GN100 Start to Write: Basics of College-Level Writing (3 cr.)

This course introduces students to essential college-level writing skills while nurturing the intellectual and character strengths vital for academic and civic life. Through reading, writing, feedback, and reflection, students learn to communicate clearly, ethically, and thoughtfully. The course emphasizes writing as a process of inquiry, expression, and personal growth. It fosters virtues such as curiosity, honesty, civility, and resilience, aligned with the university’s commitment to human flourishing. Students also develop practical wisdom by making intentional choices about language, tone, and argument in real-world writing situations.

Upon completion of this course, students are expected to be able to do the following:

1. Write clear, coherent, and well-organized essays which demonstrate a strong command of grammar, style, and academic conventions.

2. Demonstrate intellectual curiosity by locating, evaluating, and effectively utilizing credible information from a variety of sources.

3. Practice proper source citation and APA formatting to avoid plagiarism.

4. Develop the ability to analyze texts, identify key arguments, and engage complex ideas with honesty and civility. 

5. Construct well-supported, evidence-based written arguments which consider multiple perspectives.

6. Demonstrate resiliency in the writing refinement process by incorporating feedback throughout the drafting and revision process while reflecting on one’s development as a writer.