Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

SLOs are used to help students understand various concepts introduced throughout literary development.
SLOs are often connected and tend to occur at the same time. Critical thinking and rhetorical awareness arise
throughout all of writing. SLOs are used in FYW to help students practice and develop great writing skills.

Rhetorical Knowledge (Identifying strategies)

Rhetorical knowledge is simply identifying strategies and applying them to personal or general works. Writers
write with intention. They understand how genre, audience, purpose, and context impact writing choices.
By the end of FYW, students should be able to:
Use rhetorical concepts to analyze and create various texts using a wide variety of
technologies adapted to specific audiences, contexts, and purposes
Evaluate how genres are structured according to readers and writers use of conventions
Develop flexibility with tone, voice, design, formality, medium and layout to accommodate
different situations and contexts

Critical Reading (The foundation for advanced academic writing)

Critical reading is analyzing and breaking down information. Critical thinking separates fact from opinion.
Writers evaluate sources, recognize hidden assumptions, make connections, and identify chains of reasoning.
By the end of FYW, students should be able to:
Use reading for questioning and investigation, learning, and discovery
Critically examine their own work and the work of others
Find primary and secondary research material (i.e. journal articles, essays, books, etc.).
Use a diverse range of texts to make connections

Composing Processes (Strategies used while writing)

Writers use multiple strategies, or writing processes, to create and complete projects. Writing processes are
rarely direct or sequential. These processes basically show the writer, how and why they write, their motivation
while writing and the steps to a completed work.
By the end of FYW, students should be able to:
Demonstrate flexible strategies for drafting and revision
Brainstorm, respond to others writing, and respond to feedback for their own writing
Use the writing process as a source for growth (i.e. strengthening claims)

Knowledge of Conventions (Rules for defining genres)

Conventions are the rules and guidelines we use to define genres. They govern mechanics, usage, spelling, and
citation. They also influence content, style, organization, graphics, and document design.
By the end of FYW, students should be able to:
Differentiate genres between compositional modes (i.e. printed or on the computer)
Determine why genre conventions for structure, paragraphing, formatting, tone, etc. vary
Provide proper citations
Write and revise to gain experience with grammar, punctuation, spelling, etc.

Critical Reflection (Explain choices made while writing)

Critical Reflection is a writers ability to express what they are thinking and why.
By the end of FYW, students should be able to:
Reflect on personal writing
Apply the effective use of language to personal work
Show why learning, thinking, and communicating are important