Course Overview

Basic Writing (2 credits)

Instructor: Rev. Dr. Adam Navis

Need help: CLI Help Desk (helpdesk@christianleaders.net)

Overview: Writers are needed to bring more revival! We need better writers. Never before in history have so many people had access to publishing platforms. Unfortunately, there is still a lot of poor writing: poor in technical aspects but also inhospitable, thoughtless, and even violent. This course will help you become a better writer. It is not a course about understanding the building blocks of writing (words, sentences, and grammar) but about understanding the architecture and process required to turn those materials into a solid structure. Each lesson builds on the previous one, walking you through a specific writing process that will yield a publishable work but which is repeatable for future projects.

At the end of the course, you will follow the principles from this course to produce a writing project using one of the five topic options provided.

One goal of the course is to leave you feeling eager to participate in the wider public conversations through writing. A second is to help you feel that writing is not as scary, challenging, or difficult as you might believe.

Course Outcomes:

1. Understand the architecture and process required to produce solid writing.
2. Participate confidently and clearly in broader public conversations through writing.
3. Produce publishable work by applying the principles and steps taught in this course.

Required Reading: All reading for this course is available in the online class. Students do not need to buy any books.

Assignments: For each lesson, watch the assigned videos, read the readings, and do the quiz. You will also be asked to follow along in the process and create your own piece of writing. You will be asked to upload what you have written at the completion of the course. We suggest you to check the requirements for the writing project before you start this course. 

Grading Scale:

A 95-100%   A- 90-94%   B+ 87-89%   B 83-86%   B- 80-82%   C+ 77-79%   C 73-76%   C- 70-72%    D+ 67-69%   D 63-66%   D- 60-62%   F 0-59%

Your average grade for all assignments in the class must be at least 60%. Otherwise, you will fail the class and will receive no course credit.

Course Forum: Each course forum is at the beginning of the course, right before the first-course content section, and has comments and questions from other students in the class. The forum is a great way to post a question or comment for other students who are currently enrolled in the course to see. Additionally, you can search the forum to see if anyone in the past has addressed or discussed the issue, question, or comment you wanted to post about.

Deadline: You have 180 days to finish the course. Complete all assignments before the final deadline, or you will be automatically withdrawn from the course and all coursework will be removed. You will have to start over and retake the class to receive credit.

ATTENTION: This course assumes a basic understanding of the English language. If English is not your first language or you are worried about your English language skills, you can take English Literacy for Beginners 101 and/or English Literacy for Beginners 102. Or you can visit for www.practicalenglishlearning.com for resources to improve and practice your English. (ENTER CODE "CLI" at checkout for 20% off your purchase if you choose this second option).