What is a Definition Essay?
A definition essay is writing that explains what a term means. Some terms have definite, concrete meanings, such as glass, book, or tree. Terms such as honesty, honor, or love are abstract and depend more on a person's point of view.
Three Steps to Effective Definition
Tell readers what term is being defined.
Present clear and basic information.
Use facts, examples, or anecdotes that readers will understand.
Choosing a Definition
Choosing a definition is a key step in writing a definition essay. You need to understand the term before you can define it for others. Read the dictionary, but don't just copy the definition. Explain the term briefly in your own words. Also, it's important to limit your term before you start defining it. For example, you could write forever on the term "love." To limit it, you would write about either "romantic love," "platonic love," or "first love."
Thesis Statement of a Definition Essay
The thesis statement usually identifies the term being defined and provides a brief, basic definition.
(term) (basic definition)
Ex: Assertiveness is standing up for your rights.
How To Write an Effective Definition
Create a definition. There are several ways to define a term. Here are a few options.
Define by function. Explain what something does or how something works.
Define by structure. Tell how something is organized or put together.
Define by analysis. Compare the term to other members of its class and then illustrate the differences. These differences are special characteristics that make the term stand out. For example, compare a Siberian husky to other dogs, such as lap dogs, mutts, or sporting dogs.
(term) (precise definition)
Ex: A Siberian husky is a dog reputed for its ability to tolerate cold, its distinctive features, and its keen strength and stamina.
Define by what the term does not mean. This distinction can sometimes clarify a definition and help a reader to better understand it.
Use understandable facts, examples, or anecdotes. Select facts, examples, or anecdotes to fully explain your definition. Ask yourself, "Which examples will best help readers understand the term? What examples would most appeal to my readers? Will a brief story reveal the term's meaning?" Do not use any examples that will not support the definition.
Remember: A definition essay is writing that explains what a term means. When writing a definition essay, remember to tell readers what term is being defined, to present a clear and basic definition, and to use facts, examples, or anecdotes that readers will understand
from
http://essayinfo.com/essays/definition_essay.php
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
Analytical Writing
Scientific | Humanistic | |
Epistemology | Discover the truth | Create meaning |
Human Nature | Determinism | Free will |
Value Priority | Objectivity | Emancipation |
Purpose of Theory | Give universal laws | Give rules for interpretation |
Research Methods | Experiment and Survey | Textual analysis and ethnography |
Standards for Evaluation | Explanation of data | Understanding of people |
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Classification Essay
What is a Classification Essay?
In a classification essay, a writer organizes, or sorts, things into categories.
Three Steps to Effective Classification:
1. Sort things into useful categories.
2. Make sure all the categories follow a single organizing principle.
3. Give examples that fit into each category.
Finding Categories
This is a key step in writing a classification essay. To classify, or sort, things in a logical way, find the categories to put them into. For example, say you need to sort the stack of papers on your desk. Before you would put them in random piles, you would decide what useful categories might be: papers that can be thrown away; papers that need immediate action; papers to read; papers to pass on to other coworkers; or papers to file.
Thesis Statement of a Classification Essay
The thesis statement usually includes the topic and how it is classified. Sometimes the categories are named.
(topic)...(how classified)...(category) (category) (category)
Ex: Tourists in Hawaii can enjoy three water sports: snorkeling, surfing, and sailing.
How to Write an Effective Classification Essay
1. Determine the categories. Be thorough; don't leave out a critical category. For example, if you say water sports of Hawaii include snorkeling and sailing, but leave out surfing, your essay would be incomplete because surfing is Hawaii's most famous water sport. On the other hand, don't include too many categories, which will blur your classification. For example, if your topic is sports shoes, and your organizing principle is activity, you wouldn't include high heels with running and bowling shoes.
2. Classify by a single principle. Once you have categories, make sure that they fit into the same organizing principle. The organizing principle is how you sort the groups. Do not allow a different principle to pop up unexpectedly. For example, if your unifying principle is "tourist-oriented" water sports, don't use another unifying principle, such as "native water sports," which would have different categories: pearl diving, outrigger, or canoe racing.
3. Support equally each category with examples. In general, you should write the same quantity, i.e., give the same number of examples, for each category. The most important category, usually reserved for last, might require more elaboration.
