Finals Practice

Directions: Read your diagnostic. Beyond the notable difference in your writing ability, look at the goal you set for yourself. For this blog, write about 100-200 words to start off what will (during the next class session) become your Final. Discuss the goal you set for yourself at the beginning of class, and then detail (briefly) how/why you did or did not achieve that goal. This could become your thesis statement/introduction. IF you did not achieve your initial class goal, did you adopt a new goal as the class progressed? Did you accomplish the new goal? Why or why not?

Due before 10pm on December 9th. (We will begin--and hopefully finish--writing this blog in class.)

No reply.

Unit IV Reflection

Directions: You have now officially become awesome. Congratulations! Remember when you couldn't write a research paper? Think about how far you have come! But...think about that for your in-class Final.....

For now, summarize what you learned during Unit 4: from developing a topic to researching that topic to synthesizing your research for that topic into the paper you just wrote, explain what was most helpful and what you wish you knew more about. 100-200 words.

Due before midnight on December 6th (so, by 11:59 p.m. on December 6th).

Claims and Evidence

Directions: First, state your working thesis or your thesis question. Next, list one source (in MLA format) that you think will help to support your main claim. Then, state why you think that source will help you to prove your claim.

Due before class on November 20th.

Reply to Classmate: ask a classmate a question about the source and/or the claim that might help provoke further research. OR, if you have a source you think would be useful to your classmate (either one you are using or one you might have come across in your Wonderland travels), please share that information with your classmate.

Reply due before 5pm on Friday, November 21st.

Discovering Topics

Directions: In order to determine your topic for your research synthesis, you must first begin to test what you want to say, what you want to say and who you want to say it to. First, read LBH 14-16 and answer 1.5--LBH p.17--to create an academic question. Perform exercise 2.5 on p. 35 to create your topic.

Initial reply due before class on Thursday, November 13th. 

Reply to classmate: ask a question that will provoke your classmate to think more deeply about his or her topic. For instance, if the topic is too broad, ask a question that will encourage your classmate to think about one specific area of the topic. If the topic is too narrow, ask a question that will encourage your classmate to think more deeply about the issue, which will widen his/her scope.

Due before 5pm on Friday, November 14th.

Unit III Reflection

Directions: you have just finished your second college paper, and your first (and, likely, last) rhetorical analysis. Please answer the following questions in the form of a paragraph (no more than 200 words). What do you feel you gained from understanding how others use rhetoric in their arguments? What aspect of the unit did you find most useful? How will you use the knowledge from this unit to both create and interpret arguments in the future? Is there anything more you would like to know about rhetoric before we move on?

Due before 5pm on November 6th.

5 points for posting on time
5 points for following directions and answering all the questions.

Thesis and Reasons: RA

Directions: after you have presented your theses to the class, type up the workshopped/edited thesis and your four reasons/topic sentences. For this week, you will not be required to comment on your classmates' blogs, but I would encourage you to review your classmates' blogs, in case you are still struggling.

Due by 10pm the day you present your thesis. So, if you present on Tuesday, the blog will be due at 10pm that night. If you present on Thursday, the blog will be due by 10pm that night.

5 points for being on time
5 points for following directions (you must have at least four reasons to support your thesis)

S.O.A.P.S. and Logical Fallacies

Directions: Watch the video and identify the rhetorical elements.

Part One:

Identify the S.O.A.P.S. for each side of the battle. Label each as Shakespeare and Dr, Seuss.

Part Two:

Identify at least two logical fallacies that each author's side makes. State each logical fallacy and then state why it is a logical fallacy.

Response due before class on Thursday.

Classmate response: instead of a response to a classmate, respond to yourself. Our discussion on Wednesday will have clarified some of the fallacies and the S.O.A.P.S. If you feel that you correctly labeled everything, then congratulate yourself on a job well-done. However, if you want to add to parts One or Two in order to create a more complete analysis, then this is your chance. Your initial response and response to yourself will be graded as follows:

Initial response: 2 points
Following directions in initial response: 2 points
Response to self on time: 2 points
Response to self accurately identifies mistakes in original post (if any): 4 points

Response due by 5pm on Friday, October 24th.