Thursday, February 25, 2010
Dirty Words
The first part of Patricia Smith’s Blood Dazzler was extremely powerful. Her greatest strengths lie in her oral elements, honest imagery, actual facts, and personification. The prologue was my favorite poem in the first section and it was not something I could just read once. It took me a couple different sittings on a few different days to make any sense of it. And eventually I … came up with nothing. I believe that on the surface this poem is about an affair. There is a lot of evidence of this in the last page when she talks about being addicted and your mind being blind to your wife and children. I think that there is some connection to the Hurricane, but it isn’t one that I can see. It could be that she is meaning to say how the people of New Orleans are addicted and intoxicated by the city itself, kind of personifying it as their lover. Whatever it means, I find that this poem proved you can write something beautiful while using dirty words.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Nature at its best
I also enjoyed this essay from John Muir and I once again am amazed at how easily I can picture what he is talking about. You can tell he is fascinated with nature and by all parts of nature. I was surprised at how he seemed to be equally fascinated with the fly and the grasshopper as he was with the bear. He ends this essay with goodnight friends 3, referring to those animals he met. It is like he had made a connection with them as he met them. John Muir has a special talent to write in a way that can put a picture in someones head with many descriptive details.
Alligator vs. Man
As I read through this portion from A Thousand-Mile Walk to the Gulf I couldn't help but notice the difference in writing style from todays writing to his style. John Muir died in 1914 so I'm guessing he wrote this in the eighteen hundreds. I enjoyed hearing about the alligators rolling around in the mud like hogs and sunning themselves. His writing made it very easy to picture that as well as the fights he mentions later on. John talks about a man who claimed to have wrestled an alligator and even though it was only four feet long it still almost ate him. He had to wrestle it because it had gotten a hold of one of his dogs. The man ended up getting away but the dog was not so lucky. I enjoyed the writing style of this piece because of how easily I can get a picture in my head as I read.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Friday, February 19, 2010
Peer-Review Sheet
1. Does the introduction give the scene context? If not, how could it be improved?
2. What does the writer state as the director’s/film’s claim? Does the claim take into account the larger conflicts contained within the film?
3. Write the sentence(s) that you consider the thesis. Is it arguable? Is it specific? Does it forecast the elements of the scene that the writer plans to analyze? How could the thesis be improved?
4. Focus: How well does the writer stay on track? Where does the writer go off-track, or include information that does not move the paper forward?
5. Does the writer give enough concrete details of the scene? Where could the writer be more specific about visual/auditory elements to deepen his/her analysis?
6. Does the writer break down the visual/auditory elements to specifically analyze what purpose they serve? If not how could they improve? What suggestions do you have?
7. Does the writer connect that analysis back to the thesis? (Please circle/highlight/or note all the places where the writer fails to make these connections)
8. Is the paper well-organized? Does each paragraph contain a clear focus and supporting information? Are there forecasting and transitional sentences to help guide the reader?
9. Are there any parts of the essay that are confusing or that need more details/explanation?
10. What did you like about the draft?
11. What are the weaknesses of the draft? How can the writer improve the weak areas?
What your paper should do:
(Note—these are assignment requirements—if you fulfill the basic requirements of the assignment you will receive a “C” on the paper. Should you not fulfill these requirements you will receive a “D” or lower. “A” and “B”-level papers go beyond the basics, approaching the assignment with in-depth thought, careful consideration, and a more sophisticated writing style—however they still need to contain all the assignments “basic” elements.)
Introduction:
-Places the scene in context
-States the director’s claim
-Has a clear, arguable, forecasting thesis
Body Paragraphs:
-organized around a specific scene element or directorial strategy
-includes very specific visual/auditory evidence to the scene
-connects each example back to the strategy/author’s larger thesis
-includes a transition/summary sentence
Conclusion:
-Summarizes the content of the paper
-Resituates the scene within the larger context/director’s intent
(Note: An A or B conclusion does more that this…)
DO NOT: (think C paper or [most likely] below….)
