Introduction

Central Arizona College

Introduction

Why Take ENR 90?

As you begin this chapter, you may wonder why you need a class on reading and writing. After all, you have been writing and reading since elementary school. You completed numerous assessments of your reading and writing skills in high school. You may write on the job, too. Why is a college reading and writing course even necessary?

When you are eager to get started on the coursework in your major that will prepare you for your career, getting excited about an introductory college reading and writing course can be difficult. However, regardless of your field of study, honing your writing, reading, and critical-thinking skills gives you a more solid academic foundation.

College vs. High School

In college, academic expectations change from what you may have experienced in high school. The quantity of work you are expected to do is increased. When instructors expect you to read pages upon pages or study hours and hours for one particular course, managing your workload can be challenging.

The quality of the work you do also changes. Understanding course material and summarizing it on an exam is not enough. You will also be expected to seriously engage with new ideas by reflecting on, analyzing, critiquing, making connections, drawing conclusions, or finding new ways of thinking about a given subject. Educationally, you are moving into deeper waters. A good introductory writing course will help you swim.

Table 1.1, “High School versus College Assignments,” summarizes some of the other major differences between high school and college assignments.

High School	College
Reading assignments are moderately long. Teachers may set aside some class time for reading and reviewing the material in depth.	Some reading assignments may be very long. You will be expected to come to class with a basic understanding of the material.
Teachers often provide study guides and other aids to help you prepare for exams.	Reviewing for exams is primarily your responsibility.
Your grade is determined by your performance on a wide variety of assessments, including minor and major assignments. Not all assessments are writing-based.	Your grade may depend on just a few major assessments. Most assessments are writing-based.
Writing assignments include personal writing and creative writing in addition to expository writing.	Outside of creative writing courses, most writing assignments are expository.
The structure and format of writing assignments is generally stable over a four-year period.	Depending on the course, you may be asked to master new forms of writing and follow standards within a particular professional field.
Teachers often go out of their way to identify and try to help students who are performing poorly on exams, missing classes, not turning in assignments, or just struggling with the course. Often, teachers will give students many “second chances.”	Although teachers want their students to succeed, they may not always realize when students are struggling. They also expect you to be proactive and take steps to help yourself. “Second chances” are less common.

College-level reading and writing assignments differ from high school assignments not only in quantity but also in quality. Managing college reading assignments successfully requires you to plan and manage your time, set a purpose for reading, practice effective comprehension strategies, and use active reading strategies to deepen your understanding of the text. College writing assignments place greater emphasis on learning to think critically about a particular discipline and less emphasis on personal and creative writing. ENR 90: English Reading Integration at Central Arizona College will help you develop and focus your skills to help further your success in college.

Reading Skills Are Important

You need to read. It improves your thinking, your vocabulary, and your ability to make connections between disparate parts, which are all parts of critical thinking. Educational researchers Anne Cunningham and Keith Stanovich discovered after extensive study with college students that “reading volume [how much you read] made a significant contribution to multiple measures of vocabulary, general knowledge, spelling, and verbal fluency.”

Research continues to assess and support the fact that one of the most significant learning skills necessary for success in any field is reading. You may have performed this skill for decades already, but learning to do it more effectively and practicing the skill consistently is critical to how well you do in all subjects. If reading isn’t your thing, strive to make that your challenge. Your academic journey, your personal well-being, and your professional endeavors will all benefit from your reading. Put forth the effort and make it your thing. The long-term benefits will far outweigh the sacrifices you make now.