WR I & WR II

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Writing Foundations

WR 121z

About Writing FoundationsWR 121z Registration InfoCourses and Outcomes 

 

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Writing Elevations

Elective Writing Courses

About Writing ElevationsRegistration InfoCourses and Outcomes 

About Writing Foundations

WR 121z: Composition I is a graduation requirement at OSU. This course provides an essential introduction to information literacy, analytical writing, and rhetorical agency. It is the only course that meets the Writing Foundations requirement of the Core Ed and is a prerequisite for many courses. Entering students who have not otherwise completed WR 121z or its equivalent are required to take it in their first year at OSU.

Writing Foundations Outcomes

Rhetorical Agency

  • Write in varied styles with attention to audience, purpose, and genre, incorporating how language use relates to rhetorical situations

Analytical Writing

  • Create texts that synthesize multiple viewpoints around a central idea supported with evidence

Information Literacy

  • Evaluate information critically using sources and foundational citation skills

Meeting the Writing Foundations Requirement

The WR 121 requirement can be met by:

  • WR 121z at OSU
  • WR 121z at another college or university in the Oregon University System
  • An equivalent approved first-year composition course at another college or university
  • A score of 3 or better on the AP Language & Composition exam
  • A score of 5 or better on standard and higher level IB (International Baccalaureate) exams
  • The WR 121z waiver exam at OSU. Students whose transfer equivalencies are not approved are welcome to take the WR 121z waiver exam

Passing Grades in WR 121z

  • The minimum passing grade in WR 121z is a C-. If you do not earn at least a C- in the class, you will need to retake the course
  • To transfer WR 121z credits from another institution, you must have earned a C- or better in the class

Registering for WR 121z

Alphabetical Restrictions

Core Education requirements ask students to take WR 121z during their first year at OSU. Registration for most course sections is restricted by alphabetical ranges based on the first letter of students' last names:

  • A-G in Fall Term
  • H-N in Winter Term
  • O-Z in Spring Term

We offer several in-person sections per term with no alpha restriction. Ecampus sections are never alpha restricted.

You can identify which sections are restricted by teh note in the "Registration restrictions" in the Schedule of Classes.

Overrides

Students attempting to register outside of their alphabetical range can obtain an "alpha override" in the first week of the term as follows:

  • On the first day of the term, locate a section of WR 121z that has open seats.
  • Send an email to [email protected] that includes your name, OSU ID number, and the section you want to register for. You will receive a response when your override has been approved and entered.
  • Go online and register for that section.

Please Note

  • Sections are capped at 25 students, no exceptions
  • Spaces frequently open up during the first week of the term, so students should add themselves to a waitlist or check back frequently to see if a seat is available
  • Students may not attend a section for which they are not registered
  • Waitlists are not maintained for closed sections

No second week adds are permitted for WR 121z

Writing Foundations Courses and Outcomes

Course Description Course Specific Outcomes
Engages student in the study and practice of critical thinking, reading, and writing. Focuses on analyzing and composing across varied rhetorical situations and in multiple genres. Applies key rhetorical concepts flexibly and collaboratively throughout writing and inquiry processes.
  • Apply rhetorical concepts through analyzing and composing a variety of texts
  • Engage texts critically, ethically, and strategically to support writing goals
  • Develop flexible composing, revising, and editing strategies for a variety of purposes, writing situations, and genres
  • Reflect on knowledge and skills developed in this course and their potential applications in other writing contexts 

 

 

About Writing Elevations

Once a student has completed WR 121z, they must take an elective course from among the offerings in the Writing Elevation category. The required Writing Elevation course is part of a student's Core Ed experience.There courses are designed to deepen students' awareness of and capacity with writing tools and expectations in a core area (e.g., academic writing, professional writing, technical writing, etc.), targeting the knowledge domain appropriate for a student's intended field of study before they take a Writing Intensive Curriculum course in their major. In all cases, Writing Elevations courses engage students in the process of critical thinking, audience analysis, document planning, and revision.

Writing Elevations Outcomes

  • Construct rhetorically informed texts that adapt to new writing situations, audiences, and relevant knowledge domains
  • Synthesize diverse perspectives in complex conversations using critical analysis and genre-appropriate writing styles and conventions
  • Integrate critically evaluated sources in knowledge domain-specific documents and arguments

Registering for Writing Elevations

Prerequisite

Because WR 121z serves as the prerequisite for Writing Elevations courses, a student will not be able to register for a Writing Elevation class until they have passed WR 121z.

