Advanced literacy is the ultimate goal, but learning to write well is a lifelong process.
The first step towards advanced literacy involves practice in guided writing both in and out of class, as well as discussions about readings with your classmates. This is not primarily a lecture class, but there will be some of that as well. Please pick this text up from the Textbook Center as soon as possible. For these reasons, attendance is required if you want to do well in the course. At the end of the semester, poor attendance may directly lower your grade if you are between an A and a B, or a B and a C, etc.