Framework for Expectations in Writing Instruction Courses
(Revised Spring 2015)
Threshold Concepts
INT 101
GBK 101
R-Designated
Courses
(WRT 120)
GBK 202
INT 201
GBK 203
Purpose
Introduce and practice
writing for different
purposes (e.g., to
summarize, inform,
analyze, persuade,
argue, express, or
create)
Introduce writing for
purposes appropriate to
Great Books pedagogy,
especially critical
analysis and making
arguments about
characters and issues in
narrative, historical,
and philosophical texts
Practice writing for
purposes appropriate to
a particular
discipline
Practice writing for
purposes appropriate
to Great Books
pedagogy, especially
critical analysis and
arguments about the
arguments in
philosophical, scientific,
and narrative texts
Develop increased
control over writing for
different purposes
across writing contexts,
emphasizing public
discourse.
Develop increased
control over writing for
purposes appropriate to
Great Books pedagogy,
especially critical
analysis and arguments
about the arguments in
religious texts
Audience
Introduce the rhetorical
concept of audience.
Introduce the rhetorical
concept of audience.
Practice crafting
content and form to
meet the needs and
expectations of
particular audiences.
Practice crafting
content and form to
meet the needs and
expectations of
particular audiences
Introduce features of
content, form,
and style expected by a
disciplinary or
professional audience
but at a level
appropriate for secondsemester freshmen
Practice adapting
content and form to
meet audience needs in
the Great Books writing
context
Develop increased
control over adapting
content, form, and style
to meet audience needs
in different rhetorical
situations
Develop increased
control over adapting
content, form, and style
to meet audience needs
in the Great Books
writing context.
Practice control of logic,
clarity, and coherence
as defined by the
specific writing context
Develop increased
control of logic, clarity,
and coherence for a
variety rhetorical
situations
Develop increased
control of logic, clarity,
and coherence as
defined by the specific
writing context
Practice crafting
content and form to
meet those needs and
expectations
Logic, Clarity, and
Coherence
Introduce and practice
standards of logic,
clarity, and coherence
in academic writing
Introduce and practice
standards of logic,
clarity, and coherence
in academic writing
Introduce and practice
standards of logic,
clarity, and coherence
as defined by a specific
disciplinary context
Threshold Concepts
INT 101
GBK 101
R-Designated Classes
(WRT 120)
GBK 202
Research Skills
Introduce and practice
using academic
resources appropriate
to a freshman level in
a range of disciplines
and assignments (e.g.,
annotated
bibliography or critical
summary of a
secondary source)
Introduce and practice
using academic
resources appropriate
to a freshman level
within the Great Books
context (e.g., annotated
bibliography or critical
summary of a
secondary source)
Introduce and practice
using academic
resources appropriate
for the disciplinary or
professional context (for
assignments such as an
annotated bibliography
and/or a research
paper)
Practice using academic
resources appropriate
to a particular research
topic within the Great
Books context.
Introduce and practice
using publically
available information
and data sources
appropriate to a
particular research
topic.
Develop increased
control over using
academic resources
appropriate to a
particular research
topic within the Great
Books context
Citations
Introduce multiple
citation systems and
explain in general terms
why they differ
Introduce multiple
citation systems and
explain in general terms
why they differ.
Practice using citation
systems appropriate to
writing in the Great
Books context
Practice using at least
one citation system
Practice using at least
one citation system
Develop increased
control over the use of
citation systems
appropriate to different
writing
contexts
Develop increased
control over the use of
citation systems
appropriate to writing
in the Great Books
context
Introduce conventions
of surface features such
as syntax, grammar,
punctuation, and
spelling
Introduce conventions
of surface features such
as syntax, grammar,
punctuation, and
spelling
Introduce the basic
conventions of the
relevant
citation system and
practice using them
effectively in
disciplinary writing
contexts
Introduce disciplinespecific vocabulary and
appropriate conventions
of style
Practice applying the
conventions of surface
features in particular
writing contexts.
Develop increased
control over surface
features and practice
adapting elements of
style in particular
writing contexts
Develop increased
control over surface
features and practice
adapting elements of
style in particular
writing contexts
Practice controlling
such features in
particular writing
contexts.
Practice controlling
such features in
particular writing
contexts
Conventions
Practice controlling
such features in
particular writing
contexts
INT 201
GBK 203