EXWR 201-01

Writing in the Sciences

6 February 2000

Paper 2: Two Genres of Writing in [your chosen field]

For this paper I would like for you to collaborate in the groups listed below. Together the members of your group will:

• Choose one scientific field whose writing you would like to study more closely
• Decide on two genres of writing that you think are typical of that field
• Find at least one sample of each of the genres that you feel is a good example of the genre
• Analyze each genre sample, discussing such things as the means of acquiring information, conditions of composition (if you can tell from a description of methods in the piece or by talking to others in that field about what's typical in writing in that genre), format, stylistic conventions, documentation habits, editing assistance if any, visual images (such as tables or graphs) used, special accommodations to the intended readers
• Compare and contrast the two documents--are there any discourse expectations that they share, possibly because of their subject,? In what ways do they differ?

Due dates for this project:

3 PM Sunday, February 20--The first draft of this paper is due as a Word attachment to an email message sent to Jan.Cooper@oberlin.edu. In your email message please include a note telling me 1) what each group member contributed to this writing this draft, 2) how satisfied you are with this piece of writing and 2) what, if anything you think you could do to improve the piece.

3PM Monday, February 21--Copies of the genre samples are due in Jan's office in King 139-D

Tuesday, February 22--Pick up photocopies of genre samples from the box on Jan's office door for discussion on Wed., Feb. 23

3 PM Sunday, February 27--A revision of the paper is due as a Word attachment to an email message sent to Jan.Cooper@oberlin.edu. In your email message please include a note telling me again 1) what each group member contributed to this writing this draft, 2) how satisfied you are with this piece of writing and 2) what, if anything you think you could do to improve the piece

Groups for Paper 2:

Group 1: Chrissy Castellana, Lauren Goodman, Becka Rich

Group 2: Acacia Reed, Jee-Hyeon Song, Kirby Zelgowski

Group 3: Margaux Shields, John Breskey, Motofumi Tohda

Group 4: Cabral Bigman, Barbara Munoz, Hillary Elwood