Course Description & Learning Outcomes

ENGL 1A Learning Outcomes (CLO)

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to

1. communicate meaning clearly and effectively;
2. identify focus, tailored to a particular audience and purpose;
3. perform effectively the essential steps of the writing process (prewriting, organizing, composing, revising, and editing);
4. explain, analyze, develop, and criticize ideas effectively;
5. use within an essay supporting material drawn from primary and secondary sources, including appropriate citations;
6. organize individual paragraphs and entire essays;
7. construct sentences with accuracy, variety, and clarity;
8. use appropriate diction and tone;
9. control conventions of written English (e.g., punctuation, spelling, reference, agreement).

GE Area A2 Course Description

ENGL 1A fulfills the written communication general education requirement. Courses in GE Area A2 cultivate an understanding of the writing process and the goals, dynamics, and genres of written communication, with special attention to the nature of writing in the university. Students will develop college-level reading abilities, rhetorical sophistication, and writing styles that give form and coherence to complex ideas and feelings. A passing grade of C or better signifies that the student is a capable college-level writer and reader of English.

GE A2 Learning Outcomes (GELO)

In addition to the learning objectives stated above, ENGL 1A also measures the learning goals of GE Area A2. Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to

1. demonstrate the ability to read actively and rhetorically;
2. demonstrate the ability to perform the essential steps in the writing process (prewriting, organizing, composing, revising, and editing) and demonstrate an awareness of said performance;
3. articulate an awareness of and write according to the rhetorical features of texts, such as purpose, audience, context, and rhetorical appeals;
4. demonstrate the ability to integrate their ideas and those of others by explaining, analyzing, developing, and criticizing ideas effectively in several genres;
5. demonstrate college-level language use, clarity, and grammatical proficiency in writing.

ENGL 1A Course Content

Diversity: SJSU studies include an emphasis on diversity. Students will engage in integrated reading and writing assignments to construct their own arguments on complex issues that generate meaningful public debate. Readings for the course will include writers of different genders and from different socio-economic classes.

Writing:

Writing assignments shall give students repeated practice in all phases of the writing process: prewriting, organizing, writing, revising, and editing. This class requires a minimum of 8000 words, at least 4000 of which must be in revised final draft form. Because in-class writing is valued and students should be able to perform well in timed writing situations, at least two essays shall be written in class. In addition, ENGL 1A classes require multiple out-of-class essays.