English 110 pursues an inquiry-driven approach to writing and research, teaching rhetorical analysis and argumentation.  The course emphasizes writing as an intellectual, social process both in terms of content and structure.  The course begins from the premise that a vibrant and fair democracy requires participants who are willing and able to formulate investigative questions about their communities, cultures, and governments.  Emphasizing writing as a process that involves stages of invention, revision, and reflection, course activities and assignments provide students with the rhetorical tools to understand how language works in defining reality, explaining positions, and persuading others.  In short, the course aims to prepare students for the responsibilities of literate adult citizenship and the rhetorical challenges of their chosen fields and careers.