Some questions about writing course descriptions

[Joyful]

I wonder if there is a "manual" about writing course descriptions.... cause it would really come in handy. ? 

But since I have not found one yet, can you please help me with some questions that have cropped up as I'm trying to write them out?

For online courses and pre-written curricula, is it alright to copy and paste from the provider/publisher's descriptions? Or should I be more original about it? What is accepted practice in this area?

I cannot assume that colleges will know about the particular online providers that we've used. So, should I write a short blurb about the provider, or is that not helpful? How about the name of the instructor?

For an outsourced course, should I title the course the same as the one used by the provider? Or can I designate my own? For example, AoPS titles their Calculus course as "Calculus." It is a college board approved AP course for Calc BC. So, can I title it AP Calculus BC?

Appreciate your help! Thanks!

[mirabillis]

*following ?

[RootAnn]

41 minutes ago, Joyful said:

I wonder if there is a "manual" about writing course descriptions.... cause it would really come in handy. ? 

But since I have not found one yet, can you please help me with some questions that have cropped up as I'm trying to write them out?

For online courses and pre-written curricula, is it alright to copy and paste from the provider/publisher's descriptions? Or should I be more original about it? What is accepted practice in this area?

I cannot assume that colleges will know about the particular online providers that we've used. So, should I write a short blurb about the provider, or is that not helpful? How about the name of the instructor?

For an outsourced course, should I title the course the same as the one used by the provider? Or can I designate my own? For example, AoPS titles their Calculus course as "Calculus." It is a college board approved AP course for Calc BC. So, can I title it AP Calculus BC?

Appreciate your help! Thanks!

Make sure you visit the College subforum on here. Lori D just posted a thread with links to lots of previous questions and answers where we've discussed these things and more. Just a couple things: Totally ok to use provider's description. I sometimes tweak it (for tense, for example, to match my others) and sometimes make my own. Dd's current comp programming class has an awful description, but I did my own from the syllabus's list of topics.

People often include a blurb on providers as part of the School Profile documemt under "Educational Partners."

I try to stay close to the provider's course name, but have added to it when necessary to clarify what it is. For DE classes, I put exactly the same name though. I don't see a problem with your suggestion.

[alewife]

2 hours ago, Joyful said:

I wonder if there is a "manual" about writing course descriptions.... cause it would really come in handy. ? 

But since I have not found one yet, can you please help me with some questions that have cropped up as I'm trying to write them out?

For online courses and pre-written curricula, is it alright to copy and paste from the provider/publisher's descriptions? Or should I be more original about it? What is accepted practice in this area?

I cannot assume that colleges will know about the particular online providers that we've used. So, should I write a short blurb about the provider, or is that not helpful? How about the name of the instructor?

For an outsourced course, should I title the course the same as the one used by the provider? Or can I designate my own? For example, AoPS titles their Calculus course as "Calculus." It is a college board approved AP course for Calc BC. So, can I title it AP Calculus BC?

Appreciate your help! Thanks!

1. For your question regarding pre-written curricula...I copied the description verbatim from the provider's description.  

2. For your question about outside providers...In my homeschool profile document, I had a section titled, "Educational Partners" where I provided a blurb about the provider and/or instructor.

3. For outsourced courses, I used the same name as the one used by the provider.  However, since the AoPS calc class is now approved by the College Board, If I were in your shoes, I would name your course AP Calc BC on the transcript.

Good luck.

[Joyful]

Thank you so much for answering my questions! I know what to do now.  ?

I haven't started working on the homeschool profile yet. But now I know one item to put there. Yay!

[Joyful]

2 hours ago, RootAnn said:

Make sure you visit the College subforum on here. Lori D just posted a thread with links to lots of previous questions and answers where we've discussed these things and more.

Thanks for bringing that to my attention. I'll go take a look.

[RootAnn]

 

Especially look at the links in the second post. Those will answer questions you don't even have yet!

[Arcadia]

2 hours ago, alewife said:

However, since the AoPS calc class is now approved by the College Board, If I were in your shoes, I would name your course AP Calc BC on the transcript.

