Assignments for English 100/106 - ransdell.faculty.arizona.edu · Web view--Christopher Peterson and Martin Seligman Purpose: Write an analytical essay comparing the strengths and

Ransdell’s Assignment Packet for English 101/107

General Tips for Writing Academic Papers

1) Create a unique, interesting thesis. The thesis is the purpose of your paper—the main thing you want to prove. A strong thesis needs to be debatable (not everyone agrees), innovative (fresh), and manageable (you don’t need to write a book, just an essay).

You want your readers to think: “Wow, I never thought about that!”

You also want them to think: “I am not sure I agree…. but I will read the rest of the essay to find out.”

2) Provide a road map of your essay by stating your thesis (main point) and forecasting important sections of your essay. Include this information at the end of your first paragraph unless you start with an anecdote or similar device. The forecast hints at how you will prove your thesis. Your intro should also include the subject of your essay and author (if applicable).

3) Organize your essay in standard academic fashion (meaningful title, introduction with thesis/forecast, topic sentences followed by PIE paragraphs, conclusion). (Exception: for a “profile,” your analysis is actually your organization, which might be prepared in a separate document.)

4) Your conclusion should balance the intro by summarizing your main points. It should also be a similar length. The conclusion is the one place where you have room to break form by adding extra information or sneaking in information that didn’t fit anywhere else. Try to leave your reader with a lasting impression that’s a natural progression from your writing.

5) The key to writing a successful paper lies in the depth of your analysis. (For a “profile,” the key is getting good information from your subjects and choosing crucial elements to include in your finished essay.) Discuss specifics and wrestle with them. Dig down under the surface and analyze details. Most body paragraphs (pars. aside from the intro and conclusion) should have PIE: point (a topic sentence that states the main idea of your paragraph and shows a direct tie to the thesis or previous paragraph), illustration (an example or bit of proof), and explanation (your reasoning). In general, you should use one sentence to state your point, one or two to describe your proof, and several to explain how the proof proves your point. A basic body paragraph might look like this:

10% = topic sentence20% = illustration (proof)70% = your analysis

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Most of each body paragraph should be your analysis, not a quote from the text or research material.

6) Save drafts of your essay in different files and back them up to avoid losing them. When you submit your essay, include drafts, especially any I commented on.

7) Word process your drafts and final versions. Double-space your essays using one-inch margins and a twelve-point font. You must submit a hard copy of your essay in order to receive a grade for it.

8) Create a title that makes us curious about your essay. (Not “Essay 1” or “Family.”) Use MLA format: capitalize words other than articles or prepositions or conjunctions unless they’re the first or last words. For example: Procrastination Is the Best Tool of All.

9) Write first, edit last. After you are satisfied with the content of your essay, edit your essay for grammar and style. Editing is quite hard work, but it is very important. All writers need to go through this process, me included. If you turn in work with lots of small mistakes, your readers will assume that you are lazy. Not only will you lose credibility, but your readers won’t trust the content of your words. (Also, you will lose credit. You might lose part of a letter grade, a full letter grade, or, in extreme cases, you might even fail the paper.)

Even though grammar and punctuation are important, save yourself time by focusing on content first rather than editing material you throw out later anyway. To edit successfully, first spend ample time trying to find easy mistakes yourself. Use your grammar book to help with punctuation and other rules. Then get some outside help. If English isn’t your first language, try to find a native speaker who can help you. Even if English IS your first language, try to find someone who is “good” at English to help with small details. You might want to make an appointment at the free university service called the Think Tank to get private tutoring.

10) Submit your work on time. Otherwise you lose credit.

11) Make sure your essay satisfies the assignment. Otherwise your paper won’t earn a passing grade.

12) Formatting: On your first page, include at the top: your name, my name, course number, type of essay, date. Number the subsequent pages. (You don’t need a title page.)

13) If you get stuck when you’re trying to write the introduction, write a different part of your essay first. Often writers don’t discover what they’re trying to say until they reach the conclusion and start working backwards.

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14) Omit unnecessary information such as “I think” or “I liked this text.” Of course it’s what you think: It’s your essay! Of course you liked this text. Otherwise you would have chosen something else to write about!

