” directions for the final project, it starts to make a little more sense. Here’s the same assignment written two different ways:

In English terms:

Write a five page college level essay. Adhere to the five paragraph format, use APA, and Standard American English for grammar and mechanics. For your final project, you will use persuasive writing.

For criminal justice majors:

What is your mission? This asks a more concrete question that you can answer and use as a springboard for prewriting and drafting.

What is your mission – what is the main idea? What do you want the reader to learn? To know? To think? What is the problem? Is there a solution? What is the solution? Why will the solution work? What is needed for the mission? Is there information that needs to be given prior to giving the solution? Are there words or jargon to define so the reader understands your position?

This is not your “normal” research paper. I want you to think out of the box. I want you to step outside English class and think in terms of criminal justice. Then, we will take those criminal justice ideas and convey them in an effective paper. Yes, I want you to think like a police officer, a probation agent, a corrections agent, a DEA, FBI or CIA agent. I want your criminal justice brain going – digging for information and presenting that information.

Each step of the process is then put into terms and concepts that they have used either in their work or previous classes within their major. While the assignment has essentially remained the same, students are now able to see the value of the assignment – how it will help them to be successful in the criminal justice field.

Even though my example is for the composition courses within the School of Criminal Justice, any writing assignment can be reworded to focus on different majors.

Erica Ellsworth is a Composition Professor in Criminal Justice.

[This article was originally published in our July, 2009 issue.]