Investigative Storytelling
WRCT 203
Spring 2022
| Section:
01
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| Crosslisting:
ENGL 202 |
This creative writing workshop is designed for students who aim to craft new narrative work through investigative or documentary research. Students might create a play, a screenplay, poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, a digitally driven project, or something else. We will study some existing investigative artworks--dramatic pieces by Moises Kaufman, nonfiction by Leslie Jamison, poetry by Robin Coste Lewis, documentary film by the Maysles brothers, long-form journalism by Nikole Hannah-Jones, and podcasts by Brian Reed. We will cover interview techniques, research strategies, issues of rights and intellectual property use, and structure/dramaturgy as we plan, research, write, and workshop material together. Class members will regularly share work-in-progress and offer feedback to one another. By the end of the semester, students will be well acquainted with best practices for crafting investigation-based pieces and will have completed full or partial drafts of their projects, depending on project scope. Students are expected to have some workshop experience. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
HA WRCT |
| Course Format: Discussion | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (ENGL)(ENGL-Creative W)(ENGL-Literature) |
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Past Enrollment Probability: 50% - 74% |
| SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
Moisés Kaufman's GROSS INDECENCY: THE THREE TRIALS OF OSCAR WILDE
Leslie Jamison's THE EMPATHY EXAMS
Robin Coste Lewis's VOYAGE OF THE SABLE VENUS
Albert & David Maysles's GREY GARDENS
The 1619 PROJECT by Nikole Hannah-Jones et al.
S-TOWN by Brian Reed
And a number of accompanying or related materials
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Examinations and Assignments:
Over the course of the semester, students will present project pitches, research plans, research-in-progress, and project segments. Students will also give occasional presentations on texts/works we study. At semester's end, each student will submit a cumulative portfolio that contains work completed on the project throughout the semester. |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
This course contributes to the Creative Writing concentration of the English major. There are no prerequisites, but students are expected to have some prior workshop experience.
Contributes to fulfillment of ENGL major requirements: class of 22: can count for Special Topic in the CW concentration, Theory and Literary Forms concentration, elective; class of 23 and beyond: CW requirement, CW path course (but not upper-level workshop or 300-level).
Contributes to fulfillment of ENGL major requirements:
Class of 22: Special Topic in the CW concentration, Theory and Literary Forms concentration, elective.
Class of 23 and beyond: CW requirement, CW path course (but not 300-level course or upper-level workshop), elective.
The English department highly recommends that students be enrolled in only one CW course in a semester. If you are admitted to more than one CW course, the department requests that you choose one and let the instructors know during Adjustment Period. By doing so you will be considerate of instructors and other studentsContributes to fulfillment of ENGL major requirements:
Class of 22: Special Topic in the CW concentration, Theory and Literary Forms concentration, elective.
Class of 23 and beyond: CW requirement, CW path course (but not 300-level course or upper-level workshop), elective.
The English department highly recommends that students be enrolled in only one CW course in a semester. If you are admitted to more than one CW course, the department requests that you choose one and let the instructors know during Adjustment Period. By doing so you will be considerate of instructors and other students. |
| Instructor(s): Gershman,Charles Times: ....R.. 07:10PM-10:00PM; Location: 116MTV102; |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 15 | | SR major: 0 | JR major: 0 | | |
| Seats Available: 0 | GRAD: X | SR non-major: 6 | JR non-major: 5 | SO: 3 | FR: 1 |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 11 | 1st Ranked: 1 | 2nd Ranked: 0 | 3rd Ranked: 1 | 4th Ranked: 1 | Unranked: 8 |
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