A message from the Coordinator of Composition

Welcome to the home of Composition and Rhetoric at Kutztown University. We hope that this site will provide a portal into our composition program, our course offerings, and the broader field of Composition and Rhetoric.

While many people may associate Composition and Rhetoric with first-year writing courses, the five paragraph essay, or strategies for arguing, the scope of Composition and Rhetoric is both deeper and more vast than these narrow categories. In fact, these narrow categories for understanding Composition–even College Composition–can inhibit an inquiry into writing that is increasingly important and necessary in the complex world of the 21st Century.

To be sure, developing both confidence and competence in the conventions of “academic writing” is crucial for one’s college and professional career. However, these conventions are not set in stone like a mathematic formula (indeed, we would argue that even mathematic formulas are not set in stone!). Rather, one’s ability to communicate effectively in today’s environment requires a deeper understanding of the complex rhetorical situation in which we find ourselves and the “available means” we have at our disposal to be heard above the clutter.

To make the case more concretely, today’s careers place a premium on being able to communicate effectively through writing. A recent report by the National Commission on Writing found that top business leaders around the country see strong writing abilities as directly correlated to success in today’s workplace. While writing has always been important in the workplace, today’s high-tech, globalized workplace makes writing all that more important.

But the importance of writing is not limited to job prospects. Writing is instrumental to the health of our democracy. Active citizens need to be able to analyze and make arguments in the public sphere. In addition to the traditional “town halls” today’s public sphere is a literate one–one that takes place on the Internet, on social networking sites, and in the blogosphere. These emerging modes of communication represent the “new writing” in a globalized, interconnected world. Today’s democracy needs citizens who can critically navigate and engage in these public spheres.

In short, one may encounter the field of Composition and Rhetoric for the first time in their College Composition course during their first semester at Kutztown. However, inquiry into writing should carry on all throughout one’s college career and professional life. This is one space for that on-going conversation.

Best,

Dr. Kevin Mahoney
Coordinator of Composition
Associate Professor, English

PS: If you have have any thoughts about this site you can scroll down to the very bottom of this page and leave a comment, or email Kevin Mahoney.

KU Composition Calendar

For information about upcoming meetings, events, and other comp/rhet happenings at KU, check out our composition calendar.