Planning the Course -- Assignment Sequences Overview

Choosing Assignments
Assignment Sequences Overview

If you know which methods you want to use but haven't decided on a specific sequence the overview chart below will help you identify the sequences that include the methods you want to work with in your course.

Follow the links in the chart or in the complete list for a more detailed view of the work of each sequence. The detailed view also provides suggestions for adding readings that fit the sequence and general suggestions for teaching the sequence.

If you know which readings you want to use, but aren't sure where they might fall in a Assignment Sequence, consult the Choosing Readings section of this site.

We've grouped the sequences by how much reading they include, since we know many programs and teachers make curricular choices based on the amount of reading they want to include in a writing course.

No Reading: These sequences use no readings, though it is certainly possible to add readings if you wish and we make some suggestions for doing so in each sequence

Teachers choose sequences with no readings when they want to have more time to work with the methods chapters or when the course they are teaching does not emphasize critical or academic reading
Several of these sequences work primarily with a single method or a specific type of material
Assignments in these sequences tend to suggest multiple revisions, including collaborations and representing the inquiry in non-academic forms

Some Reading: These sequences combine features of sequences with no readings and sequences with lots of readings. They make use of some readings, but not with every assignment

Teachers tend to select sequences with some readings when they want more time to work with the method chapters and have supplementary material of their own to add, but need to include academic or critical reading in their course
These sequences include some writing assignments that are not built on a reading
These sequences include more than one method but not necessarily all methods
The sequences often include revisions that involve collaboration or representing the inquiry in a non-academic form

Lots of Reading: These sequences have a reading with each writing assignment

Teachers choose these sequences when the course they are teaching aims to also teach critical and academic reading
These sequences use multiple methods, though not necessarily all methods
Because they include lots of reading, these sequences may need to be cut especially for courses on a quarter system
Cutting or even rearranging is not usually difficult because none of the assignments within the sequence require exactly the same work, but teachers should read the assignments carefully to see how later work builds on earlier investigations