The student will be able to:

1. Analyze authentic reading selections for specific rhetorical features
2. Respond critically to assigned readings and student essays, both in writing and orally
3. Demonstrate comprehension of assigned readings by producing short and extended summaries
4. Write unified, coherent, well-developed expository essays that include all standard elements of an academic essay
5. Incorporate paraphrases and quotations from assigned readings
6. Develop and employ level-appropriate sentence patterns in essays and summaries
7. Edit essays and summaries for grammatical correctness and revise for content changes
8. Write and edit a complete essay in class

1. Analyze authentic reading selections for specific rhetorical features
   1. Determine the main idea, audience, and purpose of each reading selection
   2. Evaluate the effectiveness of introductions and conclusions
   3. Evaluate the relevance of supporting detail
   4. Identify the structure
   5. Identify cohesive devices:
      1. Pronoun reference
      2. Repetition of key terms (lexical coherence)
      3. Subordinators
      4. Transitional devices (transition words, phrases, clauses, sentences)
   6. Distinguish between facts and opinions
   7. Make inferences
   8. Identify cultural values
2. Respond critically to reading selections in writing and orally
   1. Agree with or challenge specific content
   2. Relate to personal experiences
   3. Relate to other readings
   4. Draw conclusions
   5. Respond purposefully to classmates' compositions
      1. Reflect back the main idea
      2. Point out specific writing techniques
      3. Ask questions for clarification
3. Demonstrate comprehension of assigned readings by producing short and extended summaries
   1. Section for main ideas
      1. Identify sections by determining topics
      2. State main points of each section
   2. Write an opening sentence that references the author and source, uses an appropriate signal verb, and paraphrases the controlling idea
   3. Accurately paraphrase the main ideas rather than copy original wording
   4. Report main ideas rather than offer opinion
   5. Follow the organizational structure of the reading
   6. Use coherence strategies to show relationships between and among ideas
4. Write unified, coherent, well-developed expository essays that include all standard elements of an academic essay
   1. Arguable thesis statement
   2. Topic sentences that clearly support the thesis statement
   3. Introduction with a clear purpose, for example:
      1. To summarize an article
      2. To provide background information
      3. To relate an anecdote that illustrates the topic under consideration
   4. Conclusion that does more than summarize the main points of the essay, for example:
      1. To offer a recommendation
      2. To offer a warning
      3. To make a prediction
   5. Relevant support
      1. Personal experience and/or observation
      2. Knowledge gleaned through educational experiences
      3. Personal belief systems
      4. Expert opinion (in the forms of quotes and paraphrases from sources)
   6. Thoughtful analysis of support
      1. Distinguish between description and analysis, e.g., the "what" from the "why" or "how"
      2. Connect support and analysis to source material
      3. Avoid simplistic reasoning
5. Incorporate basic paraphrases and quotations from assigned readings, paying special attention to:
   1. Distinction between introduced and embedded quotations
   2. Grammatical accuracy
   3. Relevance
   4. Purpose
      1. To introduce an idea
      2. To use as support
      3. To contradict
      4. To conclude
   5. Proper MLA citations
6. Develop and employ level- and task-appropriate sentence patterns
   1. Use a variety of cohesive devices
      1. Clear pronoun reference
      2. Repetition of key terms (lexical coherence)
      3. Transitional devices (transition words, phrases, clauses, sentences)
   2. Use a variety phase and sentence types
      1. Phrasal modifiers
      2. Verbal phrases
      3. Compound and complex sentences that connect related ideas
7. Edit essays for grammatical correctness and revise for content changes
   1. Identify and edit for individual patterns of grammatical errors (e.g., fragments, run-on sentences, comma splices, verb tense, word form)
   2. Revise by making substantial changes in content (e.g., delete, add, or rearrange ideas) based on feedback from peers, from the TLC, and from the instructor
8. Write and edit a complete in-class essay in 80 minutes. When the in-class essay is given as the final exam, the allotted time will be 120 minutes

Not applicable.

Analysis of assigned reading selections
1. Journal assignments
2. At least three revised essays of at least 750 words each:
a. The first essay summarizes a reading and then develops the student's viewpoint on the topic of that reading utilizing personal experience, observations, and/or personal belief systems. This is NOT a personal narrative or description but an analytical essay that demonstrates reasoning
b. The second essay refers directly to an assigned reading, utilizing basic quotes and paraphrases, elaborating on a topic discussed by an author
c. The third essay is a synthesis paper, applying ideas from one author to those of another, using basic quotes and paraphrases and elaborating on a topic presented in two readings. This is NOT a comparison/contrast essay
At least two in-class essays based on a reading selection. Potential readings and linguistic issues for this assignment are discussed in prior class sessions, but students are not given the prompt in advance
Participation in class discussions
Exercises and quizzes

Lecture
Discussion
Cooperative learning exercises

Gardner, Peter. New Directions, 2nd ed.. 2009.

McDonald, Stephen, and William Salomone. The Writer's Response: A Reading-Based Approach to College Writing, 6th ed.. 2016.

Although these texts are older than the suggested "5 years or newer" standard, they remain seminal texts in this area of study and are considered foundational texts. More recent editions of these texts have not yet been published.

Instructors must choose a textbook from the list above. If, however, a faculty member would prefer to use a textbook not on the list, they must contact a full-time faculty member who regularly teaches the course to explain how the adoption would serve to achieve the learning outcomes specified in the course outline of record.

1. Required readings from the text and other sources, such as reputable newspapers, periodicals, websites, etc.
2. Five essays, two of which are written in class, and three of which are written outside of class and are at least 750 words each