EFS 698B - STANFORD UNIVERSITY

Advanced Graduate Writing

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Is this the right course for you?

EFS offers two writing courses:  698A and 698B.  EFS698A, Writing Academic English, is the main course. Among other skills, in the 698A course you learn how to organize academic papers, paraphrase, summarize, work with sentence connectors, and recognize some of the specific language and style differences between writing in your field and others. For most students 698A is the only required or recommended course.
        Before attempting to enroll in EFS698B, it is important to verify that this is the appropriate course for you. You should take EFS 698B only if you meet all three of the following conditions.

1. You have taken EFS 698A or EFS 688 (the summer intensive course). 
        If you have not, then you need to get the instructor's permission to attend the course by a) showing that you were exempted from 698A during the EFS screening process (note that even if this is the case you may be encouraged to take 698A), b) demonstrating that you have taken a course equivalent to 698A, or c) presenting a recent, unedited piece of writing of a quality high enough to qualify for this course.

and

2. You will be doing significant writing outside of this class during the quarter. 
        We need to work on at least two major papers (or thesis chapters) or several smaller ones, and the work needs to be spread throughout the quarter. You are required to have a minimum of five meetings with the instructor to go over your writing, and these should not all come in the second half of the course. 

and

3. You are willing to commit to doing all of the outside assignments.
        This means completing them on time for class discussions and working hard to identify the weaker areas in your writing and improve them. You recognize that the goal of the course is to make you a stronger, more independent writer. You are not taking the course simply to get free editing.

Again, if you do not meet all three of these conditions, you should not take the class this quarter. The only exception to the above is if we have required you to take the course and this is your final quarter prior to graduation or going TGR (in which case we still expect you to meet Condition 3).

Note that the class is offered every quarter, including summer.