ENWR 3900

Definitely would recommend this class with Professor D'Errico to fulfill your second writing requirement. Jon is an engaging lecturer who really opens up your eyes to different perspectives and actually teaches (i know right, amazing) writing skills. This is a persuasive writing class that has 2 major pieces arguing about a topic of your choice that relates to the UVA community. The writing is broken up into 3 or so deadlines - the first 300 or so words, the 1 complete draft and then the final. You form editorial board groups of 3 or so and critique the writing pieces of other students (not in your group). There is also a "principal writing activity" in which you have 5-10 minutes to teach the class about a writing principle. This sounds difficult but it's relatively low pressure and he gives you an organized format (basically why the principle is useful in writing and a couple of examples) that you can follow if you have no clue what to do. The class incorporates discussions and requires you to participate (but this is very easy to do). To succeed, it is helpful to have a complete or at least mostly complete essay by the first draft so you can get real criticism, although by the end it's easy to slack off and only have something partially complete. If you are having trouble with your writing or an idea for your principal writing activity, talk to Jon, he'll help you out! Overall definitely a worth while class that is also pretty fun (or as fun as writing can get) because you can write on topics that you are really passionate about and learn some great writing techniques as well.

This class is extremely easy for a second year writing requirement. None of the papers require real research and you get to write about whatever you want. I was honestly confused about 60% of the time though because Jon was super unclear about what was due and assumed we already knew a lot about rhetoric. Basically no one this semester got an A, but most got an A-, B+. You have to go to class but I mostly just played on my laptop and was fine.

D'Errico is a very easy-going guy, and I highly recommend this course as a second writing requirement; but, he is pretty unclear about expectations and deadlines. You will actually learn a lot if you pay attention, and even greatly improve your own writing and rhetoric.
The course has very little work until the end of the semester and then suddenly everything is due and it's incredibly stressful. Easy B but a very "hard" A -- because you really do not know what he is looking for since writing is so subjective. There is no way to "study" so you just gotta wing it! I love Jon though. Just take the course

Professor D'Errico is an awesome professor, sometimes the content can be difficult to understand at first because of his terminology but if you go to office hours he will lay it out perfectly for you. Not too much writing and basically no reading. Very Solid second writing requirement