5 Tips to Ace English 15 at Penn State
Photo by Maddy Pryor
Author: Julianna Herriott, Tutor Program Manager
Read time: 4-6 minutes
English 15 is a required course at Penn State that teaches you how to communicate effectively - and not just in the classroom. You’ll look at different types of media like commercials and posters to learn the strategies that make them compelling. And by the end of the course, you’ll be confident producing your own!
Though it may seem easy on paper, it’s important to take it as seriously as all your other courses. We’ve compiled some tips from current Penn State English 15 instructors and previous students to help you succeed in the class!
Attend Class!
English 15 is not the class to slack on attendance! Although it may seem like less work than Engineering or Math courses, English 15 prioritizes in-class attendance and participation over exam grades.
Consult your syllabus for a list of how many excused absences you have. For most classes, these are limited to 2 or 3 classes for the entire semester. Be honest with yourself, and pick a class time that you know you can attend and be present for.
Utilize the Writing Center at Penn State
Your tuition at Penn State includes the use of the Writing Center at Penn State Learning. The Writing Center is a free service for students to get their essays proofread, ask questions, or brainstorm ideas with a trained peer tutor.
The Writing Center offers drop-in tutoring at 220 Boucke Building or in the Search Bar ( Pattee Library’s Sidewater Commons). You can also book an appointment with a writing tutor online or in-person through Starfish!
Read The Syllabus (And Keep Reading It!)
Consider your English 15 syllabus to be the answer to (almost) all of your questions. The syllabus has been refined over semesters to include detailed rubrics, tips for the assignments, grading scales, course policies, and more.
Before you reach out to your professor or assume an answer, check your English 15 syllabus!
Tip: You can find your syllabus in Canvas!
Read and Adhere to the AI Policy
Your English 15 professor will likely discuss their policy on AI during the first day of class. They’ll also have a section in their syllabus dedicated to the policy.
Each professor handles the use of AI differently. Some are okay with it for brainstorming, others are not. All professors will insist that any work you hand in is written by you.
Your professor knows that AI can write a paper that is free of errors and follows the prompt. That is not what they want to see - your professor wants to see your thoughts - even if your work includes some mistakes. You can refine your thoughts through peer review, writing tutors, or your own revisions. If you aren’t sure if something is allowed, it's always better to ask first!
Utilize Penn Statements for Models
Even after looking at some examples in class and reading the rubric, you may still not understand what your professor is looking to see in your assignments.
In English 15, you’ll encounter many different types of writing - Arguments, Counter-Arguments, Rhetorical Analyses, and Narratives are just some of the things you may be asked to write. You’ll also be tasked with using multimedia sources (More than just writing - think sound, video, and photo).
Penn Statements is a Penn State site created by the Program of Writing and Rhetoric to provide models of previous student models. These have been taken from past English 15 students (with their permission) and put on the website. While the site is a great resource to familiarize yourself with the wide range of ways to approach an assignment, you should still be sure to come up with your own topic ideas.
