Level IV Advanced Composition (ESOL 0354)

Instructor: Thomas Agnew

A continuation of ESOL 0351, this course concentrates on elements of organization, rhetoric, and sophisticated language use. Students are required to produce well-ordered, well-substantiated, multi-paragraphed essays containing thesis statements and topic sentences.

ESOL 0354, Advanced Composition, seeks to prepare students for college composition courses and academic writing in general by accomplishing the following objectives:

 

  • Introducing to students the basic principles of the multi-paragraph composition, focusing especially on the role of the introductory and concluding paragraphs, drafting an effective thesis statement, and organizing the composition according to a clear logical pattern.

 

  • Honing students' sentence combination skills, especially in the area of the strategy and techniques of subordination within complex sentences.

 

  • Increasing student awareness of the nature of the writing process, especially in the area of effective topic construction and in the necessity and techniques of revision and editing, including peer revision.

 

  • Introducing students to essential academic writing skills, including paraphrasing, summarizing and writing essay exams in content area courses.

 

  • Training students in critical thinking, especially in evaluating their own content and clear logical presentation in their writing.