Friday, November 12, 2010

ENC 1101-086 ESSAY3: PROCESS ANALYSIS

Dr. Hand
ENC 1101-086
Essay 3: Process Analysis—650-800 words
First draft due: November 1
Second draft due: November 8
Final draft (plus all previous drafts and a process memo): November 15

Any missing materials will result in a deduction of points. 

This assignment asks you to write a process analysis.  A process analysis is just like it sounds: it analyzes a process.  For example, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., analyzes the process of hair treatments he became familiar with growing up and observing his mother’s hair-dressing practices (Patterns, 300-305).  Dave Barry’s essay, “Terminal Logic,” examines the process of air travel, with the aim of both amusing readers and persuading them that not all airport security measures are effective or useful (290-292).  Your process analysis should explain a process and inform and/or persuade readers about the process itself and your position regarding the process.   

Read the ideas on Patterns page 327, particularly numbers 1, 4, 11, 12, 13, and 16.  Think about these suggestions, and brainstorm.  Write a list of several different topics.  Beside each topic, identify your aim.  Looking at number 16, my topic might be “the best way to grill a burger.”  My aim would be to inform and persuade my readers.  Looking at number 12, my topic might be “Finnish Christmas rituals,” where my aim would be to inform my readers. 

This essay requires that you do research on your process.  Find at least 3 sources and create an annotated bibliography.  Provide the bibliographical entry in MLA style, and beneath each entry provide a 2-3 sentence description of the information you  found in the source.  Sources might range from reference books to magazine articles to personal interviews.  Sources should be authoritative, trustworthy, and acceptable within a scholarly community.  Unidentified websites, Wikipedia, and personal blogs are example of unacceptable sources. 

Citations from sources should be in quotation marks.  Do NOT paraphrase.  Paraphrasing blurs the lines between what comes from the source and what comes from you.  If I can’t distinguish between your words and the source’s, or if I feel like you are paraphrasing without crediting a source, I will conclude that you are plagiarizing (attempting to pass off another’s words or ideas as your own), and you will fail the assignment and/or the course.

Remember: write clearly and concisely; organize your information into paragraphs with clear main ideas and supporting details; provide your statement of purpose or thesis up front; do not include general or extraneous information anywhere in your paper; think about your aims and audience as you write; use appropriate and specific language; display critical thinking; provide quotations from sources to illustrate your points; include an effective introduction and conclusion.     

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

ENC 2300 Tuesday class canceled

Class today, Tuesday, 10/12, is canceled.  I am feeling ill.  I apologize for this inconvenience, especially for how last minute it is.  I was hoping that I'd get to feeling better, but instead I'm feeling worse.  I'm sorry.  Please e-mail me if you have questions.  Bring your second draft to turn in next class for my feedback.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Extra credit opportunities!

October 20 is the National Day on Writing, and FAMU has several events on writing scheduled between the 18th and 21st.  Attend any one of these events, write a one-page summary of what you learned, and bring any handouts from the events signed and dated by the event facilitator in order to receive extra credit.

More information below:


Write Your Way Up! 
A Celebration of the Writing Process 
and the National Day on Writing
 
Brought to you by the FAMU Writing Resource Center
(A Title III Activity)
Come join us, October 18-21, 2010, as we celebrate the importance of writing in the professional world with our 4th Write Your Way Up! Series.  Throughout this exciting week of activities, we encourage the University community to compose, revise, and review original works (essays, poetry, stories, poems, songs, letters, etc.) and then submit them to the Writing Resource Center’s Online Writing Gallery: “Living in Words: The FAMU Experience,” located at http://galleryofwriting.org/galleries/49942

We also invite the community to attend one or more of our workshops and forums listed below:
Monday, October 18; 12:20 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Write for Hire: A Resume, Curriculum Vitae, & Cover Letter Workshop

Tuesday, October 19; 12:30 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. 
The Write to Speak:  A Forum on Writing and Public Speaking

Wednesday, October 20
The National Day on Writing!
For more information on the National Council of Teachers of English’s (NCTE’s) National Day on Writing, visithttp://www.ncte.org/dayonwriting.

