The Core
Writing in the Core
Writing is an essential tool for tackling complex ideas and difficult problems. It is in the Core that students first encounter the rigorous expectations of college courses and are charged with developing their skills as writers. All students, regardless of their intended major, receive formal writing instruction in their first and second years in their Humanities and Social Sciences Core classes. Students are taught how to analyze the concepts in their readings, how to make sophisticated arguments, how to use evidence to support their claims, and how to revise their own written work. Through peer writing review, students learn to edit and offer constructive feedback on their classmates' work, which reinforces the idea that writing is a collaborative process. Writing instruction prepares UChicago undergraduates for upper level coursework. It also prepares them to communicate as independent thinkers, to participate in open and critical debate, and to become future citizens of a cosmopolitan world.