PrePALS Writing

To begin this course, we'll spend a little time talking about some of the reasons we are asked to write in college. No matter what program you intend to pursue, there is a good chance you will be asked to do a fair amount of writing. Every associate level degree requires students to take English Composition 1. In addition, there are numerous required general education courses, such as Intro to Psychology, Intro to Sociology, Intro to Ethics, and American Government, that demand the ability to write for a variety of purposes and contexts. We want to set you up for success, so we'll start by looking at two distinct purposes for writing at the college level: Learning to Write and Writing to Learn.

Open the attached Word document (above) to examine a sample of a formal, "learning to write" style project. Read the directions and think about the purpose of this assignment. Why do you think it was assigned? What does the instructor expect to see? As you read the paragraph, think about the message. Who seems to be the audience? What does the structure and writing style convey about the writer?  Pay attention to what is included and what is not included and think about why the writer made these choices. 

Open the attached Word document (above) to examine a sample of a reflective, "writing to learn" style project. Read the directions and think about the purpose of this assignment. Why do you think it was assigned? What does the instructor expect to see? As you read the paragraphs, compare this to the formal example you read. Think about the message in this assignment and how it differs from the formal assignment. Who seems to be the audience? What does the structure and writing style convey about the writer?  Think about the characteristics of "quality reflective writing." How does this example demonstrate quality reflective writing?

Download the application assignment posted above. You may type on the Word document or print and hand write your ideas. There are five questions on the chart that ask you to compare the two sample writings posted above. 

This online article from The Learning Agency Lab provides an explanation of writing to learn, providing concrete examples and evidence for how this type of writing can improve our thinking and retention of new content.