This course is part of the Good with Words: Writing and Editing Specialization

4.8
stars
466 ratings

Patrick Barry

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Offered By

Good with Words: Writing and Editing SpecializationUniversity of Michigan

About this Course

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This second course in the Good with Words: Writing and Editing series will help you become an effective architect of information, both with your sentences and with your paragraphs. You’ll learn that the traditional advice to “Show, don’t tell” is incomplete and that skilled writers actually switch back and forth between showing and telling.
You’ll also learn more about the menu of time management techniques introduced in the first course of the series, including “deep work,” “studio time,” and “the Animal Farm Principle.” And as with the other three courses in this series, you will get access to a wide range of books and other resources you can use even after you finish the course. These include: (1) the readings and exercises provided to the students who have taken the in-person version of this course at the University of Michigan and the University of Chicago; (2) two digital libraries of excellent writing from a diverse collection of journalists, scientists, novelists, poets, historians, and entrepreneurs; and (3) a monthly “Good Sentences” email.

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Course 2 of 4 in the

Good with Words: Writing and Editing Specialization

Beginner Level

Requires a basic understanding of writing and the English language

Approx. 15 hours to complete

English

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What you will learn

Learn how structure can be used to generate content
Place corresponding ideas in corresponding forms
Add nuance to your writing by using anadiplosis
Identify and assess when to use sentences with varying lengths

Skills you will gain

Persuasion
Creativity
Writing
Time management
Editing

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Course 2 of 4 in the

Good with Words: Writing and Editing Specialization

Beginner Level

Requires a basic understanding of writing and the English language

Approx. 15 hours to complete

English

Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?

Try Coursera for Business

Instructor

Instructor rating

4.83/5 (103 Ratings)

Patrick Barry

Clinical Assistant Professor of Law

Michigan Law School

122,781 Learners

12 Courses

Offered by

University of Michigan

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Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating98%(3,121 ratings)

Week1

Week 1

5 hours to complete

Sentence Flow

5 hours to complete

9 videos (Total 14 min), 14 readings, 11 quizzes

9 videos

Introduction1mSentence Flow53sArchitects of Information2mArchitects of Time3mPunctuation and Professionalism: Deviations from Coordinating Conjunction Rules2mNotes on Nuance: "If"1mTakeaways1mStudent Takeaway: Old Friends34sStudent Takeaway: Architects of Time38s

14 readings

Teaching Style + Resources3mMeet Professor Barry 2mSyllabus10mUniversity of Michigan Survey10mGood with Words Chapter 8 ("Clarity and Coherence")20mIntroduction to the Gamut Workbook Tool10mGamut Workbook FAQ: Locked Exercises3mGamut Workbook FAQ: Error 40310mSpotting Sentences3mEdit Our Edits2mGood Writing, Good Teacher5mPunctuation and Professionalism: Introduction and Review10mNotes on Nuance: Introduction and Review10mNotes on Nuance: "If" and "If Not"10m

7 practice exercises

Low-Stakes Practice5mLow-Stakes Practice5mLow-Stakes Practice10mPunctuation Practice: Positive Deviance5mNuance Practice: "If" and "If Not"5mNuance Review: "If Not" and "Almost"5mWeekly Review (Graded)20m

Week2

Week 2

4 hours to complete

Corresponding Ideas in Corresponding Form

4 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 11 min), 7 readings, 15 quizzes

8 videos

Previously On1mPreviously On: Venn Diagram2mPreviously On: Architects of Information1mPunctuation and Professionalism—Coordinating Conjunctions (Deviation Part II)2mNotes on Nuance: "As"1mTakeaways56sStudent Takeaway: Nifty Not19sStudent Takeaway: Agreement21s

7 readings

Previously On: Introduction and Review5mGood with Words Chapter 7 ("Corresponding Ideas in Corresponding Forms")20mNifty Not: Fan Favorite?2m(Optional) Rhetorical Repetition10mRhetorical Repetition: Fan Favorite? 3mResource Request (Structure and Organization)5mNotes on Nuance: "As"10m

9 practice exercises

Low-Stakes Practice5mLow-Stakes Practice 7mLow-Stakes Practice5mLow-Stakes Practice5mLow-Stakes Practice (Awkward Repetition)5mLow-Stakes Practice (Rhetorical Repetition)5mPunctuation Practice: Positive Deviance Part II 5mNuance Practice: "As"5mWeekly Review (Graded)15m

Week3

Week 3

3 hours to complete

Show and Tell

3 hours to complete

7 videos (Total 11 min), 5 readings, 12 quizzes

7 videos

Previously On43sPreviously On: Symmetry is What You See at a Glance1mShow and Tell1mPunctuation and Professionalism: Conjunctions Affect Other Conjunctions3mNuance Spotlight: Jane Austen2mTakeaways35sStudent Takeaway: Summary and Scene34s

5 readings

Show and Tell10mStudent-->Teacher (Optional)20m(Optional) Word Choice, Word Confusion10mNuance Spotlight: Jane Austen10mThe Jane Austen Centre (Quizzes and Movies)10m

6 practice exercises

Low-Stakes Practice5mLow-Stakes Practice5mLow-Stakes Practice (Who vs. Whom)5mPunctuation Practice: Conjunctions Affect Other Conjunctions5mNuance Practice: Jane Austen5mWeekly Review (Graded)15m

Week4

Week 4

3 hours to complete

Paragraphing

3 hours to complete

7 videos (Total 10 min), 6 readings, 11 quizzes

7 videos

Previously On41sPreviously On: Old Information to New Information2mPunctuation and Professionalism: Nonrules ("And" and "But")3mNotes on Nuance: "At Once"1mTakeaways29sStudent Takeaway: Paragraphing29sNext Course43s

6 readings

Paragraphing15mRaindrops vs. Waterfalls: What is the Structure of Your Text Messages?10mNotes on Nuance: "At Once"10mBook Recommendations (Travel)3mCourse Feedback10mKeep Learning with Prof. Barry and Michigan Online1m

5 practice exercises

Low-Stakes Practice5mLow-Stakes Practice5mPunctuation Practice: Starting a Sentence with "And" or "But"5mNuance Practice ("At Once")5mWeekly Review (Graded)15m

Reviews

4.8

100 reviews

5 stars
82.76%
4 stars
12.34%
3 stars
3.40%
2 stars
1.06%
1 star
0.42%

TOP REVIEWS FROM WRITING AND EDITING: STRUCTURE AND ORGANIZATION

by DCApr 7, 2021

Best writing course I have ever done. Cant wait to complete the others in the specialization. Excellent teacher!

by MMJul 27, 2021

A very helpful course. I am looking forward to learning more with Professor Bary and the University of Michigan.

by YKFeb 1, 2023

Professor Barry is at once insightful and clear, providing nifty nuggets of information that have helped improve my writing tremendously.

by PBDec 19, 2020

I may not be a law student, but this was an excellent course to test and rethink my writing strategies.

View all reviews

About the Good with Words: Writing and Editing Specialization

Perhaps the most important thing students and professionals of all kinds can do to improve their effectiveness is embrace the following advice: become good with words.

This series of courses targets the writing side of that recommendation. The skills it focuses on include everything from how to arrange a complex set of information in a reader-friendly way, to how to give and receive high-quality feedback, to how to consistently hit deadlines. Part of Professor Barry’s proceeds from this course will be donated to the COVID-19 relief efforts of Ozone House, a shelter for homeless youth in Southeastern Michigan where he regularly conducts job-training workshops. These proceeds come from purchases of the version of the course that earns you a certificate. The course remains free for anyone who is simply auditing.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

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Writing and Editing: Structure and Organization

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