Wednesday, October 20; 12:20 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
The Write to Research: A Faculty Forum on Research & Writing 
Faculty from various departments discuss how they transform their research projects into publications.

Thursday, October 21; 12:30 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. 
Write Your Life: A Personal Statement Workshop

Friday, October 22; 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Step Write Up to the Mic (Open Mic Session)
Featuring Voices Poetry Troupe
Faculty, students and staff read their original works (poems, stories, essays) and receive feedback from a supportive audience of family, friends, colleagues, and peers.  All participants are encouraged to submit their writings to the Writing Resource Center’s Online Writing Gallery-- “Living in Words: The FAMU Experience,” located at http://galleryofwriting.org/galleries/49942.
All sessions will be held in the FAMU Writing Resource Center, Tucker Hall, Room 124.
For more information, call 850-599-8391 or visit www.famu.edu/wrc.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

ENC 2300-008 ESSAY 2: WRITING ABOUT A TEXT

ENC 2300-008

Essay 2: Writing about a text

600-750 Words

Submission requirements on due date:
  • First draft
  • Second draft
  • Final draft
  • Workshopped copies (with peer and professor feedback)
  • Copy of text (if it is a picture, shorter poem or lyric, or short story)
  • Bibliographical information (a works cited page)

Note: ANY MISSING MATERIALS WILL RESULT IN A DEDUCTION OF POINTS—major points will be taken off more missing drafts, in particular.   

This assignment asks you to analyze a text.  You may choose the text, but it should be something you can think and write critically about, something with enough meaning and material so that you can spend time reflecting and analyzing it. 

What is a text?  The origins of the word come from texte, tixte, or tiste, the Old French for the Scriptures, and the Latin textus, for Gospel, the written word—but also textus as in style, or the tissue of a literary work, literally that which is woven, web, texture.  It shares its roots with textile (woven fabric).  When we think about a text, we might examine both the content (meaning) of the words or message, as well as the physical object itself (the size of a book, the thickness of paper, the font style and size, etc.).  Pictures can be texts; so can television shows or films.  Text is most often used to refer to a book, but it might include many other things.

How do you choose a text?  Choose something you care about.  It can be a poem, short story, novel, play, nonfiction essay; it could be a song lyric, a picture, an advertisement.  Choose wisely—choose something you have lots to say about!  Choose a text that has layers of meaning.  Literary texts would provide such depths of meaning that would be helpful for this kind of assignment, but some magazine ads, songs or song/video combinations, films, etc. might also work.

Warning: If you have never written about film before, this may not be an appropriate time to start.  Film analysis requires its own lexicon, without which your analysis would suffer.  Stick to a written text if you are uncertain.

Your paper should:
  • Describe the text—give a summary of its content and describe aesthetic details (physical and stylistic characteristics)
  • Analyze the text (what does it mean?  What are the messages?  What is the author’s purpose?  How are these messages conveyed?  How does the author use language?  What are elements of the author’s style that stand out?  In what context—time and place, historical situation—was the text written and what do you know about the author?  Do you feel you need to know something about the author in order to understand the meaning, or does the content of the text stand on its own—does it transcend the specifics of the time and place in which it was produced?  After reflecting on the text’s meaning, what meanings do you notice that may not be immediately apparent?)
  • Offer your response as a reader.  This is different than analysis.  This is providing your reaction—how the text makes you feel, what it makes you think about, etc.—and then analyzing yourself as a reader.  Try to understand your response.  If it speaks to you, why and how?  What choices has the author made—choices of language, style, form—that make you react strongly to this text?  Obviously, this is why you will want to write about something you care about—not something you are bored with or indifferent towards.

In addition, you must provide
  • Quotations to illustrate your points.
  • A clear statement of topic (or thesis or governing statement of purpose). 
  • Clearly connected paragraphs describing and explaining your topics.
  • Vivid supporting details.
  • Clear and well-worded sentences.
  • An effective introduction and conclusion.
  • Evidence of serious reflection on your topics.
  • Development of your essay through the drafting and revision process; obvious improvement between the first and last drafts and attention to peer and professor feedback.

