English 98

Revision Stations

2011-05-02T14:28:00.000-07:00

The following are stations to help break up the work of revision. While not every station might apply to you, keep in mind that the more effort you put into the process the better off you'll be. The portfolio is a major grade.

Station One: Introductions

In your notebook, write a new introduction to your paper. This introduction needs to set up your content (topic) and context (type of analysis), thus allowing the essay to stand alone without the reader knowing the assignment.

Remember, an attention-getter needs to make the reader want to read the essay. Recall the different types of AGs we tried out in class:

Some Leads to Try

* Anecdote: a brief story that captures the essence of the issue or situation; painting a picture for the reader using vivid details

* Interesting fact: something that will really make the reader think (make sure it relates to your topic)

* Any sentence that really makes the reader want to continue reading.

* Question: should put the reader on the spot and make that person consider what the answer would be

Some Leads to Avoid, Please

* A dictionary definition (“Webster’s defines conformity as…”): that is boring

* A sweeping generalization

* A lead that isn’t focused (“Adoption programs in this country have some flaws. They aren’t completely bad, but they need to be dealt with. There are a couple of things I’m concerned about, even though, overall, adoption is a good thing.”): the reader is lost and confused before the writer has even started the essay

Station Two: Conclusions

In your notebook, write a new conclusion to your paper. This should wrap up your paper.

Some Conclusions to Try

* Instruction: what can the reader can do about the issue?

* Prediction: an insight into how the future could be different, better, or worse

* Anecdote: a brief story that reiterates the essence of the issue or situation

* What you learned: tell us what new understandings you came to by writing this paper

* Book-ending: circles back to the lead. Reread your introduction and connect your ending to it in some way (Don’t repeat the intro!).

Conclusions to Avoid

* Repetition of the introduction. We already read it. Use the conclusion as a space to say something new.

“Only rarely in effective writing is the closing a formal summary in which the person repeats … what has already been said.” --Donald Murray

Station Three: Layering

Read through your paper and the comments your readers have given you. Where do your readers want to know more? Pick one spot.

Now that you’ve picked that spot, write to fill in the gap. What do your readers want to know? Guided by their questions, write all of your thoughts on the topic for 5 minutes.

Station Four: Pruning

Like a good gardener, your job at this station is to prune your essay, getting rid of the weeds your readers can get tangled in when reading your paper.

OPTION A:

Read through your readers’ comments. Are there any places where they seem to be confused? Decide whether or not those confusing parts are necessary.

* If they’re necessary, try rewriting them and focusing on being specific, showing your readers what you mean and not just telling them (don’t write that Walter Scanlon was a good person—show us why he was a good person).

* If they’re not necessary, get rid of them!

OPTION B: Pick a page or paragraph to focus on, one that troubles you or your readers. Does that paragraph/page tie to the main focus of your paper?

* If it ties to the focus, how? How might you make it more clear to your readers? Try rewriting part of the page or the paragraph.

* If it doesn’t tie to the focus, pitch it!

Station Five: Slow down on a “hot spot”

Skim through your paper and find a place where you think you’re onto something (a page, a paragraph, even a sentence or two). It should be a place where you feel you express your ideas well and have a lot to say (if you can’t find a place on your own, review your readers’ comments to find out where they felt you were onto something).

Now write, for about 5 or 10 minutes, expanding on your ideas. What else do you have to say? How might you add more detail to further prove your point? Could you include more evidence? What else comes to mind? Write down everything you can.

Station Six: Using Evidence Meaningfully

Recall that:

Evidence = the facts or examples that back up your claims. Without evidence, a paper is merely unsubstantiated opinion.

STEP ONE: Find a place where you have used evidence from some source (personal experience, an interview, a reading, your research).

STEP TWO: Your role as a writer is like the role of a lawyer in a court of law. When you introduce evidence, you must tell the jury--your readers--why this evidence supports your argument.

