COMM 188B – Variable Topics in Interpersonal Communication: Intrapersonal Writing

No one’s inner voice is monotone. Yet by time most students enroll in college, their experience with writing is limited to expository essays and interpretive analysis. Such assignments prioritize collectivistic knowledge over individualistic expression. Thus students tend to develop one-size-fits-all writing style for any assignment, which often results in flat, two-dimensional work. These essays reflect disparity between their author’s intrapersonal dialogue and interpersonal manner in which it was communicated. To improve student writing, class deconstructs and rebuilds six common types of essay. Students analyze their own work, and that of their peers, to discover ways to add layers of intrapersonal authenticity that resonate with reader and enable their words to jump off the page.