This first course in a two course sequence complements the other elements of the UHC curriculum by providing first-year students with a structured, curricular setting in which they can develop their abilities in writing, communication, and mathematics as well as their understanding of research methods and ethics. In the writing-and-communication component of the course, which meets weekly in the fall semester, students develop their abilities in written, visual, and verbal communication by sharing, discussing, and working on appropriate projects from other courses or co-curricular activities. Students receive explicit instruction in argumentation, prose style, and citation conventions, as well as an introduction to the library and the use of online catalogues and databases.