Objectives of the First-Year/Sophomore (FS) Program
The FS program represents a first opportunity to achieve the educational objectives as specified in the Allegheny College catalogue:
Educated persons can read critically, analyze their own and others' thoughts in logical fashion, organize and synthesize ideas into coherent bodies of thought, and write and speak clearly and effectively.
Although students will typically have different instructors for their FS courses, the three courses form a continuum that moves from general to discipline-specific communication. In conjunction with the Junior Seminar and Senior Project, the FS courses prepare students to communicate effectively complex technical ideas and arguments to a variety of audiences in written and spoken form. All FS courses emphasize attention to audience and the importance of understanding conventions of communication within a particular context.
To enhance the development of students' communication skills through the three FS courses and to encourage consistency of expectations across sections of the same course, the Faculty has endorsed the following recommendations:
Global Expectations for the FS and Advising Program
The FS program provides students opportunities to develop communication and research skills useful for generating, exploring, defending, and challenging ideas. The three seminars in the FS sequence are designed to develop:
- critical thinking
- careful listening and reading
- thoughtful speaking and writing
- reflective academic planning and self exploration.
Fostering Class Discussion
Class discussions are an important component of the FS course design. It is worth noting that most students entering Allegheny do not understand how class discussion can be an important learning tool. Given this lack of understanding, it is not surprising that most students also do not understand how to participate productively in class discussion. While developing students' abilities to engage in and sustain a class discussion has not been identified as a central objective of any FS course, both students and instructors would benefit if instructors of FS 101 and 102 spent some time helping students understand the role of class discussion in their learning and how to engage in it effectively. The Allegheny Speech Center web site includes ideas for facilitating class discussion and links to resources on class discussion.
Distinctions and similarities between FS 101 and 102
Both FS 101 and 102 are intended to develop students' ability to "master the use of language" through regular writing and speaking. While FS 101 includes both academic and orientation components, FS 102 provides more rigorous instruction in writing and speaking as reflected in the greater length and complexity of assignments.
Recommendations for Academic Discourse I (FS 101)
To meet the curricular objectives for Academic Discourse I, the Faculty recommends the following types of assignments:
- descriptive assignments in which students evoke vivid images, feelings, or insights
- summative and explanatory assignments in which students present accurate, concise, and coherent reports
- critique and revision assignments in which students practice critical reading, viewing, listening, and reflection to develop a polished essay or speech.
In particular, the committee faculty encourages FS instructors to incorporate the following elements into the design of Academic Discourse I:
- regular opportunities to speak in class and short writing assignments
- no less than 10 pages of assigned writing, excluding revisions
- at least two formal writing assignments of 3-5 pages that include the possibility of revision
- at least one formal speech assignment (3-6 minutes) that includes preparatory work
- library research as a part of at least one of the writing or speech assignments
- at least two one-on-one meetings with each student.
Recommendations for Academic Discourse II (FS 102)
To meet the curricular objectives for Academic Discourse II, the Faculty recommends assignments that build on the types of elements described above, but with additional consideration to the following concepts:
- audience and context
- thesis and supporting claims
- evidence and strategies (reasoning, values, testimony, credibility)
- critique and revision.
In particular, the faculty encourages FS instructors to incorporate the following elements into the design of Academic Discourse II:
- regular opportunities to speak in class
- no less than 20 pages of assigned writing, excluding revisions
- at least three writing assignments (4-6 pages) that include the possibility of revision
- at least two speech assignments (6-8 minutes) that include outline development and extemporaneous delivery
- research, with close attention to source credibility, as a substantial part of at least one of the writing or speech assignments.
Recommendations for Communication in a Discipline (FS 201)
To meet the academic objectives for FS 201, the Faculty recommends assignments that provide multiple opportunities for students to understand and demonstrate the use of the principal characteristics of good oral and written communication within the discipline. Specifically, by the end of the course the students should have opportunities to:
- identify and utilize evidence in a manner that is persuasive and consistent with disciplinary norms
- articulate or demonstrate how the work of practitioners in the discipline draws on and responds to the work of other practitioners
- incorporate the work of others in their own writing and presentations in discipline-appropriate ways
- produce written and oral presentations that conform to disciplinary conventions.
In particular, the faculty encourages FS instructors to incorporate the following elements into the design of Sophomore Seminar (FS 201):
- frequent opportunities to speak in class and write each week
- at least two writing assignments that include the possibility of revision and require presentation standards that are consistent with disciplinary norms
- at least two speech assignments (5+ minutes) that include outline development and require presentation standards that are consistent with disciplinary norms
- disciplinary research or content development as a substantial part of at least one of the writing and at least one of the speech assignments.
Approved by the faculty, April 2008.
