segment five readings & final exam prep

Seg 5 – The Environmental/Global Warming Debate
W11/18: essay 4 seg 4; revision 3 essay 3; in-class reading of CP, Dourmana, p. 106f
M11/23: CP, Moser, p.85-105
W11/25: article paper 4 seg 5; CP, Thompson, p.108-128
M11/30: film screening at library (meet in room 242, second floor); journal #8

Seg 6 – Final Exam Preparation
W12/2: essay 5 seg 5; revision 4 essay 4
M12/7: journal #9
W12/9: revision 5 essay 5
M12/14: (no class – reading day)

Seg 7 – Final Exam Week
F12/18: last day to turn in your library orientation completion certificate to my mailbox in the English Department (room 2308, Boylan Hall)
T12/15-12/21: exact test date, time, and location is TBA

revision of essay #3 is mandatory!!!

This is just a friendly reminder that Revisions of Essay #3 are required, and therefore mandatory to be turned in this Wednesday (11/18), along with Essay #4.

Please feel free to email me with questions concerning your revisions!

Good luck!

essay #4

Essay #4
• Due Date: 11/18/09
• Length: three to six typed and stapled pages
• Formatting: one-inch margins; 12pt. font, Times New Roman; MLA citation
• Grade: a standard letter grade will be given


I am giving you two options for this assignment:

I. Either defend/agree or attack/disagree with Truss’s argument(s) concerning punctuation and language. In your paper you must trace how Truss develops and reiterates this argument throughout the chapters we read in class; that is, supply evidence from as many chapters as possible.

II. Compare and/or contrast the Segment 4 Coursepack essays by authors Braden and Westlake.

Should you choose to utilize your article from Article Essay #2, you may only use it as secondary, supporting evidence.



General tips:

I have noticed that many students’ thesis statements are too general and not direct. Therefore, be specific and directly name the things you wish to compare and/or contrast between the two authors/texts.

• Here is a good thesis statement from the first round of Essay #3, “In the article ‘Title’ by Andrew Fiala, he explains the concept of jus as bellum or justice after war as does Marian Eide in her article ‘Title’. Eide writes from a feminist point of view and she discusses the position of women in war. She also discusses how just war and late feminism discourse are used to justify war. Andrew Fiala focuses more on the justification of war and pacifism. The similarity between the two articles is the idea of jus post bellum. The differences are that Fiala speaks more to the justification of war and Eide speaks of gender roles and feminist perspectives”

• Another example I deem to be quite direct and to the point is the following, “In ‘Title’, author Andrew Fiala suggests that citizens are not capable of fulfilling this position of what constitutes a justifiable war. He argues that instead, a citizen’s responsibility is to hold their leaders accountable for their policies and actions regarding just war. In ‘Title’ Bat-Ami Bar On constructs her thesis through a feminist lens by putting forth a call to Americans to not just look at war through the traditional ‘white-male’ perspective. The two authors both suggests that war is sometimes necessary and that ethics should not be brought into the conversation regarding war because often justice can be achieved through un-ethical warfare also known as, jus post bellum.”

• To begin thinking of ways to compare and/or contrast authors/texts, identify two or three issues, points, or items that you can discuss; for example, both Fiala and Eide discuss the “item” of pacifism. Crucially, how they each authors approaches pacifism and what they have to say about the “item” determines if they can be compared or contrasted.

Concerning the bodies of these essays, be sure to double check your body paragraphs.

• Examine each paragraph’s topic sentence, evidence, and transitional statements. Be sure that you are saying exactly what you mean to say and that the paper flows from paragraph to paragraph.

• Make sure that your body paragraphs are in the correct order; that is, the order outlined by the thesis statement.

In the conclusion, you can offer your opinion of the issues at hand, or even better, you can connect the present essays in question to other essays that we have read or to issues that we have discussed before in the class.

article paper #3

On 11/11, Article Paper #3, will be due.

Here are some possible topics to guide your article search:

• information on punctuation issues
• the influence of technology on language, either spoken or written
• language preservation(ists)
• a historical fact about punctuation/language change and transformation
• a scholarly review of Truss's text Eats, Shoots and Leaves
• pedagogical methods to teaching grammar/punctuation
  

Feel free to comment to this posting with a possible topic idea that you're interested in pursuing!!!

journal #7

Respond to one, or all... it's your call.

What are your initial reactions to Truss’s text? Do you find her argument plausible, or is she just a stickler who is wasting her time and energy? How much does "proper" punctuation matter to you?

What about "internet speak"? That being, the "modified" writing of system (sometimes) employed when composing electronically. Should it be allowed? Should there be "rules" when it's acceptable to be used and when not?

Did you ever receive grammar/punctuation instruction formally, informally, or via self-study? Narrate your experience and how it has influenced your writing skills.

impt. updates

Hello All,
Here are the important updates I mentioned today in class. Please feel free to email should you have any questions. Or better, stop by my office hours tomorrow or Wednesday morning.

s.
--------------------------
Note that my office hours tomorrow will not begin until 2:15p, as I will be in a meeting.

Changes to the dates of assignments:

Essay #3 extended until Wednesday 11/4
Revision of Essay #2 extended until Wednesday 11/4
Journal #7 will be due Wednesday 11/4 too

Article Paper #3 moved to Wednesday 11/11

Updates to reading assignments:
Today in class we began to read the Truss's text, "Introduction--p.1-34". If you did not get through these pages, please complete the introduction, as well as p.68-102 for Wednesday, 11/4.

For Monday 11/9, read p.103-176.

