Revised 12/2023

ESL 51 - Composition III (5 CR.)

Course Description

Prepares for college-level writing by practice in the writing process, emphasizing development of thought in essays of greater length and complexity, and use of appropriate syntax and diction. Credits are not applicable toward graduation. Lecture 5 hours per week.

General Course Purpose

To prepare advanced ESL students for college-level writing. 

Course Prerequisites/Corequisites

An English placement test recommendation for ESL Level 5 or successful completion of ESL 41 or ESL 48.

Corequisite: ESL 52; corequisite is not required to be taken in the same semester

Course Objectives

Goal 1 - Students will be able to produce clear, logically developed essays using idiomatic English.

Objectives

Given a topic, students will be able to:

• generate ideas
• focus on thesis
• make a plan for the proposed essay
• write a draft
• revise the draft
• proofread and edit their own writing

Goal 2 - Students will be able to use research strategies for approaching a variety of writing tasks

Objectives

Given a writing task, students will be able to:

• locate and use supporting material
• document sources
• paraphrase, quote, and summarize appropriately
• define and avoid plagiarism
• use proper citations

Goal 3 - Students will be able to formulate a thesis and develop it.

Objectives

Given a topic, students will be able to:

• narrow the topic
• sustain an idea
• write thesis for different types of essays such as argumentative, summary/response, comparison/contrast, and cause/effect

Major Topics to Be Included

• prewriting strategies, such as brainstorming and planning
• drafting
• revising
• editing
• focusing, organizing, and developing ideas
• discussing, analyzing, and responding to written materials
• grammar review as needed or academic writing, such as complex sentence structures,
• subordination, conditionals, passive voice, past modals