Hi! I'm at the vet with my cat, who seems to have a large, infected wound from a cat fight. Yay!
Today, I need you to finish your work on your peer edits. These MUST be finished by the end of the day -- the settings for peer edits are different on turnitin.com, and you con't just submit any time.
. MAKE SURE YOU HIT SUBMIT WHEN YOU ARE DONE!!!
Monday, December 14, 2015
Tuesday, December 8, 2015
Introduction to Syntax and Syntactic Schemes
Syntax: The order of words and grammatical structure of a sentence
ex. "Passive voice" The sentence is constructed in such a way that the subject of the discussion os the recipient of the action.
--The race was won by the walk-on freshman.
--The walk-on freshman won the race.
When discussing complex issues or developing ideas more fully, passive voice can lead to lengthy, awkward, unclear sentences.
SO-we will be looking at how to make sentences clear and effective -- combining sentences, expanding sentences, and intentionally using grammar to develop our ideas
We will also be intentionally using syntax to create rhythm, poetry, musical devices as we write. You do this, generally, by repeating words, phrases, and grammatical structures so that the meaning of your discussion is reflected by and developed by your word order.
This is especially important when writing something that will be spoken to an audience. Many of our texts will be political addresses.
Let's start with a very basic form of syntactic scheme that almost always makes you sound amazing: Parallel Structure
ex. "Passive voice" The sentence is constructed in such a way that the subject of the discussion os the recipient of the action.
--The race was won by the walk-on freshman.
--The walk-on freshman won the race.
When discussing complex issues or developing ideas more fully, passive voice can lead to lengthy, awkward, unclear sentences.
SO-we will be looking at how to make sentences clear and effective -- combining sentences, expanding sentences, and intentionally using grammar to develop our ideas
We will also be intentionally using syntax to create rhythm, poetry, musical devices as we write. You do this, generally, by repeating words, phrases, and grammatical structures so that the meaning of your discussion is reflected by and developed by your word order.
This is especially important when writing something that will be spoken to an audience. Many of our texts will be political addresses.
Let's start with a very basic form of syntactic scheme that almost always makes you sound amazing: Parallel Structure
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
Drafting Your Definition Essay: (part three of the prewrite)
Before you write your essay, know what you will discuss, and when.
1. First, clearly articulate what you want to show us about yourself -- you beliefs, perspective, values, priorities
2. How will you begin?
1. First, clearly articulate what you want to show us about yourself -- you beliefs, perspective, values, priorities
2. How will you begin?
- A narrative / anecdote that raises an experience relevant to this issue
- Begin with a definition
- Raise the general context or significance of your idea -- why does it matter to you (or the audience) and why do we need to understand it?
- Just start with description and no explanation -- "in media res"
4. How will you end?
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
Definition Essay Prewrite Part Two
Today, we will continue develop our definition and description papers.
Use the details, word choices, anecdotes, and contrasts you developed yesterday as the foundation of a discussion of the meaning and message of your definition.
Remember the definition is personal and subjective -- a way for you to communicate a feeling, belief, value, or point-of-view. Use today's work as a way to communicate how the details you generated will communicated these ideas
Make a new table.
On the left-hand side, provide On the right hand side, discuss how
one of the elements you developed this element establishes or develops
yesterday -- a detail, word choice, the figurative, personal, subjective
anecdote, or contrast purpose of your definition
Make sure you do at least one of these for each of the different categories we wrote on yesterday.
Use the details, word choices, anecdotes, and contrasts you developed yesterday as the foundation of a discussion of the meaning and message of your definition.
Remember the definition is personal and subjective -- a way for you to communicate a feeling, belief, value, or point-of-view. Use today's work as a way to communicate how the details you generated will communicated these ideas
Make a new table.
On the left-hand side, provide On the right hand side, discuss how
one of the elements you developed this element establishes or develops
yesterday -- a detail, word choice, the figurative, personal, subjective
anecdote, or contrast purpose of your definition
Make sure you do at least one of these for each of the different categories we wrote on yesterday.
Definition Essay Prewrite Part One
Today, we will begin our work on the essay by generating the descriptions, word choices, narratives, and contrasts that will help us define and describe our topic of discussion.
Begin by identifying a concept to define. Please refer to the requirements and suggestions laid out in the assignment description.
Next, insert a 2X5 table in your document. In the left hand cell, provide the following topics for your prewrite idea generation (In Red). In the right-hand column, provide as many details, word choices, anecdotes, or comparisons as possible. Focus on the ideas that will clarify the unique, subjective meaning of your concept and help you communicate your meaning to the audience
Details/Imagery
Connotative Diction
Figurative Language
Narrative
Comparison.
Begin by identifying a concept to define. Please refer to the requirements and suggestions laid out in the assignment description.
