In
this course you’re going to have fun. Seriously. You will read, write, think,
question, and argue. Through our journey together you will learn to read
actively for specific purposes, become a stronger writer, think outside the
box, question everything (in a productive manner), and you will learn to argue
effectively and persuasively. We will begin our odyssey in the library and on
the Internet learning how to find and make use of reliable sources. In our
increasingly information overloaded world we need to learn how to search for
and filter out useful from useless information. And, we need to learn how to
make use of the information we find.
Throughout the course, we will do quite a bit of reading of short essays
from out text, which should spark lively discussions and help us think about
the myriad ways in which good writing can effect critical thinking and
introspection. Many of our readings will lead us naturally to find associations
and connections with our own experiences and with the world around us. The main
emphasis of our writing in this course will focus on the process of writing
from invention to drafting to peer reviews and, of course, revision, revision,
and revision. Good writing doesn’t just happen, it is a skill that needs to be
developed and practiced. Along with much reading and writing for homework you
will write 5 essays, each building upon the skills of the last: Reflection,
Evaluation, Cause(s) and/or Effect(s), Position, and a Proposal to Solve a
Problem. These essays, and the other work that we do, will prepare you for the
demands of the other courses you will be engaged in during the next four years
and for your professional and personal life beyond the university.
Course Requirements:
- Daily homework (usually reading and writing)
- 1 group presentation on readings
- 5 essays
Required Text
(Available at the campus Bookstore):
- Axelrod, Rise B., Charles R. Cooper, and Alison M. Warriner. Reading Critically,
- Writing Well: A Reader and Guide.9th Ed. Boston: Bedford/St.
Martin’s, 2011.