Abigail Freeman

Student Learning Outcomes

As a writing faculty, we recognize that the entire following student learning out comes are connected,
and often happen at the same time. We also recognize that rhetorical awareness, the ability to anticipate and
address the needs of your audience, and critical thinking happen throughout the writing process; and that these
acts cannot be separated from the work of writing. We have done so to help others gain a better understanding
of concepts introduced and reinforced in First Year Writing, so that they will continue to be practiced and
developed.
Rhetorical Knowledge
Rhetorical Knowledge is the ability to identify and apply different strategies across a range of texts
and writing situations. Every writer has their own process and approach to writing that they use to write and
understand how genre, audience, purpose, and context impact their writing choices. By the end of First Year
Writing, students should be able to:

Be able to shift voice, tone, formality, design, medium, and layout intentionally
Assess how genres shape and are shaped by a writers and readers experimentation with different
methods
Use rhetorical concepts to analyze and write a variety of texts.

Critical Reading
To read critically means you should be able to analyze, incorporate, interpret and evaluate ideas,
information and texts. By the end of FYW you should be able to:

Use reading for inquiry, learning, and discovery

Critically analyze your writing and others
Determine and evaluate primary and secondary research materials
Use a diverse range of text and know how they function for different audiences

Composing Process
A composing process is the use of multiple strategies to think, create, and finish projects. There is no
set order to a composing process, and they tend to be flexible. By the end of FYW you should be able to:

Demonstrate flexible strategies

Brainstorm
Respond to others writing
Interpret and evaluate received responses.
Use your writing process to deepen you engagement

Knowledge of Conventions
These are the formal and informal rules and guidelines to genres. This helps shape expectations of
both the writer and the reader. Conventions control things like grammar, spelling and citations. By the end of
FYW you should be able to:

Demonstrate flexibility of conventions

Learn why genre conventions vary
Be able to understand and use copyright and fair use
Develop knowledge of grammar, punctuation and spelling during revising.

Abigail Freeman
Critical Reflection
Critical Reflection is the ability of a writer to articulate what they are thinking and why. By the end of
FYW you should be able to:

Reflect on your writing

Use writing to reflect
Demonstrate rhetorical awareness, writing process and knowledge of conventions
Illustrate that reflection is necessary in learning, thinking and communicating