Course Title:   
READING, WRITING, & INQUIRY, Fall 2025  

Course Number: 
English 131 

Section Number: 
Section 17056 

Course Description: 
W131 teaches skills of critical reading, thinking, and writing to help students meaningfully engage artifacts, events, and issues in our world. The course builds students' abilities to read written and cultural texts critically; to analyze those texts in ways that engage both students' own experiences and the perspectives of others; and to write about those texts for a range of audiences and purposes as a means of participating in broader conversations. Assignments emphasize the analysis and synthesis of sources in making and developing claims.

Student Learning Outcomes: 

English W131 is a general education course that also fulfills these Student Learning Outcomes for Written Communication courses.  As a result of taking Written Communication, students will be able to... 

1. Develop a thesis that establishes a position in relation to sources, goes beyond common knowledge, can be debated, and provides control, direction, and purpose to the paper. 

1. Incorporate concrete examples in most body paragraphs to develop the thesis. 

1. Incorporate an organizational structure that presents paragraphs in a meaningful progression. 

1. Demonstrate control over grammar errors while maintaining the sentence-level flexibility to clearly articulate ideas 

1. Demonstrate sustained engagement with evidence (i.e. quotations) using appropriate citation form 

1. Engage in writing as a social process that includes multiple drafts, collaboration, and reflection. 

Grading Weights and Scales: 

Assignment                                                        Percentage of Grade 
Attendance, Participation, and weekly assignments: 25% 

Final drafts of three papers 75% 

Grade      Percent Range       
A+              98-100                  
A                94-97                      
A-               90-93                     
B+               87-89                   
B                 84-86                      
B-               80-83 
C+              77-79 
C                 74-76         
C-               70-73         
D+              67-69   
D                64-66           
D-               60-63                     
F                 <60% 

Course Delivery: 
In person at the Indiana University South Bend campus 

Meeting Dates and Place: 
August 25, 2025–December 19, 2025. 
Class meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. in Weikamp Hall. On most days, we will meet in classroom 1160. When we are in a lab, which I will announce in class and via Canvas, we will meet in DW 1265. 

Due Dates for Major Assignments: 

Week 7: October 6-10 

Paper One Due 

Week 12: November 10-14 

Paper Two Due 

Week 16: December 8–12 
Paper Three Due