Here are some things to remember as you write:

  • Be specific, not vague.  Use clear examples, descriptive details, and concrete language to convey your ideas.
  • Think about your audience.  Use appropriate language.  In this case, a more formal tone will be appropriate; however, you still want to maintain your reader’s interest.
  • Try to vary your sentence structure, but make sure your sentences make grammatical sense.
  • Display reflection and critical thinking.  Think about the implications of your statements.  Try to explore layers of meaning and get beyond the surface of a text.  Keep asking yourself, “Why?”  If you think something is the case, inquire further.  Look deeply into your topic, and into your own thoughts and reactions as a reader.


ENC 1101-086 ESSAY 2: WRITING ABOUT A LITERARY TEXT

ENC 1101-086

Essay 2: Writing about a literary text

600-750 Words

Submission requirements on due date:
  • First draft
  • Second draft
  • Final draft
  • Workshopped copies (with peer and professor feedback)
  • Bibliographical information (a works cited page)
  • Process memo

Note: ANY MISSING MATERIALS WILL RESULT IN A DEDUCTION OF POINTS—major points will be taken off more missing drafts, in particular.   

This assignment asks you to analyze a literary text.  You will select a text from the choices presented in class on Monday, 10/4. 

What is a text?  The origins of the word come from texte, tixte, or tiste, the Old French for the Scriptures, and the Latin textus, for Gospel, the written word—but also textus as in style, or the tissue of a literary work, literally that which is woven, web, texture.  It shares its roots with textile (woven fabric).  When we think about a text, we might examine both the content (meaning) of the words or message, as well as the physical object itself (the size of a book, the thickness of paper, the font style and size, etc.).  Pictures can be texts; so can television shows or films.  Text is most often used to refer to a book, but it might include many other things.

When selecting your text, choose wisely—choose the text you have the most to say about!  When you read and write about your text, think about layers of meaning.  One of the things that makes a literary text literary is that it has such layers of meaning; you can go below the surface and search for deeper questions, ideas, and implications.  

Your paper should:
  • Describe the text—give a summary of its content, describe aesthetic (or stylistic) details as well as meaning.    
  • Analyze the text (what does it mean?  What are the messages?  What is the author’s purpose?  How are these messages conveyed?  How does the author use language?  What are elements of the author’s style that stand out?  In what context was the text written and what do you know about the author?  Do you feel you need to know something about the author in order to understand the meaning, or does the content of the text stand on its own—does it transcend the specifics of the time and place in which it was produced?  Upon reflecting on the text’s meaning, reading and re-reading it, what meanings do you notice that may not be immediately apparent?)
  • Offer your response as a reader.  This is different from analysis.  This is providing your reaction—how the text makes you feel, what it makes you think about, etc.—and then analyzing yourself as a reader.  Try to understand your response.  If it speaks to you, why and how?  What choices has the author made—choices of language, style, form—that make you react strongly to this text?

In addition, you must provide
  • Quotations to illustrate your points.
  • A clear statement of topic (or thesis or governing statement of purpose). 
  • Clearly connected paragraphs describing and explaining your topics.
  • Vivid supporting details.
  • Clear and well-worded sentences.
  • An effective introduction and conclusion.
  • Evidence of serious reflection on your topics.
  • Development of your essay through the drafting and revision process, obvious improvement between the first and last drafts, and attention to peer and professor feedback.

Here are some things to remember as you write:

  • Be specific, not vague.  Use clear examples, descriptive details, and concrete language to convey your ideas.
  • Think about your audience.  Use appropriate language.  In this case, a more formal tone will be appropriate; however, you still want to maintain your reader’s interest.
  • Try to vary your sentence structure, but make sure your sentences make grammatical sense.
  • Display reflection and critical thinking.  Think about the implications of your statements.  Try to explore layers of meaning and get beyond the surface of your text.  Keep asking yourself, “Why?”  If you think something is the case, inquire further.  Look deeply into your topic, and into your own thoughts and reactions as a reader.