Remember the formula: Introduce the evidence; Cite the evidence; Explain the significance of the evidence

STEP THREE: Check to make sure everything in your paper is set up well.

Station Seven: Reverse Outlining

Go through your paper as it is now and create an outline. You should clearly list the main focus of each paragraph and what the sub points are in those paragraphs.

If you cannot come up with a single main focus for each paragraph, you have an issue.

After looking at this reverse outline, figure out if this is the best way to arrange your ideas. Does your order allow the reader to logically follow what you are trying to say? Do any points require the reader to already know something? Is that information earlier or later?

Station Eight: Considering Comments

At this station, take out the all of the comments you received on this essay (peer comments, teacher comments, Write Place comments, etc.).

STEP ONE: Spend some time carefully re-reading the comments you received.

STEP TWO: Take out a piece of paper and write down some things you heard repeated. These can be good things (everyone loved your introduction) or suggestions (Did your peers and the teacher have questions about organization? Was there a paragraph, sentence, or page that confused many readers?).

STEP THREE: Think about how you might address these patterns. Is there a part you should definitely keep? Are there certain areas that need special attention?

STEP FOUR: Jot down a quick game plan for revision. What will you work on? Make notes for yourself on that piece of paper.

LE3 Reader Review

2011-04-24T16:30:00.001-07:00

As always, if you miss Reader Review in class, you MUST make it up on your own time. Have TWO people answer the following questions and take those comments into consideration for your revision.

Answer their questions:

How well does the writer analyze the rant? How well does the writer state his or her position on the rant?

How well does the writer utilize the book Real Writing? How well does the writer use the interview?

How well has the writer explained the grammar issue at hand?

Does the writer clearly state his or her position on the grammar issue? On the rant itself? Is it clear what the writer feels about these things?

Additional comments?

LE3 Checklist

2011-04-24T16:29:00.000-07:00

The following is a checklist enumerating what exactly you must turn in to me for LE3. You are responsible for this information, as it appears on the second page of your syllabus. Any lack on your part will lead to the loss of credit. You must have every component in your packet. You will turn all of these components into me in a 2-pocket paper folder. Make sure everything is typed, and that the header clearly indicates what each item is. Refer to handout about formatting. Also, make sure everything is in the order listed here. Any deviation from this will lead to the loss of credit.

o Newly printed copy of your Long Essay typed and stapled. This will be 3-4 full pages and must conform to the formatting sheet I gave you.

o The copy of your paper that was used for Reader Review, including your cover letter, and including any comments from your reviewer

o Writing Exploration E with my comments

o The first copy of your interview

o Writing Exploration F with my comments

o The Rant

Remember, everything must be in your packet or else you will lose credit. If you did not get something in on time (such as a Writing Exploration) you must still complete it for your Long Essay Submission Packet. Otherwise, the submission packet is not complete and will be docked points.

LE3 Planning Questions

2011-04-18T15:39:00.000-07:00

Based on all your materials, answer these questions as thoroughly as possible. That will provide you with much of what is needed for a completed LE3.

• What does your rant focus on specifically? What specific aspect of the rant (if there are multiple aspects) do you want to focus on in your LE3? Why?

• How does the ranter incorporate (or neglect to incorporate) evidence into his or her rant? What evidence specifically does he or she provide? What does this all tell you about the rant?

• What conclusions does the ranter make? What implications does he or she see for people who commit these errors? Is this a reasonable analysis?

• What does your research from Real Writing tell you? What does this source have to say about the grammar issues in the rant? What does the agreement or disagreement with the rant tell you about the grammar issue?

• Who did you interview? What about the interviewed person made you choose him or her for this assignment? What perspective is brought to the rant? Is it the same or different than the rant? The same or different than the textbook? How might you account for the answers to these questions, based on who you interviewed?

• How do these three things interact: rant, book research, and interview? What connections between the three do you want to focus on and expand for LE3?

