Grammar & Composition I

Unit 1: Why I Write: Personal Narrative

We’re all writers. We write tweets and Facebook posts and Instagram comments, we write text messages, we write notes in class, papers, presentations, grocery lists, thank you cards, emails…the list could go on forever. We’re already adept wielders of words, in one genre or another. In this class, you’ll simply be working on some of the kinds of writing you might be asked to do in other college courses, and many of the skills you learn here will be useful even beyond the university.

But to start, I’m interested in finding out how you identify as a writer—or if you do at all. What do you think of the word “writing”? Is it a scary? Frustrating? Exciting? What kinds of writing do you like to do? What kinds do you loathe? Do you write anything for fun? Or is it to be avoided at all costs? What motivates you to write (a grade, to communicate with a friend, to publish)? What does your writing process look like?

Major Instructional Goals: You will know you have achieved the learning goal when you can:

• Engage and orient the reader by setting out a problem, situation, or observation, establishing one or multiple point(s) of view, and introducing a narrator and/or characters; create a smooth progression of experiences or events. (1.A.3.a)
• Use a variety of techniques to sequence events so that they build on one another to create a coherent whole. (1.A.3.c)
• Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to convey a vivid picture of the experiences, events, setting, and/or characters. (1.A.3.d)
• Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on what is experienced, observed, or resolved over the course of the narrative. (1.A.3.e)
• Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (1.B.1)
• Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. (1.B.2)
• Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences. (1.D)
• Use parallel structure. (2.A.1.a)
• Use various types of phrases (noun, verb, adjectival, adverbial, participial, prepositional, absolute) and clauses (independent, dependent; noun, relative, adverbial) to convey specific meanings and add variety and interest to writing or presentations. (2.A.1.b)
• Use a semicolon (and perhaps a conjunctive adverb) to link two or more closely related independent clauses. (2.A.2.a)
• Use a colon to introduce a list or quotation. (2.A.2.b)
• Spell correctly (2.A.3)
• Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence, paragraph, or text; a word’s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase. (2.C.1.a)
• Identify and correctly use patterns of word changes that indicate different meanings or parts of speech (e.g., analyze, analysis, analytical; advocate, advocacy). (2.C.1.b)
• Consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify its precise meaning, its part of speech, its etymology, or its standard usage. (2.C.1.c)
• Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase (e.g., by checking the inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary). (2.C.1.d)
• Interpret figures of speech (e.g., euphemism, oxymoron) in context and analyze their role in the text. (2.C.2.a)
• Analyze nuances in the meaning of words with similar denotations. (2.C.2.b)
• Acquire and use accurately general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression. (2.C.3)

 

Unit 2: The Strong Response Essay

For this unit, you will be responding to and evaluating the rhetoric and ideas of someone else’s writing, as well as reflecting on our personal beliefs. Like the last unit, this will be a personal essay. But it won’t be purely personal—instead, you’re going to explore and define our own opinions by responding to someone else’s. One name for this kind of writing is “strong response.”

Major Instructional Goals: You will know you have achieved the learning goal when you can:

• Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly, supplying evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience’s knowledge level and concerns. (1.A.1.b)
• Use words, phrases, and clauses to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims. (1.A.1.c)
• Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to manage the complexity of the topic. (1.A.2.d)
• Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (1.B.1)
• Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. (1.B.2)
• Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences. (1.D)
• Use parallel structure. (2.A.1.a)
• Use various types of phrases (noun, verb, adjectival, adverbial, participial, prepositional, absolute) and clauses (independent, dependent; noun, relative, adverbial) to convey specific meanings and add variety and interest to writing or presentations. (2.A.1.b)
• Use a semicolon (and perhaps a conjunctive adverb) to link two or more closely related independent clauses. (2.A.2.a)
• Use a colon to introduce a list or quotation. (2.A.2.b)
• Spell correctly (2.A.3)
• Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence, paragraph, or text; a word’s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase. (2.C.1.a)
• Identify and correctly use patterns of word changes that indicate different meanings or parts of speech (e.g., analyze, analysis, analytical; advocate, advocacy). (2.C.1.b)
• Consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify its precise meaning, its part of speech, its etymology, or its standard usage. (2.C.1.c)
• Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase (e.g., by checking the inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary). (2.C.1.d)
• Interpret figures of speech (e.g., euphemism, oxymoron) in context and analyze their role in the text. (2.C.2.a)
• Analyze nuances in the meaning of words with similar denotations. (2.C.2.b)
• Acquire and use accurately general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression. (2.C.3)

 

Unit 3: Exploring a Question Worth Asking

For this unit, you’re going to narrate your exploration of compelling questions. The goal for this unit is to discover a question that is worth asking—one that’s sufficiently interesting, contentious, and specific. One that will offer a wealth of reliable information on the topic. One that you are genuinely invested in and one to which you don’t have an answer.

