instructions assignment ideas

List of Topics for How-to Essays

Choosing the Right Topic Is Critical to Success

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• Writing Essays
• Writing Research Papers
• English Grammar
• M.Ed., Education Administration, University of Georgia
• B.A., History, Armstrong State University

Your first challenge in writing a how-to essay is deciding on a topic. If you're like many students, you might feel as though you don't know anything well enough to teach others. But that's not true. All people have something that they can do so well that they don't even think about how to do it anymore—they just do it.

Choosing the Right Topic

When you read over the list below you will realize that you do know many things in depth, some well enough to teach. Typically, your inspiration will be based on lateral thinking. For example, from the list below, you may decide to write an essay on how to cook a Scottish egg after you see "Crack an egg" in the list. Or you may decide to write about how to make an Excel spreadsheet with all of your homework listed, after seeing "Organize your homework" on the list. 

Narrow your choices to a few topics , and then brainstorm for a few minutes about each topic. Determine which one has the most potential — one that can be divided into five to 10 clear paragraphs that you can explain well.

Writing Tips

Some topics are easier than others to explain. Straightforward processes versus ones with lots of contingencies will be much less complicated to write out, for instance. If you find that you've chosen a topic that's just too broad, pick one portion of it to explain. Remember, you want your reader to be able to follow your instructions to successfully complete the process.

In your drafting, err on the side of too much detail and description rather than too little. (It's easier to cut material that you don't need than to add in it later.) If you're not allowed to use images with your instructions, choosing a topic that is aided by visuals makes writing the instructional process much more challenging, so take your assignment parameters into consideration as you choose what to write about.

If you know your topic so well that it comes naturally to you, it may be tough to write instructions for a beginner who has no knowledge of the topic, because you forget how much you didn't know when you first started. Have a partner try out your instructions during the drafting or revision phase (or both) to see what you've left out or what isn't explained clearly enough.

How-to Topics for a Process Essay 

• Raccoon-proof your campsite
• Make an obstacle course for squirrels
• Set a table
• Make a pet costume
• Start a band
• Make a piñata
• Make an omelet
• Start beekeeping
• Make a quilt
• Decorate a bedroom
• Create a podcast
• Start a recycling program
• Collect stamps
• Clean a bedroom
• Make a pizza
• Make a volcano
• Organize your homework
• Play the guitar
• Make a sock puppet
• Make a doll dress
• Write a letter to the editor
• Write a complaint
• Plan a party
• Plant a tree
• Create a cartoon character
• Improve your spelling
• Bake a layer cake
• Change a tire
• Drive a stick shift
• Make a Christmas stocking
• Learn to dance
• Do a magic trick
• Go bird watching
• Make a music video
• Make a candle
• Paint a picture
• Create art with crayons
• Create a web page
• Stay safe on the Internet
• Write a song
• Write a poem
• Make a handbag
• Tie a scarf
• Mow the lawn
• Make a hamburger
• Make pancakes
• Make a pillow
• Play football
• Make a sculpture
• Make a lamp
• Make shadow puppets
• Care for pets
• Build a tree house
• Play hide and seek
• Paint fingernails
• Make homemade slippers
• Tie macramé knots
• Make a sandwich
• Make chocolate milk
• Make hot chocolate
• Climb a tree
• Make a milkshake
• Sell old toys
• Ride a skateboard
• Eat crab legs
• Become a vegetarian
• Make a salad
• Design a jack-o-lantern
• Ride a horse
• Race turtles
• Catch lightning bugs
• Make a wildflower bouquet
• Cut paper dolls
• Eat an ice cream cone
• Change a diaper
• Make fruit punch
• Make a campaign poster
• Make a fake tattoo
• Interview a celebrity
• Catch a fish
• Make a snowman
• Make an igloo
• Make a paper fan
• Write a newsletter
• Crack an egg
• Make a necklace
• Tie a necktie
• Ride the subway
• Walk like a model
• Ride a motorcycle
• Pitch a tent
• Find something you've lost
• Curl your hair
• Saddle a horse
• Make a sandcastle
• Bob for apples
• Apply for a job
• Draw stick figures
• Open a bank account
• Learn a new language
• Ask for a later curfew
• Behave at a fancy dinner
• Ask somebody out
• Pose for a picture
• Wake up in a good mood
• Send Morse code messages
• Make a kite
• Hem your jeans
• Pitch a fastball
• Be a ghost hunter
• Make string art
• Mop a floor
• Peel an apple
• String popcorn
• Remix a song
• Walk a tightrope
• Stand on your head
• Find the Big Dipper
• Wrap a gift
• Roast a marshmallow
• Clean a window
• Make a campfire
• Have a yard sale
• Create a carnival in your yard
• Make balloon animals
• Plan a surprise party
• Wear eye makeup
• Invent a secret code
• Recognize animal tracks
• Train a dog to shake hands
• Make a paper airplane
• Pull a tooth
• Create playlists
• Play rock, paper, scissors
• Floss your teeth
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Instruction assignment

