Courses

8 Guiding Frameworks for First-Year Writing

The eight shared practices outlined below provide a foundation for the how and the what of our teaching and are informed by disciplinary research. These are core practices and content areas that work to center our students’ learning processes and experiences across all sections of FYW. 

  1. Equity and Access-focused Learning
  2. Writing-Centered & Process-Focused
  3. Scaffolded Curriculum Design and Low-stakes Practice
  4. Metacognition & Reflective Practice
  5. Rhetorical Awareness
  6. Multimodality
  7. Information Literacy
  8. First-year focused
     

WRIT 1301: University Writing

All sections work toward common course learning outcomes with a shared focus on writing processes, strategies, discussion, research and active learning. However, readings and particular assignments can vary across sections.

General Sections  

WRIT 1301 introduces students to writing processes, skills and strategies that provide a strong foundation for future writing of all kinds – academic, professional, personal, civic. Core areas of focus include: rhetorical awareness; critical thinking; information literacy; multimodal composing; accessibility; and giving, getting and applying feedback. The course requires regular peer-to-peer and peer-to-instructor interactions and scaffolded activities and assignments as students develop several projects over the course of the semester. Regular participation is critical in both modalities of the course – in-person/blended and async/online. 

Multilingual Sections

These opt-in sections typically have 35% of seats reserved for multilingual and/or international students. The classroom community intentionally brings together a range of English speakers with an intercultural focus.These sections are taught by instructors who have interest and training in supporting interactive and inclusive classroom practices to support a culturally and linguistically diverse community of writers.

Writ 1301H - Honors Section

In WRIT 1301H, students meet the WRIT 1301 course outcomes with a deepened focus on and attention to writing processes and rhetorical strategies that are attuned to students’ academic, scholarly and professional goals.  As part of this honors experience, students will produce a research proposal relevant and responsive to their intended field of study. Writing and research processes are facilitated by frequent interactions with and feedback from peers and the instructor, and by regularly embedded metacognitive practice. The course emphasizes student-driven topic selection and inquiry development, peer-to-peer interactions, and metacognitive practice so as to support a deep experience with and development of capacity in collaboration and iterative writing and research processes. 

WRIT 1401: University Writing - Community Engaged Learning

WRIT 1401 introduces students to writing processes, skills and strategies that provides a strong foundation for future writing of all kinds – academic, professional, personal, civic. The work of writing in this class happens in partnership with a local social justice-focused organization. Student projects support the organization’s work and provide opportunity to experience writing as advocacy in a community context. Core areas of focus include: rhetorical awareness; critical thinking; information literacy; multimodal composing; accessibility; and giving, getting and applying feedback. The course requires regular peer-to-peer and peer-to-instructor interactions and scaffolded activities and assignments in support of projects. Regular participation is critical in both areas of the blended modality – in-person and online. In addition, students will be required to do local site visits outside of class time.