Critical Literacies

Note: Concerns about enrolling in English 1001 or 1002 should be directed to Debra Jelacic at 414-288-1976

Winner of a 2005-2006 Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCC) Writing Program Certificate of Excellence

What Makes Writing So Important?

The First-Year English Program at Marquette University is designed to help students learn to communicate effectively. To that end, the program develops students' reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills via critical literacy, which is the ability to express ideas, values and beliefs effectively in a variety of situations. To foster Critical Literacy, the FYE Program offers a two-course writing sequence: English 1001, Rhet/Comp 1, Academic Literacy, and English 1002, Rhet/Comp 2, Public Sphere Literacy.

Learning Outcomes

The six credits of English 1001 and 1002 together satisfy the learning outcomes of the Rhetoric Knowledge Area of the University Core of Common Studies, which stipulate that at the completion of core studies the student will be able to:

Use rhetorical strategies and processes to analyze and compose texts
Produce effective written, visual and oral texts, given diverse purposes, genres and audiences
Explain the importance of ethics in academic, civic, and professional applications of rhetoric

English 1001, Rhetoric and Composition 1, Academic Literacy (more details)

Students learn to

Recognize & analyze literacy practices in academic disciplines
Assume the ethos of a university student who can enter academic conversations and assert his/her own stance
Employ strategies of exposition, analysis, argument, & interpretation
Write academic essays that are well organized, well reasoned, and well supported with evidence
Address academic audiences
Find, evaluate, & integrate sources into papers
Document sources according to Modern Language Association citation conventions
Write clear, concise sentences in appropriate academic style

English 1002, Rhetoric and Composition 2, Public Sphere Literacy (more details) Students learn to

Recognize & analyze multiple literacy practices in the public sphere
Assume the ethos of a citizen who can engage in public debates for the greater good of all
Write in multiple genres (e.g., thesis-support essays, journalistic essays, business documents, oral presentations) that are well organized, well reasoned, and well supported with evidence
Address non-academic audiences (e.g., general readers of Newsweek and workplace supervisors)
Find, evaluate & integrate sources into papers, using American Psychological Association citation conventions (required starting 2006-07)
Write clear and concise sentences in a style appropriate to public contexts and audiences
Compose and deliver oral presentations for a listening audience

Writing Resources

Norman H. Ott Memorial Writing Center
Marquette University
Raynor Library 240, 288.5542
Writing Across the Curriculum at MU
Get tips about writing in different disciplines and in the workplace, including tips for ESL writers.
Purdue University On-line Writing Lab
Univ. of Wisconsin Writing Center Writer’s Handbook

Jesuit Mission

Marquette University's First-year English Program offers students ways of understanding the world and acting within their communities, via language, for the greater good of all. Thus, the FYE Program serves MU’s Jesuit mission of creating women and men for others.

Contact Information:

Dr. Angela Sorby, Director of FYE effective May 20, 2013
Angela.Sorbyl@marquette.edu
Coughlin 331; 414.288.7263

Michael Keller, M.A., Assistant Director of FYE
Michael.Keller@marquette.edu
Coughlin 329; 414.288.1553

FIRST-YEAR ENGLISH

FIRST-YEAR RESOURCES