ENG 131E is the first college-level composition course in a two-semester sequence. Students will be introduced to writing, reading, critical thinking, and using information at the college level. In particular, the course will help students develop writing that reveals rhetorical and academic flexibility.
Goals, Topics, and Objectives
To prepare students to write clearly, read thoughtfully, think critically, and use information ethically at the college level.
- WRITE using different rhetorical strategies to communicate purposefully in a variety of situations while employing an effective writing process.
Students’ achievement of the outcome will be measured by their ability to • demonstrate awareness of genre and audience; • create a text with a clear focus, either implied or stated in a thesis; • illustrate or prove points with adequate detail and evidence; • arrange ideas logically; • use rhetorically appropriate language; and • improve clarity and credibility through careful proofreading.
- READ by applying strategies to understand a variety of texts.
Students’ achievement of the outcome will be measured by their ability to • summarize the main ideas of a piece of writing and • respond to and critique documents, including published and student texts.
- THINK CRITICALLY by comparing and evaluating diverse viewpoints on a variety of topics and reaching conclusions based on available evidence and logic.
Students’ achievement of the outcome will be measured by their ability to • demonstrate awareness of different sides of an issue through argumentation; • analyze writing strategies and contexts; and • evaluate sources for reliability, relevance, and usefulness.
- USE INFORMATION by effectively integrating and synthesizing information from other sources into their writing.
Students’ achievement of the outcome will be measured by their ability to • incorporate information from outside sources; • navigate source documentation style guides; and • document sources using both informal and formal citation styles to enhance credibility and avoid plagiarism.
Assessment and Requirements
All assessment of student writing is based on the above course outcomes and is left to the discretion of the individual instructor. Assessment should focus on student development of rhetorical and academic writing skills and should involve conversation with students.
Requirements • Students must produce several essays of significant length. • Instructors must create assignments that introduce skills of academic summary, critical analysis, research, and documentation at some point during the semester. • Instructors must offer at least one assignment that is not a traditional academic essay • Instructors must expose students to a variety of texts to help them develop rhetorical awareness. • Students must complete at least one graded in-class writing assignment. Recommendations Instructors are highly encouraged to • provide supportive feedback through activities such as workshops, conferences, revision practices, and portfolios; • equip students for navigating college culture; • welcome and support the diverse identities, backgrounds, and academic experiences of our students as essential foundations for college community; and • provide students some orientation to academic success resources on campus such as the Writing Center, Learning Lab, Eshleman Library, and Assisted Learning Services.
Every two years, the College Writing Committee will approve two common textbooks (a rhetoric and a writing handbook) for English 131 classes.
ENG 131 instructors who have taught the course at HFC for at least two semesters may select their own text(s), which must meet the curricular requirements of the ENG 131 Course Master.