Common Classification Transitions
* The first kind, the second kind, the third kind
* The first type, the second type, the third type
* The first group, the second group, the third group
Remember: In a classification essay, the writer organizes, or sorts, things into categories. There are three steps to remember when writing an effective classification essay: organize things into useful categories, use a single organizing principle, and give examples of things that fit into each category.
http://essayinfo.com/essays/classification_essay.php
In a classification essay, a writer organizes, or sorts, things into categories.
Three Steps to Effective Classification:
1. Sort things into useful categories.
2. Make sure all the categories follow a single organizing principle.
3. Give examples that fit into each category.
Finding Categories
This is a key step in writing a classification essay. To classify, or sort, things in a logical way, find the categories to put them into. For example, say you need to sort the stack of papers on your desk. Before you would put them in random piles, you would decide what useful categories might be: papers that can be thrown away; papers that need immediate action; papers to read; papers to pass on to other coworkers; or papers to file.
Thesis Statement of a Classification Essay
The thesis statement usually includes the topic and how it is classified. Sometimes the categories are named.
(topic)...(how classified)...(category) (category) (category)
Ex: Tourists in Hawaii can enjoy three water sports: snorkeling, surfing, and sailing.
How to Write an Effective Classification Essay
1. Determine the categories. Be thorough; don't leave out a critical category. For example, if you say water sports of Hawaii include snorkeling and sailing, but leave out surfing, your essay would be incomplete because surfing is Hawaii's most famous water sport. On the other hand, don't include too many categories, which will blur your classification. For example, if your topic is sports shoes, and your organizing principle is activity, you wouldn't include high heels with running and bowling shoes.
2. Classify by a single principle. Once you have categories, make sure that they fit into the same organizing principle. The organizing principle is how you sort the groups. Do not allow a different principle to pop up unexpectedly. For example, if your unifying principle is "tourist-oriented" water sports, don't use another unifying principle, such as "native water sports," which would have different categories: pearl diving, outrigger, or canoe racing.
3. Support equally each category with examples. In general, you should write the same quantity, i.e., give the same number of examples, for each category. The most important category, usually reserved for last, might require more elaboration.
Common Classification Transitions
* The first kind, the second kind, the third kind
* The first type, the second type, the third type
* The first group, the second group, the third group
Remember: In a classification essay, the writer organizes, or sorts, things into categories. There are three steps to remember when writing an effective classification essay: organize things into useful categories, use a single organizing principle, and give examples of things that fit into each category.
http://essayinfo.com/essays/classification_essay.php
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Write On, Laugh On
HOW TO WRITE GOOD [sic]*
Thanks to: Chani Silverberg for this contribution
My several years in the word game have learnt [sic] me several rules:
1. Avoid alliteration. Always.
2. Prepositions are not words to end sentences with.
3. Avoid cliches like the plague. (They're old hat.)
4. Employ the vernacular.
5. Eschew ampersands & abbreviations, etc.
6. Parenthetical remarks (however relevant) are unnecessary.
7. It is wrong to ever split an infinitive.
8. Contractions aren't necessary.
9. Foreign words and phrases are not apropos.
10. One should never generalize.
11. Eliminate quotations. As Ralph Waldo Emerson once said:
"I hate quotations. Tell me what you know."
12. Comparisons are as bad as cliches.
13. Don't be redundant; don't more use words than necessary;
it's highly superfluous.
14. Profanity sucks.
15. Be more or less specific.
16. Understatement is always best.
17. Exaggeration is a billion times worse than understatement.
18. One-word sentences? Eliminate.
19. Analogies in writing are like feathers on a snake.
20. The passive voice is to be avoided.
21. Go around the barn at high noon to avoid colloquialisms.
22. Even if a mixed metaphor sings, it should be derailed.
23. Who needs rhetorical questions?
*Note: [sic] or (sic) (from Latin sic for "thus") is a bracketed expression used to indicate that an unusual spelling, phrase, or any other preceding quoted material is intended to be read or printed exactly as shown (rather than being an error) and should not be corrected.... from: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SIC
Thanks to: Chani Silverberg for this contribution
My several years in the word game have learnt [sic] me several rules:
1. Avoid alliteration. Always.
2. Prepositions are not words to end sentences with.
3. Avoid cliches like the plague. (They're old hat.)
4. Employ the vernacular.
5. Eschew ampersands & abbreviations, etc.
6. Parenthetical remarks (however relevant) are unnecessary.
7. It is wrong to ever split an infinitive.
8. Contractions aren't necessary.
9. Foreign words and phrases are not apropos.
10. One should never generalize.
11. Eliminate quotations. As Ralph Waldo Emerson once said:
"I hate quotations. Tell me what you know."
