Students in FASS and FPA are evaluated on their writing, but very few of them arrive at Carleton knowing how to write a basic essay. At best they turn in five-paragraph essays and at worst their efforts are incoherent. To remedy this situation, Prof. Gregory MacIsaac has designed HUMS 1200 – Humanities and Classical Civilisation, the required first year writing course in the Bachelor of Humanities program.

In this workshop he will share the procedure he has developed that has yielded very good results, which includes a five-step graduated assignment sequence, in-class group-work and an extensive writing guide. His aim is to help other departments implement or adapt his model to develop their own first-year writing courses.