Students should develop skills in each of the four WOVE modes. Specifically, students should be able to:
Written
- adapt their writing to specific purposes, audiences, and situational contexts
- integrate and document a range of informational sources, from personal interviews to print and electronic publications
- practice varied organizational strategies and transitional devices
- match expression to situation and audience, avoiding errors that distract or confuse
- design effective presentation forms by attending to spacing, margins, headings, color, and typography
- develop strategies to revise their own writing
- reflect upon their communication processes, strengths, goals, and growth
Oral
- ask effective questions and listen actively
- function as an effective team member in small groups as contributor, listener, collaborator, and presenter
- develop basic oral presentation skills, focusing on meaningful information, clear organization, and engaging delivery
Visual
- use typography effectively, particularly in creating headings and subheadings
- create an appropriate layout format for a bookmark, brochure, fact sheet, or newsletter
- analyze visual communication, such as art on campus
- use visuals effectively (e.g., imported, scanned, or digital pictures) and integrate them with written texts
- accurately document visual sources
Electronic
- use appropriate format, voice, and language in a professional email (e.g., correspondence with an instructor)
- use word-processing skills, including making headings, attachments, tables, etc.
- create an electronic composition (a poster or infographic and an ISUComm ePortfolio)
- choose one or more suitable media for delivering communication to its intended audience
Throughout the semester, it’s important for students to discuss and analyze the purpose and audience (context) of assigned readings and their own compositions. By using both primary sources (observations, interviews, surveys, personal experience) and secondary sources (print, oral, visual, electronic), students recognize a range of options for gathering evidence, determine which sources are effective and appropriate for a particular rhetorical situation, and practice summarizing, paraphrasing, and quoting sources. Students also learn organizational strategies such as developing a main idea (usually a thesis sentence), supporting that idea, and moving smoothly from one paragraph to the next. In addition to recognizing and correcting errors that distract or confuse the audience, students need to understand how the rhetorical elements of style (language and convention choices) and delivery (media and format choices) may influence the audience. Reflection is a key component in English 150 in helping students analyze their own communication processes (including invention, drafting, revision, and editing) and personal communication growth as well as how these skills will be helpful to them in future classes and the workplace.
See pp. 13–17 in the Student Guide