Welcome Letter

Welcome Letter to Composition and Rhetoric Students

Dear Students,

Welcome to Composition and Rhetoric! I’m so excited to have you in this class, and I look forward to guiding you through what I hope will be a stimulating and rewarding semester. In this course, we’ll explore the art of writing, reading, and critical thinking in a multimodal way—meaning that we’ll move beyond traditional essays to engage with a variety of communication forms, including digital, visual, and oral modes of expression. My goal is to help you become a more flexible, confident, and creative communicator who can adapt your ideas to different platforms and audiences.

In this class, we will focus on developing your skills in writing and analysis while embracing a multimodal approach to composition. Here’s what you can expect:

Multimodal Composition: We won’t just be writing formal essays. We will incorporate images, videos, digital tools, and other forms of media into your assignments, exploring how these modes work together to create stronger, more persuasive arguments.
Communications: Whether you are writing a research paper, creating a digital presentation, or composing a visual argument, you’ll practice communicating your ideas clearly and effectively in a variety of formats.
Revision and Editing: As always, revision is a key part of the writing process. We will focus on refining both the content and style of your work, helping you become a more effective writer and editor.
Research Skills: You will learn how to conduct research using library resources and integrate that research into your multimodal projects, with an emphasis on proper citation and documentation.
Project Management and Development: You’ll complete research-based projects that blend various forms of media. This will allow you to integrate your research skills with your creativity and technological fluency.

I want to emphasize that this class is all about creativity. This approach will give you the chance to experiment with different tools, think critically about your audience, and develop content in new and exciting ways. We’ll also be working on foundational writing and editing skills, as well as research practices that will support your future academic and professional endeavors.

I encourage you to approach the course with an open mind and a willingness to try new things.

Learning, after all, is a process, and I’m here to guide and support you every step of the way. Feel free to reach out to me with any questions or concerns, whether about course material or your personal writing goals.

I’m excited to see what you will create this semester, and I can’t wait to get started on this journey with you!