 

Do you need to submit the AoPS Summary of Coursework (https://artofproblemsolving.com/school/handbook/current/documentation) for math camps or college applications? So far none has ask for proof of grades so I have not requested a Summary of Coursework from AoPS for DS13. If it is never needed then it doesn’t matter if the titles don’t match.

I just label Calculus with AP Calculus BC exam on his transcript. For math camps and math circle, I had just entered Art of Problem Solving Calculus for the section on math courses completed or in progress.

ETA:

He has 8 AoPS courses so far starting from intermediate algebra and introduction to geometry.  I copied the description verbatim from the provider's description so I copy paste the course title too.  Thanks 

Edited September 17, 2018 by Arcadia

[alewife]

3 hours ago, Arcadia said:

 

Do you need to submit the AoPS Summary of Coursework (https://artofproblemsolving.com/school/handbook/current/documentation) for math camps or college applications? So far none has ask for proof of grades so I have not requested a Summary of Coursework from AoPS for DS13. If it is never needed then it doesn’t matter if the titles don’t match.

I just label Calculus with AP Calculus BC exam on his transcript. For math camps and math circle, I had just entered Art of Problem Solving Calculus for the section on math courses completed or in progress.

ETA:

He has 8 AoPS courses so far starting from intermediate algebra and introduction to geometry.  I copied the description verbatim from the provider's description so I copy paste the course title too.  Thanks 

I have never had to supply any additional information for any course listed on my kids' transcripts.  My transcript consists of a one page summary and a multi-page course description that lists a description for each course listed on the transcript along with a reading list/textbook summary.  

I mention in my school profile that a copy of the College Board approved syllabi are available on request for any of our "home-brewed" AP classes.  So far, no college has asked for them, and I don't expect they will this time around with my D, either. 

[Sebastian (a lady)]

11 hours ago, Joyful said:

I wonder if there is a "manual" about writing course descriptions.... cause it would really come in handy. ? 

But since I have not found one yet, can you please help me with some questions that have cropped up as I'm trying to write them out?

For online courses and pre-written curricula, is it alright to copy and paste from the provider/publisher's descriptions? Or should I be more original about it? What is accepted practice in this area?

I cannot assume that colleges will know about the particular online providers that we've used. So, should I write a short blurb about the provider, or is that not helpful? How about the name of the instructor?

For an outsourced course, should I title the course the same as the one used by the provider? Or can I designate my own? For example, AoPS titles their Calculus course as "Calculus." It is a college board approved AP course for Calc BC. So, can I title it AP Calculus BC?

Appreciate your help! Thanks!

 

I borrowed liberally from the course descriptions available for online and pre-written curriculum, as well as college courses taken as DE.  However, I don't think there were any that I simply copy pasted.  I changed verb tense to have a consistent tone through all the descriptions.  I sometimes had to pull from not only a catalog description, but the intro of a syllabus.  I included commentary about how long the course was and how it was delivered (things that were obvious when looking at the provider's whole website, but might have been scattered about).  In a couple cases I was explicit about how a course had been used on my transcript.  For example College Algebra at college A was the first part of a two semester Pre-Calculus series (so I said that).  When we moved at Christmas, the next course taken was Pre-Calculus: Trigonometry, because the new college used different nomenclature (there College Algebra was a course taken before Pre-Calc.

I didn't include a blurb about colleges or online providers in the course descriptions.  However, I did include some info about them as "Educational Partners" in the School Profile.  I found this was a tidier solution since we used some providers several times.  

I did rename courses for the transcript.  Then I used both in the course description.  For example I have Ancient Greek Lit on the Transcript.  The course description begins:  Ancient Greek Literature  (The Lukeion Project, Muse on the Loose, online class):  

I then go into my description for the course.

I sometimes listed the name and background of the outside instructor, for example when they had advanced degrees in the subject.  But I didn't do this for courses taken through colleges and universities.  I felt that the additional credential wasn't needed.

I also listed relevant test scores in the course descriptions.  For example, AP scores, National Latin Exam scores and AMC math scores.  (The AP scores were also listed on the transcript.)

 

[mirabillis]

Anyone willing to share a blurb of their School Profile showing the Educational Partners section? ? 