15) For papers that include research, include a Works Cited page that follows MLA style. You can get all the information you need from Rules for Writers. (If your major field of study uses APA, feel free to use that style instead, but use it consistently and correctly throughout your document.)

16) To get full credit, you must submit your entire essay packet on time. You will need to turn in, in this order:

Final Draft (with Works Cited page if applicable)A list of peers’ comments (worth five points)Drafts 1A, 1B (5 points each) clearly labeled with peers’ namesDrafts 2A, 2B (5 points each) clearly labeled with peers’ names(Drafts 3A, 3B if applicable)Any drafts I commented on

You will also need to upload your final essay to d2l by midnight on the day it’s due. (doc, docx, rtf only)

*Your essay is not submitted until I receive both versions.

In very rare cases and as a worse-case scenario, it is possible that your essay may be accepted in only one format; however, you will lose a letter grade.

17) You must do your own original writing for every assignment in this class. Your peers and I will offer advice, but the ideas and writing must be your own. In addition, your work must be originally written for this class in English BY YOU.

Occasionally you may need to quote a source to prove your point. That’s fine, but be sure to give credit to the author. Put quotation marks around borrowed words and give the citation in parenthesis: “Parrots don’t usually turn into human beings” (Barnes 45). Note that in most cases, your quotations shouldn’t be more than one sentence long.

18) Using sources means integrating them into your text. Using long blocks of quotes (more than four lines at once) is generally ineffective. It is usually the sign of a lazy writer. For variety, you may use one block quote per essay. Extra examples of blocked quotes will cost you one letter grade per example.

19) Do remember that doing the minimal amount of work (for example, 1000 words if asked to write 1000-1500) usually earns a minimal grade.

20) To get full credit, you must submit your entire essay packet on time. You will need to turn in, in this order:

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Final Draft (with Works Cited page if applicable)A list of peers’ comments (worth five points)Drafts 1A, 1B (5 points each) clearly labeled with peers’ namesDrafts 2A, 2B (5 points each) clearly labeled with peers’ names(Drafts 3A, 3B if applicable)Any drafts I commented on

You will also need to upload your final essay to d2l by midnight on the day it’s due. (doc, docx, rtf only)

*Your essay is not submitted until I receive both versions.

In very rare cases and as a worse-case scenario, it is possible that your essay may be accepted in only one format; however, you will lose a letter grade.

21) Be aware of possible additional resources. The Think Tank offers 15-minute sessions. To make the most of your time, be prepared by bringing along the assignment and your laptop or tablet. (It’s too difficult for the tutors to read your essay from a cell phone.) The WSIP, The Writing Skills Improvement Program, offers free, hour-long tutoring sessions with professional tutors. To improve your writing as much as possible, sign up for these helpful weekly sessions.

THE WRITING PROCESS

Drafting: If you’ve read hundreds of books and penned thousands of words, you might be able to produce an A/B paper in a couple of drafts. If you’re not an avid reader and haven’t spent much time writing, you should plan on creating multiple drafts per essay and investing a lot of time to achieve a passing grade in this class.

Most writers do their best revising by concentrating on one area of writing per draft. One plan might be:

Draft 1: Just get it out.Draft 2: Coordinate your thesis with your topic sentences.Draft 3: Develop the analysis (add more examples and explanation).Draft 4: Edit for grammar and style.

Note: The reason to do multiple drafts is that you can’t hope to improve any one draft by a thousand percent. Instead you need to improve on it a few steps at a time. Each workshopping session should help you get to the next level.

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Don’t forget to edit your final draft. Note the famous words of Peter Elbow: “Not editing is like leaving your dirty socks around for someone else to find.” (Writing with Power, p. 234)

WORKSHOPPING: THE WRITER

For a couple of class periods before each essay is due, we’ll devote our time to workshopping. The point of workshopping is for you to gather enough information to go on to the next draft. Workshopping is an excellent way to find out how your writing is working and to learn about yourself as a writer. It might be frustrating to realize that your draft still needs work, but if you can make use of opportunities for revision, chances are that your writing will be more effective and earn you higher grades.

Your classmates will work hard to offer their best advice, but that’s not to say that they will always be right! Sometimes you need to reject advice rather than embrace it. The point is that by thinking carefully about the decisions you make in your writing, you’ll develop a better sense of what your writing is doing and what it still needs to do. Here’s the beauty of being the writer--you make the final decisions.

