Workshop in Composition

Some students choose to take Workshop in Composition followed by Seminar in Composition. This is a two-course sequence. What you learn about writing in one course will be further developed in the second course, though the course content is typically not connected and you will likely have a different teacher and classmates. Students in this two-course sequence typically take Workshop in Composition in Fall Term and Seminar in Composition in Spring Term. 

In Workshop in Composition, you can expect to

  • Study the topic of writing as a process
  • Develop stronger personal writing habits and processes
  • Write in response to challenging readings
  • Devote class time mostly to experimentation with writing strategies 
  • Have 15 students in your class

If you felt you may not have thoroughly understood the short reading in the DSP module, and/or are not confident that your written response meets the requirements for college-level writing, consider Workshop in Composition. Look back over your responses to the questions about your reading/writing experiences. If your responses tend toward the right side of the spectrum, consider Workshop in Composition. 

If you want support as you are working on your writing projects, you can register for ENGCMP 0151 Workshop Tutorial, a two-credit tutorial course that allows you to meet with a faculty consultant in the Writing Center each week. This is a good option if you feel unsure about the writing process or want a reader for your work. It’s also a good option for those who have questions about sentence-level writing issues.

Please note that Workshop in Composition has limited availability and we may not be able to accommodate all requests.

After you complete Workshop in Composition, you will register for a version of Seminar in Composition. 

If you have questions or would like to discuss Workshop in Composition in more detail before making your decision, please email the DSP Team at dsp@pitt.edu.

Nada Abdulaziz"In Workshop in Composition I learned about the different ways which I can improve my writing. Some ways included but are not limited to bettering my introductions, adding personal thoughts and beliefs into my writing in an advanced literate form, including outside sources in my voice, and concluding my thoughts by offering worldly connections. I also learned the different ways which I can critique a piece of writing by reading other students’ works and gaining new knowledge on different subjects."  Nada Abdulaziz

Hosea Wah"Taking Workshop in Composition my first semester of college, my biggest takeaway was that there is no right way of writing. I was encouraged to worry about going more into detail with my thoughts so that they are more easily conveyed and understood and worry about all of the grammar and writing styles, that always hindered my love for writing, later. I have used my knowledge of what I obtained from Writing in Composition in other writing-intensive courses. I  have been able to extend, revise and edit my writing to demonstrate more of a coherent control of my words. This course gave me the confidence that I needed in my writing entering college." Hosea Wah

"Critical thinking, writerly ownership, revision—all things I knew little to nothing about prior to Workshop in Composition. This class has really taught me how to dig through a piece of literature and pick out important passages to close read to support an overall “so what”. At the beginning of the year, I felt my writings were stellar and my writings have evolved drastically since the first week of class. My language, punctuation, syntax—essentially form—improved throughout the semester. Revision is another huge part of this course. I felt comfortable revising essays in this class and always enjoyed seeing the change from where they started to where they ended up. I use the skills learned in this class in my everyday writings." Rachel Daum

Nertil Ballanca"Overall, the class didn’t focus on just a single writing style but rather we explored and dove into several different styles. I was able to learn and retain key aspects of critical writing. For example,the course taught me how to properly insert a piece of textual evidence. Specifically, the opening necessary before each placement of a quote. Following the evidence, I was guided on how to analyze the quotation to understand the author’s intended message. The foundation provided from the course, Workshop in Composition, works as the keystone in all my writing now and will continue in enabling my success." Nertil Ballanca