• What is your opinion on the grammar issue at play in the rant? Has that opinion changed from before you found the rant? Has it changed since you read the research in the book? Has it changed since you did the interview? What about these three things (or your own knowledge) shapes your current opinion on the grammar issue? Were these three things well argued, or lacking in credibility? How so? What conclusions can you make about the grammar issue at hand?

• Based on this, what will your thesis be for your paper? How does this reflect everything you’ll be covering?

Grammar Rant Samples

2011-04-04T08:40:00.000-07:00

Dear Abby Rant

Vlog Brothers Video Rant

LE2 Checklist

2011-03-28T08:53:00.000-07:00

The following is a checklist enumerating what exactly you must turn in to me on the assigned date. You are responsible for this information, as it appears on the second page of your syllabus. Any lack on your part will lead to the loss of credit. You must have every component in your packet. You will turn all of these components into me in a 2-pocket paper folder. Make sure everything is typed, and that the header clearly indicates what each item is. Also, make sure everything is in the order listed here. Any deviation from this will lead to the loss of credit.

TAKE OUT LE1 MATERIALS!!!

* Newly printed copy of your Long Essay typed and stapled. This must include every component of the Long Essay, including the genre you created. Note that your genre does not count towards the length requirements: staple the finalized genre to the back of the essay.

* The copy of your paper that was used for Reader Review, including your cover letter, and including any comments from your reviewer (if not done in class, it must be made up on own time)

* Writing Exploration C

* Writing Exploration D

Remember, everything must be in your packet or else you will lose credit. If you did not get something in on time (such as a Writing Exploration) you must still complete it for your Long Essay Submission Packet. Otherwise, it is not complete and will be docked points.

Bio-Poem

2011-03-07T11:34:00.000-08:00

Line 1: First Name
Line 2: Four traits that describe person
Line 3: Relative of (brother of, sister of, and so on)
Line 4: Lover of _______ (list three things or people)
Line 5: Who feels _________ (three items)
Line 6: Who needs _________ (three items)
Line 7: Who fears __________ (three items)
Line 8: Who gives __________ (three items)
Line 9: Who would like to ________ (three items)
Line 10: Resident of ________
Line 11: Last Name

(Gere 222)

Ryan
Amiable, Pundit, Literate, Tall
Brother of Sean and Scott, Son of Roger and Sharon, Husband of Meghan
Lover of justice, autumn, and rebirth
Who feels compassion, love, and melancholy
Who needs a compass, a clear sky, and a song
Who fears decay, failure, and scurrying things
Who gives time, mind, and soul
Who would like to speak his word, father his brood, and cross the horizon
Resident of the Midwest
Kerr

Reverse Outlining

2011-02-28T08:21:00.000-08:00

Outlining your essay before you write a draft is an important step. It allows you to set up a framework (skeleton) before you start filling everything in. Seeing a bare-boned outline allows you to really think about your order and organization. It also allows you to see easily if you are missing anything from your essay.

Reverse outlines allow the same thing. With a reverse outline, you are able to see what is missing and what order you have chosen. The difference is that you do a reverse outline AFTER you have written your paper. You go backwards and create an outline based on your finished paper.

We do this so that we see what organization we DID use, not what we PLANNED on using.

Reverse Outlining:

First, count your body paragraphs. That will be how many divisions you have on your outline.

Then, summarize each paragraph into a single sentence. If you need two sentences to cover everything in a single paragraph, then make a note of that. That is something you need to revise.

After you have your outline, think if you have covered everything you need. Did you organize your essay in a logical way for the reader?

