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| Course Information |
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| Goals |
| Inquiry and Expression (GE 101) is a one semester course designed to introduce Aquinas College freshmen to the skills necessary to ensure success not just at the college level, but for the rest of their lives.
The "Inquiry" portion of the course involves developing strategies for conducting an investigation to seek information, knowledge, and truth. The "Expression" portion of the course involves developing the skills necessary to explain to others the results of one's inquiry both in writing and in speaking. Throughout this course students will inquire into and express ideas that will help them discover who they are as individuals, as students of Aquinas College , and as members of the larger community.
The subject matter of this course revolves around the topic of American Pluralism. Specific themes will include gender, race, class and culture. These are controversial issues and students will be expected to evaluate them critically. |
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Inquiry and Expression will seek to meet these goals through the development of the following specific skill related goals: |
- The study, practice, and development of specific writing (rhetorical) skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Critical reading skills
- Competence in finding and using source materials in order to write interesting and thoughtful research papers
- Competence in speaking before a group
- Confidence in one's ability to think, read, speak, and write critically
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| Course Objectives |
| In order to achieve these goals, students in this course will: |
- Write to discover and learn
- Understand and apply a process approach to writing that involves inventing, drafting, revising, editing, and proofreading
- Select, integrate, and document appropriate research materials
- Adapt an appropriate voice for a variety of audiences and purposes in writing and speaking
- Exhibit critical thinking in writing and speaking
- Identify and use elements of effective writing
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| Syllabus |
| Textbooks |
| See instructor for textbook(s) for your section |
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Attendance Policy |
| Students are expected to come to each class with their text(s), having read all assigned Material and being prepared for intelligent classroom participation. Students who miss a class meeting must take responsibility for all material covered. |
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| In case of absence from class or special events, the following policy will be implemented: |
- With four (4) absences, your final grade for the course will fall a full letter grade.
- With seven (7) absences, your final grade will fall a second full letter grade.
- Beyond that, you will receive an automatic no credit for the course.
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| If there is a compelling reason why you cannot attend your class, please contact your instructor in advance. |
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| Students will occasionally be required to attend workshops or presentations outside of class. Attendance at these co-curricular activities is required and failure to attend will be counted as an absence. This year, the major co-curricular activity will be the Contemporary Writers Series. You are expected to attend one of the presentations in the series during this semester. >>More Information |
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| Evaluation |
Students' evaluation will be based on the strength of a portfolio that consists of four major essay assignments, other writing and speaking assignments, and class participation. The four essays for the portfolio include a personal narrative, a feature/profile/interview involving primary research, an editorial or persuasive essay, and a research essay. Each instructor will have their own breakdown of values for formal and informal assignments. However, the general breakdown for final grades will be calculated according to the following formula: 70% for the 4 formal essays and 30% for other classroom activities, presentations, and participation. |
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| Standards Statement |
| The goals and learning outcomes for the course are derived from the standards and guidelines of the National Council of Teachers of English and the Conference on College Composition and Communication (www.ncte.org) and in accordance with the goals and objectives of the Aquinas College General Education Program. |
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| Academic Dishonesty |
| Plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty are not tolerated. See the "Academic Dishonesty" statement in the College Catalog for a full description of the College's policy . |
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| Resources |
| In addition to holdings in the Grace Hauenstein Library, Inquiry and Expression maintains a Resource Room (Lower Wege). The Grace Hauenstein Library also subscribes to numerous databases (including ProQuest, First Search, InfoTrac, and others) to support academic research and learning. |
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| Course Schedule |
| Determined by instructor |