-summarize the film
-include personal reactions to the film
-copy/paste your thesis statement into your conclusion
-use “You” (/second person)
-overuse “to be” verbs (is , was, were, etc)—USE NO MORE THAN 1 PER PARAGRAPH
DO: (think B papers and above, if done well)
-Use size 12 Times New Roman Font, double-spaced
-Include your rough draft and peer response sheet
-Use as much visual/auditory evidence from the film as is appropriate, your detailed description of your scene will serve as the evidence of your paper
-Use strong verbs, descriptive language
-Remember the content of the course while writing your paper, feel free to (i.e. please do) discuss the depiction of environment in the context of what we’ve read or discussed in class (this may be an appropriate thing to include in your conclusion or introduction)
-Discuss the relationship between character and environment
-Treat the American Landscape as a character or major element of the film
10 Things You Didn't Know About College Grading (from US News)
November 04, 2009 04:43 PM ET | Lynn F. Jacobs, Jeremy S. Hyman | Permanent Link | Print
Given how concerned most students are about grades, it's amazing how little they know about how grading is done. Actually, it's not so amazing. Universities go to great lengths to hide—or at least not disclose—facts about grading that anyone who's taught at a university for more than a year knows. Want a peek? Read on.
1. It's 10 minutes—and then on to the next. You might think that your grader will spend half an hour to an hour grading each student's piece of work. Not so. Unfortunately, given that an instructor might have a stack of 30, 40, or even 70 papers or tests to grade, he or she has only about 10 minutes to devote to each piece of graded work. This is why you should make your claims clearly and forcefully, avoid any irrelevant or unnecessary material, and take the trouble to really explain your points.
2. The grading is often outsourced. In large classes at large colleges, the professor giving the lecture is rarely the one who does the grading. Instead, there is usually a cadre of low-paid grad students who do the grading. You might know the grad student as the TA running your discussion section. But your grader might also be an unseen and unnamed person who has been hired only to grade the written work, with no other duties in the course. Some professors actively manage the grad student or grader, going over sample papers and setting a grading scale. But other professors are happy to delegate the whole job to the underling and never set eyes on student work.
3. It's not as subjective as you think. While it's easy to see how grades are assigned on "objective" tests (like multiple-choice or short-answer tests), it's tempting to think that the grading of essays or papers is just a matter of opinion. But if you were to actually read a set of 50 essays on the same topic, you—and anyone who knew the material—could see right away that there is a wide range of levels of quality in the answers. For professors who have been teaching the material, it's extremely easy to distinguish the essays from students who show an excellent understanding of the issue from those who sort of get the point and those who have no idea what they're talking about—and to assign the grades accordingly. Sure, the professor down the hall might see the same set a bit differently, but it's not likely that this other prof is going to find the D essay any more illuminating than the one who gave a D in the first place.
4. A's are often in short supply. At most colleges, despite what you might have heard about grade inflation, professors give about 10 percent to 25 percent A's in introductory classes and perhaps 30 percent to 50 percent in more advanced courses.
5. Grading usually is not a zero-sum game. In classes where the grading is curved, your grade is in fact determined by your position relative to other students in the class. But curves are not used in all that many classes. Most liberal arts students don't see them that often. So relax—the reason you didn't get an A is not because your friend stole the last available A. It's just that the level of your work didn't merit one.
6. First impressions count. Since your grader is working fast and trying to make a quick decision about what grade to give, nailing the main point in the very first paragraph creates a feeling of satisfaction in the grader. This sets the essay on the path to an A. Keeping the grader in suspense about when—and if—you're ever going to answer the question, or, worse, larding your essay with bull, very quickly inclines the grader to a C.
7. Last impressions count. Your conclusion is the last thing your grader reads before slapping the grade on at the bottom, so whatever you do, don't end with excuses or explanations of why you did such a bad job. This only confirms the grader's judgment that the essay wasn't really all that hot. Just summing up what you've said is OK, but a far better idea is to bring out some new point of even deeper significance or draw an unexpected connection—that's ending with a bang. And you'll likely get a bang-up grade.
