COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Intensive instruction in academic writing and research. Basic principles of rhetoric and strategies for academic inquiry and argument. Instruction and practice in critical reading, including the generative and responsible use of print and electronic sources for academic research. Exploration of literate practices across a range of academic domains, laying the foundation for further writing development in college. Continued attention to grammar and conventions of standard written English.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Writing is a powerful way of understanding ourselves and the world in which we live. It is through writing that the various disciplines and professions define the knowledge and methodologies that characterize them. Mastery of writing and information skills is central
to engaging in the productive life of academic and professional communities.
General Education Program Objectives
Write effectively in specific situations, which may include various academic, professional, or civic situations.
Understand and respond appropriately
to the critical elements that shape written communication situations, such as audience, purpose,
and genre.
Demonstrate critical and evaluative thinking skills in locating, analyzing, synthesizing, and using information
in written communication.
English 101 Objectives
Learn and apply basic principles of rhetoric and develop an understanding of written texts as arguments generated for
particular purposes, audiences, and rhetorical contexts.
Examine similarities and differences in forms of inquiry and
writing across academic disciplines.
Practice analytical reading strategies and hone the ability to summarize, paraphrase, draw evidence from, synthesize, and
respond to the scholarship of others.
Learn to find and evaluate print and electronic source materials appropriate for academic research projects.
Learn to develop original arguments for a range of academic purposes.
Practice critically evaluating their own and others' work and collaborating effectively with other writers throughout the
writing process.
Practice and refine technical skills in areas such as grammar, mechanics, and the documentation of source materials.
COURSE MATERIALS:
An Insider's Guide
to Academic Writing
Based on the best practices of a first-year composition program that has trained hundreds of teachers who have instructed thousands of students, An Insider’s Guide to Academic Writing offers two books in one: an innovative rhetoric of academic writing (available as its own book), and a thematic reader that foregrounds real readings from the disciplines.
interTEXTS
interTEXTS is a collection of student writing from students at North Carolina State University, and it serves as a supplemental model for the kinds of writing you can expect to undertake.
Laptop Computer
Students are required to have a full-functioning laptop computer that should be brought to class each day. "Full-functioning" means charged/plugged in, properly working, wireless internet capable, and loaded with appropriate software, including a web browser, a PDF reader, and a word processor. If you do not have a laptop computer, please let me know, and we will make arrangements for you to take another section of English 101.