ENG-101 Composition I

The goals of Composition I are to develop students’ abilities to think critically, read, and write at a college level. Students will learn to make rhetorical decisions based on audience, purpose, context, and genre. Through guided exploration, students will learn how to support claims, evaluate credibility, and incorporate information appropriately and ethically from a variety of popular and scholarly sources in their writing. The course emphasizes informative and analytical process-based writing, as well as students' reflection on their learning progress. This course fulfills the SUNY General Education Written Communication and Information Literacy learning outcomes.

Credits

3

Corequisite

ENG-095 or placement into ENG-101

Department

• Humanities

Semesters Course Will Be Offered

• Fall
• Spring
• Summer
• Winter

For more detailed course information view the Course Outline

ENG 101: Composition I

Department

Humanities

Course Description

The goals of Composition I are to develop students’ abilities to think critically, read, and write at a college level. Students will learn to make rhetorical decisions based on audience, purpose, context, and genre. Through guided exploration, students will learn how to support claims, evaluate credibility, and incorporate information appropriately and ethically from a variety of popular and scholarly sources in their writing. The course emphasizes informative and analytical process-based writing, as well as students' reflection on their learning progress. This course fulfills the SUNY General Education Written Communication and Information Literacy learning outcomes.

Credit Hours

3

Contact Hours

Lecture	3
Lab	0
Other	0

Grading Scheme

Letter

Semester(s) Course Will Be Offered

Fall, Spring, Summer, Winter

Corequisites

ENG-095 or placement into ENG-101

SUNY General Education Course

• Written Communication

First Year Experience Course

No

Capstone Course

No

Course Learning Outcomes

1. Rhetorical Awareness and Argument- Students will analyze rhetorical situations and compose focused, college-level texts that respond to purpose, audience, context, and genre, using appropriate support to inform, persuade, or otherwise engage an audience.
2. Information Literacy and Source Evaluation- Students will articulate information needs; locate and select appropriate sources; and evaluate information from traditional sources and emerging technologies (such as AI) with attention to authority, validity, bias, origin, relevance, and limitations.
3. Critical Thinking, Reading, and Synthesis- Students will analyze, interpret, and synthesize information from multiple sources to develop well-reasoned claims and produce coherent, college-level writing that integrates sources effectively.
4. Knowledge of Conventions- Students will apply conventions of academic writing, including appropriate citation and attribution of sources, and demonstrate the ability to revise their compositions.

Topic Outline

Rhetorical Reading and Composing, which may include, but are not limited to:

• Understanding purpose, audience, context, and genre

• Analyzing how rhetorical situations shape a variety of texts and media

• Composing for specific audiences and purposes across multiple modes

• Making purposeful rhetorical choices

Critical Reading Strategies, which may include, but are not limited to:

• Understanding the rhetorical situation

• Annotating and summarizing texts

• Responding critically to texts

• Using reading as a tool for inquiry and learning

Composing as a Process, which may include, but is not limited to:

• Pre-writing strategies

• Organizing and drafting

• Peer commentary and feedback

• Global revision (such as ideas, organization, and development)

• Local revision and editing (which may include style, clarity, correctness)

• Reflecting on composing choices and processes

Research and Source Integration, which may include, but are not limited to:

• Locating and selecting appropriate sources

• Integrating sources effectively

• Quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing

• Evaluating sources for relevance, credibility, bias, and limitations

• Distinguishing between popular, scholarly, and digital sources

• Ethical source use and avoiding plagiarism

• Evaluating information from emerging technologies (e.g., AI tools)

Citation and Documentation, which may include, but are not limited to:

• Using citation systems (such as MLA and APA)

• In-text citation conventions

• Works Cited/References formatting

• Practicing attribution as a rhetorical and ethical action

Reflection and Transfer, which may include, but are not limited to:

• Reflective writing about composing processes

• Self-evaluation before, during, and after projects

• Recognizing growth in writing and critical thinking

• Transferring writing and research strategies and skills to new contexts, disciplines, and modalities