Composition & Reading I
The following objectives and learning targets represent the major concepts studied and assessed in this course.
Course Objectives
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Identify and accurately summarize the elements of an essay: thesis, main ideas and supporting details.
- Develop and support a thesis for different purposes and readers.
- Employ the writing process, which includes invention, planning, drafting and revision.
- Demonstrate expressive, expository and persuasive writing techniques using the principles of organization, unity, coherence and theme development.
- Use documentation principles in a piece of writing.
- Demonstrate critical thinking skills.
- Differentiate personal opinions and assumptions from those of others.
- Use outside sources to synthesize ideas from multiple perspectives.
- Draw informed conclusions from writings and observations.
- Argue reasoned interpretations.
- Critique one’s own writing and the writing of others.
Semester 1
Unit 1
- Incorporate qualities of expressive and reflective writing into a composition effectively.
- Use writing conventions and development to communicate effectively.
- Assess explicit and implicit meaning in a prompt and address both in writing.
- Write about a personal experience using elements of plot, conflict and character development.
- Respond to a variety of possible scholarship prompts.
Unit 2
- Convey information through composition for a variety of purposes: cause-effect, compare-contrast, process writing and problem-solution.
- Share facts and data using proper research and citations.
Unit 3
- Learn rhetorical modes of argumentation and incorporate them into a composition, all while avoiding logical fallacy.
- Conduct research and cite sources appropriately within and at the end of the paper.
- Research an issue and present evidence for a claim and counterargument.
- Refine, edit and expand on ideas.