The English Studies Department is central to the Liberal Arts and Sciences Program in offering required writing, speech, and literature courses to all students in the University. Our faculty see nearly every student at the University at least twice in a classroom, regardless of major. Many of our ENGL 1100 Writing I and ENGL 1200 Writing II courses are themed.
Themed Writing Courses
ENGL 1100 Writing I
- Our Communities
- Media Messages
ENGL 1200 Writing II
- All is Fair in Love and War
- Class Culture
- Signs for Culture Vultures
- Metaphors in Our World
- Fairy Tales in Popular Culture
First Year Writing Goals and Objectives
The first-year writing sequence at Fitchburg State, consisting of ENGL 1100 Writing I and ENGL 1200 Writing II, provides the undergraduate student with the foundation necessary for critical thinking through academic writing. Together, these courses afford a continuous space in which students cultivate the skills of argumentation, uses of evidence, analysis, close reading of texts (in any number of forms), and revision as essential elements of the college-level writing process.
ENGL 1100: Writing I
The first-year writing sequence at Fitchburg State, consisting of Writing I and Writing II, provides the undergraduate student with the foundation necessary for critical thinking through academic writing. Together, these courses afford a continuous space in which students cultivate the skills of argumentation, uses of evidence, analysis, close reading of texts (in any number of forms), and revision as essential elements of the college-level writing process. Writing I seeks to provide a comprehension of (1) rhetoric, (2) argumentation, (3) uses of evidence, (4) process-oriented writing, and (5) academic community. By the end of Writing I, students should:
Rhetoric:
- Understand the purposes of writing within specific and varied discursive communities
- Develop means of persuasion with an awareness of audience
- Recognize figures of speech and logical fallacies
Argumentation:
- Identify and construct an argumentative thesis
- Write essays that employ logical structures and transitions
- Synthesize critical thinking and close reading in analytical writing
Uses of Evidence:
- Locate, evaluate, and select sources
- Summarize and critique materials
- Paraphrase and integrate materials
- Cite texts properly
Process-Oriented Writing:
- Build an essay in stages (from pre-writing and invention to drafting)
- Practice the revision process
- Differentiate between global and topical revision
- Utilize the classroom as a workshop
Academic Community:
- Make appropriate choice of tone, grammar, and format according to situation and convention
- Acknowledge the standards and modes of academic integrity
ENGL 1200: Writing II
Writing II expands upon the argumentative and analytical emphases of Writing I (of which it is a necessary extension). It will foster research-based composition (with or without a thematic focus). By the end of Writing II, in addition to the objectives listed above, students should:
- Demonstrate in their prose a knowledge of rhetoric, argumentation, uses of evidence, process-oriented writing, and academic community
- Employ a variety of research methods and genres (including, but not limited to, interview, annotated bibliography, fieldwork, archival work, multimedia, etc.)
- Obtain reference materials, books, and articles through the Fitchburg State library’s search engines and databases
- Become familiar with the latest information technologies pertinent to their research
- Adopt either APA or MLA citation format and use properly
Upon the successful completion of the two-semester sequence, students will be prepared to utilize and enhance their writing abilities within their own fields of study.