Composition 2

Composition 2 (Research Writing) helps writers focus on building and sustaining a researched argument. The course provides guidance for writing as a process – including choosing a topic, brainstorming techniques, finding and assessing viable sources, integrating sources through paraphrase and synthesis, crafting citations, organizational strategy, drafting, revising, and editing – with several interactive and optional assignments leading up to the submission of an assignment with each module.

Writers can practice delivering an argument to multiple audiences, with support for a research paper format, a presentation format, an elevator pitch podcast format, and an editorial format.

Through MindEdge’s adaptive learning, students can access help for more than 20 topics, including misplaced modifiers, comma splices, active and passive voice, etc. This course includes full access to the MindEdge Writing Pad to support real-time student writing and coaching sessions.

Module 1: Introduction to Writing and Reading

Describe the traditional writing process and reflect on its value to him or her
Demonstrate strategies for reading and comprehending arguments
Locate the purpose, main claim, reasons, and evidence when given an argument to analyze
Detect fragments and employ strategies for correcting them
Detect run-on sentences and employ strategies for correcting them

Module 2: Analyzing Argument and Rhetoric

Describe the rhetorical situation of a piece of writing: context, purpose, audience
Identify appeals to ethos, pathos, and logos
Describe the structure of an argument and identify claims, reason, and evidence
Describe the rhetorical effect of organization, style, diction, tone, emphasis, and use of language
Evaluate the rhetorical decisions of a writer
Explain how their own decisions about a piece of writing increase the effectiveness of that piece of writing
Differentiate between simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences
Use coordinating and subordinating conjunctions as appropriate
Use proper parallel structure when writing sentences with coordinated or subordinated parts
Employ techniques to increase sentence variety

Module 3: Identifying an Issue

Identify the characteristics of a strong topic for a research-based argumentative essay
Use invention techniques to brainstorm suitable topics
Formulate a strong topic for a research-based argumentative essay based on his or her own interests and career goals
Describe the purpose and context of his or her chosen topic in a proposal
Employ pronouns as appropriate to maintain consistent pronoun reference and avoid case shift
Choose the pronoun case and number that is appropriate for the verb form
Choose the verb tense that is correct for sentence syntax and context

Module 4: Research and Documentation

Explain the role of sources in research-based arguments
Identify the types of sources that will be needed to support his or her argument
Classify a text as a primary, secondary, or tertiary resource, and make decisions based on that classification about its usefulness to support his or her argument
Classify a text as a scholarly, non-scholarly, or academic-trade resource, and make decisions based on that classification about its usefulness to support his or her argument
Devise strategies for finding useful sources in an online or physical library
Evaluate the credibility and relevance of a source to his or her argument
Determine whether the use of a specific source will help support his or her argument
Reflect on the research process and revise the topic proposal based on the experience of conducting research
Use MLA conventions for integrating the words and ideas of others into his or her writing, while avoiding infringements on academic honesty
Create a properly formatted annotated bibliography that summarizes a source and explains why he or she believes the source to be credible and relevant for his or her chosen thesis statement
Demonstrate mastery of MLA-formatted reference page research documentation techniques

Module 5: Using Research in Your Writing

Identify a passage appropriate for paraphrasing
Paraphrase a one- or two-paragraph excerpt, while avoiding infringements on academic honesty
Select quotation, paraphrase, or summary as the method of integrating research into his or her writing
Identify the main idea and supporting points of a source document
Summarize the main idea and supporting points in a properly-formatted summary
Use MLA conventions for citing quoted, paraphrased, and summarized material
Choose between periods, exclamation marks, question marks, and quotation marks as syntactically and contextually appropriate
Use commas where syntactically appropriate, and avoid using them in constructions where they are inappropriate
Choose between italics and quotation marks in the body of an MLA-formatted essay
Capitalize words in a sentence as appropriate
Decide between numerals and words when representing numbers in writing
Distinguish between acronyms and abbreviations and use proper punctuation with abbreviations
Use strategies for remembering commonly misspelled word parts
Distinguish between homophonic words and commonly confused words

Module 6: Synthesizing Research

Explain the role of synthesis in critical thinking and real world situations
Explain how summary and synthesis differ
Explain the role of synthesis in research writing
Distinguish between the arguments being made by various source authors and compare, contrast, and extend the ideas
Write a synthesis that discusses the relevance and credibility of three sources and extends ideas to create a synthesized point not presented by any of them
Use words correctly to create the desired effect
Modify parts of sentences correctly and without ambiguity
Choose active voice constructions for most writing, using passive voice constructions only to create a desired effect

Module 7: Re-assessing Your Argument

Explain how each piece of evidence slated for inclusion in the research paper functions to support the argument’s main claim or reasons
Document the structure of the proposed argument in an outline or a visual organizer
Recognize and eliminate points that are too weak to be supported
Recognize points that overlap or are redundant and consolidate to aid reader comprehension
Recognize underdeveloped parts of the argument and devise a strategy for developing points more effectively
Consider the order of ideas and choose an order that will reinforce a reader’s reception of the ideas in the argument
Locate research to support ideas that remain underdeveloped
Revise his or her outline or visual organizer so that it represents all parts of the argument sources that will be used in the research paper draft
Revise his or her annotated bibliography so that it represents the full range of sources that will be used in the research paper draft
Place modifiers in a sentence so that their referents are unambiguous
Include a subject in the modifier when necessary for clarity

Module 8: Writing and Revising the First Draft

Choose a strategy for creating a draft paper, using the annotated bibliography, synthesis, outline, or visual organizer as a starting point
Distinguish between revision and editing, and use strategies for revision and editing at appropriate stages in the writing process
Explain the differences between the first draft and other drafts of a research paper
Develop paragraphs with topic sentences and relevant details
Create a strategy for introducing the paper that gains audience attention and explicitly identifies the thesis statement
Create a strategy for concluding the paper that reminds the reader of the purpose and implications of the research paper
Create a title that identifies the topic of the research paper and invites the reader into the discussion
Revise the paper by reviewing the structure and support, creating an outline again or using other techniques to envision and reassess argument structure

Module 9: Publishing for Different Audiences

Consider an audience’s reaction to an argument and make decisions to improve audience reception and interest
Seek different methods of delivery or publication
Modify message and decisions about delivery based on choice of medium of delivery
Use parallel structure, antithesis, and inverted word order to emphasize ideas
Devise and enact a strategy for seeking feedback that is tailored to the writer, the audience, and the message
Consider audience feedback when making revision and delivery decisions
Present an argument to an audience in person, using text and slides when appropriate
Write an argument in an editorial format for a general (non-scholarly) audience
Script and create a podcast segment that presents the argument for a general (non-scholarly) audience

Module 10: Revision and Final Draft

Distinguish between revision, editing, and proofreading and use strategies for revision, editing, and proofreading at appropriate stages in the writing process
Devise and enact a strategy for seeking feedback tailored to the writer and the research paper
Use transitions to aid understanding of how ideas are connected to each other
Use topic sentences to improve the coherence of the essay and the flow of ideas
Use emphasis and old information to new information flow to aid reader understanding and sentence flow
Use keywords to improve reader perception of coherence in paragraphs and essays
Identify and reflect on the stages of the writing process and the writer’s own process
Create a final draft of a researched essay that makes a supported argument and is polished to the best of the writer’s ability

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