8. Effort isn't taken into account (usually). In college, you are generally graded on the product you produce, not on how hard you worked to produce it. Students have a lot of trouble grasping this, which is why professors regularly hear complaints from students unhappy about getting a bad grade on something they worked "really hard" on. Professors have no trouble dismissing such complaints, since they're not in the effort-assessment business (and couldn't be, even if they wanted to).
9. There aren't usually do-overs or extra credit. In most courses, the professor has his or her hands full with the regular work and isn't looking to allow students with bad grades to rewrite their papers for a better grade. They're also not likely to offer the chance to do extra work for extra credit. So try to do it right from the first.
10. There's no real court of appeals. Sure, most colleges have official procedures for disputing a grade, but grades rarely get changed. It usually happens only if there is some serious procedural irregularity (such as incorrectly adding up the points, failing to read a page of the answer, or not following policies on the syllabus or the college rules). Arguments that almost never work include: My friend wrote the same paper but did better than I; another TA grades easier; and the assignment wasn't fair. If you haven't gotten the grade you wanted, it's best just to suck it up, then ask the professor or TA how you can do better next time.
© Copyright 2009 Professors' Guide LLC. All rights reserved.
2. What does the writer state as the director’s/film’s claim? Does the claim take into account the larger conflicts contained within the film?
3. Write the sentence(s) that you consider the thesis. Is it arguable? Is it specific? Does it forecast the elements of the scene that the writer plans to analyze? How could the thesis be improved?
4. Focus: How well does the writer stay on track? Where does the writer go off-track, or include information that does not move the paper forward?
5. Does the writer give enough concrete details of the scene? Where could the writer be more specific about visual/auditory elements to deepen his/her analysis?
6. Does the writer break down the visual/auditory elements to specifically analyze what purpose they serve? If not how could they improve? What suggestions do you have?
7. Does the writer connect that analysis back to the thesis? (Please circle/highlight/or note all the places where the writer fails to make these connections)
8. Is the paper well-organized? Does each paragraph contain a clear focus and supporting information? Are there forecasting and transitional sentences to help guide the reader?
9. Are there any parts of the essay that are confusing or that need more details/explanation?
10. What did you like about the draft?
11. What are the weaknesses of the draft? How can the writer improve the weak areas?
What your paper should do:
(Note—these are assignment requirements—if you fulfill the basic requirements of the assignment you will receive a “C” on the paper. Should you not fulfill these requirements you will receive a “D” or lower. “A” and “B”-level papers go beyond the basics, approaching the assignment with in-depth thought, careful consideration, and a more sophisticated writing style—however they still need to contain all the assignments “basic” elements.)
Introduction:
-Places the scene in context
-States the director’s claim
-Has a clear, arguable, forecasting thesis
Body Paragraphs:
-organized around a specific scene element or directorial strategy
-includes very specific visual/auditory evidence to the scene
-connects each example back to the strategy/author’s larger thesis
-includes a transition/summary sentence
Conclusion:
-Summarizes the content of the paper
-Resituates the scene within the larger context/director’s intent
(Note: An A or B conclusion does more that this…)
DO NOT: (think C paper or [most likely] below….)
-summarize the film
-include personal reactions to the film
-copy/paste your thesis statement into your conclusion
-use “You” (/second person)
-overuse “to be” verbs (is , was, were, etc)—USE NO MORE THAN 1 PER PARAGRAPH
DO: (think B papers and above, if done well)
-Use size 12 Times New Roman Font, double-spaced
-Include your rough draft and peer response sheet
-Use as much visual/auditory evidence from the film as is appropriate, your detailed description of your scene will serve as the evidence of your paper
-Use strong verbs, descriptive language
-Remember the content of the course while writing your paper, feel free to (i.e. please do) discuss the depiction of environment in the context of what we’ve read or discussed in class (this may be an appropriate thing to include in your conclusion or introduction)
-Discuss the relationship between character and environment
-Treat the American Landscape as a character or major element of the film
10 Things You Didn't Know About College Grading (from US News)
November 04, 2009 04:43 PM ET | Lynn F. Jacobs, Jeremy S. Hyman | Permanent Link | Print
Given how concerned most students are about grades, it's amazing how little they know about how grading is done. Actually, it's not so amazing. Universities go to great lengths to hide—or at least not disclose—facts about grading that anyone who's taught at a university for more than a year knows. Want a peek? Read on.
