Writing Assignments i n World Politics Courses
Thomas 0. Schlesinger
Walking out of Rounds Hall with me after class, Benny, a sophomore in one of my international relations courses, asked for, and received, some pointers on the required paper. “You’ve just told me to write exactly as
I’ve been taught not to write,” said he.
“And who, pray tell, taught you?” asked I.
He gave an over-the-shouldernod across the street, toward Ellen Reed
House--the English Department.

"Hmmm. . . fine--I'mnot surprised to hear they tell you something different,” I told him. “The English profs teach you to write in a generic way, say, fiction, or generically expository stuff. I want you to write a social science paper.”
With some ”Hmmm-ing” of his own, Benny shuffled off, wearing a mildly annoyed and not altogether convinced frown. How dare they teach different ways to write in different departments at the same college!
Benny did make an effort to heed my suggestions, but it took persistence. For example, the introduction to his first draft, included a vague
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Writing Across The Curriculum (August 1990)

statement like: ”Conflict between Arabs and Black Africans in the Sudan is a serious problem and should be examined in greater detail. . . including its history, causes, and future.” The purpose statement I eventually settled for read more like this: ”This paper will examine social, economic, and political aspects of the Sudanese civil war. The geography and history of the conflict will be briefly reviewed,followed by discussion of population characteristics, agriculturaland commercial organization of the country.
Political outcomes of these circumstances will be analyzed, with special attention to the impact of Marxist ideology and the Islamic faith.”
Such experiences have taught that many