FIRST YEAR WRITING (FYW) EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES: By the end of First-Year Writing, students should be able to do the following:
o Identify and use key rhetorical concepts, including purpose, audience, and context, through analyzing and composing a variety of texts.
o Integrate critical thinking, reading, and writing.
o Reflect on and develop their own writing processes.
o Appropriately apply knowledge of linguistic structures, genre, and citation.
Here is an extended description of what we expect students will know and
do by the end of First-Year Writing:
Rhetorical Knowledge. Students can use rhetorical knowledge to analyze and
compose in a variety of genres in diverse contexts. Students can demonstrate an
understanding of audience and purpose, and apply this knowledge in print and
electronic environments using a variety of technologies.
Critical Thinking, Reading, and Writing. Students can use reading and writing for
inquiry, learning, critical thinking, and communicating in various rhetorical contexts.
Students can locate and evaluate a range of research materials and integrate their own
ideas with those from sources appropriate to the rhetorical situation. Students can
situate analysis within a broader context.
Processes.
Students can develop writing projects through multiple drafts and develop
flexible strategies for reading, drafting, reviewing, collaborating, revising, rewriting,
rereading, and editing. Students can adapt writing processes to a variety of technologies
and modalities. Students can analyze and reflect on how their processes and practices
influence their writing.
Knowledge of Conventions. Students can use knowledge of linguistic structures,
understand how and why genre conventions vary, and systematically and appropriately
apply linguistic, genre, and citation conventions to rhetorical contexts.
An explanation of Curation:
For the three of the five graded papers and two Writing Responses in your portfolio, you are asked to curate (defined here as “analyze”) how the specific writing assignment demonstrates how well you have achieved some of the First Year Writing Expected Learning Outcomes in whole or in part. But do not just “tell me” an assignment achieved one of these goals, “show me” with specific evidence from the assignment. Quotes and /or comments about the text constitute specific evidence. Respond to learning goals you can best support. I would rather see fewer learning goals well supported than several generally discussed. Curations belong in the same section as the assignment being curated. It is reasonable to assume you probably can respond in whole or in part to at least two learning goals.
The four First Year Writing Expected Learning Outcomes can be found in Course Documents on the D2L Content page. If you haven’t done so already, download and print out these goals and note the expanded definitions of each.
An explanation of the Reflective Essay:
Your Mid-Term essay will comment on your course experience so far. You will write a substantial Final essay that includes your personal reflections on the course, your progress and /or problems in achieving reading and writing proficiency, and what you take away from the course.
What you say in your course reflection is up to you. Here are some points you may want to consider: Do you have a greater appreciation of the writing process, the importance of shaping your writing to a specific audience, and the benefits of peer review? Was the Tools or Argument handout helpful? Did summarizing a text with a précis challenge and/or improve your critical thinking skills? What individual literacy goals did you have for your reading and writing this term? What have you accomplished that you feel proud of? What do you want to continue to work on? How was the class environment? How do you feel about using the New York Times as a text? Does this digital portfolio reflect or act as a metaphor for your 104 course experience?
If you have questions I’m here to help but we have to communicate!