For each essay, you’ll have the opportunity to get feedback from your classmates. Make the most of your time by preparing your best possible draft. Think about the information you need from your peers and ask them specific questions about your draft. Press them for an honest opinion about your work. If they gloss over your material and tell you it’s “really good” or “it really flows,” realize that they might not have spent enough time on your draft to give you a solid reading.

Note that you are responsible for 1) bringing copies of your drafts to class, 2) asking your classmates to provide complete, signed responses, (not “good job, keep working”), 3) submitting a list of classmates’ comments and your responses. (See sample template at the end of this packet.) For full credit (10 points per workshopping session), bring two drafts labeled 1A and 1B (first workshop), new and improved drafts labeled 2A and 2B (second workshop), and new and improved drafts labeled 3A and 3B (third workshop). Use the information you gather from one class period to bring a stronger draft to the next one. Recycled drafts will not earn credit.

If you have to miss class, come to class without your draft, or fail to get comments from your classmates, you will lose points. In some cases you might be able to regain some points from outside readers, but you will need to consult me first.

WORKSHOPPING: THE READER

Giving your classmates feedback will help them think about their essays, help you become a more perceptive reader, and give you strategies for working through your own essays. There are two basic types of comments: suggestions or directives. Use suggestions when you’re not sure what’s wrong but want to offer possibilities: You

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might…. You could…. Use directives when you feel more confident about what the essay needs: Add a thesis. Find more proof.

Write comments about your classmates’ content on the margins of their drafts and a short paragraph at the end. Make “facilitative” comments to help the writers consider new lines of thought: What about...? Write “directive” comments when you feel confident that you know what’s wrong: Add more analysis.

If you’re not sure what to write about, then try SAR: Suggest (make a few suggestions for improvements), Admire (what are some things that are working well and that the writers shouldn’t change), Respond (as a reader to something interesting about the content)

For all drafts:

* Respond to aspects you find particularly interesting. (I like this because....)* Praise parts that seem effective (writers assume that everything is effective!)* Warn writers about serious flaws (if you can’t find the thesis, say so)* Give your overall impression about what the writer should do to create the next draft

Considerations for Day 1: 1) Is there a clear thesis and forecast?2) Does the intro mention the name of the text(s) the essay is based on and its (their) author(s)? (if applicable)3) Do the body paragraphs match the thesis?4) In what ways does the draft match the essay assignment?

Considerations for Day 2:1) Does the author include a hook or does the essay start too abruptly?2) Does each TS (topic sentence) have a clear tie to the thesis or preceding paragraph?3) Do the paragraphs have PIE? (point, illustration, explanation)4) What points could be added? What extra proof would be helpful?5) Consider the essay’s organization. Which paragraphs might be more effective elsewhere?

Considerations for Day 3: 1) Is the title interesting and appropriate? If not, what other titles would you suggest?2) Does the thesis include a clear forecast that helps you make your way through the essay?3) Where should the writer add more proof? (What other facts might the author use?)4) Where should the writer add more analysis? (What sections need longer explanations?)5) How well does the conclusion match the intro? (They should reflect one another without being worded exactly the same way, and they should be a similar length.)6) Does the conclusion provide closure, or does it present key points that should have come earlier?7) How could the writer leave readers with more food for thought?

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For your end comment:

* Give your overall impression of the essay’s strengths and weaknesses.* Point out especially noticeable problems. (“Your conclusion doesn’t match your thesis.”)* Encourage your classmates by including positive comments.* Respond as a reader--share some of your own views about the topic.

Although using Standard Written English is important, drafting is not the time to worry about it. Please ignore spelling and grammar until the last day of workshopping unless you can’t understand what the writer is trying to say. Editing should be the very final step in writing an essay.

NOTE: If you need time to complete your responses, you may take them home, or, if the essays are due the next class period, send your classmates comments via email. If your responses on your classmates’ drafts are incomplete, YOU will lose points.

GRADING STANDARDS

Guidelines for essay types differ, but in general, when I evaluate your essay, I will consider your focus (thesis), analysis (how well you explain and decipher your points), organization (how the pieces fit together), strength of proof (persuasiveness), ingenuity (novelty of approach), rhetorical awareness (the effectiveness of your essay given its context), style (tone/word choice), and mechanics (grammar and spelling).

