Lost Tools of Writing: Senior Thesis

Students will write a senior thesis, all while mastering the Topics of Invention, tools of Arrangement, and skills of Elocution. From clearly defining their thesis topic, to thoughtful arrangement, and to appropriate expression, students will experience steady progress while writing and editing one proof essay at a time. Students will be guided through responsible research including how to properly cite their authority and how to be aware of bias in their sources. This classical writing program teaches students more than the basics of writing a senior thesis. It will also challenge their thinking by teaching them to mine the wisdom of their chosen classics into a single issue. Students will also study the rhetoric of Paul and Homer as they examine their own writing. By employing the three canons of classical rhetoric - Invention, Arrangement, and Elocution, the student will be equipped to overcome the three problems all writers face while tackling an expanded essay and to cultivate deeper thinking and integrating their years of learning. The step-by-step instruction makes the writing of a senior thesis manageable for all students. In this year-long course, students will complete a senior thesis as well as receive instruction in memory and delivery in preparation for their defense at the end of the year.
Prerequisite:Successful completion of LTW1 and the submission of the complete persuasive essay to the instructor.  Please be advised: completion of LTW2 and LTW3, though not required, is recommended.
Texts: LTW Level One, Two, and/or Three.
Age:Seniors (Juniors who have completed Level Three will be considered on a case by case bases by the instructor)