Writing Instructions

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ASSIGNMENT – Instructions Project for Technical Communication Students

This is an archived version of an Instructions Project assignment I used for WRTG 3035 in Fall 2011. To view their final projects, browse the Final Instructions Projects category on the class blog.

INSTRUCTIONS FORMATS

As described on the Short Projects page, everyone will work on a short project in the genre of Instructions. You will choose one of the following formats:

• Written steps with illustrations
• Screencast tutorial (video of what appears on your computer screen)
• Video tutorial (live action demo of process)

PUBLISHING OPTIONS

The project must also be publishable on a web site that accepts user-generated content and that is designed to appeal to members of your specific target audience.

Examples of appropriate web sites include wikiHow.com , Instructables.com , and Ontwik . (If you know of others I should add to this list, please send them to me by email.)

NOTE: If you decide to make a screencast or video tutorial, your project will be in video format. Because of the complexities involved in hosting and playing video files, you will most likely need to upload the video to a video hosting site (such as YouTube or Vimeo) in order to then embed the video on the web site where you’ve chosen to publish your instructions. But uploading the video to a hosting site does not count as “publishing” it on an established site that is visited by your target audience. You still need to pick a site to post the video on.

RHETORICAL SITUATION

Skilled writers always analyze their rhetorical situation before diving into a writing project, as the factors that comprise the rhetorical situation — purpose, audience, genre, etc. — shape the nature of the document you produce.

The purpose of your instructions article is to guide members of your target audience through the steps needed to accomplish a specific task, but who exactly is included in your target audience depends on the nature of the task and the level of previous experience required.

You’ll need to define who belongs to your primary audience and determine how you can design your instructions so that this audience can find them and make effective use of them. You’ll also have a secondary audience made up of your classmates and instructor as well as the members of the community on the web site you choose to publish your instructions on.

SUITABLE TOPICS

Keep these criteria in mind as you consider topics:

