Student Learning Outcomes

As writing faculty, we recognize that all of the following student learning outcomes are closely
related, and often happen simultaneously. We also recognize that rhetorical awareness and
critical thinking happen throughout all of writing and that it is not natural to try to separate these
acts from the highly complex work of composition. We have done so to help a variety of
audiencesstudents, colleagues in other departments, for exampleto better understand
concepts introduced and reinforced in FYW so that they will continue to be practiced and
developed throughout a students lifetime of literacy development.
Rhetorical Knowledge
Rhetoric is the art of effective or persuasive writing. That being said rhetorical knowledge is the
ability to identify and apply strategies across a range of texts and writing situations. Using their
own writing processes and approaches, writers create with meaning, understanding how genre,
audience, purpose, and context impact writing choices.
By the end of FYW, students should be able to:
Examine and write from a variety of genres based on audience, context, and purpose.
Figure out how genres shape and are shaped by readers' and writers' experimentation with
conventions, including mechanics, structure, and style
Expand freedom of writers to shift voice, tone, formality, design, medium, and layout that will
satisfy different situations and contexts.
Critical Reading
Reading critically is the ability to analyze, synthesize, explain, and evaluate ideas, information
and texts. When writers think critically about the materials they use, they separate beliefs from
evidence, evaluate sources and evidence, recognize and assess assumptions, read across texts for
connections and patterns, and identify and evaluate chains of reasoning. These practices are
important for advanced academic writing.
By the end of FYW, students should be able to:
Use reading for inquiry, learning, and discovery.
Go over their work/work of others critically, including examining diverse texts and expressing
the value of numerous rhetorical choices of writers.
Find and evaluate (for credibility, sufficiency, accuracy, timeliness, bias) primary and
secondary research materials, including journal articles and essays, books, scholarly and
professionally established and maintained databases or archives, and informal electronic
networks and internet sources

 Use an expansive range of texts, attending especially to relationships between beliefs and
evidence, to patterns of organization, to the interaction between verbal and nonverbal elements,
and to how these features work for different audiences and situations.
Composing Processes
Writers use varying strategies, or composing processes, to introduce, develop, and finalize
projects. Composing processes are usually never uniform. A writer may not do things in
sequential order, rather he may be all over the place before he starts to write.
By the end of FYW, students should be able to:
Demonstrate flexible strategies in the writing process
Recognize and use the social interactions that comes with the writing processes:
brainstorming, response to others writing; interpretation and evaluation of received
responses
Use their writing processes to bring everything together.
Knowledge of Conventions
Conventions are formal rules and informal guidelines that define genres. These rules and
guidelines shape both readers and writers expectations of what is correct and appropriate for a
piece of writing. Conventions can include mechanics, usage, spelling, and citation practices.
They can influence the content, style, organization, graphics, and document design of a particular
piece of writing.
By the end of FYW, students should be able to:
Demonstrate their ability to vary their writing skills when approaching different genres.
Understand why genre conventions for structure, paragraphing, design, formatting,
tone, and mechanics vary.

Use citation conventions correctly in accordance with fair use and copyright regulations.
Develop knowledge of linguistic structures, including grammar, punctuation, and
spelling, through composing and revising their own work.

Critical Reflection
Critical reflection is a writers ability to communicate and express his/her thoughts. For example,
to explain the writing processes made in a composition, context of a composition, as well as be
able to address and respond to reader feedback.
By the end of FYW, students should be able to:
Being able to reflect and show effectiveness in various rhetorical situations.
Use writing as a means for reflection.

 Use knowledge of conventions and rhetorical awareness to create their own writing
processes.
Illustrate that reflection is a necessary part of learning, thinking and communicating.

By: Elizabeth Notini, David Gamble, Omar Petty, Kassidy Imerman, Nabeel Ali, Jerrell Mobley