More specifically:A C essay needs to have a title, an introduction, a conclusion, a discernible, debatable thesis, and a coherent structure. The body paragraphs need to have at least minimal discussion and examples. The essay needs to adhere to the assignment, meet the minimum length requirement, and demonstrate an adequate use of mechanics. (If applicable, it needs to include research and a Works Cited or References page.)

A B essay needs to have a title that reflects the thesis, an organized introduction that has a balanced length, a logical conclusion, a discernible, interesting, and manageable thesis, a forecasting statement, a purposeful structure that is easy for readers to follow, multiple examples and associated analysis (PIE paragraphs), appropriate tone and style, a fairly accurate use of mechanics, and a mix of sentence structures. It needs to show some creative thought and personal voice. The essay also needs to match the assignment and meet the medium length requirement. (If applicable, it needs to include adequate research and a Works Cited or References page.)

An A essay needs to have an unusual but logical title, a balanced and organized introduction that engages readers in your topic, an innovative thesis that is debatable and manageable, a forecasting statement, a purposeful structure that is crystal clear, in-depth analysis in the form of extended PIE paragraphs, a perfect or near-perfect use of

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mechanics, a mix of sentence structures, and accurate, college-level vocabulary. It needs to show extensive creative thinking and a unique and vibrant personal voice. Your essay also needs to match or stretch beyond the assignment and demonstrate a deliberate and appropriate use of tone and style. (If applicable, it needs to include abundant research and a Works Cited or References page.)

A D essay fails to satisfy one or more expectations for a C essay. An E essay misinterprets the assignment or the depth thereof or is riddled with errors.

A note about grammar: College writing requires the use of Standard Written English. If your essay contains multiple errors per page (commas or minor spelling mistakes), your essay will be marked down two thirds of a letter grade. If your essay has several errors per paragraph, your essay will be marked down a letter grade. If your essay is riddled with mistakes, especially serious mistakes such as run-ons and fragments that affect the readers’ comprehension, your essay will receive an E. You will need to compose your essays in SWE (Standard Written English) to pass this course.

D.R.’s Grammar Highlights

Note: following these simple guidelines might help you prevent common mistakes that could lower your grade.

When you make grammar mistakes, your readers may have to reread your sentence in order to understand it. That confuses them and makes them lose time. If you make enough mistakes, they’ll start to disagree with your opinions automatically! Instead, observe some simple rules to make your writing more effective.

1) Add a comma after a long introductory phrase: Even though it was long after midnight, I wrote three more drafts of my English essay. This comma helps your readers find the subject of your sentence.

2) Add a comma after a conjunction ONLY when the phrase that follows is an independent clause (a complete sentence). I thought I had enough time to write my essay, but I had to work until dawn to finish my work. (Note the difference: I thought I had enough time to write my essay but had to work until dawn to finish my work. No subject= no comma.)

3) Use commas around non-restrictive (unnecessary) clauses: My roommate, who never turns off her alarm clock, drives me crazy. The sentence could simply read “My roommate drives me crazy.” (If you have two roommates, the information becomes necessary so that you can explain which roommate is the sleepyhead: My roommate who never turns off her alarm clock drives me crazy. My other roommate never bothers to set one.)

4) Divide sentences with a semi-colon; use a comma after words such as “however.” We went to a terrific party last night; however, the food tasted awful.

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5) Avoid run-ons. In other words, don’t run two sentences together your readers will be irritated. See what I mean? Run-ons are frustrating for readers because they assume they have misread and have to go back and reread your sentence only to find out that YOU are the one who made the mistake. Instead write: Don’t run two sentences together. Your readers will be irritated. If you want the sentences to work closely together, you might use a semi-colon instead: Don’t run two sentences together; your readers will be irritated.

6) Avoid fragments unless they are clearly used on purpose. A fragment is a word or phrase masquerading as a sentence but that is incomplete in some way. Bad idea? Once in a while it makes sense to use a fragment stylistically, but you have to be careful that it doesn’t seem like a mistake. For example, “Bad idea” isn’t a full sentence, but it demonstrates my example.