Major Instructional Goals: You will know you have achieved the learning goal when you can:

• Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information to make important connections and distinctions; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aid comprehension. (1.A.2.a)
• Develop the topic with well-chosen, relevant, and sufficient facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic. (1.A.2.b)
• Use appropriate and varied transitions to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among complex ideas and concepts. a. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. (1.A.2.c)
• Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented (e.g., articulating implications or the significance of the topic). (1.A.2.f)
• Engage and orient the reader by setting out a problem, situation, or observation, establishing one or multiple point(s) of view, and introducing a narrator and/or characters; create a smooth progression of experiences or events. (1.A.3.a)
• Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, reflection, and multiple plot lines, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters. (1.A.3.b)
• Use a variety of techniques to sequence events so that they build on one another to create a coherent whole. (1.A.3.c)
• Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to convey a vivid picture of the experiences, events, setting, and/or characters. (1.A.3.d)
• Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on what is experienced, observed, or resolved over the course of the narrative. (1.A.3.e)
• Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (1.B.1)
• Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. (1.B.2)
• Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation. (1.C.1)
• Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the usefulness of each source in answering the research question; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation. (1.C.2)
• Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. (1.C.3)
• Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening. (2.B.1)
• Write and edit work so that it conforms to the guidelines in a style manual (e.g., MLA Handbook, Turabian’s Manual for Writers) appropriate for the discipline and writing type. (2.B.2)
• Use parallel structure. (2.A.1.a)
• Use various types of phrases (noun, verb, adjectival, adverbial, participial, prepositional, absolute) and clauses (independent, dependent; noun, relative, adverbial) to convey specific meanings and add variety and interest to writing or presentations. (2.A.1.b)
• Use a semicolon (and perhaps a conjunctive adverb) to link two or more closely related independent clauses. (2.A.2.a)
• Use a colon to introduce a list or quotation. (2.A.2.b)
• Spell correctly (2.A.3)
• Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence, paragraph, or text; a word’s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase. (2.C.1.a)
• Identify and correctly use patterns of word changes that indicate different meanings or parts of speech (e.g., analyze, analysis, analytical; advocate, advocacy). (2.C.1.b)
• Consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify its precise meaning, its part of speech, its etymology, or its standard usage. (2.C.1.c)
• Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase (e.g., by checking the inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary). (2.C.1.d)
• Interpret figures of speech (e.g., euphemism, oxymoron) in context and analyze their role in the text. (2.C.2.a)
• Analyze nuances in the meaning of words with similar denotations. (2.C.2.b)
• Acquire and use accurately general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression. (2.C.3)

 

Unit 4: The Argumentative Essay

You’ve found a compelling question, done some preliminary research, and reflected on how your thoughts on that question have begun to change (or maybe they haven’t). Now it’s time to make a case and answer your question. For this unit, you’ll dig deeper into the research and use what you find to present a convincing and persuasive argument for a particular position.

Major Instructional Goals: You will know you have achieved the learning goal when you can:

• Introduce precise claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that establishes clear relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence. (1.A.1.a)
• Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly, supplying evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience’s knowledge level and concerns. (1.A.1.b)
• Use words, phrases, and clauses to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims. (1.A.1.c)
• Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing. (1.A.1.d)
• Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented. (1.A.1.e)
• Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information to make important connections and distinctions; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aid comprehension. (1.A.2.a)
• Develop the topic with well-chosen, relevant, and sufficient facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic. (1.A.2.b)
• Use appropriate and varied transitions to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among complex ideas and concepts. a. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. (1.A.2.c)
• Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to manage the complexity of the topic. (1.A.2.d)
• Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing. (1.A.2.e)
• Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. (1.B.2)
• Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation. (1.C.1)
• Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the usefulness of each source in answering the research question; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation. (1.C.2)
• Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. (1.C.3)
• Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening. (2.B.1)
• Write and edit work so that it conforms to the guidelines in a style manual (e.g., MLA Handbook, Turabian’s Manual for Writers) appropriate for the discipline and writing type. (2.B.2)
• Use parallel structure. (2.A.1.a)
• Use various types of phrases (noun, verb, adjectival, adverbial, participial, prepositional, absolute) and clauses (independent, dependent; noun, relative, adverbial) to convey specific meanings and add variety and interest to writing or presentations. (2.A.1.b)
• Use a semicolon (and perhaps a conjunctive adverb) to link two or more closely related independent clauses. (2.A.2.a)
• Use a colon to introduce a list or quotation. (2.A.2.b)
• Spell correctly (2.A.3)
• Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence, paragraph, or text; a word’s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase. (2.C.1.a)
• Identify and correctly use patterns of word changes that indicate different meanings or parts of speech (e.g., analyze, analysis, analytical; advocate, advocacy). (2.C.1.b)
• Consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify its precise meaning, its part of speech, its etymology, or its standard usage. (2.C.1.c)
• Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase (e.g., by checking the inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary). (2.C.1.d)
• Interpret figures of speech (e.g., euphemism, oxymoron) in context and analyze their role in the text. (2.C.2.a)
• Analyze nuances in the meaning of words with similar denotations. (2.C.2.b)
• Acquire and use accurately general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression. (2.C.3)

 

Unit 5: Visualizing Rhetoric

For your final unit, you’re going to take the arguments we’ve made and translate them into a new format—one that’s more visual than an essay and lends itself to presentation to a group. This could be a Google Slides, a poster, a web page, a comic strip, a film, a brochure…the list goes on. Once you’ve chosen a format you’re comfortable with and that you think would make for an effective and convincing presentation, you’ll need to decide what information to include, how to include it, and how to visualize it in a way that will keep your audience’s attention and allow them to better understand your argument.

Major Instructional Goals: You will know you have achieved the learning goal when you can:

• Introduce precise claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that establishes clear relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence. (1.A.1.a)
• Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly, supplying evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience’s knowledge level and concerns. (1.A.1.b)
• Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing. (1.A.1.d)
• Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. (1.B.2)
• Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology’s capacity to link to other information and to display information flexibly and dynamically. (1.B.3)
• Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences. (1.D)
• Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening. (2.B.1)
• Use parallel structure. (2.A.1.a)
• Use various types of phrases (noun, verb, adjectival, adverbial, participial, prepositional, absolute) and clauses (independent, dependent; noun, relative, adverbial) to convey specific meanings and add variety and interest to writing or presentations. (2.A.1.b)
• Use a semicolon (and perhaps a conjunctive adverb) to link two or more closely related independent clauses. (2.A.2.a)
• Use a colon to introduce a list or quotation. (2.A.2.b)
• Spell correctly (2.A.3)
• Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence, paragraph, or text; a word’s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase. (2.C.1.a)
• Identify and correctly use patterns of word changes that indicate different meanings or parts of speech (e.g., analyze, analysis, analytical; advocate, advocacy). (2.C.1.b)
• Consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify its precise meaning, its part of speech, its etymology, or its standard usage. (2.C.1.c)
• Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase (e.g., by checking the inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary). (2.C.1.d)
• Interpret figures of speech (e.g., euphemism, oxymoron) in context and analyze their role in the text. (2.C.2.a)
• Analyze nuances in the meaning of words with similar denotations. (2.C.2.b)
• Acquire and use accurately general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression. (2.C.3)

This course is offered as dual credit through University of Missouri: St. Louis.^*

University Course Number:	ENGL 1100
University Course Name:	First–Year Writing (CORE 42 course)
College Credit Earned:	3 hours
Course Fee:	$210

* Course offerings are dependent on enrollment and instructor availability.

Download the Grammar & Composition I - Dual Credit Information Sheet | Download the Grammar & Composition I - Dual Credit Syllabus

Find out more information about dual credit or email [email protected] if you have questions.