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Introduction to Composition
Composition--whether it is in music, visual art or language--is the act of creating a larger work composed of various parts. Basic writing classes, such as English 290, help you understand and practice the writing process so that you can organize the words you write into meaningful written expressions.
In English 290, we will work with the following model: Words, Sentences, Paragraphs, and Essays.
Words are the basic units of an essay. The greater control you have of words, the stronger your finished paper will be. For this reason, it is important to build your vocabulary, understand that words best match what you want to say, and how to spell words so that your word choice is clear to the reader. Words are joined together to create units of meaning called...
Sentences can be simple, compound, or complex. They can include modifiers (descriptive words) and phrases that add or clarify meaning. However, in this class we will focus on developing strong simple sentences. If you are like the majority of English 290 students, you will need to work on gaining control of sentence structure: understanding sentence boundaries (to avoid fragments and run-ons), using punctuation to assist your reader, and ordering the words in your sentences to aid clarity. As you gain confidence in writing strong sentences, you will be shown how to connect sentences to create...
Paragraphs are composed of several sentences organized around a single controlling idea that is developed through details. A paragraph is generally strong if it has a clear main idea and sufficient details to support / explain this idea. Like sentences, paragraphs can serve various functions within a larger composition. You will learn to write paragraphs that develop an introduction, a body of details, and a conclusion. Once you connect paragraphs to pursue a topic through its logical conclusion, you will have created an...
This is where you put it all together: you introduce your topic and purpose, you show your reader the reasons why, and you conclude on a strong note. After some pre-writing, you draft your paragraphs together, re-read and revise your transitions between paragraphs, proofread to correct grammar and typing errors, and format your writing APPROPRIATELY for its CONTEXT (school, office, personal business).
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