What is a Discipline?
An academic discipline is also called a field or area of study. In higher education, most students will choose a discipline in which to pursue in their studies. These disciplines arise out of centuries of history and ways of education, but in fact, there is no formal way of defining what a discipline is or is not. Some disciplines are commonly known, and are found in nearly every university. For example, most colleges or universities include the study of mathematics, biology, economics, and history.
Many dozens of disciplines have been identified. Look at this list from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_academic_disciplines_and_sub-disciplines.
Within a discipline are subdisciplines. For example, within history a student might focus on only Russian history; or within biology, on integrative biology.
Why does this matter?
Different disciplines, or groups of disciplines, have specific expectations about writing within their field. These differences extend from ways of using research to the acceptable syntax of a sentence. The sciences, for example, often favor passive constructions rather than active ones, in order to keep the focus of the written material on processes or substances, not on the person performing the work.
Here are some of the disciplines that will be covered in the course, as well as writing goals in each discipline and some typical types of text.
Literature
Purposes for Writing
• To learn from different literary texts
• To show comprehension of different types – novels, poems, and plays
Types of Writing
• Essays
• Summaries
• Responses
Creative Writing
Purposes for writing
• Experience different types of texts
• Understand the forms of novels, short stories, poems, and plays
• Express feelings and ideas in different ways
Types of Writing
• Poetry
• Short stories
• Plays
• Essays
• Novels
• Other types of creative writing
Sciences
Purposes for Writing
• Express your understanding of scientific principles clearly and effectively
• Describe experimental processes and results
Types of Writing
• Essays
• Research Projects
• PowerPoint Presentations
• Pre-Lab or Post-Lab Reports
• Formal Laboratory Reports
Technology
Purposes for Writing
• Learn to write with technical precision, with accuracy and conciseness
• Show effective use of visual data, such as tables and figures
• Report and document information correctly and accurately
Types of Writing
• Writing to accompany digital media
• Technical writing
• Instructions/procedures
• Writing for the workplace
Social Sciences
Purposes for Writing
• Think about current social issues
• Examine your own social situation – family, work, and community – in the context of social sciences
• Use your “research imagination” (social science perspective) to understand social problems and issues
• Use a variety of media sources, including news, journals, the Internet, films, and literature
• Become engaged in society through experiential learning
Types of Writing
• Essays
• Research papers
• Surveys
• Slide presentations (PowerPoint, Keynote, Prezi)
• Portfolios
• Experimental reports
Professional Writing
Purposes for Writing
• Communicate factual information to an identified audience in a clear, direct manner
• Defend or explain the language you used in your writing
Types of Writing
• Case Studies
• Business Plans
• Marketing Plans
• Business Correspondence
• Letters and memos
• Résumés
• Email messages
• PowerPoint Presentations
Remember, even if you are studying a particular discipline, it is important to learn how things are written in other disciplines so you can understand the world around you and read with expertise.