Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to: write within the standard conventions of American or British English; write clear, effective essays designed to address critical positions and problems; demonstrate basic skills of fundamental stages of writing: prewriting, writing and rewriting clear, effective essays designed to address critical positions and problems; write research essay, developing theme and using research sources; describe the ways in which narratives (fiction and non-fiction), expository writings and arguments attempt to persuade an audience through appeals to reason and emotion; draw sound inferences from data; learn difference between inductive and deductive reasoning; take notes effectively; locate and evaluate outside sources for use in developing their own analysis; effectively use such writing strategies as analysis, synthesis, interpretation, and definition; and develop an ability to refine positions or seek new ones when weaknesses are discovered in their own arguments.