The explicit goal of this course is to provide new college students the tools to prepare
you for your careers as college writers and readers. Underlying this goal, I hope we
will also find ways to further develop your interest in actively observing and participating in the
world we live in. We will examine how to be an active and critical reader of the information we
receive on a daily basis. We will question our assumptions. We will study our communication
styles, and we will attempt to look at the goals and methods found behind the continuous stream
of words and images we entertain for most of our waking lives. The primary focus of this course
is the research paper and the practice of revision. The research paper assignment will occupy the
first half of the semester. Revision is the heart of this class, so be forewarned, you will be writing
and re-writing and re-writing.