Why do I have to take Writing 150?

You might wonder why BYU requires most students (and encourages all students) to take a first-year writing course. BYU’s first-year writing curriculum will prepare you to meet certain learning outcomes (see below) and to develop knowledge and abilities that will help you succeed in your college classes and with all the communication you do. The ability to communicate well is one of the most important skills employers look for in job candidates.

Writing is an iterative skill, which means it gets better with more practice. So even if you’re already a strong writer, Writing 150 will help you improve. Research demonstrates that students make significant writing gains during college when they have lots of opportunities to write in various genres for various purposes and audiences. That’s what you’ll do in Writing 150. Because first-year writing classes are small (no more than 20 students), you’ll also make new friends and get individual attention from an instructor.

What will I learn in Writing 150?

Writing 150 will teach you the processes of writing, reading, and research with an emphasis on argumentation and rhetorical analysis. This course fulfills the General Education First-Year Writing requirement.

Learning Outcomes (or what you will be able to do after taking this class):

• Use rhetoric responsibly to compose arguments in a variety of genres for specific audiences and purposes
• Critically read texts. This includes: analyzing how a text functions in a specific situation, community or public; analyzing the nuances of language (diction, figures of speech, tone, etc.); identifying and evaluating the elements of an argument (claims, reasons, assumptions and ethical, emotional, and logical appeals).
• Write coherent and unified texts (effective introductions, clear theses, supporting details, transitions, and strong conclusions) using a flexible and effective writing process, including prewriting, drafting, revising, and editing.
• Use style, diction, figurative language, tone, grammar, punctuation, spelling, mechanics, genre, conventions, and document design correctly and for rhetorical effect.
• Navigate the library to locate primary and secondary sources, evaluate the appropriateness and credibility of those sources, and effectively incorporate and accurately document outside sources in a research paper.
• Reflect on your writing process, choices, and identity

Course Coordinator: Shannon Stimpson