Elaine Richardson Recap

The WRD Department welcomed Dr. Elaine Richardson, Professor of Literacy Studies from The Ohio State University, as part of our ongoing quarterly speakers series, Writing and Rhetoric Across Borders. Dr. Richardson’s talk was co-sponsored by the Department of African and Black Diaspora Studies as well as the Department of Women and Gender Studies and the Black Cultural Center.

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Todd Ruecker Recap: Working With Multilingual Writers

Recently the WRD department welcomed speaker Todd Ruecker to discuss his research on working with multilingual writers in the composition classroom. Ruecker is an Assistant Professor of Writing and Rhetoric at New Mexico University and author of Transiciones: Pathways of Latinas and Latinos Writing in High School and College, an ethnography focusing on the writing practices of several Latino students as they transition from high school to college. Ruecker’s research focuses on the increasing diversity of the writing classroom and the role institutions and instructors play in making classrooms more engaging and successful environments for multilingual writers.

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Creating Knowledge: The LAS Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship

Looking to build upon the previous years of successful student publication, the WRD Committee for CK encourages faculty to identify strong papers and projects for submission. We are seeking submissions from WRD majors and minors in upper-level courses from the current academic year 2017–2018 (scholarship from SQ 2017 is acceptable). All submissions should follow the LAS guidelines (see below) and should be emailed to Jason Kalin (jkalin@depaul.edu) by Friday, June 1, 2018.

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Job Sleuth: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

The WRD program at DePaul offers a number of ways for students to understand the challenges of second language acquisition and teaching speakers of other languages. Undergraduate students engage with these topics through courses such as Global Englishes (WRD 368) and can get hands-on experience tutoring English language learners by taking Teaching English as a Second Language in Chicago (WRD 378). The MA in WRD also offers a TESOL Graduate Certificate.

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Complete the Professional Writing Minor Online

The WRD department’s Minor in Professional Writing is currently available to all students from any major in the university, and is now able to be completed entirely online. The Professional Writing Minor is an excellent complement to any degree, as the ability to write and communicate effectively is a valuable skill no matter what profession you are in. With only two required courses and four electives, the Professional Writing Minor allows you the flexibility to cater the coursework to your interests.

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Chicago Tech Writers Visit WRD 521: Part 1

This quarter in WRD 521: Technical Writing, we were fortunate to have four technical writers visit the class to share some of their experiences in the field. The blog has two parts, so make sure to head over to the next post after reading this one. Our first two visitors, Adam Evans and Heidi Colonna—both of whom work as technical writers in Chicago—attended our class on February 6, 2018 to share some of their stories, tips, and knowledge.

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WRD Internship Opportunities

Are you eager to put your WRD education to use? Perhaps you want some work experience to get you ahead of the crowd while you’re hunting for a job? An internship is a valuable opportunity to practice the skills you develop in the classroom out in the real world, and to strengthen your resume with relevant professional experience. Writing is an integral part of almost every professional field, and as a WRD major, you will have no doubt developed the writing and research skills to work in a wide variety of industries and organizations.

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Job Sleuth: Teaching Writing

The WRD department is home to DePaul’s First-Year Writing Program and offers coursework and opportunities for students interested in teaching writing at the college level. WRD majors can work in the University Center for Writing Based Learning, and at the graduate level the MA in WRD offers the Teaching Apprenticeship Program to prepare students with hands-on experience instructing students in writing. If you’re looking to work as a writing instructor, this post will introduce you to some resources to help you in your job search and professional development.

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Faculty Spotlight: Jennifer Finstrom, WRD Adjunct Faculty

This Winter Quarter, Professor Jennifer Finstrom is teaching WRD 371: Mentoring Youth in Community Writing Groups. The course is for students who want to mentor young writers and understand how writing in community functions as an identity-building process.  WRD 371 earns Experiential Learning credit in the Liberal Studies Program and is also an elective in the WRD major and Professional Writing Minor. Students provide extensive online feedback for middle school writers engaged in writing projects and also visits to them at their school.

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Job Sleuth: Technical Writing and Technical Communication

One job area that the WRD program prepares students for is a career in technical writing. WRD Majors can take courses like Technical Writing (WRD 204), Writing in Workplace Contexts (WRD 301), and Writing and Metadata (WRD 322). Graduate students can also prepare for work as a technical writer through the Professional and Digital Writing concentration of the MA in WRD. Careers in technical writing can be found in a wide range of industries—from software development, to healthcare, to business. In this article, we’ll provide you with some resources to help you get your bearings in the field of technical

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