WR 15x
Although we are often encouraged to write what we know, the best research writing is motivated by our interest in the unknown: What do we want to discover, how can we discover it, and what are the most effective ways to communicate our discoveries? These questions will drive our work in all classes at the WR 15x level. Building on WR 120 or its equivalent, this class will help you cultivate your writing and research skills through a range of assignments, including a scholarly research essay in which you will be responsible for identifying and refining a topic, devising research questions, and answering those questions by finding and using a range of scholarly and non-scholarly sources.
New to teaching WR 15x? Start here.
All WR 15x classes carry Hub units in (1) Writing, Research, & Inquiry and (2) Research & Information Literacy.
- WR 151 offers a third Hub unit in Oral/Signed Communication.
- WR 152 offers a third Hub unit in Digital/Multimedia Expression.
- WR 153 offers a third Hub unit in Creativity/Innovation.
The following learning outcomes, pedagogical approach, and resources are common to all courses at the WR 15x level; refer to each individual page (linked above) for specific resources and guides to teaching the individual courses.
Learning Outcomes
You will develop your abilities to:
- strategically search for and select both scholarly and non-scholarly sources and read them with understanding, appreciation, and critical judgment
- express yourself orally and converse thoughtfully about complex ideas
- engage a range of sources in order to address research questions and to communicate findings in the form of responsible, considered, and well-structured written arguments
- produce clear, coherent prose in a range of genres and styles, using different media and modes of expression as appropriate
- plan, draft, and revise efficiently and effectively, and help your peers do the same by responding productively to their work
- reflect on how research, reading, writing, and editing practices differ for varied audiences, genres, and purposes
Pedagogical Approach
Although they differ in their subject content, all WR seminars share common goals and lead you through a sequence of assignments that emphasize a process of planning, drafting, and revising informed by feedback from your classmates and instructor. Seminar activities also give you opportunities to engage in focused scholarly inquiry and discussion.
In WR 15x, you will undertake an extended research project related to your course topic. You will conduct individual and/or group research, exploring new ways to find, evaluate, and engage with information from different sources and in different formats. You will become better able to select and use information sources strategically to formulate and respond to research questions and to participate in the scholarly conversation about your topic. You will also become a more flexible writer by adapting your inquiry to address different audiences, integrating research into your writing in various ways to create new knowledge. Reflecting on your approach to writing and research will prepare you to adapt it to future occasions.
Course Requirements
Specific course requirements are to:
- Develop a sustained research inquiry in which you explore a range of information sources and modes of research to help formulate and engage with research questions
- Communicate about your research in two or more genres to two or more distinct audiences
- Prepare reading, drafts, and exercises as assigned so that you are ready to participate in class
- Attend at least one conference with your instructor
- Reflect on your learning throughout the term, contributing to and completing the cumulative WR portfolio
Resources for Teaching
Essential Lessons
Major Assignments
Exercises & Handouts
Flipped Learning Modules
Guides & Tips
Previous level:WR 120 First-Year Writing Seminar