[lewelma]

Here is my Educational Partners section. Hope it helps

 

Art of Problem Solving Online School: AoPS offers courses in mathematics to high-performing students. Classes meet weekly in interactive online classrooms. Challenge sets require full written proofs and detailed feedback is given in content and presentation.

Mathematical Olympiad Summer Program: A January camp used to select the squad of 12. The team of 6 is selected based on scores from the Australian, British, and Asia-Pacific Olympiads. The team is trained for the week before attending the IMO.

xxx: Associate Concertmaster of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. DS has studied with Mr. xxx  for five years.

Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM): The UK’s largest music education body and provider of graded music exams.

New Zealand School of Music: The Young Musician’s Program provides pre-tertiary students access to university-level music education. Auditions required.

xxx University: One of NZ’s eight universities, ranked in the top 2% of universities worldwide.  

Te Kura Correspondence School: Te Kura educates students for whom traditional school is ineffective or inappropriate. All schools in NZ, including Te Kura, have identical national examinations and assessments that are moderated for equivalency in grading.

Mandarin Tutors: Private tutors designed xxx’s courses and provided instruction. Three of five tutors had degrees in teaching Mandarin as a second language.

New Zealand Wing Tsun Association: A martial arts training facility with courses taught by Sifu xxx

Edited September 18, 2018 by lewelma

[lewelma]

Here is a comparison of my first draft of my course descriptions, and then the final draft after I got feedback from the hive. All of these are home brewed courses.  The suggestions I got were to include more about what was *done* in the class, not just the topics covered, so you will notice this difference between the two versions. Also, I decided to add the output for each class, basically what I used to grade. Sorry that the formatting is not great.

Ruth in NZ

 Biology with Lab  1.0 credit (OLD)

This course built on concepts covered in a first year Biology course. Topics included cell biology, molecular biology, genetics, evolution, and ecology. The course required a research paper on a socio-scientific issue. The lab component focused on how biotic and abiotic factors affected competition and predation.

Biology with Lab. (1 credit) (NEW)

This second-year Biology course covered cell biology, molecular biology, genetics, evolution, ecology, animal diversity, and biostatistics. The laboratory component included a large-scale investigation focusing on how biotic and abiotic factors affect competition and predation in the rocky intertidal zone. It required familiarity with the ecological literature, identification of an interesting question, and the design of appropriate methods. This course had a strong statistical component and results were analyzed using statistical software. The course also included a unit on human manipulation of genetic transfer including recombinant DNA, amplification with PCR, recombinant plasmids, transgenesis, CRISPR, gene therapy, and cloning. Course requirements included statistical analyses, a scientific paper, a research paper, and short essays.
Textbooks:      Biology: The Unity and Diversity of Life, Cecie Starr and Ralph Taggart
Handbook of Biological Statistics, by John McDonald

-------

US History in a World Context. 1.0 credit (OLD)

This course focused on the causes, consequences, and explanations of historical events in the broader context of the historical developments in the World. The course studied how people’s interpretation of these events can differ, how to critically evaluate them, and why they can change over time. This was a discussion heavy class which also included required readings, documentaries, and short essays. Texts: selected readings in support of topics discussed

US History in a World Context. (1 credit) (NEW - I was told to add all the book and movies even though some were middle school level)

This course focused on historical events from 1840 –1975 and how ideas, beliefs, and social mores have shaped the United States. The course asked probing questions, challenged preconceived assumptions, and evaluated biases. It also studied how to critically evaluate different interpretations of historical events and why these interpretations can vary over time. The power of rhetoric in shaping perception was studied by critically analyzing the writing and speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr. and John F. Kennedy. Course requirements included reading assignments, participation in discussions, and short essays.