7) Avoid “number” mistakes. Grammatically, “everyone” is singular, but “their” is plural. Therefore it’s awkward to write: Everyone should bring their syllabus. Instead make the phrase plural: Students should bring their syllabi. (You can also use the singular form, but it’s awkward too: Everyone should bring his or her syllabus.)

8) Use colons precisely. A colon means one of two things: a list is coming or an example is coming. If you have an example or a direct quote coming, that example/quote might be a full sentence. Johnny told me a lot of things that night: “I’m not sure why I decided to skip all my classes for two weeks, but now I regret it.”

GRADED PAPERS

If I were to comment on all the things that you did well in your essays, your papers would be covered with ink, and I would be exhausted after reading each one! The nature of commenting, for the most part, is to mark things that aren’t working. Thus, most of the comments I make on your essays are designed to help you revise your work or otherwise strengthen your writing skills. If I think I understand what you’re trying to accomplish in your essay, my comments will mostly be directive: Add an example here; extend this line of thought; develop this paragraph. When I’m not sure of your goals for the essay, my comments will be mostly facilitative, designed to help you re-think key points: What’s your overall goal for this paper? How can you make these points add up? How else might you explain the author’s choices? What are some other aspects of the text that you noticed? I expect that you will receive higher grades as you progress through the semester and that your efforts will culminate in a strong portfolio.

Some abbreviations you might find on your paper:

E1= Essay 1Th? = Where is your thesis? or, How does this tie to your thesis?FC?= What’s your forecast?

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TS?= What is your topic sentence?PIE?= Where is your point, illustration, and explanation?I?= Is this your illustration? Or, do you have an illustration?E?= Is this your explanation? Or, can you elaborate on your explanation?Squiggly line= a phrase that doesn’t work well or doesn’t make senseCheck marks= strong pointsUnderlining= strong points

ESSAY ASSIGNMENTS

Essay 1: Flow Narrative

Flow: “The best moments in our lives are not the passive, receptive, relaxing times… The best moments usually occur if a person’s body or mind is stretched to its limits in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult and worthwhile.” Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi

Purpose: Write a narrative essay in which you describe and analyze situations in which you experience flow.

Audience: An educated, college audience.

Student Learning Outcomes:

Goal 1: Rhetorical Awareness 1A. identify the purposes of, intended audiences for, and arguments in a text, as

situated within particular cultural, economic, and political contexts. 1D. read in ways that contribute to their rhetorical knowledge as writers.

Goal 2: Critical Thinking and Composing 2C. incorporate evidence, such as through summaries, paraphrases, quotations,

and visuals. 2E. support ideas or positions with compelling discussion of evidence from

multiple sources.

Goal 3: Reflection and Revision 3B. produce multiple revisions on global and local levels. 3C. suggest useful global and local revisions to other writers. 3E. evaluate and act on peer and instructor feedback to revise their texts. 3F. reflect on your progress as academic writers.

Goal 4: Conventions 4A. follow appropriate conventions for grammar, punctuation, and spelling,

through practice in composing and revising.

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Important Notes:

1. Compose your essay in a standard academic format including an interesting, logical, and unique title; an intro with a thesis and a forecast; body paragraphs with topic sentences, examples, and analysis; and a conclusion that sums up your points and pushes forward.

2. To prove your points, refer to concrete, personal examples and spend ample time examining them. (Your reflection on the example should be approximately three times longer than its description.)

3. To avoid losing credit, compose your essay in Academic English. (That means: use standard punctuation and avoid grammar mistakes.) If you’re concerned about your editing skills, stop by my office hours with a sample text or essay draft that we can review together. Take the time to edit carefully, paying special attention to the items we reviewed in class.

4. Make full use of workshopping sessions. Your peers will often have wise suggestions.

5. Submit drafts that show significant changes you made while drafting your essay. Otherwise your essay will be marked down a letter grade.

Length: 1250-1750 words (5-7 typed pages). Don’t worry if your paper runs a bit longer. If your essay is too short, it won’t explain enough to be effective, so it won’t earn a passing grade.

Essay 2: Motivation Analysis

Purpose: Write an essay in which you analyze the motivations of a character (or characters) from the UA play Sister Act with the help of the research you and your classmates have done in the realm of motivation and positive psychology.

Audience: An educated, college audience. To engage your classmates intellectually, you need to analyze your points in depth.