Tuesday, September 21, 2010

A writer's advice on writing

Check out this link to npr.org, where an excerpt from Walter Mosley's most recent book gives good advice on writing:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9620861

Friday, September 17, 2010

Online Writing Resource

Here is a link to Purdue University's Online Writing Lab (OWL), which you may find helpful as you review grammar, mechanics, and other aspects of writing over the course of the semester:

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/

Saturday, September 4, 2010

ENC 1101-086, ENC 2300-008 ESSAY 1

Essay 1: Writing and Literacy Narrative

This essay asks you to think about your history as a writer and a reader.  You may approach this topic in any number of ways.  You might talk about what you like and why (e.g., song lyrics, poetry, factual articles, blogs posts), how you began writing in that form or style, your audience, your aims.  You could talk about past writing assignments and their impact on you (negative or positive).  You could talk about "writers" in your family or among your friends (or storytellers, or bearers of family histories, or singers).  You could talk about an important story or poem or speech or other text that shaped you as a reader/writer. 

There is no limit to the approaches you may take, but you must include:

  1. A clear statement of topic (or thesis or governing statement of purpose). 
  2. Clearly connected paragraphs describing and explaining your topics.
  3. Vivid supporting details.
  4. Clear and well-worded sentences.
  5. An effective introduction and conclusion.
  6. Evidence of serious reflection on your topics.
  7. Development of your essay through the drafting and revision process; obvious improvement between the first and last drafts and attention to peer and professor feedback.
  8. 500-700 words.
Here are some things to think about that may help you to focus your ideas:
  • Past classes or teachers (good or bad) that made a significant impression on you in relation to writing and/or reading.
  • The experience of learning to read, of teaching someone to read, or of knowing someone who couldn't read where the difference in your literacy affected your relationship.
  • Books that made you want to read more, challenging texts that you struggled to complete and understand and in relation to which you felt a sense of achievement and accomplishment when you did complete them; challenging texts that were insurmountable and reasons why you were not able to complete or understand them (what you could have done differently, how a teacher could have helped you to approach them differently, etc.).
  • What makes you a writer, what you already write, will write, how you have developed or will develop further in your career, personal writing, etc. (Be specific, not abstract.)
  • The kinds of writing and reading you must do for your major and future career, the kinds of writing and reading you do in your leisure time, the kinds of writing and reading you have never done, etc. (Again, be specific, not abstract.)

Here are some things to remember as you write:
  • Be specific, not vague.  Use clear examples, descriptive details, and concrete language to convey your ideas.
  • Think about your audience.  Use appropriate language.  Try to help your audience feel like they are "in your shoes."  Assume your audience wants to understand your perspective, and help them to understand.
  • Try to vary your sentence structure, but make sure your sentences make grammatical sense.
  • Display reflection and critical thinking.  Think about the implications of your statements.  Make connections not just between ideas in your narrative, but between experiences and memories in your life.
  • Writing, reading, and speaking all take place through language, words, and words are the building blocks of thought.  How we think is intrinsically bound up with our methods of communication.  Try to situate your perspective in the broader scheme of the importance of language as the vehicle for thought.

Monday, August 30, 2010

ENC 1101-086 Course Policies and Syllabus

Dr. Hand
Dr.hand.famu.english@gmail.com
ENC 1101-086: Freshman Communicative Skills I
Fall 2010
Monday/Wednesday 5:15-6:30
SBI 217

Freshman Communicative Skills I will enable students to write clearly and concisely, improve critical thinking and expression, develop research strategies, and learn rhetorical modes including methods of persuasion and exposition.  Students should refer to the syllabus included in the textbook for a further description of course objectives and expectations.

Required materials:
Clouse, Barbara Fine.  Patterns for a Purpose, Fifth edition.  NY: McGraw-Hill, 2009.
Aaron, Jane E.  The Little, Brown Compact Handbook, Second Edition.  NY: Pearson, 2010.
Lined paper for in-class writing, white paper, access to a computer and printer.

Requirements/percentage weighed:
1) Informal in-class writing and informal homework writing in which the student reflects on a topic or question or completes homework assignments described below: ~500 words/week, due in portfolio form at the end of the semester with regular checks throughout the semester.  10%
2) Thoughtful and courteous participation in class discussion, workshops, and group exercises.  10%
3) Five essays (modes described below, further details provided at the approach of each assignment), ~600-700 words each, due on the dates indicated below (see late penalty policies below).  60% total.
·         Initial diagnostic essay—used to determine placement in Writing Center
·         Essay 1: 10%
·         Essay 2: 15%
·         Essay 3: 20%
·         Essay 4: 15%
4) Grammar/punctuation quizzes, announced ahead of time, on topics discussed and practiced in class.  10%
5) Final diagnostic essay written in class in response to a writing prompt.  10%  

Students who fail to complete all of these requirements will not receive a passing grade.
 