Textbooks:      Classical Rhetoric for the Modern Student, by Edward Corbett
Rhetoric in the Classical Tradition, by Winifred Horner
Texts: Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglas, by Fredrick Douglass.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain.
To Kill a Mocking Bird, by Harper Lee
The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald
           The Crucible, by Author Miller
           Letter from Birmingham Jail, by Martin Luther King, Jr.
           Inaugural Address, by John F. Kennedy        
           Frontier Living, by Edwin Tunis         
           Shutting out the Sky: Life in the Tenements of New York, by Deborah Hopkinson
           Bootleg: Murder, Moonshine, and the Lawless Years of Prohibition, by Karen Blumenthal
           Six Days in October: the Stock Market Crash of 1929, by Karen Blumenthal
           Hitler Youth: Growing up in Hitler’s Shadow, by Susan Bartoletti
           The Bomb: The Race to Build the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon, by Steve Sheinkin
           After Gandhi: 100 Years of Nonviolent Resistance, by Anne O’Brien
           Black Gold: The Story of Oil in our Lives, by Albert Marrin
           The Civil War, PBS Documentary (9 hours)
           The West, PBS Documentary (8 hours)
           World War 1 in Color, UK Documentary (6 hours)
           World War 2 in Color, UK Documentary (11 hours)
           Vietnam War: a Television History, PBS Documentary (11 hours)
-----------

Contemporary World Problems. 1.0 Credit (OLD)

This course sought to understand the current events from a historical perspective to develop a deeper understanding of world events. The course simultaneously explored several perspectives surrounding each of major issues in order to understand and account for bias and the interests of invested parties. Using three well-respected periodicals, the course was able to cover political, social, and environmental problems, in addition to scientific advancements. Texts: The Economist, National Geographic, Scientific American.

Contemporary World Problems.  (1 credit) (NEW)

This course covered political, economic, social, and environmental problems and sought to examine current events from a historical perspective. The course explored relationships between events, evaluated competing beliefs and goals, and identified bias. Scientific and technological advancements were also studied to better understand the part they play in solving some of the world’s most difficult problems. Periodicals were read year-round throughout high school, yielding 800 hours of reading. Course requirements included reading assignments, participation in discussions, short essays, and a research paper.
Texts: The Economist, National Geographic, Scientific American

---------------

The History of Western Thought. 1.0 Credit (OLD)

This course examined the development of the western intellectual tradition from the Greeks through to 20th-century thinkers. Topics included metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, and political philosophy. In addition to studying the great thinkers of each era, philosophical novels by classic authors were read and discussed including Voltaire, Faust, Dostoyevsky, Borges, Camu, Hemingway, and Vonnegut.

The History of Western Thought. (1 credit) (NEW)

This course examined the development of the western intellectual tradition from the Greeks through to 20th-century thinkers. Topics included metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, and political philosophy. The course examined the rational basis of belief in all areas of inquiry, and taught critical and creative thinking and how to construct a cogent argument. In addition to studying the great thinkers of each era, influential philosophical novels by classic authors were read and discussed including Voltaire, Dostoyevsky, Borges, Camu, and Hemingway. The course also took a detour into the philosophy of consciousness and how it can be analytically modelled. Course requirements included reading assignments, participation in discussions, and short essays.
Texts: Think: A Compelling Introduction to Philosophy, by Simon Blackburn
The Twenty Greatest Philosophy Books, by James Garvey
Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid, by Douglas Hofstadter
Justice. EdX. Harvard University

 

 

[Kareni]

20 hours ago, Joyful said:

I haven't started working on the homeschool profile yet. But now I know one item to put there. Yay!

 

11 hours ago, mirabillis said:

Anyone willing to share a blurb of their School Profile showing the Educational Partners section? ? 

I'm happy to share my school profile as well as course descriptions.  Simply send me a personal message with your email address.

Regards,
Kareni

[Woodland Mist Academy]

I'm curious how many pages course description documents typically are. I thought I remembered an old thread that mentioned page length, but I can't find it. 

Anyone care to share how long their course description document was? 

[lewelma]

I think mine was 9 or 10 pages, single spaced, but with lots of white space because of formatting and textbook lists. My thought is that they would NOT read it, but they would find a single class they were curious about, and read just one.  My guess is that they were going to read my Social Studies classes (done at home and with unusual-ish titles) and Biology (as it was the only science not done without a national exam, and it was a lab science done at home).

Edited October 1, 2018 by lewelma

[lewelma]

The admissions guy at CMU was over the moon with the document when I presented a draft to him in person. He said "there is no such thing as too much documentation for a homeschooler."