What to Expect in a College Writing Course

English composition is seldom anyone's favorite class. Many high school students struggle with writing assignments, often doing just enough to pass the course and move on. The problem for those students going on to higher education is that they will face at least another couple writing courses before they get their degrees from a college or university. Having some idea of what to expect from such English classes can help students prepare for English courses and hopefully pass with less toil.

The two primary types of writing courses in college are expository writing and research paper composition. In the expository essay course, typically five different kinds of essays are required. Specific types of exposition will probably be assigned perhaps with topics attached. These kinds of essays might be causal analysis, comparison/contrast, process analysis and so on. A college class normally lasts 15 weeks. Once time is put aside for introductory material, mid-term exams and other tests, that means one essay will be required about every two weeks.

Some English exposition classes are pretty heavy in reading assignments, as well, especially since the proliferation of plagiarism from the internet. Rather than assigning a blanket causal analysis, for instance, students may be asked to choose two readings from the composition text and discuss which does a better job of pointing out the causes or effects of a certain situation or idea. In order to have meaningful class discussion, these readings should be completed before class begins.

The research paper class will be different in the number of writings required. Most likely, there will be two. Many English composition instructors require a short essay, often argument, near the beginning of the term. Others may have a short research paper due before mid-term. The long research paper is usually due about a week before finals. You should expect that this paper will be at least 10 pages long and must have proper citations throughout. It is likely that this paper will be argumentative, as well.

A big difference in the composition courses is that the final course grade in the research paper class often hinges on a single paper with perhaps a few smaller grades, so there is more pressure on the research essay. However, there is also more time to work on it.

Both courses will expect students to have a firm grasp on the concept of plagiarism as well as grammar and mechanics. Although minor plagiarism mistakes might be forgiven early in the course, plagiarism in the final research essay is often cause for expulsion. As for grammar, it is unlikely that grammar basics will be discussed at this level, but papers should be free from errors, especially sentence structure mistakes.

Another big change from high school English is that college composition students should not expect to be able to use class time to work on assignments. Essays should be taken to class for reference and the possibility of peer evaluations, but they are typically considered homework.

The college English composition course obviously can take up a tremendous amount of time outside class, particularly for students who are uncomfortable with the writing process. Rough drafts for all papers should be completed as early as possible to allow for tutoring services and revision. Planning ahead and being willing to devote the necessary time can help students through college writing courses will less stress.