• The topic you select should be appropriate for the nature and purpose of the site you’ve chosen to publish your instructions on and should easily fit into one of the site’s existing categories . The topic should also be one on which a good set of instructions does not already exist.
• Because the instructions genre is itself a form of technical writing, the topic you choose to cover in your instructions does not need to be technical in nature. But the topic should allow you the opportunity to practice writing a set of instructions you would be proud to show a future employer as a writing sample.
• The topic should not promote activity that is illegal, borderline illegal, unethical, or dangerous. The topic also should not lead a reader to do something that most people would consider irresponsible, immature, or unprofessional. (Consider that your article will be associated with the University of Colorado, given that you’re writing it for a class.)
• The topic must be one that at least three or four of your fellow classmates will be able to actually user-test, so that they can give you feedback on how well the instructions work in a real-world scenario. That means you should choose topics that most college students will be able to complete (or you should check with the class to find out who might have the necessary special equipment or knowledge to complete your task.) If no one in the class is able to user-test your instructions, you’ll need to find user testers elsewhere.
• The topic should be well-suited to the format you’ve chosen. Not every topic would work well as a screencast, for example, so think carefully about the relationship between topic, audience, and format.
• The topic should have a moderate difficulty level. Don’t choose a topic that is so easy that most people could do it without needing to look up instructions or that would only take a person a few minutes to figure out. That sort of topic won’t produce the sort of substantive instructions article you’d be proud to have in a Technical Writing portfolio to show future employers. Also don’t choose a topic that is likely to already be covered in the place the person wanting to do the task would most likely look (like the Help menu of a particular app).
• The topic should also be moderately substantial in scope , by which I mean that if you were to print it out (as an article or a transcript for a video), it might span three to five pages , give or take. The number of steps you include depends on the nature of your task, so there is no required number, but aim for at least six or seven steps. Keep in mind that each action you want your reader to take should go in a new step, with the action expressed as the opening phrase of the step, so some steps might have very little information while others have a lot. It depends on your topic.

WIKIHOW TOPICS

If you’re thinking of writing an article for wikiHow, browse the site’s 18 main categories to become familiar with the options.

Also look for topics in the community’s Requested Topics ,which is a good way to ensure that you’re responding to a genuine need in the community. If none of those topics appeals to you, you might try the “I want topic suggestions” box on the Write an Article page or the How to Find a Subject to Write About article.

WRITING TIPS

If you choose the format of step-by-step instructions , keep a few relevant features in mind.

The most important feature is that the steps should be delivered in bulleted-list language rather than in lengthy paragraphs.

Each step should open with an action phrase that describes the action the reader should take. Action phrases start with verbs, such as: Launch your web browser or Slice the bread into 1/2″ pieces or something like that. Each time you direct readers to take a new action, start a new step.

If you need to tell readers what will happen after they follow a particular step, put that information at the end of the step rather than in a new step.

Another relevant feature is the use of screen shots, diagrams, or photos to help readers visualize each step. You might also include hyperlinks to resources that would help readers better understand more complex parts of the process.

(I’ll share additional writing tips in class and on calendar entries, as needed. You should also seek out expert advice on writing the specific kind of instructions you’ve chosen from whatever sources you deem reliable.)

DELIVERABLES

The final product you will deliver will include:

• the instructions (published on the web site of your choice)
• a short report on your user testing process
• a rhetorical rationale (analysis of the decisions you made while composing your instructions, in light of your rhetorical situation)

You will post the user testing report and the rhetorical rationale, along with a link to your published instructions, on the class blog.

• Search for:

WHAT IS THIS SITE? See the About tab in the top menu.

UNDER PERPETUAL REVISION : All materials on this site are subject to ongoing revision and improvement!

© 2017 - Amy Goodloe - All Rights Reserved

HELP & HOW-TO

• HOW TO: Capture & Edit Video (18)
• HOW TO: Find & Edit Images (13)
• HOW TO: Make Screen Recordings (7)
• HOW TO: Record & Edit Audio (16)
• HOW TO: Use Google Drive (19)
• HOW TO: Use iMovie (13)
• HOW TO: Use Social Media Tools for Class (3)
• HOW TO: Use the Class Blog (Wordpress) (35)
• HOW TO: Use Your WordPress.com Blog (12)
• INSPIRATIONS & FYI'S (21)
• NIFTY APPS & TOOLS (7)
• PLANNING & DRAFTING New Media Projects (23)
• RESOURCES: About New Media Writing (7)
• RESOURCES: Animations & Comics (9)
• RESOURCES: Apps for Creating New Media Projects (22)
• RESOURCES: Digital Storytelling (17)
• RESOURCES: Presentations & Information Design (6)
• RESOURCES: Storytelling Prompts (14)
• RESOURCES: Writing for the Web (4)
• TECH TIPS (28)

