"Collegiate malarkey!" Topic

Before I launch into this tirade I need to fill folks in a bit: After almost twenty years of dead-end McJobs, I decided that I need some actual career skills, and have entered a local technical college, chasing a 'Digital Media Design' degree. And one of the first-semester courses is 'Written Communication'. Now, I understand why this is necessary but why in the name of the Great Mazinger do they have to wrap it in such utter collegiate gibberish!

Here's an example: For our first writing assignment we're asked to do something pretty basic: write about someone or something that has had an impact on our lives. Simple, right? No, dear friends, this is what they want:

First: to develop your thesis statement, engage in one of the following prewriting techniques: free writing, listing, or questioning. Create a prewriting document of at least one page in length.

Second: create a Formal or Informal Scratch Outline that contains a thesis statement and at least three topic sentences that link directly to the thesis statement. It is also advisable to include supporting details for each topic sentence, though it will not be required for your outline.

So if what I'm reading the above correctly, I'm not expected to write an essay, I'm expected to provide two pages of preliminary writing before I write the damn thing? Why can't I just sit down and write?!?

They are trying to teach you a methodology , using a general subject. The course probably has a lot of different students with various writing skills. What is easy to you may prove very difficult for a student where English is a second language. I have also seen enough bad writing from both high school and college grads where it is obvious that they just write without any pre thought or preparation.

The key here is the method later on in your studies you will probably encounter a nuber of difficult subjects that you will be expected to be able to write on.

They are asking for a topic outline that you then flesh out with some various details. Most professional writers use this as a base for their articles. It makes the writing a lot easier and quicker in the long run. In university and today I use this method always and am able to immediately go to a realtively clean draft that needs little revision or editing later on.

Yup.
Like 90% of higher education:
Its not about the Product; its about the Process.

Just write the essay.
Then go back and create the outline and pre-crap.

Yup, it's the methodology. Just suffer through it for one semester. After that nobody cares how you get your papers out. College isn't about learning anything, it's about putting up with stuff like this and proving you can run the gauntlet.

The Tin Dictator has the answer.

Just sit down & write = free writing
Step one complete.
Edit, correct, add until you get it looking like what you want to turn in, (Step three complete)then
Make your outline from the finished product.
Step two complete.

No, Mapleleaf has it right. Always look two courses down the road. Afterall, you won't always be writting about cheeseball topics. You'll be happy to have some strategy to tackle more complex issues.

Heck, I still remember the Power Paragraphs (do they still use those?) for writting essays. Probably gave my Profs a good laugh when every paragraph of every essay read the same way, but I wasn't looking for a degree in creative writting.

Power Paragraph…
1 Main Idea
2 Supporting Idea
3 Elaborating Details
3 Elaborating Details
2 Supporting Idea
3 Elaborating Details
3 Elaborating Details
Closing Sentence

3 of these plus an opening (containing the thesis sentence) and closing paragraph (restating the thesis sentence).

Probably read worse than a Hollywood romantic comedy, but I graduated.

These are all basic techniques for analytic writing. Walk before you run. On the other hand, 90% of everything IS crap.

Sorta like the advice in this thread, eh?!

If deconstructing the writing process bothers you, don't ask an undergraduate in Education to describe their coursework…

Keep in mind that this course is likely designed for those who have poor to non-existent writing skills. To whit, they haven't a clue how to go about constructing a cogent essay, even about a topic with which they are intimately familiar. Just from what you have written here, I can see that your writing skills are far above the average. You already have the ability to express yourself clearly and to the point. I suspect that you need to be in a higher level class which will provide you with more challenges and truly improve your skills.

At this stage, as I see it, you have two options:

1.) Produce the required "prewriting" materials. (In all honesty, this shouldn't take you more than an hour or so at the furthest extreme. I suspect you could do it in 15 minutes.) Take personal note of whether you find the process of benefit or not; retain what works for later.

2.) Politely approach the department about whether you can change to a more advanced class based upon a demonstration of your writing abilities. They may well be open to the idea. And remember, you aren't merely a student; you're also a customer. If you demonstrate that you are a motivated student (and not just some kid who's "moved on to the next step after high school") they should be willing to provide you with an educational path that suits your needs.

If you choose the latter approach, keep in mind that completing approach #1 anyway may serve you better when requesting a transfer to a more advanced class.

Best of luck.

Parzival spricht die Wahrheit mit Klugheit…

You are asked to do this because you may belong to the texting generation whose papers usually resemble rambling conversations and random thoughts -a mix between 'Tristram Shandy' and Miss S. Carolina. That,in a pinch, is why you are required to show the skeleton before draping it with meat.
That being said, Parzival has a good suggestion. A logic class would also be a good option -perhaps more useful, especially considering the field you're entering?