Writing@CSU

University Composition Program

CO150 Common Syllabus, 2008-2009

 

Phase 1 Sequence

  • Provide scientific background for the climate change issue;
  • Introduce question-at-issue: How should we respond to climate change?
  • Assess our starting point: Explore prior knowledge--
    • How do we answer that question at the beginning of the course? 
    • What kinds of information do we need to answer the question?
    • How would/do we gather information to answer such significant questions?
  • Introduce Academic Inquiry strategies (as a framework for Phase 1);
  • Focus on close reading:
    • Read IPCC report responses in Prentice-Hall Guide for College Writers (PHG): to collect thesis of each article (its answer to the question),
    • Generate questions for further inquiry,
    • Read first minor text:
    • Expand from reading-for-thesis to reading-for-argument and summary writing;
  • Assess what we've learned and pose more questions;
  • Focus on critical reading: reading rhetorically
    • Introduce rhetorical triangle (this will link to graphic in appendix) & conversation metaphor (this will link to graphic in appendix),
    • Read next 2 minor texts, for purpose, audience and context, focusing on writers' strategies for focus, development, organization, coherence--
      • Audience: how do we respond and why? What effect does the article have? Can we identify features that caused the effect?
      • Purpose: what is the writer's intention?  What does he do to try to reach that? How well does his purpose fit with ours as readers?
      • Context: Where was this published?  What kind of information does it use and how was it gathered?  How does our knowledge of context influence our reading?
  • Focus on critical reading: evaluating information--
    • Develop criteria for quality information (timeliness, accuracy, credibility/authority, accessibility, objectivity),
    • Re-read articles to assess effectiveness in responding to question-at-issue,
    • Identify areas of agreement/disagreement, questions to answer, and/or other points for further inquiry and conversation;
  • Peruse supplemental readings that address one or more of these areas;
  • Students identify author with whom they would like to discuss one of the supplemental readings;
  • Students write a letter to the chosen author, recommending that they read the chosen supplemental text and engaging in a conversation on it.

Copyright © 1993-2009 Colorado State University and/or this site's authors, developers, and contributors. Some material displayed on this site is used with permission.