12. Comparisons are as bad as cliches.
13. Don't be redundant; don't more use words than necessary;
it's highly superfluous.
14. Profanity sucks.
15. Be more or less specific.
16. Understatement is always best.
17. Exaggeration is a billion times worse than understatement.
18. One-word sentences? Eliminate.
19. Analogies in writing are like feathers on a snake.
20. The passive voice is to be avoided.
21. Go around the barn at high noon to avoid colloquialisms.
22. Even if a mixed metaphor sings, it should be derailed.
23. Who needs rhetorical questions?
*Note: [sic] or (sic) (from Latin sic for "thus") is a bracketed expression used to indicate that an unusual spelling, phrase, or any other preceding quoted material is intended to be read or printed exactly as shown (rather than being an error) and should not be corrected.... from: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SIC
Check Your Spelling
The Trouble with Spell Checkers
Pome
1
I have a spelling checker -
It came with my PC.
It plane lee marks four my revue
Miss steaks aye can knot sea.
2
Eye ran this poem threw it,
Your sure reel glad two no.
Its vary polished in it's weigh,
My checker tolled me sew.
3
A checker is a bless sing,
It freeze yew lodes of thyme.
It helps me right awl stiles two reed,
And aides me when aye rime.
4
To rite with care is quite a feet
Of witch won should be proud.
And wee mussed dew the best wee can,
Sew flaws are knot aloud.
5
And now bee cause my spelling
Is checked with such grate flare,
Their are know faults with in my cite,
Of nun eye am a wear.
6
Each frays come posed up on my screen
Eye trussed to bee a joule
The checker poured o'er every word
To cheque sum spelling rule.
7
That's why aye brake in two averse
By righting wants too pleas.
Sow now ewe sea why aye dew prays
Such soft wear for pea seas!
Labels: Check your spelling?, Enjoy
Pome
1
I have a spelling checker -
It came with my PC.
It plane lee marks four my revue
Miss steaks aye can knot sea.
2
Eye ran this poem threw it,
Your sure reel glad two no.
Its vary polished in it's weigh,
My checker tolled me sew.
3
A checker is a bless sing,
It freeze yew lodes of thyme.
It helps me right awl stiles two reed,
And aides me when aye rime.
4
To rite with care is quite a feet
Of witch won should be proud.
And wee mussed dew the best wee can,
Sew flaws are knot aloud.
5
And now bee cause my spelling
Is checked with such grate flare,
Their are know faults with in my cite,
Of nun eye am a wear.
6
Each frays come posed up on my screen
Eye trussed to bee a joule
The checker poured o'er every word
To cheque sum spelling rule.
7
That's why aye brake in two averse
By righting wants too pleas.
Sow now ewe sea why aye dew prays
Such soft wear for pea seas!
