Course goals and learning outcomes support the Foundational Component Areas defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Course goals are linked to the respective Core Curriculum Competencies: Critical Thinking Skills, Communication Skills, Teamwork, and Personal Responsibility. Specific competencies are identified in designated course goals and learning outcomes.

Upon successful completion of this course, students will:

Demonstrate knowledge of individual and collaborative writing processes by
1. producing prewriting samples that reflect various invention strategies as specified by the instructor, including but not limited to clustering, free writing, listing, questioning, and/or scratch outlining;
2. demonstrating mastery of the writing process, including steps such as topic selection, topic narrowing, thesis generation, topic subdivision, outlining, and drafting;
3. producing writings, passages, or other texts that show improvement in focus, content, organization, and surface features from assignment to final product.
Develop ideas with appropriate support and attribution by
1. compiling sufficient information for the essay;
2. demonstrating understanding of essay structure and organization;
3. developing an essay with adequate, appropriate paragraph development to support a central idea, controlling generalization, claim, or thesis;
4. using appropriate attribution format when integrating supporting information.
Write in a style appropriate to audience and purpose by
1. including a definitive statement, located in an appropriate place in the essay, which focuses the reader on the writer’s purpose;
2. writing coherent essays using appropriate rhetorical strategies, such as description, narration, example, process, comparison and contrast, definition, classification, cause and effect, and argumentation.
Read, reflect, and respond critically to a variety of texts by
1. identifying the stated or implied purpose in professional/academic writing samples and in peers’ writing;
2. identifying mechanical, grammatical, and spelling errors in instructor-generated materials, peer-produced texts, and other texts;
3. analyzing content and rhetorical strategies in professional/academic writing samples and in peers’ writing.
Use Edited American English in academic essays by
1. demonstrating proper grammatical constructions, including standard usage and varied sentence structure;
2. using accurate mechanics and punctuation;
3. demonstrating standard spelling;
4. preparing a final copy following format guidelines.
Critical Thinking Skills: Demonstrate critical thinking skills by
1. differentiating between broad, general topics and narrow, focused topics;
2. identifying purpose or rhetorical occasion;
3. reading and responding to course materials in a way that demonstrates ability to apply, analyze, evaluate, and synthesize material effectively;
4. discerning the validity, value, and strengths and weaknesses of information, assessments, statements, or evidence provided, and providing a solid, evidence-based explanation of such a critique.
Communication Skills: Demonstrate communication skills by
1. selecting appropriate topics for essays;
2. utilizing various technologies as they relate to competent communication;
3. demonstrating ability to analyze audience and writing appropriately for that audience;
4. using appropriate diction, including precise word choice and varied vocabulary.
Personal Responsibility: Demonstrate personal responsibility by
1. demonstrating effective listening skills when evaluating and analyzing information in the classroom setting;
2. demonstrating the ability to consider differing points of view;
3. demonstrating audience sensitivity in regard to scope, content, language level, tone, and word choice.
Teamwork: Demonstrate teamwork by
1. applying small group communication skills including problem solving, group roles, leadership styles, and cohesiveness;
2. working effectively with others to support a shared purpose or goal.

ENGL 1301

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ENGL 1301 - Composition I