LE2 Practice

2011-02-28T08:20:00.000-08:00

1:

Female
32 years old
Mother of 2
Works as a Nurse
Has a home computer with dial up internet
Only has a little free time in evenings

2:

Male
16 years old
Likes technology, and spends several hours on the computer a day
Into World of Warcraft
Has a few close friends

3:

Female
22 years old
Majoring in Culinary Arts
Has I-phone
Has a laptop

4:

Male
49 years old
Works as a foreman at a factory
Into sports and politics
Has two kids (grown up) and a granddaughter (age 4)
Has computer, but doesn’t use it often

5:

Female
14 years old
Plays softball and volleyball
Has a lot of friends
Has own cell phone
Has computer in room

Message About Faculty

2011-02-17T08:54:00.000-08:00

Faculty are currently working under a policy called work to rule, which means that they will only be fulfilling their contractual obligations. This means that we are available to answer student questions and emails only during our official posted office hours.

Remember that my office hours are MW from 12:30-2. Outside of this time and our class time, I am unable to respond to emails.

If you would like to express your concerns about this situation, please contact the Board of Trustees or Dr. Sam. We are sorry for any inconvenience to our students and hope that this situation is resolved quickly.

Reader Review Cover Letter (For All Essays)

2011-02-12T08:37:00.001-08:00

Reader Review Cover Letter

For Reader Review, in order to contextualize for your reader, you will include a cover letter. This will give them an idea of what you are presenting to them, so that they are better able to respond to your essay. Have the following headings and fill them in for your cover letter. Attach to the front of your LE on Reader Review day. This is part of your grade.

Purpose: Here you should describe the point of your paper. Briefly, what exactly are you trying to do? What was the point of the assignment, and specifically how you went about it (do not just rehash my words from the assignment sheet: what do you understand the purpose to be)?

Audience: Who is the audience of this essay (besides me), and how did this shape your process?

Process: Explain what process you went through in writing this paper, including how you found your research, how you used the Writing Explorations, and how you put everything together.

Desired Feedback: Describe the type of feedback you want from your Reader Reviewer. Do you want them to be brutally honest, or do you prefer constructive criticism? Also, come up with three questions (that do not have a yes or no answer) that will help you get feedback that you can use. What exactly are you concerned about?

LE1 Reader Review

2011-02-12T08:36:00.002-08:00

*NOTE: If you do not do Reader Review in class, you must make it up by having two people outside of class read and respond to your paper following these questions.

Make sure you answer the questions from the writer’s cover letter.

• How well does the paper examine the genres it is analyzing? How well does it cover purpose, audience, content, and form?

• How well does the paper make use of the sample genre? Are there plenty of examples directly from the sample?

• What are the strongest parts of the essay in your mind?

• What parts need work before being turned in?

LE1 Submission Packet Checklist

2011-02-12T08:36:00.001-08:00

LE1 Submission Packet Checklist

The following is a checklist enumerating what exactly you must turn in to me for LE1. You are responsible for this information. Any lack on your part will lead to the loss of credit. You must have every component in your packet. You will turn all of these components into me in a 2-pocket paper folder. Make sure everything is typed, and that you clearly indicate what each item is.

o Newly printed copy of your Long Essay typed and stapled. This will include (at the end, and not part of the 2-3 pages) a personal sample of the genre you analyze.

o The copy of your paper that was used for Reader Review, including your cover letter and any comments from your reviewers

o Writing Exploration A with my comments (if you did not type it the first time, you must type it for the submission packet and also include my comments separately).

o Writing Exploration B with my comments

Include this checklist in your submission packet. Remember, everything must be in your packet or else you will lose credit. If you did not get something in on time (such as a Writing Exploration) you must still complete it for your Long Essay Submission Packet. Otherwise, the packet is not complete and will be docked points.

Critical Reading

2011-02-06T15:14:00.000-08:00

Reading 1:

“We have customers who say, ‘Well, I don’t want it (a new $2,000 TV) if it can’t be hooked up by Sunday …’ ” — Best Buy sales guy

There are three great mysteries in America today: 1) how we got into such a big credit hole; 2) when about 96.3% of us began eating too much, spawning an obesity problem; c) how the Super Bowl got so gosh-darned big, too.

