Students at the university take the Composition I and Composition II sequence as part of the General Education requirement. In these courses, students practice critical reading as well as writing in a variety of styles. The work students do in Composition prepares them to continue reading and writing in their major areas of study.
In both courses, students come to understand writing as a process that involves rigorous attention to developing ideas, writing, and revising. They develop an understanding of rhetoric and writing conventions as well as the skills to present ideas clearly. As students move into Composition II, they build on their skills focusing on argument, academic styles of writing, and more advanced research skills.
The following learning outcomes for Composition I and II were developed to correlate with the General Education competencies, the QEP (FGCU Scholars) as well as the Association of American Colleges and Universities Valid Assessment of Learning in Undergraduate Education rubric.
Composition Learning Outcomes
Composition I / ENC 1101
- Formulate a topic and develop it for a specific audience and purpose
- Identify how authors employ language and develop ideas in texts
- Use a rigorous writing process that includes inventing, drafting, and revising
- Select, organize, and relate ideas and information with clarity and precision
- Introduce basic research skills including collecting, managing, and documenting information
- Develop critical reading and thinking skills
- Consider diverse perspectives when formulating and developing ideas
- Develop an idea related to environmental sustainability
- Employ conventions specific to academic writing in different types of essays
- Employ the conventions of standard written English
Composition II / ENC 1102
- Formulate a sound argument and develop it for a specific audience, purpose and context
- Consider diverse perspectives when formulating and developing arguments
- Use higher level research and information literacy skills including collecting, evaluating, managing, incorporating, and documenting information from credible, relevant sources
- Apply critical thinking skills through analysis and evaluation
- Select, organize, and relate ideas and information with clarity and precision
- Use a rigorous writing process that includes inventing, drafting, and revising
- Employ conventions specific to academic writing
- Employ the conventions of standard written English
College-Level Writing Skills (CLWS, formerly Gordon Rule) Requirements for Composition courses
In addition to a number of required shorter writing assignments, which may include exam answers, reviews, and/or personal response (the selection to be made at the instructor’s discretion), students will complete multiple longer writing assignments (one of which may be a major revision) totaling no fewer than 2500 words. Each writing assignment will be the result of a writing process that includes creating, revising and proof-reading drafts.
In addition, to ensure mastery of college-level writing skills, each assignment will reflect the attributes described in the General Education Competency on Written Communication:
- Select and develop a topic for a specific audience and purpose
- Apply the range of conventions particular to a given subject area/discipline when writing about this topic, including appropriate organization, formatting, and style
- Demonstrate information literacy skills by identifying, accessing, and using credible and relevant sources to develop ideas
Students must complete and submit all formal essay assignments in order to pass the course.
