UW First

Nine University of Wyoming students’ works were selected for the Department of English’s in-house publication.

Inside English 1010, the department’s journal of first-year writing, is the second such publication produced by UW students. Approximately 70 submissions were submitted for judging for the latest journal.

Students selected, listed by hometowns and majors, are:

-- Nina Anderson, Loveland, Colo., political science.

-- Nicole Bonnar, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, petroleum engineering.

-- Sarah Bridges, Gillette, architectural engineering.

-- Erin Buckles, Conifer, Colo., nursing.

-- Rory Kershaw, Cobble Hill, British Columbia, Canada, petroleum engineering.

-- Autumn Knight, Buffalo, marketing.

-- Stephen Nash, Harare, Zimbabwe, petroleum engineering.

-- Donovan Peterson, Riverton, undeclared.

-- Michaela Suter, Sedalia, Calif., undeclared.

“Inside English 1010 highlights first-year student talent through three genres -- or types of writing -- used in our foundational communication course,” says Department of English Assistant Professor Nancy Small, the faculty adviser of this year’s journal.

The first type, called the “expos,” summarizes and explains the content of a scholarly publication using nontechnical language for a general audience.

The second is a traditional academic-researched argument, which asks students to begin with topics of their own interest; use credible secondary sources to narrow and develop their ideas; and then to develop a well-reasoned and supportive specific position or perspective -- “argument” -- for their readers.

The third is the “op-ed” genre, which practices adding to public conversation over issues of recent concern. Students select their own issues and still use research and careful structure in the op-ed, but they have more room to appeal to audience values and emotions.

“All of our English 1010 projects go through multiple drafts and get feedback from both the writer’s peers and instructors,” Small says.

The lead editor of the journal was Nat Wisehart, from Gainesboro, Tenn., a recent UW Master of Fine Arts (MFA) graduate in creative writing. The production editor was Heather Holland, from Tooele, Utah, a recent MFA graduate, with concentrations in poetry and nonfiction, and with a minor in gender and women’s studies. The editorial intern was Bradley Horne, of Pasadena, Md., an English major and professional writing minor. Ankita Sawant, of Mumbai, India, a biology major, took the journal’s cover photograph.

“I have been so lucky to work with a talented team of graduate students,” Small says. “From selecting the content to working with the student writers on final revisions to formatting and finalizing the volume’s publication, Nat, Heather and Brad have been the drivers of this work.”

The first and second volumes of Inside English 1010 can be viewed by clicking on the thumbnails linked at www.uwyo.edu/english/undergraduate-students/writingprograms/.