Attendance policy:  Attendance is mandatory.  Students are permitted 4 excused absences.  Each additional absence will incur a penalty of grade reduction by a partial letter (e.g., a student with 6 absences whose final grade came out to a B+ would instead receive a B-).  Do NOT arrive to class late.  Do NOT e-mail me after class asking me to tell you what we did that day.  Do NOT give me lame excuses.  If you have a genuine family emergency, serious illness, or other legitimate reason for missing class, provide documentation (in writing). 

Lateness: Do NOT come in late.  Every three tardies will equal one absence.  Students who arrive more than 10 minutes after class has begun will be marked absent.  Students who leave more than 10 minutes before class ends will be marked absent.  You will not be excused to leave for social functions, including sorority or fraternity functions. 

Communication: Our class syllabus, notifications, updates, assignment descriptions, and all other related materials will be posted on a blog.  The address is:


The title of the blog is: Dr. Hand’s Fall 2010 ENC 1101 & 2300.  Please save this url in your bookmarks or favorites so you can easily find it anytime you want to view our syllabus, assignment descriptions, etc.  Check this blog before class each week.  I will post notifications, for example, of class cancelation, there.  You are responsible for staying informed and adhering to the schedule posted online. 

If you need to contact me, please e-mail me at Dr.Hand.Famu.English@gmail.com (not case sensitive).  I check my e-mail regularly and will respond as quickly as possible.

Participation:  The participation portion of your grade is based on your participation in class discussion, your level of involvement in small group activities (workshops, exercises, and discussions), and your display of respect and enthusiasm in class.  Just showing up for class each day will not earn you a high participation grade.       

Refer to “Classroom Etiquette” below for activities and behaviors that will have a negative impact on your participation grade.

Plagiarism: Plagiarism is grounds for suspension from the university as well as for failure in this course. It will not be tolerated. Any instance of plagiarism will be reported to the proper authorities.  Plagiarism is included among the violations defined in the Academic Honor Code, section b), paragraph 2, as follows: "Regarding academic assignments, violations of the Academic Honor Code shall include representing another’s work or any part thereof, be it published or unpublished, as one’s own."

Classroom Etiquette: The classroom is a professional environment.  Please conduct yourself as you would in a workplace.  Treat me and your peers with respect.  Be courteous and thoughtful when speaking in class. 

Derogatory statements or inappropriate language, written or spoken, will not be tolerated.

Please note that the following activities will result in you receiving deductions in participation points, being asked to leave, and/or receiving an absence for the day:
  • Texting.  Cell phones should be put away during class.
  • Using laptops.  You may not use your laptop in this class unless you have ADA documentation stating that you are allowed use of a laptop as an accommodation.
  • Sleeping.  People who sleep will be counted absent.
  • Not bringing your book to class.  If you don’t have your book you will not be able to participate in class readings, and you won’t be able to follow along in discussions of specific passages.  That means you will receive a ZERO for participation for every day you don’t have your book.
  • Talking.  Don’t talk while someone else has the floor. 
  • Reading/studying for another class. 
  • Not paying attention.  Come to class and be attentive. 


 
Class Schedule

A completed version of the schedule will be available on our class blog and is subject to change during the semester.  I will notify you of any changes via our class blog and in-class announcements. 

Week 1, August 23/25: N/A

Week 2, August 30/September 1: Introduction to Class

Week 3:
Sept. 6/8: NO CLASS. 
  • Read Chapters 1-3 in Patterns for a Purpose
  • Read the selection "Watcher at the Gates" on pp. 64-66 and respond to the Assignment questions at the top of 64.
  • Begin the first draft of Essay 1, "On Writing"--narrative essay about your experiences writing.  View detailed assignment description for specific ideas and requirements (available after 9/1).   

