Composition Programs

Course Description
This extended version of ENGL 1010, the first of the required GE writing courses, introduces students to academic composition and provides extra support for students whose placement scores suggest they might need extended writing practice. Students will engage in writing as a process, pre-drafting strategies, multiple drafts, peer review, and large- and small-scale revisions.

Students with ACT scores below 17 or with Accuplacer scores below 250 in Reading and Writing must enroll in ENGL 1010E. Students who wish to challenge an ACT or Accuplacer score that places them into ENGL 1010E can contact the English Department to arrange a challenge essay.

Student Learning Outcomes

• Written Communication - Upon successful completion of the General Education Written Communication requirement, students will have met the following learning outcomes:
• Sources and Evidence: Locate, evaluate, and integrate credible and relevant sources to achieve various writing purposes;
• Genre Awareness: Demonstrate critical and conceptual awareness of genre in reading and writing--including organization, content, presentation, formatting, and stylistic choices;
• Context and Purpose: Analyze rhetorical situations and adapt to the audience, purpose, modalities, and the circumstances surrounding a range of reading and writing tasks;
• Language Awareness and Usage: Recognize and make intentional, critical, and contextually-informed language choices across a range of rhetorical contexts/situations;
• Recursive Writing Processes: Develop flexible, iterative, and reflective processes for invention, drafting, workshopping, and revision.

In English 1010E, instructors will:

• Prepare and distribute a syllabus that includes Learning Outcomes, activities and assignments related to Learning Outcomes;
• Guide students to sources and help them critically evaluate and synthesize the sources into their own writing;
• Assign multiple drafts on all major papers that include instructor and peer response to student writing, as well as revised writing;
• Assign 12-15 pages of formal (polished) writing across a minimum of three major papers:
  • At least one persuasive writing project of at least six pages that includes three to four cited sources 1010 documented according to an official documentation style;
• Assign approximately 10-15 pages of informal writing, which might include exploratory writing, journal writing, audience analysis, and responses to assigned readings;
• Assign multiple readings throughout the semester, including authors representing a variety of perspectives and genres;
• Assign 2-4 pages of writing, formal or informal, that reflects the student's understanding of the writing process;

Assign additional developmental activities to support course learning outcomes (activities might include lab hours, grammar activities, writing studios, writing process practice,
etc. to cover the additional credit hour).

The first of the required GE writing courses introduces students to academic composition. Students will engage in writing as a process, pre-drafting strategies, multiple drafts, peer review, and large and small-scale revisions. Students with ACT English scores below 29 are required to take ENGL 1010 before enrolling in ENGL 2010. Students with ACT English scores below 17 or with Accuplacer scores below 250 in Reading and Writing must enroll in ENGL 1010E.

Learning Outcomes

Written Communication - Upon successful completion of the General Education Written Communication requirement, students will be able to:

• Sources and Evidence: Locate, evaluate, and integrate credible and relevant sources to achieve various writing purposes
• Genre Awareness: Demonstrate critical and conceptual awareness of genre in reading and writing—including organization, content, presentation, formatting, and stylistic choices
• Context and Purpose: Analyze rhetorical situations and adapt to the audience, purpose, modalities, and the circumstances surrounding a range of reading and writing tasks
• Language Awareness and Usage: Recognize and make intentional, critical, and contextually-informed language choices across a range of rhetorical contexts/situations
• Recursive Writing Processes: Develop flexible, iterative, and reflective processes for invention, drafting, workshopping, and revision

In English 1010, instructors will

• Prepare and distribute a syllabus that includes Learning Outcomes, activities and assignments related to Learning Outcomes;
• Guide students to sources and help them critically evaluate and synthesize the sources into their own writing;
• Assign multiple drafts on all major papers that include instructor and peer response to student writing, as well as revised writing;
• Assign 12-15 pages of formal (polished) writing across a minimum of three major papers:
  • At least one persuasive writing project of at least six pages that includes three to four cited sources 2010 documented according to an official documentation style;
• Assign approximately 10-15 pages of informal writing, which might include exploratory writing, journal writing, audience analysis, and responses to assigned readings;
• Assign multiple readings throughout the semester, including authors representing a variety of perspectives and genres;
• Assign 2-4 pages of writing, formal or informal, that reflects the student's understanding of the writing process.

The second of the GE writing courses emphasizes the development of an effective academic style in argumentative essays that makes use of traditional rhetorical patterns, culminating in a major research paper. Subtopics will vary.  Students with ACT English scores below 29 must take ENGL 1010  before enrolling in ENGL 2010.

Student Learning Outcomes

Written Communication

Construct arguments that demonstrate rhetorical awareness of purpose, audience, and context

• Employ accurate and diverse diction, appropriate tone, and construct sentences varied in structure
• Define the scope of the research question or thesis completely and determine key concepts.
• Design and construct arguments for specific audiences with an emphasis on organizing, sustaining, and maintaining consistency
• employ standard grammatical usage, including correct punctuation for discipline, and adhere to a specific style guide

Information Literacy

Identify, locate, evaluate, and effectively and responsibly use and share information to achieve an intended purpose.

• Access and document information and relevant sources using a variety of search strategies
• Correctly use primary and secondary sources (including paraphrase, summary, and quotations) in ways that are true to the original text

Inquiry and Analysis

Systematically explore issues through the collection and analysis of evidence that result in informed conclusions and judgments.

• Break complex topics or issues into parts to gain a better understanding of them. 
• Arrange and synthesize evidence to reveal insightful patterns, differences, or similarities related to focus

In English 2010, instructors will

• Prepare and distribute a syllabus that includes Learning Outcomes, activities and assignments related to Learning Outcomes;
• Assign 15-20 pages of polished writing, which must include the following:
  • A persuasive writing project of 3-6 pages that includes at least four cited sources;
  • At least one other short writing, which could include a narrative work, a proposal, annotated bibliography, process reflection, an abstract, etc.;
  • A research paper of at least 10 pages of text with at least seven appropriately documented sources (according to an appropriate style guide);
• Assign multiple drafts on all major papers that include instructor and peer response to student writing, as well as revised writing;
• Assign approximately 10-15 pages of informal writing, which might include exploratory writing, journaling, a synthesis matrix, and responses to assigned readings;
• Assign substantial and extensive reading, including authors representing a variety of perspectives that contribute to a student's understanding of the course content but do not take away focus from writing instruction;
• Assign 2-4 pages of writing, formal or informal, that reflects the student's understanding of the writing process.