ENG 101 - Basic Writing (2 credits)
Topic outline
-
Basic Writing (2 credits)
Instructor: Rev. Dr. Adam Navis
Need help: CLI Help Desk (helpdesk@christianleaders.net)
Enroll me 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:
- Understand the architecture and process required to produce solid writing.
- Participate confidently and clearly in broader public conversations through writing.
- 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).
-
Please take careful note of CLI's Plagiarism Policy, especially when preparing your writing project at the end of this course.
-
Lesson 1: Introduction to Writing For Ministry
-
Lesson 3: Know the Wider Conversation
-
Lesson 4: Choose the Right Form for Your Work
-
Lesson 9: Get Feedback, Embrace Vulnerability
-
As you complete this tuition-free course, let's pray for and thank the Vision Partners! Their sacrificial giving supports these tuition-free courses so that those will little or no extra resources can access high-quality ministry training.
If you are interested in becoming a Vision Partner, please click on the button below:
Lesson 12: Finding Your Voice: Prophetic and Pastoral Writing
-
Receive a grade
Thank you for working through this course.
In this last assignment you need:
A. Write a 800 - 1,000 words essay or monograph in a word processor in APA format.
The topic of your paper should be 1 of these 3 questions with an educated opinion:
- If you were asked to write a Christian fictional book, what genre and topic would you pick? And why? How would what you have learned at CLI impact your writing topic and style?
- If you could solve one problem particular to your hometown, what would you solve? How would your studies at CLI help you to be part of the solution?
- If you had the chance to share the Gospel with a famous person, who he/she would be? How would you do it? How would your studies at CLI help you to be a good witness of Christ?
- Be sure you define and describe your argument properly. Do not explain your personal opinion, but your educated opinion based in research and accurate information. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
- You have to write about the previous topic, you cannot write on any other topic or out of the established length.
B. The essay or monograph grading, 50 points in total:
- Purpose (5 points)
- Clarity (5 points)
- Grammar (5 points)
- Spelling (5 points)
- Educated opinion, evident research Introduction (5 points)
- Educated opinion, evident research Body (5 points)
- Educated opinion, evident research Conclusion (5 points).
- Title (5 points) that matches the content
- APA Format (10 points)
- Total: 50 points
C. Once you write it down in a word processor, you should copy and paste it in here.
- Submission: Papers may take 1-2 weeks to be graded. Make sure to submit this paper at least two weeks before your enrollment date ends.
- Plagiarism: Make sure you have read CLI PLAGIARISM POLICY before you write this paper.
- When graded, if you are asked to rewrite your paper, you will have only one more chance to do it. Papers that need to be rewritten will have an automatic 10 points deducted from the total score of the paper. Be sure you take advantage of the first and second chance to get a good grade!
-
The course has ended. Please make sure all quizzes have been completed. If your work is incomplete, it is considered a drop, and you will have to take the class again in order to receive credit.
-
Our staff will be using this time to review your work. Your grade should appear on your "My Home Page" in the "Course Overview" section. Please contact Helpdesk if you have any questions or did not receive your grade.