In the First-Year Writing Program at the University of New Haven, students from across the university learn to write deliberately, to use research thoughtfully, and to argue effectively.  Class sizes reflect national recommendations for engaged learning, and English faculty provide well-designed activities that prepare students for a variety of writing contexts.

The Seminar in Academic Inquiry and Writing 

As you will see in the listing of courses below, we offer three versions of the Seminar in Academic Inquiry and Writing. We also offer two introductory courses that are taken the semester before a student takes the seminar. All three versions of the seminar have the same course description and outcomes:

Catalog Description
The Seminar in Academic Inquiry and Writing introduces students to the conventions of academic writing and the habits of critical inquiry they will need in university courses and beyond. Students read and annotate texts on a topic (or topics) selected by the instructor, develop original avenues of inquiry through classroom discussion, and transform their questions into well-supported academic arguments. Assignment sequences incorporate opportunities for research, drafting, revision, editing, and reflection to help students find writing processes that can be replicated in future courses and workplace projects that require only polished work. Because different disciplines and career paths present different scenarios for critical thinking and writing, this course also teaches students how to adapt the conventions of academic inquiry to a variety of contexts. 

Learning Outcomes 
1)  Interpret and analyze any text through annotation  
2)  Produce clear and effective writing that demonstrates an understanding of the relationships among audience, purpose, and voice 
3)  Formulate a response reflecting insights gained through critical reading and textual analysis 
4)  Craft a written response to a text that puts the student’s ideas in conversation with those in the text 
5)  Adapt to varying contexts and writing conventions across disciplines through attention to tone, format, and style 
6)  Develop a writing process that incorporates invention, research, drafting, sharing with others, revision, editing, and reflection 

First-Year Writing Courses

ENGL 1103: Introduction to Academic Writing. This course meets three days a week and introduces strategies for active reading, analysis, drafting, and revision. Note: This course will not count as credit toward a student’s degree.

ENGL 1104: Introduction to Academic Writing for English-Language Learners. This course meets four days a week and introduces strategies for active reading, analysis, drafting, and revision. Students should take this course if they would prefer to be in a course with other English-language learners. Note: This course will not count as credit toward a student’s degree. 

ENGL 1112: Seminar in Academic Inquiry and Writing. This seminar engages students in the critical thinking and analysis skills needed to complete assignments independently. It meets two days a week.

ENGL 1113: Seminar in Academic Inquiry and Writing for English-Language Learners. This course undertakes the same assignments and follows the same outcomes as ENGL 1112, but meets three times a week so that instructors can spend more time scaffolding assignments, workshopping student writing in class, and meeting individually with students. This course is appropriate for an English-language learning student who would prefer to complete their CC 1.1 requirement in a course with other English-language learners. It meets three days a week.

ENGL 1114: Seminar in Academic Inquiry and Writing with Laboratory. This course is designed for students who want more support as they complete their CC 1.1 requirement. This course undertakes the same assignments and follows the same outcomes as ENGL 1112, but meets four times a week so that instructors can provide guidance as students develop assignments from pre-writing to polished drafts. This includes workshopping student writing in class and meeting individually with students.

Ryan Crawford
rcrawford@newhaven.edu
203-479-4217
Director of First-Year Writing Program

For questions about English placement please contact the Director of First-Year Writing, Ryan Crawford (rcrawford@newhaven.edu).