Course

Fundamentals of Professional Writing

Important Notice

This course is not active. Please contact Department Chair for more information.

Faculty
Language, Literature & Performing Arts
Department
Print Futures
Course Code
PRFU 1100
Credits
3.00
Semester Length
15 weeks
Max Class Size
40
Method(s) Of Instruction
Lecture
Seminar
Tutorial
Typically Offered
To be determined

Overview

Course Description
This course provides a broad overview of the context and practices of professional writing. Students will focus on descriptive grammar and writing practice. They will develop an awareness of the professional and ethical responsibilities required for this field. They will also interview and write a profile of a professional writer.
Course Content

  1. Analyzing Professional Writing
    Successful students will:
    • analyze selected genres for their textual and situational features
    • develop and use the vocabulary of descriptive grammar
    • apply that vocabulary to the analysis of sentence types and clauses, phrases, and parts of speech
    • review the relationship between grammar and punctuation
    • demonstrate their understanding of descriptive grammar, punctuation, and style in their own written work
  2. Contexts for Professional Writing
    Successful students will:
    • examine concepts of language as a political, social, and cultural activity
    • examine the functional importance of recurring patterns within selected genres
    • assess the appropriateness of language choices
    • understand how technological change affects writers
  3. Producing Professional Writing
    Successful students will:
    • examine models of the writing process and enhance their own process
    • interview a professional writer regarding his or her writing process and the influence of workplace culture
    • write a profile based on the interview

Learning Activities

Classes will be a combination of lecture, seminar, and workshop. Students will be required to submit drafts of assignments for peer feedback and discussion.

Means of Assessment

Students are expected to be self-motivated and to demonstrate professionalism, which includes active participation, good attendance, punctuality, effective collaboration, ability to meet deadlines, presentation skills, and accurate self-evaluation.

Evaluation will be based on this general format:

Grammar exercises 20%
Writing exercises 10%
Genre samples (2) 25%
Interview-based profile 20%
Final exam 15%
Professionalism (as defined) 10%
  100%
Learning Outcomes

Students will learn how to recognize and describe grammatical concepts; write intensively to develop skill, style, and facility; and become aware of the professional and ethical responsibilities of professional writers.

Textbook Materials

Texts may include one or more of the following:

  • Osborn, Patricia. How Grammar Works. 2nd ed. Wiley, 1999.
  • Williams, Joseph M. Style: Ten Lessons in Clarity and Grace. 7th ed. Longman, 2003.
  • Fundamentals of Professional Writing [coursepack]

Students will also be required to purchase the program-recommended dictionary (ITP Nelson Canadian Dictionary of the English Language) and style guide (Hacker, Diana. A Canadian Pocket Style Manual. Nelson, 1995).

Requisites

Prerequisites

Acceptance into program or permission of  the coordinator

Corequisites

No corequisite courses.

Equivalencies

No equivalent courses.

Course Guidelines

Course Guidelines for previous years are viewable by selecting the version desired. If you took this course and do not see a listing for the starting semester / year of the course, consider the previous version as the applicable version.

(Current)

Course Transfers

These are for current course guidelines only. For a full list of archived courses please see https://www.bctransferguide.ca

Institution Transfer Details for PRFU 1100
There are no applicable transfer credits for this course.

Course Offerings

Winter 2025