Second Week Adds

During the second week of a term, students may try to register for sections of Writing Elevations courses that have open seats. To do so, please follow the steps below:

  1. Go online and locate a section that has available seats and fits your schedule
  2. Send an email to [email protected] that includes your name, OSU ID number, and the section you want to register for. If you already have permission from the instructor, please include that in your email.
  3. You will receive a response when your override has been approved and entered
  4. Go online and register for that section

Second week adds require permission from the instructor. An override will not be given if the instructor declines.

No second week adds permitted for WR227z.

Transfer Credits

Students who transfer WR 121z credits from another Oregon university or transfer equivalent first-year writing credits from other universities will be able to register for Writing Elevation courses once their WR 121z credits have been officially processed by the Admissions and Registrar's offices.

For questions related to transfer equivalencies, please contact Kristy Kelly, Director of Writing, or Brittni Wisner, SWLF Head Advisor.

Writing Elevations Courses and Outcomes

Course Description Course Specific Outcomes
Introduces students to producing instructive, informative, persuasive technical/professional documents aimed at well-defined and achievable outcomes. Focuses on presenting information using rhetorically appropriate style, design, vocabulary, structure, and visuals. Gathers, reads, and analyzes information and learns a variety of strategies for producing accessible, usable, reader-centered deliverable documents that are clear, concise, and ethical.
  • Apply key rhetorical concepts through analyzing, designing, composing, and revising a variety of deliverable documents for technical/professional contexts
  • Engage in project-based research, applying appropriate methods of inquiry for clearly defined purposes (e.g., user experience research and client/organization research)
  • Collaborate with various stakeholders to develop and apply flexible and effective strategies for managing projects
  • Develop and adapt document design and composition strategies to meet the demands of diverse clients, organizations, and multicultural audiences
  • Examine and respond to individual and professional ethical responsibilities across organizational contexts

Course Description Course Specific Outcomes
Builds advanced argumentation skills in cultural and academic conversations by writing research-based arguments. Focuses on crafting arguments and communicating ideas, facts, and perspectives to multiple audiences, both inside and outside of academia. Analyzes real-world arguments from a range of genres and contexts. Develops academic research and information literacy skills, evaluating and incorporating appropriate sources and citation. Emphasizes stylistic awareness and crafts advanced strategies for writing processes. Prepares students for writing in a range of contexts, with emphasis on writing in the liberal arts.
  • Analyze and evaluate rhetorical goals, quality of reasoning, and genre conventions across a variety of texts
  • Write original, rhetorically informed, research-based arguments using sound reasoning and evidence to persuade specific audiences
  • Develop advanced information literacy skills, evaluating research sources for credibility, bias, and effectiveness; navigate complex conversations by integrating appropriate sources
  • Demonstrate stylistic awareness in writing by making audience-driven choices about word choice, tone, voice, and conventions
  • Practice advanced strategies for writing processes, such as generating ideas, deepening topics, collaborating wtih peers and instructor to develop drafts, revising, and reflecting to improve transfer to future writing contexts

Course Description Course Specific Outcomes
Develops skills in written workplace communication with a focus on rhetorical practice. Explores effective document structure, sentence construction, incorporation of research, collaborative writing, and writing processes. Provides practice in a variety of complex processional contexts and in a variety of workplace genres, such as emails, reports, resumes, and cover letters.
  • Produce culturally and rhetorically aware documents for diverse professional audiences
  • Apply written and visual stylistic elements to common genres of workplace writing
  • Research and synthesize information from diverse viewpoints and rhetorically effective sources
  • Employ effective individual and collaborative writing process strategies

Course Description Course Specific Outcomes
Examines how to write about science to a broader public and approaches reading via analysis of the best science writing and journalism. Identifies what makes that writing successful and attends to both print and digital outlets. Focuses on different science writing genres and audiences, addresses practical skills involved in wirting about comples scientific information, and engages in models of science communication that support that work.
  • Synthesize and construct science writing that accurately and engagingly present complex scientific ideas clearly for various audiences
  • Explain how various publications/audiences determine style, vocabulary, and content
  • Analyze and evaluate examples of science writing and communication
  • Locate, evaluate, integrate, and ethically synthesize the necessary information and visuals for the completion of a project, including working with scientists and using scientific exhibits (graphs, charts, images, etc.) to supplement text
  • Workshop, revise, and respond effectively to peers' work in progress, and participate in collaborative learning activities
  • Apply appropriate conventions to control such surface features as syntax, grammar, punctuation, and spelling
  • Apply conventions governing scientific communication, including correct, concrete and concise writing and appropriate documentation styles

Course Description Course Specific Outcomes