COURSE DESCRIPTION
College English Composition is a foundational course designed to equip students with the essential writing skills necessary for academic success. This course covers a comprehensive range of topics, guiding students through the intricacies of effective writing.
Emphasizing clarity, coherence, and structure, students will learn to craft well-organized essays, develop strong arguments, and enhance their critical thinking abilities. By engaging with various types of writing, students will become proficient in expressing their ideas clearly and persuasively.
Key Points
- Understanding the Writing Process: The course begins by introducing the stages of the writing process: prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing. Each stage is essential in creating polished and effective written work.
- Crafting Effective Thesis Statements: A strong thesis statement is the backbone of any successful essay. This section focuses on developing clear and specific thesis statements that guide the direction of an essay.
- Structuring Essays: Proper essay structure is crucial for readability and logical flow. This part of the course covers the components of an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
- Developing Different Types of Essays: The course covers various types of essays, including narrative, descriptive, expository, persuasive, compare and contrast, cause and effect, reflective, analytical, and critical essays.
- Using Evidence and Examples: Supporting arguments with evidence and examples is a critical aspect of effective writing. This section teaches students how to incorporate facts, statistics, quotes, and other forms of evidence into their essays.
- Enhancing Critical Thinking and Analytical Skills: Critical thinking and analysis are fundamental skills for academic success. This part of the course focuses on developing these abilities through writing.
Core Learning Outcomes
- Master the Writing Process: Demonstrate proficiency in each stage of the writing process, from prewriting to publishing, to produce polished and effective academic writing.
- Create Effective Thesis Statements: Develop clear and specific thesis statements that provide direction and focus for well-structured essays.
- Organize Essays for Clarity: Structure essays with coherent introductions, body paragraphs, and conclusions to enhance readability and logical flow.
- Write Versatile Essay Types: Adapt writing styles to craft various types of essays, including narrative, persuasive, and analytical, based on the context and purpose.
- Incorporate Evidence and Examples: Use evidence and examples effectively to support arguments, adding credibility and persuasiveness to writing.
- Enhance Critical Thinking and Analysis: Apply critical thinking and analytical skills in writing, enabling deeper engagement with texts and ideas.
REFERENCE MATERIALS for Full-CLC Students
“A full CLC award signifies that the student has attained the knowledge, through either prior education or experience, equivalent to or greater than what would be learned in a traditional college course. Physical attendance is not required; however, successful completion of a final exam for each course is mandatory.”
Reference Materials
- (2011) Writing Spaces: Readings on Writing, Volume 2: Parlor Press West Lafayette. Edited by Charles Lowe and Pavel Zemliansky
- (2010) Writing Spaces: Readings on Writing, Volume 1: Parlor Press West Lafayette. Edited by Charles Lowe and Pavel Zemliansky
- (2015) How to Write Descriptively. Nalo Hopkinson.
- (2015) An Introduction to Academic Writing. John Kotnarowski. NUST MISIS Academic Writing Center
- (2015) How to Use a Semicolon. Emma Bryce.
- (2015) When to Use Apostrophes. Laura Mclure.
- (2013) Comma Story. Terisa Folaron
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Additional Resource Materials:
USILACS is committed to the success of its students. For those needing a knowledge refresher or wishing to expand their understanding of the subject, it is recommended that they review some of the online education resources below:
FREE Online College Courses:
- Khan Academy Link
- edX Link
- Coursera Link
- Open Culture Link
- MIT Link
- Carnegie Mellon Link
- Stanford Online Link
Tips for Success
Some reference materials are extensive books with hundreds of pages. To quickly find answers within these books, follow these steps:
- Use the Table of Contents: Start by reviewing the table of contents to identify relevant chapters or sections that pertain to your topic of interest.
- Utilize the Index: The index at the back of the book can be an invaluable tool. Look up specific keywords or topics to find the exact pages where they are discussed.
- Perform a Keyword Search: If the book is in a digital format (PDF, eBook, etc.), use the search function (often accessed with Ctrl+F or Command+F) to find specific terms or phrases within the text.
- Read Summaries and Abstracts: Focus on chapter summaries or abstracts, which often provide concise overviews of the main points covered.
- Skim Strategically: Skim through headings, subheadings, and highlighted or bolded terms to quickly locate sections that are likely to contain the information you need.
- Consult Study Guides or Companion Materials: If available, use any study guides, companion materials, or outlines that accompany the book to direct you to key information.
By employing these strategies, you can efficiently navigate extensive reference materials to find the answers you need.