Yes, the big day is here.

Again.

If there’s a thread that binds today, it is that at VI o’clock, about III/IVs of us will be tuning in to ogle all the elements of Super Bowl XLIII and the rest of mankind will blissfully adjust.

Remember back in school when we learned Roman numerals?

Who would have ever known we’d only need to know them to count specific football games?

And why with Roman numerals?

For continuity, wouldn’t it be fun to also keep the score in Xs, Vs, and Ls?

When Janet Jackson’s top fell down a few Supers ago, instead of creating a national tempest, shouldn’t it have simply been hailed as Super Bowl XXX?

Can you imagine the confusion in only a few more years when it will be the 49th Super Bowl and referred to either as Super Bowl XXXXIX or Super Bowl XXXXVIIII or Super Bowl XLIX?

Yes, here we are, celebrating again.

The Super Bowl itself is like the Academy Awards, of course.

It is always a little too long, a little too overdone and the entertainment segments – in football’s case, the halftime show — always seems to be lacking.

In the Super Bowl’s case, if you ask me, they should also quit playing the game in some namby-pamby warm-weather site.

This is football, not water ballet or “American Idol.”

These are rough, tough, behemoth men, crashing into each other, like a NASCAR wreck every 50 seconds.

It’s also a sport played in the middle of winter.

I want to see clouds of steam coming off the players’ backs and heads.

I want to see icicles dangling from the coach’s headset.

It’s also just not as much fun watching some 20something male with no shirt, his chest painted in Steeler yellow and black, in the 75-degree comfort of Tampa or Tempe.

Yet Super Sunday itself?

I think it is wonderful.

-"How did a single football game ever become so XL?" by Bill Flick

Reading 2:

Defenders of holistic scoring might reply (as one anonymous reviewer did), that holistic scores are not perfect or absolutely objective readings but just “judgments that most readers will agree are the appropriate ones given the purpose of the assessment and the system of communication.” But I have been in and even conducted enough holistic scoring sessions to know that even that degree of agreement doesn’t occur unless “purpose” and “appropriateness” are defined to mean acceptance of the single set of standards imposed on that session. We know too much about the differences among readers and the highly variable nature of the reading process. Supposing we get readings only from academics, or only from people in English, or only from respected critics, or only from respected writing programs, or only from feminists, or only from sound readers of my tribe (white, male, middle-class, full professors between the ages of fifty and sixty). We still don’t get agreement. We can sometimes get agreement among readers from some subset, a particular community that has developed a strong set of common values, perhaps one English department or one writing program. But what is the value of such a rare agreement? It tells us nothing about how readers from other English departments or writing programs will judge—much less how readers from other domains will judge.

(From the opposite ideological direction, some skeptics might object to my skeptical train of thought: “So what is new?” they might reply. “Of course my grades are biased, ‘interested’ or ‘situated’—always partial to my interests or the values of my community or culture. There’s no other possibility.” But how can people consent to give grades if they feel that way? A single teacher’s grade for a student is liable to have substantial consequences—for example on eligibility for a scholarship or a job or entrance into professional school. In grading, surely we must not take anything less than genuine fairness as our goal.)

-“Ranking, Evaluating, and Liking” by Peter Elbow

Pizza Artifact

2011-02-06T15:13:00.000-08:00

Based on the following menu, what can you tell about the establishment?

DRESSINGS:

Caesar, Goddess , Ranch, Raspberry Vinaigrette, Balsamic Vinaigrette (Note: Goddess dressing is not gluten-free.)

FUSION SALAD
Arugula, romaine, cucumber, red onion, tomatoes, basil, shaved carrots, and crostini.

CHICKEN BRUSCHETTA
Arugula, romaine, free range chicken, bruschetta mix, fresh mozzarella, red onion, basil and crostini.

PAN ROASTED STEAK SALAD
Arugula, romaine, pan roasted steak, cucumber, tomato, gorgonzola, roasted zucchini, and red onion with crostini.