Next, insert a 2X5 table in your document. In the left hand cell, provide the following topics for your prewrite idea generation (In Red). In the right-hand column, provide as many details, word choices, anecdotes, or comparisons as possible. Focus on the ideas that will clarify the unique, subjective meaning of your concept and help you communicate your meaning to the audience
Details/Imagery
Connotative Diction
Figurative Language
Narrative
Comparison.
Monday, November 23, 2015
Definition / Description Essay Assignment
In this essay, you will provide your individual definition for a person, place, event, or concrete object. Give the audience a full and insightful understanding of what this topic means -- to you.
Minimum essay length: three pages, MLA format.
As you write, focus on the following:
Use detailed description and imagery to communicate important concrete, literal aspects of your topic. Try to engage all five senses as you develop your description. Note: this is important even if your are dicussing an abstract concept
Use connotative diction to describe the personal impressions, feelings, or ideas associated with your concept.
Use figurative language to provide evocative imagery, personal perspective, and revealing comparisons that clarify and develop your description.
Strategies that may help:
Use narration to describe the subject of your discussion. Linking this idea to events that illustrate your experiences with the topic will provide opportunities for insight.
You can take some time to describe what it is not. Contrast your perspective with other views or opinions that help define your personal perspective.
Things to avoid:
*Topics outside of your personal experience. Your focus in this assignment is to clearly communicate what you already know, not to get mired down in research about some new topic you don't fully understand. Pick something you have spent a great deal of time doing, viewing, or thinking about.
*Broad topics. This is similar to the previous item. Do not try to address broad abstractions. Do not try to define the concept of "faith" or "love" or "justice" or "sportsmanship" or "peace." These issues are generally far too broad to be addressed in a brief paper.
Minimum essay length: three pages, MLA format.
As you write, focus on the following:
Use detailed description and imagery to communicate important concrete, literal aspects of your topic. Try to engage all five senses as you develop your description. Note: this is important even if your are dicussing an abstract concept
Use connotative diction to describe the personal impressions, feelings, or ideas associated with your concept.
Use figurative language to provide evocative imagery, personal perspective, and revealing comparisons that clarify and develop your description.
Strategies that may help:
Use narration to describe the subject of your discussion. Linking this idea to events that illustrate your experiences with the topic will provide opportunities for insight.
You can take some time to describe what it is not. Contrast your perspective with other views or opinions that help define your personal perspective.
Things to avoid:
*Topics outside of your personal experience. Your focus in this assignment is to clearly communicate what you already know, not to get mired down in research about some new topic you don't fully understand. Pick something you have spent a great deal of time doing, viewing, or thinking about.
*Broad topics. This is similar to the previous item. Do not try to address broad abstractions. Do not try to define the concept of "faith" or "love" or "justice" or "sportsmanship" or "peace." These issues are generally far too broad to be addressed in a brief paper.
Monday, November 16, 2015
Rhetorical Analysis Peer Edit -- Annie Dillard
These are the ideas we will be addressing as we peer-edit the Annie Dillard essay. Here are the peer-edit questions you will address as you read your partner's paper:
Step One:(Do this on the printed out paper itself) Work through the paper, identifying errors in spelling, grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and citation.
Step Two: Answer the following questions
1. To what extent did the writer accurately identify the text's purpose in a clear, effective thesis statement? If there were elements you thought were strong, quote them and explain what made these claims or word choices effective. If there were elements you thought needed improvement, quote them, explain what needs to be improved, and provide specific, useful suggestions for development.
2. Paragraph intro sentences need to make a claim about how the author used rhetoric to support the purpose of the piece.
a. Where did the author make an especially effective claim? Provide a quote and explain what specifically about the author's writing supported the effectiveness of the topic sentence.
b. Where did the author make a less effective claim? Provide a quote and explain what specifically about the author's writing hindered the claim. Provide clear, constructive suggestions for improvement.
3. Evidence needs to be clearly relevant and smoothly incorporated into a sentence that establishes the context and / or significance of the quote.
a. Where did the author incorporate effective evidence? Provide a quote and explain what specifically about the selection or incorporation of this evidence supported the paragraph's topic or paper's thesis.
b. What generally needs to be improved about the selection and/or incorporation of evidence? Provide a quoted example of a less effective piece of evidence and explain what specifically about the author's writing hindered the claim. Provide clear, constructive suggestions for improvement.
4. Analysis needs to clearly explain how the word choice in the quoted evidence adds meaning (imagery, emotion, persona, mood, tone, symbolism, connections, abstract ideas, concrete examples, unspoken connotations, etc.)to Dillard's discussion and how the creation of this meaning supports the development of Dillard's purpose.
a. Where did the author effectively and completely discuss the impact of the author's word choice? Provide a quote and explain what specifically about the analysis supported reader understanding of Dillard's rhetoric?
b. What generally needs to be improved about the author's analysis? Provide a quoted example of less effective or incomplete analysis. Explain what specifically was less effective about this analysis, and provide clear, constructive suggestions for improvement.
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