First-Year Writing Program

We offer a two-semester sequence of courses, ENGL 1157 and ENGL 1158. Clearly defined outcomes and our Writing as Inquiry Identity guide our instruction. Our pedagogy fosters the development of cognitive strategies that are essential to success in college.

Students who complete our program are not only better writers but also better students.

In First-Year Writing classes, students will: 

• Learn about the elements that constitute an effective essay. 

• Develop a range of rhetorical strategies for developing critical reading, writing, and thinking skills. 

• Participate in active and engaging writing communities. 

• Practice strategies for organization, revision, and research that help develop the skills to create well-written and persuasive academic essays. These skills will further a student's success in any discipline they choose to pursue. 

Program Goals for First-Year Writing

At the end of the two-course writing sequence in Composition at the University of New Orleans, students should be able to

• Utilize "Writing as Inquiry" skills: asking questions, looking for answers, suspending judgement, engaging with different viewpoints, and reflecting on what they have learned.

• Understand writing as a process that involves invention, drafting, evaluation, collaboration, and revision.

• Demonstrate critical thinking when engaging with their own ideas and experiences and with those of others.