ROASTED BEET & FETA
Arugula, beets, feta, candied walnuts and roasted red onion.

PEAR & GORGONZOLA
Arugula, romaine, pear, gorgonzola and candied walnuts.

SIGNATURE CAESAR & ROASTED CHICKEN
Romaine with caesar dressing, parmesan, free range chicken and crostini.

FLATBREAD AND DIP TRIO
Flatbread brushed with herb olive oil and served with marinara, olive tapenade and garlic olive oil. A delicious way to begin your meal!

All sandwiches are served on fresh baked focaccia and come with a side arugula salad.

PORTOBELLO GRILL
Marinated portobello mushrooms, roasted bell peppers, pesto and fresh mozzarella. Served hot.

PHILLY PHUSION
Not your average Philly! Pan roasted steak with provolone, roasted red onion and homemade garlic mayo. Served hot.

ROASTED TURKEY CLUB
Cold, not hot! Turkey with bacon, arugula, tomato, provolone and homemade garlic mayo. Served cold.

FREE RANGE ROASTED CHICKEN
Free range chicken, tomato sauce, basil and provolone. Served hot.

Pizza

Choose our original organic white or multigrain crust. Choose our personal 6”x9” size or our large 18”x9” size. Our delicious, fresh tomato sauce is certified organic. Gluten-free crust available in large only.

TRADITIONAL CHEESE
Our delicious signature cheese pizza with tomato sauce, mozzarella, provolone and parmesan.

ORGANIC PEPPERONI
Our pepperoni will knock your socks off. Organic pepperoni, tomato sauce, mozzarella, provolone and parmesan.

VERY VEGAN
Crimini mushrooms, roasted garlic, tomato sauce and soy cheese. Carnivores love it, too!

BRUSCHETTA
Freshly chopped tomatoes, red onions, basil, balsamic vinegar and roasted garlic with mozzarella, provolone and parmesan.

FOUR CHEESE & SUNDRIED TOMATO
Sundried tomatoes, basil, roasted garlic, tomato sauce, goat cheese, mozzarella, provolone and parmesan.

ORGANIC EGGPLANT & FRESH MOZZARELLA
Roasted Italian eggplant, roasted red onion, tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella and parsley.

BBQ CHICKEN
Put on your bib and light up the grill! Free range chicken covered in our delicious BBQ sauce, roasted red onion, fresh garlic, basil, mozzarella, provolone and parmesan. Note: BBQ sauce is not gluten-free.

FARMER’S MARKET
A farmer’s medley of roasted artichoke hearts, red onion, roasted zucchini and roasted Portobello with tomato sauce, mozzarella, provolone and parmesan.

GREEK
Kalamata olives, sliced roma tomatoes, tomato sauce, feta cheese, mozzarella, provolone, parmesan and parsley. Zeus would approve.

SAUSAGE & TRICOLOR PEPPER
Sweet Italian sausage, roasted tricolor peppers, tomato sauce, mozzarella, provolone, parmesan and chili flakes. Note: Sausage is not gluten-free.

FOUNDER’S PIE
Free range chicken, kalamata olives, roasted red onion, tomato sauce, parmesan, mozzarella, provolone and gorgonzola. Vaughan and Mike love it on multigrain crust.

SPINACH AND ARTICHOKE
Sautéed spinach, roasted artichoke hearts, roasted garlic, tomato sauce, mozzarella, provolone and parmesan.

PHILLY STEAK PIZZA
Steak, roasted bell peppers, roasted red onion, tomato sauce, gorgonzola, mozzarella, provolone, parmesan and parsley.

BIG KAHUNA
Hawaiian style pizza with bacon, sweet organic pineapple, red onion, tomato sauce, mozzarella, provolone and parmesan. Don’t forget your board dude!

Make Your Own

Comes with all-natural mozzarella, provolone, and parmesan cheeses.