Week 4: Essay 1, workshop, drafting, grammar
Sept. 13:
  • Discuss approaches to draft workshops
  • Workshop drafts.  Bring 2 copies to workshop.
  • Commas, semi-colons, colons, sentence fragments, dependent clauses

Sept. 15:
  • Submit first draft (revised and expanded based on peer feedback) 
  • Grammar/mechanics quiz 1 (study Little, Brown Handbook pp. 300-323, 280-293)
o   HOMEWORK: Review Patterns chapter 3 and read chapters 4 and 5

Week 5: Essay 1 continued, revision process (Patterns ch. 3), description and narration (chs. 4 and 5)
Sept. 20:
  • Receive Essay 1 draft with my feedback
  • Discuss editing and revision process (Patterns ch. 3)
  • In-class writing exercises
    • HOMEWORK: Revise Essay 1 based on my feedback, focus on revision process and improving description and narration based on discussion and class exercises

Sept. 22:
  • Submit Essay 1 Final draft.  Include all previous work, including drafts with peer and professor comments.  Include a process memo describing what has changed from the beginning draft to the final draft and examining your writing process.
    • HOMEWORK: Read Patterns chapters 4 and 5.  Choose one selection from the end of chapter 4 or 5 (pp. 179-209) and respond to the questions at the end (“Reading Closely and Thinking Critically,” “Examining Structure and Strategy,” “Considering Language and Style”)

Week 6: Essay 2, responding to literary and visual texts, grammar/mechanics
Sept. 27:
  • Submit reading selection responses.
  • Go over Essay 2 guidelines.
  • Exercises: responding to literary texts in class.
    •   HOMEWORK: From the choices indicated in the assignment guidelines, select the text you would like to respond to for Essay 2.
    • Begin drafting Essay 2.
Sept. 29:
  • Small group discussion.  Share Essay 2 ideas, get peer feedback.
  • In-class drafting, Essay 2.
  • Grammar/mechanics: pronouns, apostrophes, quotation marks, dashes
    • HOMEWORK: Write full first draft of Essay 2 to turn in Monday. 
    • Read LB Handbook pp. 325-343, 246-257

Week 7: Essay 2, grammar/mechanics, exemplification
October 4:
  • Workshop essay 2 (bring 2 copies to class)  Hand in workshopped drafts for professor feedback.
  • Grammar/mechanics quiz.
  • Exercises: responding to visual texts in class.
    • HOMEWORK: Read Patterns ch. 6. 
    • Read assigned selection at the end of chapter six, respond to questions at the end (“Reading Closely and Thinking Critically,” “Examining Structure and Strategy,” “Considering Language and Style”) and be prepared to discuss and hand in responses in class.
Oct. 6:
  • Discuss and hand-in homework assignment.
  • Receive workshopped drafts of essay 2. 
  • Grammar/mechanics: verbs, voice, clarity and style
    • HOMEWORK: Read LB Handbook Part 3 (“Clarity and Style”) and pp. 213-244. 
    • Revise Essay 2 based on feedback.  Focus on revising for clarity and style.

Week 8: Finish Essay 2, begin Essay 3 (persuasion and research), grammar/mechanics
Oct. 11:
  • Workshop second draft essay 2 (bring 2 hard copies to workshop).
  • Writing exercises: revising, editing for clarity and concision
    • HOMEWORK: Revise essay 2 based on peer feedback.  Prepare final draft for next class.
Oct. 13:
  • Submit Essay 2 Final draft.  Include all previous work, including drafts with peer and professor comments.  Include a process memo describing what has changed from the beginning draft to the final draft and examining your writing process.
  • Discuss Essay 3 assignment: process analysis/comparison-contrast/cause-and-effect
    • HOMEWORK: Read Patterns chapters 7, 8, and 9
    •  Begin brainstorming and gathering ideas for Essay 3 topic and approach—view “Additional Essay assignments” on pp. 327, 390-391, 449.  Select a couple of different ideas/approaches that sound interesting.   