STUDENT SAMPLES

• SAMPLES – Academic Analyses (9)
• SAMPLES – Audio Narratives & Essays (16)
• SAMPLES – CDS-Style Digital Storytelling (30)
• SAMPLES – Educational Presentations & Web Sites (9)
• SAMPLES – Educational Visuals (14)
• SAMPLES – Graphic Storytelling (16)
• SAMPLES – Mini-Documentary (15)
• SAMPLES – Multimedia Commentary (8)
• SAMPLES – Pop Culture Artifact Analyses (13)
• SAMPLES – Turning Points & Epiphanies (7)
• SAMPLES – WRTG 3020: Rhetoric of G&S (96)
• SAMPLES – WRTG 3090: New Media Storytelling (33)
• HOW TO – Format papers in standard academic format (using Microsoft Word) 118,205 views
• HOW TO – Put your file into a shared folder on Google Drive 85,097 views
• HOW TO – Make Preview the Default PDF Reader on a Mac 52,498 views
• HOW TO – Create a Hyperlink (Turn a Word into a Link) 42,916 views
• HOW TO – Export an mp3 out of GarageBand 29,446 views
• HOW TO – Add a shortcut to a shared folder to My Drive (for easy access) 22,365 views
• Creative non-fiction writing exercises 19,160 views
• TROUBLESHOOTING – Audio problems when recording with QuickTime X 12,247 views
• TIPS – Camera Angles and Shooting Tips for Digital Storytelling 9,993 views
• HOW TO – Save a Google Docs document 9,927 views

Designing Research Assignments: Assignment Ideas

• Student Research Needs
• Assignment Guidelines
• Assignment Ideas
• Scaffolding Research Assignments
• BEAM Method

Assignment Templates

Research diaries offer students an opportunity to reflect on the research process, think about how they will address challenges they encounter, and encourage students to think about and adjust their strategies. 

• Research Diary Template
• Research Diary Instructions

Alternative Assignments

There are many different types of assignments that can help your students develop their information literacy and research skills. 

The assignments listed below target different skills, and some may be more suitable for certain courses than others.

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• Next: Scaffolding Research Assignments >>
• Last Updated: Jun 9, 2022 12:23 PM
• URL: https://columbiacollege-ca.libguides.com/designing_assignments

Module 5: Instructions and Process Description

Instructions for assignment #6.

You have an option for this assignment. Choose either A (Set of Instructions) or B (Process Description).

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

A) Writing Instructions Assignment

Write a set of instructions for a procedure related to your portfolio to help someone new learn how to do something ( no recipes, tire changes or oil changes ). Do not use a general set of instructions (such as how to program a computer file or how to give a dog a bath). Your instructions should be specfically written for people within your organization, not for everyone. It should not be a process you can find on any given number of web sites.

1. Choose a procedure which can be explained in one or two typed pages.

2. Write for a beginner.

…..-spell out details

…..-use imperative voice (simple commands)

…..-define unfamiliar terms

3. Pay attention to format.

…..-short sentences and paragraphs

…..-adequate spacing

…..-headings and numbers

4. Include and necessary  graphics  and  callouts.

5. Follow this outline:

….. Introduction-  general description of procedure with motivation, tools and materials needed.

…. .Body – step-by-step procedures with sub-steps grouped under major steps.

….. Conclusion – reemphasize the advantage of doing this process.

Remember to make cautions obvious and to provide reasons for crucial steps. Include simple graphics, if possible.

(B) Process Description Assignment

Write an explanation of a process you are familiar with for an audience in your organization. Make sure you organize your description to provide your reader with  understanding.  This is not a set of instructions or how-to-do-it paper.

