Course Description

This course helps students develop basic writing skills by practicing writing paragraphs and essays. Students learn to write organized, supported and coherent paragraphs using grammatically correct sentences. This course will place emphasis on both macro-level composition skills such as: paragraph and essay structure, coherence and unity; and micro-level skills such as sentence structure, grammar, vocabulary, and mechanics. Students will analyze and address the typical trouble spots in these areas. This course is for non-native and native English language speakers who need to improve their foundation in academic English writing. Students will choose a final project based on their particular goals. This course will begin to develop students’ written communication skills, which will benefit their career and professional goals within the NIH community and beyond. This course is a first step in acquiring the writing skills needed to develop an effective cover letter or research statement.

Learner Outcomes

• Demonstrate and apply knowledge of different types of sentences.
• Demonstrate and apply knowledge of effective paragraph structure.
• Demonstrate and apply knowledge of basic essay structure.
• Employ the stages of the writing process, including pre-writing, drafting and re-writing.
• Recognize and correct basic grammatical errors.
• Summarize and paraphrase effectively.
• Understand and avoid plagiarism.
• Write more effectively in English.

Textbook Information

There is a required textbook for ENGL 215 that can be purchased through FAES or on your own. The name of the book is Great Writing 3, 5th ed. If purchased through FAES, the fee for the book is $70.95. If you would like to purchase the book through FAES, please register for the section (ENGL 207/208-002) that includes the book. Upon receipt of payment and fulfillment of your book order, your book can be picked up at the FAES Bookstore in Building 10 on the NIH campus in Bethesda.

If you are unable to pick up the book at the FAES Bookstore and would like the book mailed to you, please contact FAES at (301) 496-7976 or registrar@faes.org. There is an $11 charge for mailing the book.