[ENG 102] Composition II

Introduction

In this class students will accomplish the major goals of any composition course: a lot of reading, writing, and editing. Some class work, like reading, research, and much of the draft writing, will take place offline. So students won't always be glued to their computer, or at least not online. While students won't have to attend any formally scheduled class sessions, they will have to make their presence known by actively participating in a number of activities and online discussions. This class is designed to help students generate ideas for assignments, research and draft those ideas, as well as formally document any and all of the research involved. The skills acquired in English 102 are invaluable for future courses, especially those that require research and the production of research papers.

Description

UW Colleges Catalog Course Description for ENG 102 - Composition II - 3 credits. A rhetoric course that focuses on writing which presents information, ideas, and arguments, with attention to the essay and techniques of documentation. Emphasis will be on academic writing which is applicable across the curriculum. This course fulfills the UWC English core requirement.

Prerequisites: A grade of C or better in ENG 101 or exemption based on placement test score.

Students will be asked to complete several full-length essays, some of which will require active research.

The university faculty believes that students need good reading and writing skills to succeed in college and that writing effectively is a skill that will serve them well throughout their professional life after college. One goal of English 102 is to increase the ability to do the kind of writing frequently required in college and professional life--persuasive essays that present information and ideas clearly and effectively with appropriate documentation of sources. Another goal of the course is to help students develop reading and thinking skills, essential for a student and a writer.

Proficiencies

Institutional proficiencies assigned to this course

Successful completion of this course will enhance students' ability to

  • interpret and synthesize information and ideas;
  • construct an argument in support of a conclusion;
  • gather and assess information from printed sources, electronic sources, and observation;
  • read, observe, and listen with comprehension and critical perception;
  • communicate clearly, precisely, and in a well-organized manner;
  • recognize and use a variety of communication forms and styles.

Department-specific proficiencies assigned to this course

By completing this course, students will

  • perform the writing necessary for successful course papers, examinations, and other college work;
  • discover and invent topics, and limit them in scope and focus;
  • find appropriate forms for writing about topics;
  • present information and ideas about topics in a clear and persuasive manner;
  • do secondary research, and write about that research, documenting writing with appropriate citations.

In attaining these objectives, students will also learn to be a better reader and editor of their own and others' writing.

Requirements

Software

  • Microsoft Word.

    The most current edition of MS Office (containing MS Word, Excel and other valuable programs) is available to University of Wisconsin students at discounted prices through the Wisconsin Integrated Software Catalog.

About the Instructors

  • Heather Benson
    Associate Lecturer, English
    BA, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
    MA, University of Toronto
  • Beth Horikawa
    Associate Lecturer, English
    BS, University of Wisconsin-Madison
    MA, University of Alaska-Fairbanks
  • Stephanie Johnson
    Lecturer, English
    BA, Middlebury College
    MFA, Emerson College
  • Lynn Kordus
    Associate Lecturer, English/Communication & Theatre Arts
    BS, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
    MA, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
  • Richard Krupnow
    Lecturer, English
    BS, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
    MA, Ball State University
  • Chuck Rybak
    Assistant Professor, English
    BA, State University of New York
    MA, Iowa State University
    PhD, University of Cincinnati
  • Christel Taylor
    Lecturer, English
    BA, Illinois State University
    MA, Illinois State University