For Wednesday 11/11, read CP, Braden, p.58-64

For Monday 11/18, read CP, Westlake, p.65-84

article paper #2 (10/28)

For class tomorrow, Wed. 10/21, please bring your first Article Paper so that we can review some vital issues and so that I can provide constructive remarks to the class.


For the second Article Paper, I would like you to follow the same format as the first assignment. Therefore, review the rubric for the first Article Paper if you need guidance.

Here are some general observations and criticisms I noticed from the first round of assignments that I'd like to share with you:

• in the introduction some were lost as to the direction and scope of their paper; be sure to compose effective intros which seek to accomplish what they set forth

• many students failed to draw a parallel between their quotes and the subsequent explanations; thus, I wanted most students to offer more in terms of explanation of their evidence and support

• many students left their quotes without proper introduction or prior explanation; remember, you cannot simply plop a quote into your paper, it needs to be adequately foregrounded.

• statements like “I believe that”, or “in my opinion” can be avoided; be more direct and just state that it is!

• offer/focus more on your analysis than your summary, as the former is more fruitful in terms of academic writing

journal #6 (10/26)

This next journal has been pushed back to Monday, Oct. 26 to allow you all adequate time to complete it. Also, you'll notice that the next Article Paper is due on Wednesday, Oct. 28th. Hence, you may wish to begin your external article research sooner than later.


Now, on with the journal assignment...

By the time this journal is due you should have read the three essays provided for Segment Two (Fiala, Bar On, Eide). Having done so, state your position on the just war front in regards to America's current military involvement(s). Do you feel that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are, have been, or will be justified? How so? Use one, two, or all three of the authors we have just read to support your statements and claims. If you can or feel compelled to do so, reply to a student's comment by offering further support/agreement or even a rebuttal/rejection.

Other things to consider regarding the topic: How do you view the theory of just war? Can such a theory even exist in our current technological, mechanical, pan-national globe when contrasted to the world of the past? What must we consider for a war to be just? And, crucially, who must we ask for justification and definition of warfare?

Other things to consider regarding the reading: How have one or all of these authors influenced your understanding and conception of war? Do you tend to agree/disagree with one over the other? What is a common thread that exists among two or all three of these authors?

updates and announcements

Hello All,

Please make note of the reading assignments which have been updated on the appropriate blog page here. Also note that some due dates have been shifted to allow more "space".

Notice that by 10/21 you should have purchased a copy (available only at Shakespeare and Co.) of the required textbook Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss. If you fail in retrieving this text before the 21st, the bookstore cannot guarantee it being in stock. Luckily, Lynne's book is common and can be found at most major bookstores throughout the city. Just be sure to have a copy on hand as soon as possible.

And do not forget to send me e-copies (via email attachment) of your memoir revisions TODAY by 5:00pm for submission to the first-year student publication!

That's all for now...
s.

essay #2 and revision #1

Please forgive the delay in this posing; however, such postings only exist to supplement the materials handed out in class.

Essay #2
• Due Date: 10/14/09
• Length: three to six typed and stapled pages
• Formatting: one-inch margins; 12pt. font, Times New Roman; MLA citation
• Grade: a standard letter grade will be given

For this assignment, I ask that you write a formal essay that compares and/or contrasts at least two of the readings from segment two; these include the three articles assigned from the Coursepack: Nelson, Moore, and Taylor.

The Shapiro article, entitled “Obama Toughens States Secrets Privilege” posted on the blog, and your article from Article Essay #1 may only be used as secondary, supporting evidence.

General tips:

• In your introductory paragraph:
o Be sure to name the titles and the authors of the works you plan on comparing and contrasting.
o You must have a thesis statement that identifies not only the order, but also the specific points which you plan on founding your discussion.

• In your body:
o Be sure that each paragraph is following the “course” or “path” set by the introduction; that is, ask yourself:
-- How does each body paragraph highlight, illustrate, or expand upon the main idea of the thesis?
-- How does each body paragraph provide further evidence in support of your thesis?

• In your conclusion:
o Be sure to summarize your paper’s main point(s), drawing the reader to a natural close.
o Should you wish to include any personal experience, the place is here in the conclusion.
o You may wish to offer “what’s next”; that is, ask yourself:
--What are the implications of essay and/or the essay’s thesis?
-- How can/will the things you discuss be implemented in the future?
-- What is the next step you will take?
-- How will this writing affect the larger, greater, external world beyond?

Other important tips and requirements:
• Should you quote any reading or text we have read thus far, be sure to properly cite each source using parenthetical citation. Use the handout on citation for assistance. You may also use the MLA section within Hacker’s Writer’s Reference for further assistance with this necessary requirement.
• A “Works Cited” page or bibliography is not needed for this paper, but be sure to reference the page numbers from the Coursepack not the page numbers from each individual article.
• Should you have any questions regarding this assignment, please email me as soon as possible.



Revision of Formal Essays
• Due Date: essay revisions are due when the subsequent essay assignment is due
o e.g., your revision of Essay #1 is due when your first “draft” of Essay #2 is due, in this case: 10/14/09
• Length: three to six typed and stapled pages
• Formatting: one-inch margins; 12pt. font, Times New Roman; MLA citation
• Grade: a standard letter grade will be given which will be averaged with the mark conferred on the “draft”

For this assignment, I ask that you rewrite the first “draft” of your formal essays and hand them in when the subsequent essay assignment is due.

In your revisited paper you need to accomplish the following requirements to receive credit:
1. You must attach the original draft-copy, or copies should there be multiple, of the essay you are revising.
2. You must revise the paper for both global and local errors.
3. You must consider revisions and corrects beyond the ones that I have offered. That is, I want to see that you have engaged with your essay on a deeper level and have attempted to located the major and minor places where revision and improvement can take place.