Writing Nonfiction is a course that explores the essay form. It is aimed at self-motivated students with at least an upper-intermediate knowledge of English. The emphasis is on content, style, and organization more than on grammar. Students should already be comfortable with English syntax and have experience writing their own texts of at least a paragraph in length.

The course uses long-form articles from top English-language periodicals to establish themes. The reading increases comprehension and exposes students to university-level vocabulary. They should be able to understand these articles with the help of a bilingual dictionary and respond to in-depth follow-up questions.

To further expand on these themes, students will write four original essays. The essays help students develop and express complicated ideas in a readable form. There is emphasis on structure at the sentence, paragraph, and essay level. Thesis statements are described and expected to focus arguments. Interviewing techniques are required for a character profile. And the basic elements of research are practiced for a short research paper. One assignment is to exchange feedback with peers as part of a writing workshop. The final assignment is to revise one essay such that it would be presentable in a final form.

The course is 10 weeks long, with one assignment per week.

 Instructor Bruno Zalubil says:

This is a 10-week course that mixes advanced reading and comprehension with a piece of writing every other week. It is a fast-paced course that will refine your writing skills and further prepare you for academic writing.