Week 9: Essay 3, process analysis, comparison-contrast, cause-and-effect, grammar/mechanics
Oct. 18:
  • Small group discussion—essay 3 ideas.
  • Discuss readings, in-class writing—respond to assigned reading selections
    • HOMEWORK: first draft of Essay 3
Oct. 20:
  • Workshop essay 3 first draft (bring 2 hard copies to class).
  •  Discuss research strategies, effectively incorporating research into a paper.
    • HOMEWORK: Read Patterns chapters 13 and 14.
    •  Begin research—create preliminary bibliography adhering to MLA style (refer to LB Handbook).

Week 10: Essay 3, research strategies, citation conventions
Oct. 25:
  • Discuss research and MLA style.
  •  Hand in preliminary bibliography
  • Citation/plagiarism quiz
  • Small group discussions—paper topics and suggestions for research.
    • HOMEWORK: compile research notes for Essay 3 using methods discussed in class.
    • Revise Essay 3 based on peer feedback and incorporating research
Oct. 27:
  • Submit Essay 3 draft, research notes for professor review
  •  In-class writing and workshopping, exercises
    •  HOMEWORK: Finish research.  Compile final bibliography.
    • Reading assigned selections in Patterns and respond to questions at the end of selection (“Reading Closely and Thinking Critically,” “Examining Structure and Strategy,” “Considering Language and Style”) and be prepared to discuss and hand in responses in class.

Week 11: Finish Essay 3, begin Essay 4, writing for a public audience
November 1:
  •  Receive Essay 3 with professor feedback.
  •   Submit homework.
  • Final suggestions and exercises for editing and revising Essay 3
    • HOMEWORK: Revise essay 3 based on professor feedback and class discussion on revision
Nov. 3:
  • Submit Essay 3 Final draft.  Include all previous work, including drafts with peer and professor comments, bibliography drafts, research notes.  Include a process memo describing what has changed from the beginning draft to the final draft and examining your writing process.
  • Discuss Essay 4, writing for a public audience.  Review examples of public writing; in-class writing exercises.
    • HOMEWORK: Locate an effective piece of public writing, such as an editorial or op-ed piece, a persuasive magazine article, or an informative newspaper article.  Analyze the piece according to guidelines described in class.
    •   Read Patterns chapter 12 and LB Handbook part 2, section 14.

Week 12: Essay 4, argumentation and persuasion, public writing  
Nov. 8:
  • Discuss and hand in homework assignment.
  •   Discuss differences between argumentation and persuasion.
  • In-class writing, brainstorming, small group discussions of Essay 4 topics
    •   HOMEWORK: Begin draft Essay 4—persuasive editorial.  Begin research on your topic. 

Nov. 10: NO CLASS—WORK ON ESSAY 4 DRAFTS  AND RESEARCH.

Week 13: Essay 4, public and professional writing
Nov. 15:
  • Workshop Essay 4 (bring in 2 hard copies to workshop and hand in).
  • Grammar/mechanics/editing as needed.
    • HOMEWORK: Respond to TWO of the reading selections at the end of Patterns chapter 12, on freedom of speech on college campuses.  Compare and contrast the arguments in the two selections, and explain which one is more persuasive and why.  If they are equally persuasive, describe what makes each essay effective.   
Nov. 17:
  •  Hand in homework assignments.
  •  Receive essay 4 with professor feedback
  • In-class writing, exercises, professional writing (view sample resumes and letters of application)
    • Revise essay 4 based on professor and peer feedback
    •  Locate one job advertisement you wish to respond to

Week 14: Nov. 22 and 24—NO CLASS.  Happy Thanksgiving!   
  • HOMEWORK: Finish essay 4.  Prepare resume and letter of application for the advertised job you have selected.

Week 15: Essay 4, submitting public and professional writing
Nov. 29:
  •   Submit Essay 4 Final draft.  Include all previous work, including drafts with peer and professor comments and research notes.  Include a process memo describing what has changed from the beginning draft to the final draft and examining your writing process.
  • Workshop resumes and application letters (bring 2 hard copies of each, along with a copy of the job ad you are responding to). 
  •  Discuss effective strategies for submitting applications and editorials (getting published, getting a job interview).

December 1: FINAL IN-CLASS DIAGNOSTIC ESSAY  
  •         Hand in final resume and job application letter. 

Have a wonderful holiday break!