ENG 299 Intermediate Interdisciplinary Writing for the Natural Sciences is a 5 credit seminar linked with BIOL200. It functions as a supportive intellectual community surrounding writing in biology. BIOL 200 typically registers a large number of students, so we have a unique opportunity for a workshop-style course to focus attention on field-specific writing as a collaborative process.
Although these two courses complement each other, they have distinct goals, activities, and assessments. Each class is designed and graded independently of the other. Here in English 299 we will focus on your writing and your ability to express your understanding of biological and natural science through writing – but we can only do that effectively if you come to class prepared for the details of the topics we plan to write about. This means that in addition to being prepared for our writing course, you must keep up with the readings and assignments in your BIO 200 course.
Our focus in ENGL299 will be the development of scientific literacy through reading and writing. We’ll be developing flexible writing strategies that are sensitive to a variety of contexts, audiences, and purposes in different rhetorical situations, but there will be many opportunities to follow and incorporate your own specific interests, investments, and goals for most writing assignments.