WR 1015 - Writing in the Liberal Arts and Sciences I

The goals of this course are, first, to develop the students’ critical and analytical thinking skills in the context of a sound rhetorical approach to written communication; and, second, to instill a fundamental sensitivity to and facility with language. Areas of study include the nature of the writing process, situation and audience, problem definition, invention techniques, thesis statements, organization, drafting, revisions, and the fundamentals of editing. Assignments follow thematic sequences leading students from experience‐based, issue-oriented arguments to the essentials of formal academic research. This course is offered every semester and is required of all students to meet institutional graduation requirements.

Effective Spring 2, 2020; Course Description Changed to:

The First-year writing course plays a central role in crafting the foundation of an education at New England College. The central goal of the Writing curriculum is to produce confident writers who are “rhetorically aware,” who analyze the social contexts that create occasions for writing, consider the needs of potential audiences, and make wise choices about content, format, and style. This course emphasizes a process approach to writing that involves critical thinking, drafting, and revising. In order to be successful in any discipline, students are going to be required to demonstrate their knowledge and abilities through writing.

Writing 1015 is an evidence-based, writing intensive course designed to improve critical thinking, reading, and writing proficiencies through guidance in a variety of academic formats. Students will develop strategies for turning their experience, observations, and analyses into evidence suitable for academic writing. Over the course of the term, students will build upon their developing critical thinking skills to learn the processes necessary for gathering and incorporating research material in their writing. Students will learn how to evaluate, cite, and document research sources, as well as how to develop arguments and support them with sound evidence. 4 credits