Follow this outline:

….. Introduction

……….name the process

……….identify its significance and purpose

……….show the overall process by giving major steps

…. .Body

……….step-by-step description of major parts of the process

……….one paragraph per step:

……………-topic sentence explains what takes place in each step

……………-support with details as necessary

……….use headings

……….follow order of introduction

….. Conclusion

……….summary of steps or additional comments

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Turn to “Instructions/Process Description” to submit this assignment. Remember, you need to submit a prewriting Cover Sheet as well.

• Eng 235. Authored by : Jeff Meyers. Provided by : Clinton Community College. License : CC BY: Attribution

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First-Year Seminar for Faculty: Assignment Ideas

• FYS Student Learning Outcomes
• Assignment Ideas
• Campus Resources
• First-Year Experience Resources
• Diversity and Inclusion Resources

General Information and Ideas on Assignments

To maintain some consistency across FYS, the task force recommends argument based and/or research based writing assignments totaling around 15 pages, and ideally no more than 20 pages (or the equivalent in alternative projects).

• Low-stakes assignments with feedback can encourage students to take intellectual risks, explore, and experience setbacks and frustration so that they develop grit and resilience.
• Keep in mind that the course is not a writing intensive course, and many students will not have completed their composition courses, ENGL 101 or 115.
• We strongly encourage other forms of writing assignments that would not count toward the 15 pages, e.g., reflective papers, short response papers, journaling, blogging, or creative forms of writing. For instance, after completing an argument based writing assignment students might write a reflective paper about their research and writing process, or students might keep a journal about their personal responses to the readings or class discussions.
• Assignments Handout (Mariani and Yandell) A flowchart for thinking through assignments
• One Week of Class (Anderson) How to bring together reading, viewing, discussion and research--in one week of class.
• Poster Example (Herren)
• The Writing Center (Todd) Suggestions for how to incorporate visits to the Writing Center into your FYS.
• Blog Post Assignment (Wyett)
• Google Maps Assignment (Wyett)
• Wiki Assignment (Wyett)
• Final Project (Wyett)
• Final Project (Herren) Example of a final project bringing library research, multiple contexts, and presentation together.
• Making Presentations (Murphy)
• Flame Best Practices
• Oral Presentations Support for oral presentations in a Library Research Guide.

Library Assignments

Each CORE 100 course will have a dedicated Library Liaison who can provide library research instruction and assist with the creation of assignments that incorporate research and information literacy skills. These skills should be used with at least one specific assignment, rather than a general skills overview. While the assignments are left to the discretion of the instructor, we strongly recommend the following:

• Enroll your Library Liaison into your Canvas course
• Discuss assignments with your Library Liaison
• Assign  XUTutor  modules
• Bring the class to the library for instruction and to work on a tailored assignment

The following resources can help instructors design assignments:

• Suggested Library Assignments
• Library Goals and SLOs for Information Literacy (including rubrics)
• Digital Humanities Toolkit
• Atomic Learning  (tech and research skills in short videos that can be embedded directly into Canvas and assigned to students)
• Articles on designing effective library assignments

An assignment may include:

• Research using library databases
• A critique of internet searches
• Pre-tests and post-tests of information literacy
• Media projects and/or presentations instead of or in addition to research papers
• Library Instruction Menu Librarians are available to visit your class to teach students a variety of information literacy skills that are critical for their academic success at Xavier. You can choose which elements you'd like to include in your class. This menu also lists how long a lesson takes.
• Example Assignment: Research Worksheet (Segerman)
• Example Assignment: Bibliographic Essay (Anderson)
• Example Assignment: Research Bibliography (Whipple)
• Example Assignment: Information Literacy (Austin)
• Example Assignment: Current journal articles in social psychology (End)
• Example Assignment: Academic journal profile put in a Lib Guide for the use of other students (Ottum)
• Scholarly, Non-Scholarly, Popular A handout for distinguishing among types of sources (von Weissenberg)
• University Library Prize for First-Year Seminar Students
• University Library Prize Finalists The Library has posted the papers of the finalists for the University Library Prize for First-Year Seminars. These papers may be used as examples for your students.
• Databases vs. Search Engines A handout (thanks to von Weissenberg)

