Join Part Two of this top-level college-prep writing course and learn how to master advanced argumentative writing and the skills needed to craft research papers. Includes style guide knowledge, how to research, and the upper-level rhetoric required for college writing success.

Special Notes: This is the second of a 2-part series. The 12-series courses are foundational for all high school students and essential for college-bound students. Franciscan University of Steubenville recommends completion of this course before taking their dual-enrollment courses (www.franciscan.edu/homeschoolconnections).

How to Get the Most Out of This Course:

• Read: Read all of the information here; Recorded Course students, please skim the course in its entirety before you begin.

•  Recording: Always begin each lesson with the class instruction/lesson.

-- Recorded course students: Click on "Recording" and watch the lecture for Class One.
-- LIVE course students: Attend class before attempting any of the coursework for the week.

• Note Taking: Prepare a notebook and take complete notes while attending class/watching the recording.

• Weekly Readings: After the video, check for any readings (documents/downloads or online readings). Always read the week's materials before starting the week's assignment.

• Assignments: Complete the homework in the order that it is listed on the page. 
  -- Unlimited Access students: Give your assignment to your parent for grading.
  -- Instructor Access students: Email your assignment to your instructor.
  -- LIVE course students: Submit/upload your completed assignment in the Caravel system as instructed on the weekly assignment, below.

• Grading: 
  -- LIVE courses and Instructor Access Grading: Assignments will be graded and returned within one week from the assignment's due date. 
  -- Unlimited Access students: If you'd like personal help with this course, click and get the Instructor Access for one-on-one mentoring, feedback, and grading.

• Review: If you are confused at any time, re-watch parts of the recording for clarity. The PowerPoint is also available for you.

• Continue: Repeat each weekly process until all classes are completed.

• Time Frame: All assignments are to be completed before the next class unless noted.
  -- Unlimited Access students: You may work at your own pace. Students are encouraged to complete a minimum of one lesson per week. 
  -- Instructor Access students: You may move faster through the coursework; however, you are asked to complete a minimum of one lesson per week.
  -- LIVE course students: Turn in assignments before the LIVE class.

• Finishing: Once the course is completed to the parent's satisfaction, there is a Certificate of Completion at the end of the course. Fill in the document for your records. You may also copy and paste the descriptive content of the course (located at the top section of the page). Make sure to record your grades; HSC does not provide record keeping.

Total Classes: 10

Starting Dates and Times:

Fridays, January 17 to April 11, 2025. No class Feb. 7, Mar. 7, & Mar. 28

11:30 AM Eastern (10:30 Central; 9:30 Mountain; 8:30 Pacific)

Prerequisite: Students are required to have registered for Advanced Rhetoric & Writing 1: Rhetoric, Figures of Speech, Essays, & Papers (HS 12-1). An alternative to the prerequisite: a passing assessment from the Aquinas Writing Advantage Assessment service. Please contact homeschoolconnections@gmail.com for any questions on permissions.

Suggested Grade Level: 10th to 12th grade, as long as the student has the required prerequisites.

Suggested Credit: One (1) full semester's credit for Advanced Writing or English

Instructor: Sharon Hamric-Weis, BSEd, JD

Course Description: Would you like to be completely prepared for college writing? When you take this college prep course, you’ll learn advanced research and writing techniques for argumentative research writing, how to craft an advanced research paper and understand style guides (APA, CMS/Turabian, MLA, AP) — and become comfortable with the writing skills you’ll use in college-level writing. A bibliography and research paper will be written during the course, and students will learn how to cite sources, use advanced methods of outlining, and master revising, editing, and final draft completion for upper-level academic papers. 

Course Outline:

Class 1: What is research writing: terms and methods

Class 2: Advanced research methods: using libraries and the Internet

Class 3: Style guides and citations: how-to skills

Class 4: Creating a bibliography

Class 5: Creating your outline and thesis: advanced methods

Class 6: Prewriting: styles and completeness

Class 7: Outline with rough-cut proofs

Class 8: The rough draft

Class 9: Revising and editing for excellent

Class 10: Mastering the final draft

Course Materials:

Simplified Writing 101: Top Secrets for College Success, by Erin Brown Conroy:
Buy the hard copy of the book here: http://amzn.to/2FMCose
Or, buy the Kindle version of the book here: www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00B7AB90W/catholictreas-20 (Download the free Kindle app for free to easily read on your computer, tablet, or mobile device.)
Microsoft Word or the ability to convert a document to a Word-compatible document is required. If you do not own Microsoft Word, you can use a system such as Google Docs that converts to Word documents FREE.

Homework: LIVE and Instructor Access students will have weekly writing assignments with grading and direct feedback from the instructor (parents will grade Recorded students’ work), with an estimated four (4) to five (5) hours per week for homework (outside of class time) that includes researching, reading, writing, and responding to feedback.

Fee: For all 10 classes: $257 if you register on or before November 15, $277 if you register after November 15. (Registration closes one week before the first day of class. After that date, registrations are not guaranteed. There is a $20 surcharge for late enrollments after the course is closed.)

©2013-2025 Homeschool Connections and Erin M. Brown, MA, MFA (aka author Erin Brown Conroy/EB Conroy) All rights reserved.

This course is designed by Erin M. Brown, MA, MFA.

• This material is only to be used for its intended purpose by active subscribers of Homeschool Connections. Any other use without explicit permission is in violation of the seventh commandment (yes, the 7th commandment) and in violation of US and International copyright laws.

• You may print or download to local hard disk extracts for your personal homeschool and non-commercial use only. This is not to be used for homeschool co-ops without express written permission from Homeschool Connections.

Technical Help: If you experience technical difficulty with watching the recorded classes or have a question about course content, please email us at homeschoolconnections@gmail.com.