Questions to ask yourself: Beyond the basic need for survival, what motivates these characters? How do they achieve flow? What do they feel good about? What do they have doubts and questions about? How do they relate to others? Which aspects of their rhetorical contexts affect their motivations?


situated within particular cultural, economic, and political contexts.

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1C. analyze how genres shape reading and composing practices.



multiple sources.



through practice in composing and revising. 4E. apply citation conventions systematically in their own work.

Important Notes:

1. Compose your essay in a standard academic format, including an interesting, logical, and unique title; an intro with a thesis and a forecast; body paragraphs with topic sentences, examples, and analysis; and a conclusion that sums up your points and pushes forward.

2. To prove your points, refer to concrete examples and spend ample time examining them. (Your reflection on the example should be approximately three times longer than its description.) Note that you need to analyze your topic thoroughly to create a substantial essay.


4. Acknowledge your sources in the body of your paper as stipulated by MLA (or APA) and provide an accurate Works Cited (or References) page. Otherwise you will lose credit.

5. Compose your essay in AE (Academic English). Otherwise you will lose credit.

6. Avoid any problems you had in your previous essay.

7. Submit drafts that show changes you made as you composed your essay. Otherwise your essay will be marked down a letter grade.

Length: 1500-2000 words (6-8 typed pages). Don’t worry if your paper runs a bit longer.

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Essay 3: Character Comparison:Comparing Character Strengths and Virtues

Note: The most persuasive reason to study film or literature is to help you understand your own world. Use this assignment to explore something meaningful to you.

Character Strengths and Virtues:

1. Wisdom and Knowledge: creativity, curiosity, judgment, love of learning, perspective

2. Courage: bravery, perseverance, honesty, zest3. Humanity: love, kindness, social intelligence4. Justice: teamwork, fairness, leadership5. Temperance: forgiveness, humility, prudence, self-regulation 6. Transcendence: appreciation of beauty and excellence, gratitude, hope, humor,

spirituality

--Christopher Peterson and Martin Seligman

Purpose: Write an analytical essay comparing the strengths and virtues displayed (or lacking) in a fictional character or characters to strengths and virtues you possess yourself.

To develop your thesis, consider your reactions towards a character or set of characters. What did you find especially interesting or thought provoking? Perhaps you got angry at the characters or sympathized with them. Perhaps the material gave you a new way to view yourself or your world—examine what you’ve learned through the comparison. To develop your analysis, use examples from the text as well as examples from your personal experiences.

Audience: An educated, college audience.


situated within particular cultural, economic, and political contexts. 1C. analyze how genres shape reading and composing practices.



multiple sources.

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through practice in composing and revising. 4E. apply citation conventions systematically in their own work.

Important Notes:

1. Although this essay includes a personal component, organize your material in a standard academic format including an interesting, logical, and unique title; an intro with a thesis and a forecast; body paragraphs with topic sentences, examples, and analysis; and a conclusion that sums up your points and pushes forward.

2. To prove your points, refer to concrete, personal and textual examples and spend ample time examining them. (Your reflection on the example should be approximately three times longer than its description.)

3. Either in the intro or in a short paragraph following the intro, fill in your readers by briefly summarizing your primary text. (However, don’t give away the ending or describe the final plot points. Readers might be inspired to watch or read your text on their own.)

4. Organize your material purposefully. It often works best to zigzag between the text and your own experiences. (Alternatively, explain all about the text and then switch to your own story or vice versa.) To prevent confusion, write about the text in one paragraph, yourself in another.

5. Balance your essay between personal and textual components. (50-50 or 40-60)


7. Avoid problems you had in earlier essays.

8. To avoid losing credit, compose your essay in AE. Take the time to edit carefully, paying special attention to the items we reviewed in class.

9. Submit drafts that show changes you made as you composed your essay. Otherwise your essay will be marked down a letter grade.

Length: 1250-1750 words (5-7 typed and edited pages). Don’t worry if your paper runs a bit longer.

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Final Exam: Portfolio Reflection

Purpose: Detail your most important gains from this class this semester.

For your final portfolio, you’ll be creating a document that helps you keep track of many aspects of your class this semester. Because it’s a long project, we’ll be creating pieces as we go along.

Title [something unique to your experience, with a touch of humor if applicable]

Introduction [to be written the next-to-last week of class, 500-1000 words]What did you learn about writing this semester?

