20801243Creative Writing/Poetry
Course Information
Description
Students develop poetic technique in open and traditional forms as they draft, critique, and revise poems. Reading assignments allow students to become familiar with principles and practices of poetry and poetics. Class meetings follow a workshop format.
Total Credits
3
Course Competencies
  1. Create Original Poetry: Write original poems that demonstrate creativity, genre awareness, and poetic control
    Assessment Strategies
    Written creative works
    Criteria
    Write original poetry that demonstrates a distinct voice, creative risk-taking, and thematic cohesion
    Apply core poetic elements, including imagery, metaphor, rhythm, line breaks, and form
    Create vivid, sensory-rich language that evokes emotion and meaning
    Use poetic structure (e.g., stanza, enjambment, repetition)
    Control speaker, style, tone, and perspective across drafts

  2. Develop Core Poetic Techniques: Apply essential poetry-writing techniques to create poetry
    Assessment Strategies
    Written, oral, and/or self-assessment
    Criteria
    Use showing vs. telling strategies to evoke emotion and imagery
    Employ concrete sensory details and figurative language
    Develop effective line breaks, enjambment, and white space to enhance rhythm and meaning
    Control pacing and tension through form, repetition, and/or variation
    Integrate personal or cultural context through metaphor/simile, symbol, or voice
    Describe how decisions (e.g., form, diction, syntax) impact meaning

  3. Develop Voice and Style: Develop a distinct poetic voice and style through written experimentation
    Assessment Strategies
    Written, oral, and/or self-assessment
    Criteria
    Experiment with poetic voice, emotional expression, and/or stream of consciousness
    Explore line variation, syntax, figurative language, and tone to refine poetic style
    Develop a consistent voice appropriate to speaker, theme, point of view, and/or poetic form
    Develop a recognizable style through word choice, rhythm, and diction
    Take risks in writing to deepen meaning, such as using theme, language, irony, or emotional complexity

  4. Use the Writing Process: Implement stages of the poetry writing process, from idea generation to polished final drafts
    Assessment Strategies
    Written, oral, graphic, and/or self-assessment
    Criteria
    Generate imaginative poem ideas through creative brainstorming poetic ideas (e.g., prompts, free-writing, image-based exercises)
    Revise for structure, lineation, and thematic clarity
    Edit for clarity, style, voice consistency, and rhythm
    Proofread for mechanics, grammar, and syntax

  5. Peer Review and Feedback: Use and generate feedback to improve fiction drafts
    Assessment Strategies
    Written, oral, discussion, and/or self-assessment
    Criteria
    Create specific feedback that is constructive and kind
    Generate/ask neutral, clarifying questions to better interpret the poem with a focus on improvement
    Analyze constructive criticism, recognizing areas for revision
    Demonstrate effective listening, speaking, and/or writing within peer work group

  6. Revise and Edit Work: Use instructor and peer feedback to finalize poetry drafts
    Assessment Strategies
    Written, oral, self-assessment, and/or discussion
    Criteria
    Revise poems by addressing imagery, line breaks, rhythm, and emotional impact
    Make substantial structural changes where needed, not just surface-level edits
    Edit for precision, removing redundancy and enhancing musicality
    Edit tone and diction to align with the poem’s mood and meaning
    Final, polished drafts show evidence of improvement from earlier versions

  7. Reflect on Writing Practices: Analyze your poetry-writing process and growth as a writer, setting goals for continued development
    Assessment Strategies
    Written reflections and/or self-assessment
    Criteria
    Identify strengths and areas for improvement in poetry writing
    Explain how specific feedback informed revision choices
    Analyze patterns in poetic style, theme, or technique
    Goals address specific poetic techniques

  8. Contribute to Creative Communities: Collaborate with other poetry writers
    Assessment Strategies
    Discussion, written reflections, and/or self-assessment
    Criteria
    Provide written and verbal feedback during workshops
    Generate comments on peers’ work
    Revise your work based on feedback and be open to receiving feedback
    Explain strategies for submitting poetry to campus literary journals or external venues
    Show interest in the broader literary environment beyond your own work

  9. Analyze Published Poetry
    Assessment Strategies
    Written analysis, oral, and/or skill demonstration (reading)
    Criteria
    Study/read published poetry to examine use of theme, imagery, form, and voice
    Analyze how poets build emotional complexity and maintain focus
    Identify techniques such as metaphor, repetition, and enjambment
    Explore how historical, cultural, and social contexts shape poetic choices
    Articulate how published works influence your own creative decisions