GE Program Goals

A2 Educational Objectives and Criteria - Introduction

The three lower-division courses in Area A provide a foundation in the skills of clear thinking, speaking, and writing. Courses in this area provide extensive practice in the principles, skills, and art of reasoning in both oral and written communication. Writing and speaking are fundamental modes of expression that rely on the principles of rhetoric and clear reasoning, and instruction in logic is an essential support for these modes. The sequence assumes that the mastery of reasoned communication must be developed and practiced over time and that this mastery is crucial to students' success at the university and beyond. By placing basic skills in a larger context, these courses also provide a vision of why this area is an important component of general education.

Lower-division courses in A2 meet EACH of the following criteria:
The course proposal and expanded course outline must clearly indicate how the course will include appropriate writing activities of not less than 2500 words related to the content and the logic of oral presentations, provide an activity environment allowing four or more original oral presentations of 5-7 minutes (at least one must be a speech to inform and one a speech to persuade), and provide both instruction and practice in:

A2:  Lower-Division Objectives

EO 1  hear and understand what is said, formulate relevant responses in complete sentences free of slang, and construct spoken messages in a variety of rhetorical contexts, including brief messages, conversations, group discussions, and oral presentations;

EO 2  understand the place, function, and ethical use of oral communication;

evaluate spoken messages critically, especially for their clarity, informative value, and use or abuse of rhetorical devices in oral persuasion;

EO 3  recognize that writing and speaking are closely related, and that each is an effective act of rehearsal for the other;

EO 4  locate, retrieve, evaluate, and incorporate material appropriate to oral presentation, and cite such material accurately;

EO 5  recognize the common fallacies of thinking;

EO 6  practice writing skills related to the subject matter of the course.

Lower-division courses in A2 meet EACH of the following criteria:
The course proposal and expanded course outline must clearly indicate how the course will include appropriate writing activities of not less than 2500 words related to the content and the logic of oral presentations, provide an activity environment allowing four or more original oral presentations of 5-7 minutes (at least one must be a speech to inform and one a speech to persuade), and provide both instruction and practice in:

A2:  Lower-Division Criteria

CR 1  applying techniques for attentive listening and accurate comprehension of spoken messages;

CR 2  the skills appropriate for a variety of oral presentations;

CR 3  the principles of outlining appropriate to various speaking situations;

CR 4  using organizational patterns appropriate to various speaking situations;

CR 5  evaluating the uses of language, including the abuses of language, in persuasive speaking;

CR 6  locating, retrieving, reporting, evaluating, integrating, and accurately citing research material;

CR 7  identifying the common fallacies of thinking, and understanding their implications in both written and oral forms.