Questions you might consider:

What were the most interesting and useful things that you learned through your writing? What did you learn about rhetorical awareness and critical thinking? How did you improve your organizational skills? Analytical skills? Language skills? Which examples of writing are you the proudest of and why? In what ways did workshopping sessions help you? What are some of the most striking improvements you made in your writing skills or understanding of writing? What are some aspects of writing that you might like to focus on for your next composition class?

Unit 1 ReflectionFor each category, address some of the questions. Concentrate on the items that are the most pertinent or illuminating.

a/ GoalsIn what ways did this unit help you learn or review rhetorical awareness?In what ways did this unit help you practice critical thinking?What are some useful terms you learned during this unit? (Define them in your own words.)What did you learn about language use? (Use specific examples.)

b/ Preparation

What interesting discoveries did you make while doing preparatory writing for this unit?In what ways were the homework assignments or in-class writing prompts useful or helpful?(If applicable) What research did you perform for this unit? What did you find especially interesting?(If applicable) What activities did you do outside of class to prepare for this unit? How did they help you?

c/ Drafting

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How did you first gather ideas for your essay?Which brainstorming or outlining techniques were useful?What did you do to start drafting?What were some key changes you made from one draft to another? (give specific details)Overall, what was easy and/or difficult about writing this essay?What do you like the best about your essay and why?What might still need work and why?

d/ Workshopping

What did you learn about your own draft through workshopping?Which comments on your first draft were particularly useful?Which comments on subsequent drafts were particularly useful?What useful ideas came to you through reading some of your classmates’ drafts?What are some problems that you avoided through seeing some of your classmates’ difficulties?What are some techniques or features that you emulated or admifed?

Unit 2 Reflection (same as above)

Unit 3 Reflection (same as above)

Conclusion [to be written the last week of class, 500-1000 words]What did you learn about yourself through your writing this semester?

Questions you might consider:

Which essays may have been personally useful? How might an understanding of flow affect you? How might you achieve more instances of flow in the future? What did you learn by attending a UA play? What did you learn about motivation and related topics? How does an analysis of character strength and virtues lend insight to your own life? What are some important discoveries you’ve made this semester that might help you in the future? What do you look forward to learning in your next writing course? What advice do you have for future students?


and visuals.

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Goal 3: Reflection and Revision 3B. produce multiple revisions on global and local levels. 3C. suggest useful global and local revisions to other writers. 3E. evaluate and act on peer and instructor feedback to revise their texts. 3F. reflect on their progress as academic writers.


through practice in composing and revising.

Important Notes

1. This is our last project together—make it memorable (and, preferably, fun).

2. To add personal flair, consider adding visuals such as artwork, drawings, or photos.

3. Where possible, try adding humor. For example, “The Painful Ups and Downs of a Writing Apprentice” is a better title than “My Writing This Semester.”

4. For extra depth, feel free to include links to writing, videos, or other personal material you’ve created.

5. Organize your material by using clear headers: Intro, etc.

6. Organize your intro and conclusion in a deliberate fashion.

7. Use specifics to make your points.

8. Make use of each workshopping session.

9. Remember to edit your essay. For full credit, use Academic English.

10. Make all your hard work this semester pay off!

Typical Academic Essay Format

Title: Something catchy that helps readers understand your focus right away

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Intro: Introduce your topic. Lead us in. List any texts/authors. Near the end of your intro, state your thesis (purpose). Also give a forecast (the main ways you will prove your thesis).

Body Paragraphs: (usually 4-8)

Point (topic sentence, the main idea of your paragraph) (10%)

Illustration (example) (20%)

Explanation (explain about the illustration) 70%

[Repeat body paragraphs as needed]

Conclusion: Sum up your points and leave us some food for thought. We read your essay…. Now give us something provocative or interesting to think about.

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Peer Review Sheet

Your name ____________________

Essay title _____________________

Essay type _____________________

Date Reader’s Name

Their Advice/Your Solution What You Learned through Their Draft

1A

1B

2B

2B

19

3A

3B

D.R.

20

Documents

Assignments for English 100/106 - ransdell.faculty.arizona.edu · Web view--Christopher Peterson and Martin Seligman Purpose: Write an analytical essay comparing the strengths and