Monday, October 5, 2009
Rhetorical Functions
| 1 | What does X mean? (Definition) |
| 2 | What are the various features of X? (Description) |
| 3 | What are the component parts of X? (Simple Analysis) |
| 4 | How is X made or done? (Process Analysis) |
| 5 | How should X be made or done? (Directional Analysis) |
| 6 | What is the essential function of X? (Functional Analysis) |
| 7 | What are the causes of X? (Causal Analysis) |
| 8 | What are the consequences of X? (Causal Analysis) |
| 9 | What are the types of X? (Classification) |
| 10 | How is X like or unlike Y? (Comparison) |
| 11 | What is the present status of X? (Comparison) |
| 12 | What is the significance of X? (Interpretation) |
| 13 | What are the facts about X? (Reportage) |
| 14 | How did X happen? (Narration) |
| 15 | What kind of person is X? (Characterization/Profile) |
| 16 | What is my personal response to X? (Reflection) |
| 17 | What is my memory of X? (Reminiscence) |
| 18 | What is the value of X? (Evaluation) |
| 19 | What are the essential major points or features of X? (summary) |
| 20 | What case can be made for or against X? (Persuasion) |
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Assignment Schedule
Date | Week | Unit | Assignments Each chapter contains an Intro, an Overview, Guidelines, Example Readings, and Writing Checklist/Activities | ||
8/27/09 | 1 | 1 Intro | I. A Rhetoric: College Student's Guide to Writing | ||
9/3/09 | 2 | Brief Overview Chapters | I. A Rhetoric: College Student's Guide to Writing Reading, Thinking, Viewing, and Writing | ||
1. Critical Thinking Through Reading, Viewing, and Writing | |||||
The Writing Process | |||||
2. Beginning the Writing Process | |||||
3. Planning | |||||
4. Drafting | |||||
5. Revising | |||||
6. Editing and Proofreading | |||||
7. Submitting, Writing, and Creating Portfolios | |||||
The College Essay | |||||
8. One Writer's Process | |||||
9/10/09-9/24/09 | 3-5 | Weeks 3-5 Unit I | Narrative, Descriptive, and Reflective Writing | ||
9/10/09 | 3 | Chapter | 9. Forms of College Writing | ||
9/17/09 | 4 | Chapter | 10. Narration and Description | ||
Selected Reading | "Mzee Owitti" by Jacqui Nyangi Owitti | ||||
Selected Reading | "That Morning on the Prairie" by James C. Schaap | ||||
Selected Reading | "A Hanging" by George Orwell | ||||
Selected Reading | "Sunday in the Park" by Bel Kaufman | ||||
Selected Reading | "Northing" by Annie Dillard | ||||
9/24/09 | 5 | Chapter | 11. Description and Reflection | ||
Selected Reading | "The Stream in the Ravine" by Nicole Suurdt | ||||
Selected Reading | "Call Me Crazy But I Have to Be Myself" by Mary Seymour | ||||
Selected Reading | "None of This Is Fair" by Richard Rodriguez | ||||
Selected Reading | "Who Shot Johnny?" by Debra Dickerson | ||||
10/1/09 | 6 | Unit I (Narrative, Descriptive, and Reflective Writing) Paper Due | |||
Unit II | Unit II -- Analytical Writing | ||||
Weeks 6-10 | |||||
10/8/09 | 7 | Chapter | 12. Cause and Effect | ||
Selected Reading | "Adrenaline Junkies" by Sarah Hanley | ||||
Selected Reading | "The Legacy of Generation N" by Christy Haubegger | ||||
Selected Reading | "Our Tired, Our Poor, Our Kids" by Anna Quindlen | ||||
10/15/09 | 8 | M I D T E R M Chapter | 13. Comparison and Contrast | ||
Selected Reading | "A Fear Born of Sorrow" by Anita Brinkman | ||||
Selected Reading | "Two Views of the River" by Mark Twain | ||||
Selected Reading | "Shrouded in Contradiction" by Gelareh Asayesh | ||||
Selected Reading | "Like Mexicans" by Gary Soto | ||||
10/22/09 | 9 | Chapter | 14. Classification | ||
Selected Reading | "Three Family Cancers" by Kim Brouwer | ||||
Selected Reading | "Four Ways to Talk About Literature" by John Van Rys | ||||
Selected Reading | "No Wonder They Call Me a Bitch" by Ann Hodgman | ||||
10/29/09 | 10 | Chapter | 15. Process Writing | ||
Selected Reading | "Wayward Cells" by Kerri Mertz | ||||
Selected Reading | "Downloading Photographs from the MC-150 Digital Camera" (from WFB) | ||||
Selected Reading | "Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow" by Verne Meyer | ||||
Selected Reading | "Campus Racism 101" by Nikki Giovonni | ||||
11/5/09 | 11 | Chapter | 16. Definition | ||
Selected Reading | "The Gullible Family" by Mary Beth Bruins | ||||
