Author: Leo Swearingen

Course Spotlight — WRD 281: Writing Censorship

From book burning to academic regulation, censorship is a historic phenomenon with modern reverberations. With controversy around censorship and freedom of speech on DePaul’s own campus in 2016 following the protest of a conservative speaker, it is pertinent to consider our own place in the conversation of regulated expression. This upcoming Spring Quarter, online asynchronous WRD 281 Writing Censorship aims to prompt and answer important questions about how censorship functions.  Read on to hear from WRD 281’s own Professor Erin MacKenna-Sandhir and learn more about what WRD 281 Writing Censorship will entail. 1. What are your goals for the course

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Course Spotlight — WRD 288: Rhetoric and Popular Culture

At the intersection of The Avengers and Aristotle, WRD 288 Rhetoric & Popular Culture emerges to explore how pop culture shapes and is shaped by the art of persuasion. Taught this Spring Quarter by Professor Justin Staley, this course is your ticket to entertainment and enlightenment in one. Read on to hear from Professor Staley and learn more about what the course entails. Are there any artifacts or events in pop culture the class will be taking a look at?  What’s fun about this class is the wide range of artifacts and events we examine, or that students can examine

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Course Spotlight — WRD 283: Environmental Writing

Scheduled intentionally in Spring Quarter as changes in the environment become more easily perceptible, WRD 283 Environmental Writing, taught by Dr. Jason Kalin, offers more than just Social, Cultural, Behavioral Inquiry (SCBI) credit. It offers a chance to grow along with nature into new perspectives.  What is Environmental Writing?  In this course, environmental writing is writing about the environment and nature, but with the rhetorical understanding that the environment and nature are not just “out there” – external to or separate from humans. The class tries to teach that we are not separate from our environment. We are nature and

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Course Spotlight — WRD 523: Editing

As course registration is soon to open for Spring Quarter 2024, learn more about WRD 523 Editing taught by Dr. Tim Elliott. Here, Dr. Elliott reflects on WRD 523 and what it offers to students who enroll.  Course Goals and Learning Outcomes WRD 523 is a class that opens doors. Students will learn how to edit all different kinds of writing, from resumes and cover letters to documentation from a local partner organization. In class we’ll learn an array of concepts and strategies, like rhetorical grammar, technical writing principles, style guides, and more. But the lessons students will learn in

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Student Spotlight: Nan Denette

This October, MAWRD student Nan Denette presented at a conference at the University of Memphis, discussing her findings on how we can use existential rhetoric to more effectively combat climate change. Learn more about her fascinating work through this exclusive interview, where she discusses not just her research but her experience presenting. What topic did you present on and what inspired you to present on it? My presentation was titled “Anthropos & Anthropocene: Existential Rhetorics in the Age of Ecological Disaster.” I focused on two fictional texts—Paradise Lost by John Milton and White Noise by Don DeLillo. Paradise Lost narrates

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A Closer Look: Updates from the WRD Equity Committee

In the aftermath of the 2020 killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Tony McDade at the hands of the police, a collective cry for action resonated within the Writing, Rhetoric, & Discourse Department. Motivated by a poignant letter written by concerned students and alumni, the WRD department was called upon to actively champion diversity, equity, and inclusion. This compelling call to action culminated in the establishment of the WRD Equity Committee. The Committee’s Goals: Since its inception, the Equity Committee has emerged with a series of goals aimed at transforming the WRD department’s approach to antiracism and inclusivity. Some of

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Course Spotlight – WRD 242: Writing with AI

With the emergence of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, professional writers worldwide have been wondering how this technology will affect their field. While AI is certainly controversial, prompting strikes from the likes of the Writer’s Guild of America to protect writers’ jobs and petitions signed by thousands advocating to “Pause Giant AI Experiments,” one thing is certain: new technology is notoriously difficult to stop in its tracks. With a pragmatic view of AI’s continuous march, Margaret Poncin, Professional Lecturer in the WRD department, looks to see how writers can adapt to new AI technologies and remain relevant and competitive in

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Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Tim Elliott and the TCEP Tutoring Program

Introduction In the heart of Chicago’s vibrant Little Village, a tutoring program has been making waves by empowering local high school students to become first-generation college students. This impactful initiative is a collaboration between DePaul University and the Telpochcalli Community Education Project (TCEP). For several years, the program has provided invaluable guidance to Latinx high schoolers in Little Village, offering them support on their academic journeys. Today, we shine a spotlight on the driving force behind this program, Dr. Tim Elliott, Assistant Professor in the WRD department, who has played a pivotal role in shaping the tutoring program’s mission and

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WRD 540 Teaching Writing: Updated Course Spotlight

With class enrollment quickly approaching, hear from Dr. Erin Workman on WRD 540: Teaching Writing, the course that she will be teaching this Winter Quarter 24. Here, Dr. Workman offers her insights into this year’s installment of the class and what students can look forward to. We delve into an in-depth exploration of what this course entails, its recent modifications, and the myriad of opportunities it opens up for its students. Course Overview Join our WRD 540 community to learn more about current approaches to teaching writing that center antiracist and antiableist teaching practices. Through engaging with composition studies research

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