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Rhetoric Across The Curriculum As an integral feature of its innovative curriculum, Quest asks its students to write and to make oral presentations in all their courses. Known as "rhetoric across the curriculum," the Quest program makes students active. The tutor challenges them to present their ideas in a clear and coherent manner whether by writing papers or by speaking in front of the class. Students can also get writing and presentation assistance at the Learning Commons. Rhetoric across the curriculum helps students to: understand the content of the material more deeply; practice writing and presentation techniques consistently; experience less apprehension about writing and about speaking in front of others; improve their higher-order reasoning skills; and write better prose and become better public speakers. What kind of writing and speaking assignments do students do at Quest? In addition to traditional forms of writing such as essays, lab reports, book reviews, and expository responses to exam questions, students also engage in a variety of shorter writing assignments in their classes. These may include learning journals, exit summaries, problem analyses, and peer dialogues. Presentations often involve the preparation of slide shows, reports on group work, or even short documentary films. Because we want students to interrogate the world, we pay special attention to the conceptualization and expression of questions. After the Cornerstone block, all students take a required block in Rhetoric. The theme for the rhetoric block will vary according to the individual tutor, but all sections of this block are designed to give students the opportunity to work intensively on good writing and on effective public speaking at the outset of their Quest career. The skills involved include research and professional requirements for documentation, as well as tips for writing cogent, persuasive papers at the university level. Students especially appreciate the chance to make presentations in front of their peers and to learn how to deliver talks, reports, and speeches. The lessons of effective writing and speaking will serve students throughout their university career - indeed, throughout their lives. |
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