CHOOSE YOUR SIZE
Large Pizza: An 18”x9” pizza. Feeds 2-3 people.
Personal Pizza: A 6” x 9“ pizza. Perfect for one person.

CHOOSE YOUR CRUST
Original Organic White or Multigrain
Gluten-Free crust available in Large only

CHOOSE YOUR SAUCE
Organic Tomato Sauce, Pesto, BBQ Sauce, Olive Oil
Note: BBQ sauce is not gluten-free.

SPECIALTY CHEESES
Feta, Fresh Mozzarella, Goat, Gorgonzola, Organic Mozzarella, Vegan Soy Cheese

VEGETABLES
Roasted Artichoke Hearts, Fresh Garlic, Roasted Garlic, Roasted Eggplant, Roasted Zucchini, Kalamata Olives, Black Olives, Pineapple, Crimini Mushrooms, Red Onions, Roasted Red Onions, Roma Tomatoes, Sundried Tomatoes, Sauteed Spinach, Roasted Tricolor Peppers, Roasted Portobello Mushrooms

MEATS
Our meats are hormone & preservative free! Sweet Italian Sausage, Pepperoni, Bacon, Chicken, Steak
Note: Sausage is not gluten-free.
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FRESH HOMEMADE BROWNIE
A delicious homemade brownie.

HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Three warm chocolate chip cookies just like mama used to make.

Beverages

We serve all-natural and organic soft drinks, meaning you won’t find any “big name” products here. Hey, we just didn’t want to include anything on our menu that can take the paint off a Camaro.

BOYLAN’S BOTTLED SODAS
Natural: Cane Cola, Creme Vanilla, Root Beer, Black Cherry,Ginger Ale

Conventional: Diet Creme, Diet Black Cherry, Diet Root Beer

BOYLAN’S FOUNTAIN SODAS
Assorted Flavors. Free Refills!

HONEST TEA
Served chilled. Flavors: Just Black Tea, Just Green Tea, Green Dragon, Black Forest Berry, Mango White

HONEST KIDS
Flavors: Tropical Tango, Goodness Grapeness, Berry Lemonade

HONEST ADE
Flavors: Orange Mango, Superfruit Punch, Pomegranate Blue

FIJI WATER

ASK ABOUT OUR ORGANIC BEER & WINE

Thesis Practice

2011-02-06T15:11:00.000-08:00

Practice your skills with thesis statements!

Remember, a thesis is a single sentence that incorporates an entire essay's main point.

After watching each of these videos, see if you can condense the speaker's main point into a single, well-written thesis.

Barack Obama on Health Care

Bill Maher on iPhone

George Carlin on Baseball and Football

Welcome

2011-01-24T15:59:00.001-08:00

Welcome to English 98

This webpage will be where I post in class activities and important information. If you miss class, check here in addition to contacting me.

Syllabus Treasure Hunt

Instead of me boringly reading you the syllabus, you will read the syllabus yourself to find the important information needed for you to succeed in this class. Remember, a syllabus is a contract between you and me, and thus you should know what you are agreeing to abide by in this course.

I will allow you some time today to read through the syllabus and try to find as many answers as possible to the following questions. The student or students with the most correct answers at the end of the time allotted will receive a symbolic chest full of extra credit. Happy hunting!

1. How much is an assignment worth if it is late?

2. What project carries the largest grade?

3-5. Name three things that will cause you to lose your participation points:

6. What textbook do you need for this class?

7-8. What is the instructor’s name and email address?

9-12. What four units is the class divided into?

13. What smaller writing assignment exists within an LE unit?

14. Define the following abbreviation:
LE: _____________________

15-16. Name two places outside of this classroom where you can get additional help for course material.

17. How will I grade your writing in this class prior to the Portfolio?

18. How many essays will you revise for the portfolio?

19. How is plagiarism dealt with in this class?

20. What homework is due next class?