Common Reading

Academics are at the core of day to day life at Loras College. Because of this there is an academic component to Launch into Loras which is common reading. The common reading component of Launch into Loras helps prepare you for life inside the classroom at Loras.

Introduction to the Liberal Arts at Loras College
First-year Summer Readings and Paper Assignment, 2012

1. Read through and reflect on the following First-year Summer Reading Packet & Writing Assignment: An Introduction to the Liberal Arts & Critical Thinking At Loras College
2. Write a 4-6 page double-spaced essay response to the prompt provided below.
   
   Prompt:
   Explain how you think your development in the Loras College dispositions will be enhanced by a focus on the liberal arts and critical thinking. In your discussion you should:
   • Provide a clear explanation of what the liberal arts means to you.
   • Identify how your own preparation and development prior to Loras has contributed to your strengths and challenges in each of the Loras Dispositions.
   • Identify at least four specific connections that you see between the tenets of a liberal arts education (as described in your readings) and the Loras dispositions.
   • Be sure to cite your sources.
   
   Keep the following in mind as you write your paper:
   • Your paper should have a clear thesis that outlines what the paper is about, a well-developed body addressing each of the points outlined above, and a strong closing paragraph.
   • The body of the paper should be organized and structured clearly. Planning should be apparent in the arrangement of your points. It should be easy to follow the movement of your ideas because you provide appropriate and helpful transitions that indicate relationships between ideas.
   • Paragraphs should be sufficiently and interestingly developed. Each body paragraph must have a topic sentence that indicates what your paragraph will be about and supporting sentences that are clearly linked to your topic sentence and the overall thesis of your paper.
   • Your sources/references should be cited appropriately in the text of your paper. All papers will be submitted to TurnItIn.com for review.
   • Your essay’s style and expression should be clear, and its diction should be precise.

Important: This paper does count toward your grade in your Modes of Inquiry (MOI) course and is worth 10% of the final grade in the MOI course. Students will receive feedback from their MOI instructors prior to the determination of a final grade; however, failure to submit the paper on-time (Thursday evening at Launch) will result in a loss of credit for the assignment that cannot be made up..

Due Date: The paper is due to your MOI instructor on the first night of Launch into Loras, Thursday, August 23rd. Bring a hard copy with you and also have it saved on your laptop. This paper does count toward your final grade in your Modes of Inquiry (MOI) course.