225: Academic Argumentation

All sections of English 225 focus on examining and employing effective academic argumentation. Academic argumentation here refers to the presentation, explanation, and assessment of claims through written reasoning that utilizes appropriate evidence and writing conventions. The course builds on and refines skills from introductory writing courses English 124 and 125, as well as provides a basic introduction to finding, and effectively incorporating research into student writing, for use in a range of future academic contexts.

Learning Goals for English 225: Academic Argumentation

1. To hone mechanics, attention to language and audience, style, and craft in students’ academic writing.
2. To develop a critical understanding of key elements of higher-level academic argumentation.
3. To develop an awareness of rhetorical approaches used in academic writing and to practice using these approaches.
4. To develop skills necessary for conducting academic research, including the ability to distinguish between primary and secondary sources, and the ability to begin, carry out, and complete a writing assignment that incorporates research.
5. To develop an awareness of the rigors and potential pleasures entailed in reading about, discussing, researching, and writing about pertinent issues in academic contexts.