This course is part of the Good with Words: Writing and Editing Specialization

4.8
stars
311 ratings

Patrick Barry

15,461 already enrolled

Offered By

Good with Words: Writing and Editing SpecializationUniversity of Michigan

About this Course

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This fourth and final course in the “Good with Words: Writing and Editing” series will help you master perhaps the most important step in the writing process: revising. You’ll learn about the difference between editing and proofreading. You’ll practice “un-numbing the numbers” so that data and statistics you use are clear and compelling. And you’ll be introduced to a framework for giving and receiving feedback that helpfully systematizes what should be cut and what should be kept from each draft.
As with the other three courses in this series, you will also get access to a wide range of books and other resources you can use even after you finish the course. These include: (1) the readings and exercises provided to the students who have taken the in-person version of this course at the University of Michigan and the University of Chicago; (2) two digital libraries of excellent writing from a diverse collection of journalists, scientists, novelists, poets, historians, and entrepreneurs; and (3) a monthly “Good Sentences” email.

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

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Coursera Labs

Includes hands on learning projects.

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Course 4 of 4 in the

Good with Words: Writing and Editing Specialization

Beginner Level

Approx. 13 hours to complete

English

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What you will learn

Learn how to become a better reader of your own writing
Apply the E-D-I-T framework
Identify uselessly accurate information
Create multiple ways to communicate the same data

Skills you will gain

Persuasion
Creativity
Writing
Time management
Editing

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Coursera Labs

Includes hands on learning projects.

Learn more about Coursera Labs

Course 4 of 4 in the

Good with Words: Writing and Editing Specialization

Beginner Level

Approx. 13 hours to complete

English

Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?

Try Coursera for Business

Instructor

Instructor rating

4.86/5 (77 Ratings)

Patrick Barry

Clinical Assistant Professor of Law

Michigan Law School

122,500 Learners

12 Courses

Offered by

University of Michigan

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Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating99%(1,421 ratings)

Week1

Week 1

4 hours to complete

Editing and Empathy

4 hours to complete

6 videos (Total 10 min), 15 readings, 8 quizzes

6 videos

Introduction1mKen Burns, Alice Waters, and Ira Glass3mPunctuation and Professionalism: Dependent Clauses3mTakeaways1mStudent Takeaway: Extra Ear30sStudent Takeaway: Sound and Sense20s

15 readings

Teaching Style + Resources 2mMeet Professor Barry2mSyllabus10mUniversity of Michigan Survey10mEditing and Empathy10mUser-friendly 1mIntroduction to the Gamut Workbook Tool5mGamut Workbook FAQ: Locked Exercises3mGamut Workbook FAQ: Error 40310mGood with Words Chapter 4 ("Sound and Sense")20mEdit Our Edits2mPunctuation and Professionalism: Introduction and Review10mNotes on Nuance: Introduction and Review15mNuance Spotlight: James Baldwin 3mGood Sentences: Introduction and Review5m

5 practice exercises

Low-Stakes Practice5mLow-Stakes Practice5mPunctuation Practice: Dependent Clauses5mNuance Practice: James Baldwin5mWeekly Review (Graded)30m

Week2

Week 2

4 hours to complete

Uselessly Accurate

4 hours to complete

7 videos (Total 13 min), 3 readings, 11 quizzes

7 videos

Previously On1mSteve Jobs3mPunctuation and Professionalism: Isadora Duncan → Duncan, Isadora3mNuance Spotlight: William F. Buckley, Jr.2mTakeaways39sStudent Takeaway: 100 Words16sStudent Takeaway: Uselessly Accurate26s

3 readings

Good with Words Chapter 6 ("Uselessly Accurate")20mExperiment ("100 Words") 1mNuance Spotlight: William F. Buckley Jr.5m

5 practice exercises

Low-Stakes Practice5mLow-Stakes Practice7mPunctuation Practice: Isadora Duncan→Duncan, Isadora3mLow-Stakes Practice5mWeekly Review (Graded)30m

Week3

Week 3

3 hours to complete

Writer→Reader

3 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 19 min), 2 readings, 12 quizzes

8 videos

Previously On49sPreviously On: Clutter2mWriter → Reader3mDiscipline of Breaks3mAttention Restoration1mPunctuation and Professionalism: If, Then4mNotes on Nuance: "What _____ is to _____"1mTakeaways1m

2 readings

Multitasking Sentences2mNotes on Nuance: "What _____ is to _____"5m

7 practice exercises

Low-Stakes Practice5mLow-Stakes Practice5mLow-Stakes Practice 5mLow-Stakes Practice5mPunctuation Practice: If, Then5mNuance Practice10mWeekly Review (Graded)30m

Week4

Week 4

4 hours to complete

Feedback Loops

4 hours to complete

10 videos (Total 23 min), 5 readings, 10 quizzes

10 videos

Previously On35sPreviously On: The Discipline of Breaks2mShot Selection51sUn-numb the Numbers 3mKeep/Cut4mE-D-I-T5mTakeaways: Premortem4mStudent Takeaway: Premortem26sStudent Takeaway: Un-numb the Numbers38sStudent Takeaway: Keep/Cut42s

5 readings

Shot Selection15mUn-Numb the Numbers10mBook Recommendations (Memoir)10mCourse Feedback10m"Good with Words: Speaking and Presenting" and Michigan Online1m

4 practice exercises

Low-Stakes Practice5mLow-Stakes Practice: Un-numb the Numbers2mLow-Stakes Practice5mWeekly Review (Graded)30m

Reviews

4.8

76 reviews

5 stars
84.19%
4 stars
13.22%
3 stars
2.25%
2 stars
0.32%

TOP REVIEWS FROM WRITING AND EDITING: REVISING

by DTJan 20, 2022

Well done. Now that I have completed all 4 courses, I am as excited to use some of these concepts as I was to learn them. Professor Barry is awesome in his approach.

by CSApr 20, 2022

Great course, Prof. Barry is a fantastic teacher. I learned some genuinely useful techniques to help in my writing and editing tasks.

by MLMar 29, 2021

Excellent course. Professor Barry brings English to life through engaging lectures and video presentations, to recommended readings, the course flows.

by AGFeb 23, 2023

This course helped me a lot to understand the importance of proofreading and editing texts.

View all reviews

About the Good with Words: Writing and Editing Specialization

Perhaps the most important thing students and professionals of all kinds can do to improve their effectiveness is embrace the following advice: become good with words.

This series of courses targets the writing side of that recommendation. The skills it focuses on include everything from how to arrange a complex set of information in a reader-friendly way, to how to give and receive high-quality feedback, to how to consistently hit deadlines. Part of Professor Barry’s proceeds from this course will be donated to the COVID-19 relief efforts of Ozone House, a shelter for homeless youth in Southeastern Michigan where he regularly conducts job-training workshops. These proceeds come from purchases of the version of the course that earns you a certificate. The course remains free for anyone who is simply auditing.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

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Writing and Editing: Revising

About this Course

What you will learn

Skills you will gain