On writing.

Preface he Master of Science in Information Assurance (MSIA) was an online graduate program I created in 2002 at Norwich University and directed until 2009. The current name of the program is the Online Master of Science in Information Security & Assurance 3. The original program was taught over 18 months in six 11-week seminars that required students to study assigned readings, participate in online discussions, and write one short (~1,000 word) essay a week based on research in their own place of employment or on their chosen industry. At the end of the seminar, students also submitted a more extensive term paper (for their employer) or white paper (appropriate for their industry). I answered questions from students and faculty about the amount and style of writing in our program and compiled some of the resulting essays (originally posted on the MSIA Graduate Portal and in mailings to the students) into this document. I hope that undergraduate and high-school students – and indeed anyone interested in expository writing – will also find the ideas interesting, stimulating and useful. However, these ideas do not generally apply to creative writing, so English Majors may want to use the document as the subject of their own expository essay explaining the profound differences between writing for art and writing for technical purposes. 1 Version 11 revised October 2015 with thanks to Aileen Pablo of Australia's Open Colleges for updated links to online resources. Version 10 revised February 2009 with thanks to Professors Stephen Cobb and Ric Steinberger and Administrative Director Elizabeth Templeton of the MSIA program at Norwich University for their helpful contributions, suggestions and corrections. All errors are my responsibility.