English
The following points
should be understood by anyone using these competencies:
They apply not only
to English composition and literature, but to reading and writing across
the disciplines.
The order in which
the competencies appear does not correspond to their importance.
"Text" means any written
discourse in any discipline; "literature" means chiefly imaginative writing
in English, or works translated into English.
A. Writing: Process
Pre-writing:
An effective writer
- Formulates and
explores ideas using strategies such as brainstorming, listing, mapping,
journal writing, questioning, clustering, and outlining;
- Considers purpose
and audience when selecting and limiting topics;
- Gathers and evaluates
materials and information pertinent to the topic;
- Uses primary and
secondary research to shape ideas, when appropriate;
Drafting: An effective writer
- Discovers and develops
ideas, distinguishing between topics and theses;
- Supports ideas
with evidence that is both sufficient and relevant, including source materials
where appropriate;
- Distinguishes major
points from minor points;
- Uses appropriate
resources for research, e.g., interviews, bibliographies and data bases;
- Uses and acknowledges
the ideas of others;
- Writes multiple
drafts when necessary;
Revising: An
effective writer
- Reads own drafts
critically to refine the development and expression of ideas;
- Anticipates the
needs and responses of readers;
- Incorporates feedback
from readers and provides constructive feedback to other writers;
- Assesses and,
as necessary, improves the focus and clarity of the controlling idea(s);
- Reviews supporting
material for relevance and adequacy;
- Revises for ideas,
coherence, and organization, reshaping the text as necessary by adding,
deleting, substituting, and rearranging; and
- Demonstrates control
of standard usage, grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
B. Writing: Product
Effective writing
- Displays a clear
purpose and addresses an audience appropriately;
- Focuses on a subject,
employs unifying ideas, and uses appropriate organizational patterns (e.g.,
comparison/contrast, cause/effect, description/narration);
- Has a logical organization,
appropriate transitions, and internal coherence and cohesion;
- Uses a variety
of sentence types and lengths appropriate for the reader and genre;
- Supports generalizations
with appropriate details;
- Expresses ideas
with individuality and insight; and
- Employs conventional
formats of documentation, for example, MLA, APA, Chicago.
C. Reading
An effective
reader
- Analyzes, and interprets
texts orally and in writing;
- Understands denotative,
connotative, and figurative meanings;
- Comprehends literal
and inferential meanings;
- Distinguishes main
ideas from subordinate details;
- Summarizes and
paraphrases texts orally and in writing;
- Formulates questions
about the implications of a text;
- Recognizes and
evaluates the validity of differing interpretations of a text;
- Transfers critical
reading skills from one discipline or setting to another;
- Recognizes the
influences of historical, social, biographical, cultural, ethnic and other
contexts on a text;
- Recognizes the
role of imaginative literature in the development of cultures;
- Recognizes, understands,
and discusses, orally and in writing, conventional literary forms, using
appropriate literary terms; and
- Discusses, orally
and in writing, characterization, setting, point of view, and plot development
in imaginative literature.
D. Oral Communication
An effective
speaker
- Communicates in
ways appropriate to a variety of audiences and contexts;
- Presents information
that is well organized;
- Supports a position
with evidence and effective reasoning;
- Presents information
which reflects effective language skills, e.g., use of transitions and
clear and appropriate word choices;
- Uses effectively
vocal articulation, pronunciation, volume, pitch, vocal quality and body
movement;
- Distinguishes and
uses various functions or purposes of communication (e.g., informative,
expressive, imaginative, and persuasive); and
- Employs and responds
to nonverbal communication.
An effective
listener
- Distinguishes between
hearing and listening;
- Recognizes the
existence of various dialects and their appropriate use;
- Identifies barriers
to effective listening and applies techniques to overcome the barriers;
and
- Identifies the
different types and levels of listening.
We welcome your questions and comments. If you would like to discuss the
possibility of using Competency-Based Admission for some or all students
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Page content last updated December 27, 2000.
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