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A REVISED FIRST-YEAR WRITING AND COMMUNICATION EXPERIENCE

Currently, ENG 100 introduces students to general expository writing in various genres, and COMM 145 provides instruction in planning, developing, and delivering research-based argumentative speeches, as well as in communication theories and practices.  A revised first-year writing and communication experience, with an introduction to writing and communication across disciplines, genres, and cultures will provide students with a foundation which can then be vertically aligned with the sophomore/junior curriculum. 

To that end, we will develop a first-year writing and communication experience focused on developing skills in evidence and argument revision.  Specific initiatives are anticipated to include:

• Revising ENG 100 course goals to more explicitly require at least one argument paper, with appropriate integration of secondary source material;
• Identifying a set of common activities that instructors can choose from to deliver in ENG 100 that will provide instruction in in-text citation and bibliographies;
• Redesigning departmental professional development programs to assist faculty in applying pedagogical best practices to support the teaching of argumentation at the introductory level;
• Aligning course goals and student artifacts with E&A student learning outcomes to facilitate authentic and reliable assessment;
• Establishing appropriate targeted levels of student performance on assessments based on LEAP rubrics; and
• Dedicating particular focus to addressing identified weaknesses in student performance, specifically related to identification of high-quality and relevant source material, and the effective integration of that source material to support the arguments.

Want to be involved in this initiative?  Send us an email.