Student Resources

Sticky notes about why I writeIntroduction to College Writing

Introduction to College Writing (English 101) teaches students to think flexibly about writing. In this class, you’ll learn how to think about audience, purpose, and rhetorical contexts.  “Writing” becomes much more than avoiding grammatical mistakes (though you will, of course, be expected to write relatively error-free prose). The course will help prepare you to write in your other classes as well as in your life outside the classroom.

Most sections of this course are topic-based and all sections have a maximum of 16 students. Course work includes developing thesis statements; selecting, organizing, presenting and documenting evidence, and refining prose. You’ll confer individually with your professor about your writing. You’ll also participate in some sort of writing workshop, whether in the form of paired peer review or a full-class discussion about a draft in progress. Ideally, by taking this course you’ll become a reflective practitioner–that is, a thoughtful writer–about an ancient but continuously evolving craft.

Important Links

Writing Classes

  • ENG 101 Introduction to College Writing
  • ENG 010 College Writing Workshop
  • ENG 060 Writing for Multilingual (ESL) Students
  • ENG 199 Independent Writing
  • ENG 280 Writing in Professional Contexts
  • ENG 282 Advanced Writing: Digital Controversies
  • ENG 399 Independent Writing
  • ENG 499 Independent Writing

Wheaton offers a major in Creative Writing and a minor in Journalism.

Publish your Writing

Wheaton Students share their ideas, insights and knowledge through multiple media

Rushlight

Nearly 175 years old, Wheaton’s annual literary magazine publishes poetry, prose and original artwork. November deadlines. Contact Professor Kent Shaw (shaw_kent@wheatoncollege.eu) to learn more.

Search Rushlight

Five-Minute Play Festival

Playwright-in-Residence Professor Charlotte Meehan runs this competition twice yearly, once in October and once in February. Contact Charlotte at  meehan_charlotte@wheatoncollege.edu for details.

See the Student Opportunities page for more information.

The Wheaton Wire

Wheaton’s only student-run newspaper featuring both on and off-campus news.

Share Your Thesis

Planning for post-graduation? Finishing your senior thesis? Share it with current students in Wheaton’s Digital Repository.

Wheaton’s Social Media

Tutors

Wheaton’s peer writing tutors work in Wallace Library. (The first door on your left after you enter via the main entrance.) Drop in on them if you seek advice from experienced student writers.

If you need more specialized support, email one of our writing faculty tutors for an appointment.

Support Courses

Students may enroll in College Writing Workshop (ENG 010) regardless of their major or class year. This is a two-credit workshop course.

Multilingual (ESL) students may enroll in Writing for Multilingual Students, a two-credit workshop course for international students.

Graduate School in Writing Studies

Graduate schools in writing studies (also known as composition and rhetoric) study writing pedagogy, and offer specializations in areas as varied as public persuasion; civic engagement; multi-language learning; writing center tutoring and administration, and science and technical writing. There are over 70 doctoral programs and 170 Master’s Degree programs in writing studies in the U.S.

Graduate Programs in Composition & Rhetoric

Graduate programs in composition and rhetoric offer Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees.  Students in these programs research writing pedagogies, theories and philosophies. Specializations include teaching multi-lingual writers; composing for the web; science and technical writing, among others.

The Rhetoric Society of America (RSA) provides an extensive list of the top graduate programs in the U.S.

Helpful Websites

Student and Professor
Wenwen Class of 2013 and Professor Ruth Foley at the Honors Thesis parade.