CU Boulder WRTG 1150: First-Year Writing and Rhetoric
WRTG 1150 is CU Boulder's required first-year writing course, taught in small sections focused on rhetorical analysis, argument, and revision through a sequence of essays. Nearly every Boulder undergraduate takes it or an equivalent.
Fennie is independent and not affiliated with University of Colorado Boulder. This is an unofficial study guide.
What makes it hard
After big lectures, the small-section format is the adjustment: drafts, peer review, conferences, and participation all carry grade weight, and instructors grade revision seriously; a lightly edited resubmission reads as not engaging the process. Rhetorical analysis is the common stumble, since examining how a text persuades is new to most first-years.
What you'll cover
- • Rhetorical analysis
- • Argument and evidence
- • Drafting and substantive revision
- • Peer review
- • Audience and genre awareness
The WRTG 1150 study guide
How to study for CU Boulder WRTG 1150, step by step.
- 1
Treat every process step as graded, because it is
Drafts, peer review, conferences, and participation all carry weight because WRTG 1150 grades the writing process, not just final essays. Students who skip steps with strong drafts still lose to students who engage fully.
- 2
Practice rhetorical analysis before the essay requires it
Analyzing how a text persuades (appeals, structure, audience moves) is the course's common stumble. Annotate a few op-eds early, naming what the writer does and why it works.
- 3
Revise substantively between drafts
Restructure, cut, and rebuild in response to feedback rather than polishing sentences. Instructors grade visible growth across drafts, and a light edit signals disengagement.
- 4
Arrive at conferences with real questions
Specific questions about your draft's argument or structure turn conferences into graded engagement and genuinely better essays. Giving peers substantive feedback trains your eye for your own work too.
Today
Today's WRTG 1150 plan
What a Fennie Daily Plan looks like for WRTG 1150. Yours is built from your own syllabus and adapts every day to your deadlines and progress.
First plan free, no card required. Fennie is independent and unaffiliated with your school.
FAQ
Is WRTG 1150 at CU Boulder hard?
Not conceptually, but it's process-graded: drafts, peer review, conferences, and visible revision all count. Strong high-school writers who skip the process get mediocre grades; average writers who engage fully often outscore them.
What do you write in WRTG 1150?
Typically a sequence moving from rhetorical analysis into argument-driven essays, developed through drafts, peer review, and conferences. Exact assignments vary by instructor, but the analysis-then-argument arc is standard.
How do I get an A in WRTG 1150?
Treat revision as the graded skill it is: change drafts substantively in response to feedback, bring real questions to conferences, and engage peer review seriously. Visible growth across drafts outweighs polished first submissions.
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