The purpose of the study was to gain an understanding of the kinds of prior knowledge students bring with them from high school as it relates to the conventions of writing that they are expected to follow in ARTS 1110 Introduction to University. The research questions were "Can first-year students taking the Arts 1110 Introduction to University course articulate their prior knowledge about how to write an essay? and, "How do students use their prior knowledge when they learn how to write an argumentative essay in ARTS 1110? Data was gathered using a one time paper and pencil survey that consisted of a combination of open-ended and closed questions. The results indicated that students bring with them some knowledge of the terms used such as thesis statement, research, and counter-argument but that they often have only a superficial understanding of what the terms actually mean and how to use them in an essay. The results indicate that if students are to be successful at university they have to gain an understanding of what the terms mean and how they are used in each course they take. "First Year Students' Writing Knowledge Survey" is appended.