1. It's 10 minutes—and then on to the next. You might think that your grader will spend half an hour to an hour grading each student's piece of work. Not so. Unfortunately, given that an instructor might have a stack of 30, 40, or even 70 papers or tests to grade, he or she has only about 10 minutes to devote to each piece of graded work. This is why you should make your claims clearly and forcefully, avoid any irrelevant or unnecessary material, and take the trouble to really explain your points.
2. The grading is often outsourced. In large classes at large colleges, the professor giving the lecture is rarely the one who does the grading. Instead, there is usually a cadre of low-paid grad students who do the grading. You might know the grad student as the TA running your discussion section. But your grader might also be an unseen and unnamed person who has been hired only to grade the written work, with no other duties in the course. Some professors actively manage the grad student or grader, going over sample papers and setting a grading scale. But other professors are happy to delegate the whole job to the underling and never set eyes on student work.
3. It's not as subjective as you think. While it's easy to see how grades are assigned on "objective" tests (like multiple-choice or short-answer tests), it's tempting to think that the grading of essays or papers is just a matter of opinion. But if you were to actually read a set of 50 essays on the same topic, you—and anyone who knew the material—could see right away that there is a wide range of levels of quality in the answers. For professors who have been teaching the material, it's extremely easy to distinguish the essays from students who show an excellent understanding of the issue from those who sort of get the point and those who have no idea what they're talking about—and to assign the grades accordingly. Sure, the professor down the hall might see the same set a bit differently, but it's not likely that this other prof is going to find the D essay any more illuminating than the one who gave a D in the first place.
4. A's are often in short supply. At most colleges, despite what you might have heard about grade inflation, professors give about 10 percent to 25 percent A's in introductory classes and perhaps 30 percent to 50 percent in more advanced courses.
5. Grading usually is not a zero-sum game. In classes where the grading is curved, your grade is in fact determined by your position relative to other students in the class. But curves are not used in all that many classes. Most liberal arts students don't see them that often. So relax—the reason you didn't get an A is not because your friend stole the last available A. It's just that the level of your work didn't merit one.
6. First impressions count. Since your grader is working fast and trying to make a quick decision about what grade to give, nailing the main point in the very first paragraph creates a feeling of satisfaction in the grader. This sets the essay on the path to an A. Keeping the grader in suspense about when—and if—you're ever going to answer the question, or, worse, larding your essay with bull, very quickly inclines the grader to a C.
7. Last impressions count. Your conclusion is the last thing your grader reads before slapping the grade on at the bottom, so whatever you do, don't end with excuses or explanations of why you did such a bad job. This only confirms the grader's judgment that the essay wasn't really all that hot. Just summing up what you've said is OK, but a far better idea is to bring out some new point of even deeper significance or draw an unexpected connection—that's ending with a bang. And you'll likely get a bang-up grade.
8. Effort isn't taken into account (usually). In college, you are generally graded on the product you produce, not on how hard you worked to produce it. Students have a lot of trouble grasping this, which is why professors regularly hear complaints from students unhappy about getting a bad grade on something they worked "really hard" on. Professors have no trouble dismissing such complaints, since they're not in the effort-assessment business (and couldn't be, even if they wanted to).
9. There aren't usually do-overs or extra credit. In most courses, the professor has his or her hands full with the regular work and isn't looking to allow students with bad grades to rewrite their papers for a better grade. They're also not likely to offer the chance to do extra work for extra credit. So try to do it right from the first.
