Maricopa Community Colleges  CRW180   19962-99999 
Official Course Description: MCCCD Approval: 10/24/95
CRW180 19962-99999 LEC 3 Credit(s) 3 Period(s)
Introduction to Writing Nonfiction
Practice in writing creative nonfiction, including autobiography and biography, the essay, reviews, and humor using a process of invention and discovery, writing, analysis, evaluation, and revision. Combines lecture, discussion, and workshop, leading to the production of marketable quality creative nonfiction. Prerequisites: None. CRW150 recommended but not required.
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MCCCD Official Course Competencies:
 
CRW180   19962-99999 Introduction to Writing Nonfiction
1. Describe the evolution of creative nonfiction as a literary type. (I)
2. List types of writing that may be categorized as creative nonfiction. (I)
3. Use a variety of techniques to identify beliefs, values, emotions, expertise, and interests of one's own and of other writers. (II)
4. Use the library to gather material for creative nonfiction writing. (II)
5. Use computer databases and networks to gather material for creative nonfiction writing. (II)
6. Prepare for, conduct, and organize material from a personal interview. (II)
7. In a work of creative nonfiction, effectively use material gathered from an interview. (II)
8. Define focus and explain how to maintain it in a work of creative nonfiction. (III)
9. Choose appropriate structure, form, and organizational pattern for a work of creative nonfiction. (III)
10. Explain the function of and effectively use point of view and voice in a work of creative nonfiction. (III)
11. Use language effectively in a work of creative nonfiction, observing rules of usage and avoiding wordiness. (III)
12. Distinguish between showing and telling and write examples of each. (III)
13. Effectively describe people and places in a work of creative nonfiction. (III)
14. Describe and explain the function of style in creative nonfiction. (III)
15. Use appropriate documentation for sources used in writing a work of creative nonfiction. (III)
16. Describe and write examples of the following types of creative nonfiction: biography/autobiography/ memoir, essay, review, and humor. (IV)
17. Analyze and evaluate creative nonfiction of the student's own and of others, commenting on the elements of nonfiction used, marketability, and aesthetic value. (III, V, VII)
18. Use several revision techniques to improve the student's own creative nonfiction. (VI)
19. Identify resources that may help nonfiction writers develop their craft and market their work. (VII)
20. Identify several different markets for creative nonfiction. (VII)
21. Submit a completed work of creative nonfiction in appropriate manuscript form. (VII)
22. Explain the writer's responsibilities in avoiding plagiarism, acquiring permission to use copyrighted material, ethically presenting material gathered from an interview, and engaging in contracts. (VII)
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MCCCD Official Course Outline:
 
CRW180   19962-99999 Introduction to Writing Nonfiction
    I. Introduction to Nonfiction as Literature
      II. Invention and Discovery
          A. Finding topics
            1. Exploring beliefs, values, and emotions
            2. Identifying areas of expertise and interest
          B. Gathering material
            1. Research
            2. Interview
          C. Drafting
        III. Elements of Nonfiction Writing
            A. Focus
            B. Organization, structure, and form
            C. Point of view and voice
            D. Language
              1. Appropriateness
              2. Usage
              3. Wordiness
            E. Showing and telling
            F. Describing people and places
            G. Support and detail
            H. Style
            I. Documentation
          IV. Types and Forms of Creative Nonfiction
              A. Biography, autobiography, and memoir
              B. Essay
              C. Review
              D. Humor
              E. Other
                1. Argument
                2. Nature
                3. Sports
                4. Travel
                5. Interview
                6. How-to
                7. Children's
            V. Analyzing and Evaluating Creative Nonfiction
                A. Elements of nonfiction
                B. Aesthetic value
              VI. Revision Techniques
                VII. Marketing Creative Nonfiction
                    A. Writers' resources
                    B. Creative nonfiction markets
                    C. Manuscript form
                    D. Publishing and copyright
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