Rhetorical Knowledge

• Identify, articulate, and focus on a defined purpose
• Respond to the need of the appropriate audience
• Use conventions of format and structure appropriate to the rhetorical situation

Critical Thinking, Reading, and Writing

• Understand that research and writing are a series of tasks, including accessing, retrieving, evaluating, analyzing, and synthesizing appropriate data and information from sources that vary in content, format, structure, and scope
• Understand the relationships among language, knowledge, and power including social, cultural, historical, and economic issues related to information, writing, and technology
• Integrate previously held beliefs, assumptions, and knowledge with new information and the ideas of others to accomplish a specific purpose within a context

Processes

• Be aware that it usually takes multiple drafts to create and complete a successful text
• Develop research and writing strategies appropriate to the context and situation
• Develop flexible strategies for generating, revising, editing, and proof-reading
• Understand research and writing as an open process that permits writers to use later invention and re-thinking to revise their work

Knowledge of Conventions:

• Learn standard tools for accessing and retrieving information
• Learn common formats for different genres
• Develop knowledge of genre conventions ranging from structure and paragraphing to tone and mechanics
• Apply appropriate means of documenting their work