10. There's no real court of appeals. Sure, most colleges have official procedures for disputing a grade, but grades rarely get changed. It usually happens only if there is some serious procedural irregularity (such as incorrectly adding up the points, failing to read a page of the answer, or not following policies on the syllabus or the college rules). Arguments that almost never work include: My friend wrote the same paper but did better than I; another TA grades easier; and the assignment wasn't fair. If you haven't gotten the grade you wanted, it's best just to suck it up, then ask the professor or TA how you can do better next time.
© Copyright 2009 Professors' Guide LLC. All rights reserved.
What an Expository/Analytical/Argumentative Essay Should Do
The old public-speaker’s maxim is a helpful generalization:
1. Tell them what you're going to tell them (introduction).
2. Tell them (body).
3. Tell them what you told them (conclusion).
A good essay wants to feel purposeful without calling attention to its workings. The following are guides, general formulas. Most important is that your essay feel authoritative—supported by particulars—and logical, building is a systematic way. In the end, each essay is its author’s, who will put his or her special stamp on it.
First Paragraph/Introduction:
The introduction is the broad beginning of the paper that answers three important questions:
1. What is this?
2. Why am I reading it?
3. What do you want me to do?
You should answer these questions by doing the following:
1. Set the context – provide general information about the main idea, explaining the situation so the reader can make sense of the topic and the claims you make and support
(The context for an ad analysis paper might include details like
-the source of the advertisement [ie the magazine where you found it]
-the magazine’s target audience,
-Background on the product/company
-A basic visual description of the ad)
2. State why the main idea is important – tell the reader why s/he should care and keep reading. Your goal is to create a compelling, clear, and convincing essay people will want to read and act upon
3. State your thesis/claim – compose a sentence or two stating the position you will support
If your paper is long, you may want to forecast how you will support your thesis by outlining the structure of your paper, the sources you will consider, and the opposition to your position. Your forecast could read something like this:
First, I will define key terms for my argument, and then I will provide some background of the situation. Next I will outline the important positions of the argument and explain why I support one of these positions. Lastly, I will consider opposing positions and discuss why these positions are outdated. I will conclude with some ideas for taking action and possible directions for future research.
This is a very general example, but by adding some details on your specific topic, this forecast will effectively outline the structure of your paper so your readers can more easily follow your ideas.
Body Paragraphs
Body Paragraphs: Moving from General to Specific Information
Your paper should be organized in a manner that moves from general to specific information. Every time you begin a new subject, think of an inverted pyramid - the broadest range of information sits at the top, and as the paragraph or paper progresses, the author becomes more and more focused on the argument ending with specific, detailed evidence supporting a claim. Lastly, the author explains how and why the information she has just provided connects to and supports her thesis (a brief wrap up or warrant).
The four elements of a good paragraph (TTEB)
A good paragraph should contain at least the following four elements: Transition, Topic sentence, specific Evidence and analysis, and a Brief wrap-up sentence (also known as a warrant) – TTEB!
1. A Transition sentence leading in from a previous paragraph to assure smooth reading. This acts as a hand off from one idea to the next.
2. A Topic sentence that tells the reader what you will be discussing in the paragraph.
3. Specific Evidence and analysis that supports one of your claims and that provides a deeper level of detail than your topic sentence.
4. A Brief wrap-up sentence that tells the reader how and why this information supports the paper’s thesis. The brief wrap-up is also known as the warrant. The warrant is important to your argument because it connects your reasoning and support to your thesis, and it shows that the information in the paragraph is related to your thesis and helps defend it
Conclusions
Conclusions wrap up what you have been discussing in your paper. After moving from general to specific information in the introduction and body paragraphs, your conclusion should begin pulling back into more general information that restates the main points of your argument. Conclusions may also call for action or overview future possible research. The following outline may help you conclude your paper:
In a general way,
• restate your topic and why it is important,
• restate your thesis/claim,
• address opposing viewpoints and explain why readers should align with your position,
• call for action or overview future research possibilities.