Teaching Difficult Texts

• Class Participation: Grading Rubric Giving feedback on student participation (Zucchero)
• Leading Discussion Guidelines for students who are leading class discussion (Yandell)
• Leading Discussion: Grading Rubric Giving feedback to student discussion leaders (Yandell)
• Leading Discussion: Grading Rubric Giving feedback to student discussion leaders (Zucchero)

• The Minute Memo Encourage class participation with this exercise (Malik)
• Taking Notes One student's very intense guide on taking notes.
• Fostering Discussion Studies on discussion show us why it is hard. Jay R. Howard's Discussion in the College Classroom has some answers.
• Unguided Discussions A three-part model for student-run discussion. Key part: we don't talk.
• Getting Students to Prepare to Discuss Texts (Austin) Publication Timeline for Pride and Prejudice
• Distinguishing Scholarly from Popular (Austin) Janeites vs. Austen Scholars
• Contextualizing Text (Austin) Researching inheritance law to provide context for Jane Austen's novels.
• Contextualizing Text (Austin) Research into Jane Austen and Regency England.
• Preparing for Discussion (Austin) Discussion Post assignment for The Lizzie Bennet Diaries
• Preparing for Discussion (Austin) Posting questions and answers in advance to a discussion board.
• The Problem Problem and Other Oddities of Academic Discourse Excellent article by Gerald Graff on the difficulties that students have with crafting academic arguments (from McFarlane Harris).
• Discussing Leading This assignment comes from Naomi Andrews at Santa Clara University. See the next file for her outline of how she runs this assignment.
• Discussing Leading: How and Why This is the companion outline to Naomi Andrews's discussion leading assignment.

Assessing Core 3a: Assignment Ideas

In 2017-2018, FYS will conduct a program-wide assessment of Core 3a:

Core 3a: Identify and critically assess multiple dimensions of an  ethical issue  in an attempt to reach a conclusion. In FYS, this includes***:

• Interpreting challenging  readings .
• Employing effective  library research and information literacy skills .
• Constructing  arguments supported with evidence .

The assessment is two-pronged: faculty will assess their students' success achieving this SLO based on their own, individual assignments. They will submit this assessment using a rubric available via Qualtrics (link coming soon). Below are some assignments that FYS faculty have developed to help them assess this SLO.

• Tim Brownlee's Thematic Paper Assignment
• Tom Strunk's Tyrants of the Modern World Paper Assignment
• Niamh O'Leary's Historical Villain/Antihero Assignment
• Jaylene Schaefer's Health Care Proposal Poster Assignment
• Graley Herren's "How to Live" Essay Assignment
• Graley Herren's Critical Edition assignment This assignment directly addresses using library research.
• Graley Herren: Sample Critical Edition Assignment Here is an example of the assignment above.

The Greater Good

• The Greater Good and Human Health (Smythe) A short piece by Kathleen Smythe on her understanding of the Greater Good and its connections to E/RS, to be read and discussed by her FYS students.
• Philosophers on the Good Excerpts from Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Kant, and Mill (compiled by Polt)
• Geger, "What Magis Really Means and Why It Matters"

" Learning and Living Magis "--Marcus Mescher (Theology) wrote this piece about magis. He was inspired to write about Magis in part by his experience teaching FYS. Reading and discussing this can help promote a consideration of the greater good in the context of our Jesuit values. 

• Nicolás, "Challenges to Jesuit Higher Education Today"
• Busse, "The Dirtiest Word in Jesuit Higher Education"
• Kolvenbach, "The Service of Faith and the Promotion of Justice in American Jesuit Higher Education"
• Arrupe, "Men for Others"
• Hollenbach, "The Common Good in a Divided Society" Discussed in our brown bag on Jesuits and the Greater Good on November 2, 2016.