Remember that once you accomplish these tasks, unless otherwise directed by your instructor, you are finished. Done. Complete. Don't try to bring in new points or end with a whiz bang(!) conclusion or try to solve world hunger in the final sentence of your conclusion. Simplicity is best for a clear, convincing message.
With thanks to The University of Purdue OWL website
1. Tell them what you're going to tell them (introduction).
2. Tell them (body).
3. Tell them what you told them (conclusion).
A good essay wants to feel purposeful without calling attention to its workings. The following are guides, general formulas. Most important is that your essay feel authoritative—supported by particulars—and logical, building is a systematic way. In the end, each essay is its author’s, who will put his or her special stamp on it.
First Paragraph/Introduction:
The introduction is the broad beginning of the paper that answers three important questions:
1. What is this?
2. Why am I reading it?
3. What do you want me to do?
You should answer these questions by doing the following:
1. Set the context – provide general information about the main idea, explaining the situation so the reader can make sense of the topic and the claims you make and support
(The context for an ad analysis paper might include details like
-the source of the advertisement [ie the magazine where you found it]
-the magazine’s target audience,
-Background on the product/company
-A basic visual description of the ad)
2. State why the main idea is important – tell the reader why s/he should care and keep reading. Your goal is to create a compelling, clear, and convincing essay people will want to read and act upon
3. State your thesis/claim – compose a sentence or two stating the position you will support
If your paper is long, you may want to forecast how you will support your thesis by outlining the structure of your paper, the sources you will consider, and the opposition to your position. Your forecast could read something like this:
First, I will define key terms for my argument, and then I will provide some background of the situation. Next I will outline the important positions of the argument and explain why I support one of these positions. Lastly, I will consider opposing positions and discuss why these positions are outdated. I will conclude with some ideas for taking action and possible directions for future research.
This is a very general example, but by adding some details on your specific topic, this forecast will effectively outline the structure of your paper so your readers can more easily follow your ideas.
Body Paragraphs
Body Paragraphs: Moving from General to Specific Information
Your paper should be organized in a manner that moves from general to specific information. Every time you begin a new subject, think of an inverted pyramid - the broadest range of information sits at the top, and as the paragraph or paper progresses, the author becomes more and more focused on the argument ending with specific, detailed evidence supporting a claim. Lastly, the author explains how and why the information she has just provided connects to and supports her thesis (a brief wrap up or warrant).
The four elements of a good paragraph (TTEB)
A good paragraph should contain at least the following four elements: Transition, Topic sentence, specific Evidence and analysis, and a Brief wrap-up sentence (also known as a warrant) – TTEB!
1. A Transition sentence leading in from a previous paragraph to assure smooth reading. This acts as a hand off from one idea to the next.
2. A Topic sentence that tells the reader what you will be discussing in the paragraph.
3. Specific Evidence and analysis that supports one of your claims and that provides a deeper level of detail than your topic sentence.
4. A Brief wrap-up sentence that tells the reader how and why this information supports the paper’s thesis. The brief wrap-up is also known as the warrant. The warrant is important to your argument because it connects your reasoning and support to your thesis, and it shows that the information in the paragraph is related to your thesis and helps defend it
Conclusions
Conclusions wrap up what you have been discussing in your paper. After moving from general to specific information in the introduction and body paragraphs, your conclusion should begin pulling back into more general information that restates the main points of your argument. Conclusions may also call for action or overview future possible research. The following outline may help you conclude your paper:
In a general way,
• restate your topic and why it is important,
• restate your thesis/claim,
• address opposing viewpoints and explain why readers should align with your position,
• call for action or overview future research possibilities.
Remember that once you accomplish these tasks, unless otherwise directed by your instructor, you are finished. Done. Complete. Don't try to bring in new points or end with a whiz bang(!) conclusion or try to solve world hunger in the final sentence of your conclusion. Simplicity is best for a clear, convincing message.
With thanks to The University of Purdue OWL website
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