Chadwick, "I Don't Know How to Explain to You that You Should Care About Other People," (Mescher)

Classroom Policies

FYS does not prescribe classroom policies on attendance, participation, etc.  However, during the course of our workshops, faculty offered a number of suggestions.

Attendance policies can be used as a tool to acknowledge students' choices as adults and to help you communicate to them that you are concerned when they miss class.

Laptop and device policy (from O'Leary)

• "Why I'm Asking You Not to Use Laptops" (Curzan, The Chronicle of Higher Education )
• "The Case for Banning Laptops in the Classroom" (Rockmore, The New Yorker )
• "Laptop Multitasking Hinders Classroom Learning for Both Users and Nearby Peers" (Sana, Weston, & Cepeda, Computers & Education )

Exam period: Many (if not all) FYS courses will have a final project in lieu of a final exam.  What to do during exam time?

• Oral presentations of a final project
• Class conversation about their first-day-of-class goals for the course
• How to Email Your Professor Worth an early conversation. Step-by-step and why. (from O'Leary and von Weissenberg).

Vocation and Mentoring

College as a path to vocation

One way to consider vocation is to get students to think carefully about the purpose of pursuing higher education. Separating students from thinking solely about college as credentialing can help them consider all the ways to learn and grow while they are at Xavier. This conversation can be supported by attendance at Spark: the First-Year Seminar's Call to the Greater Good and a follow-up discussion. You might also consider these readings:

"What is the Point of College?" (Kwame Anthony Appiah, New York Times 8 September 2015)

"The Tune-Up that Every First-Year College Student Needs" (Deborah J. Cohan, Psychology Today , 16 July 2017)

There are also a number of excellent readings that directly address vocation. Several of these are linked or attached below.

Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation   (Parker J. Palmer)

A catalyst for conversation may be the question "Who are you now?"  This question asks students to think about personal interests, skills and development, a broader conversation than a job search.

• Vocation: A Visualization Here's one way to visualize vocation. (from von Weissenberg)
• Vocation: Your Life in Weeks, a Visualization (from Yandell)
• Vocation: Heart Searching and Life Choice By Wilkie Au, S.J. (from Groppe)
• Vocation: Assignment (Strunk) Reflection on Mary Oliver's poem "The Summer Day" vs. Amazon's white collar workers
• How to Live Wisely Suggestions for in-class conversations about aligning your time with your values.
• Wanted in College Students: Tolerance for Ambiguity Short piece by Jeff Selingo on why students need to figure things out on their own (from Renzi)

Recommended: Katharine Brooks, You Majored in What? Mapping your Path from Chaos to Career (New York: Viking, 2009). You might use a chapter from this book as an alternative for students who can't make it to Spark.

• TED Talk on Vocation What if you have more than one calling?
• Letter to Self Setting goals for the semester (von Weissenberg)
• "Meet the Parents Who Won't Let Their Children Study Literature" from the Washington Post (thanks to O'Leary)
• "Six Myths About Choosing a College Major" An article by Jeffrey J. Selingo in the November 2017 New York Times compares average career earnings of various majors to debunk myths about which majors lead to the most stable careers. more... less... Thanks to Randy Browne and Jodi Wyett for sharing.

Reflective and Meta-cognitive Assignments

Campus issues.

Video on Alter Hall

The Casings of Our Hearts: Talking Honestly and Angrily About Campus Sexual Assault

Who Do We Say that We Are? Changing the Institutional Culture ...

Hook-Up Culture as Rape Culture

• Mental Health on Campus The many issues facing students--plus, the grit of first-generation college students.
• Choosing in Everyday Life--Ottum
• Black Literature and Faith--Pramuk
• Adapting Austen--Wyett
• Extraordinary Women--Zascavage
• Life and Death in the Gospels--Dewey
• << Previous: FYS Student Learning Outcomes
• Next: Campus Resources >>
• Last Updated: Jul 14, 2023 12:41 PM
• URL: https://libguides.xavier.edu/fys