| Selected Reading | "Understanding Dementia" by Sarah Anne Morelos | |||
Selected Reading | "Deft or Daft" by David Schelhaas | ||||
Selected Reading | On Excellence by Cynthia Ozick | ||||
11/19/09 | 13 | Unit II (Analytical Writing ) Paper Due | Presentations | ||
Unit III | Persuasive Writing | ||||
Chapter | 17. Strategies for Argumentation and Persuasion | ||||
11/26/09 | 14 | Chapter | 18. Taking a Position | ||
Selected Reading | "An Apology for Ms. Barbie D. Doll" by Rita Isakson | ||||
Selected Reading | "In Defense of the Animals" by Meg Greenfield | ||||
Selected Reading | "Apostles of Hatred Find It Easy to Spread Their Message" by Leonard Pitts Jr. | ||||
Selected Reading | "Pornography" by Margaret Atwood | ||||
Selected Reading | "Demystifying Multiculturalism" by Linda Chavez | ||||
12/3/09 | 15 | Chapter | 19. Persuading Readers to Act | ||
Selected Reading | "To Drill or Not to Drill" by Rebecca Pasok | ||||
Selected Reading | "Soul of a Citizen: Living with Conviction in a Cynical Time" by Paul Rogat Loeb | ||||
Selected Reading | "I Have a Dream" by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. | ||||
Selected Reading | "The Media's Image of Arabs" by Jack G. Shaheen | ||||
12/10/09 | 16 | Chapter | 20. Proposing a Solution | ||
Selected Reading | "Preparing for Agroterror" by Brian Ley | ||||
Selected Reading | "Uncle Sam and Aunt Samantha" by Anna Quindlen | ||||
Selected Reading | "The Media and the Ethics of Cloning" by Leigh Turner | ||||
Unit III (Persuasive Writing) Paper Due | Presentations | ||||
12/17/09 | 17 | Final | Final Exam |
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Narration, Description, and Reflection
Personal Reminiscences
First
My first fight.
My first encounter with the law.
My first encounter with racial discrimination.
My first job.
My first spanking. (On being punished for the first time.)
My first dollar.
My first ten years were the hardest.
Most
My most important decision and why I made it.
My most embarrassing moment.
The most stupid thing I ever did.
My most serious accident.
My narrowest escape.
The longest minute I ever spent.
The wisest thing I ever did.
Special
Prize memory of the year. (Regrets of the year.)
A Christmas thrill. (Christmas this year.)
Thoughts on New Year's Eve.
An unforgettable experience.
The fun of being sick.
Moving into a strange town.
Learning to like vegetables (or other foods).
One of life's comedies (or tragedies) in which I played a star part.
Things I have lost.
An inexpensive good time.
An experiment I once tried.
My big moment.
Happy ending
A mistake I vow never to repeat. (I'll never do that again.)
The dog (or other pet) in my life.
I sold papers. (A job I have held.) (My summer job.)
Musical memories. (Songs my mother taught me.)
Family
Memories of home.
What I learned from Dad.
A tradition in our family (neighborhood, section, state or country.)
How my family celebrates Easter (or some other holiday).
The origin of my family name.
My ancestors. (Page from my family history.)
Meet the family.
What I have inherited.
Personal Reactions
It's easy to blame others.
A clear conscience is better (worse) than popularity.
Is pride a primitive trait?
What I would do if I knew I would lose my sight tomorrow?
Is maturity a relative thing?
The mental blindness of the human race.
What is more beautiful-the simple or the ornate?
The continuity of human experience.
The real me.
Worry.
How am I doing?
Why I dislike my name.
Why... is my favorite sport.
Why I go to chute.
Why I shall go to college.
Why... is my favorite picture.
Why I do (not) play cards.
Why I like poetry.
Why I like music.
Why I believe in immortality.
Why I do not believe in divorce.
Why I want to be a....
Why I like to read novels.
Why I don't like comic strips.
My idea of hard work.
My idea of good dinner.
My idea of hard work.
My idea of a good course.
My idea of gentleman (or a lady).
My idea of a dull evening.
My idea of a perfect school.
How colors affect me.
How I feel in a dentist's chair.
How I feel when I have not prepared a lesson (or for an exam).
How I judge character.
How I read a newspaper.
How can I find time to study?
How new clothes affect me.
How much am I influenced by advertising?
How I treat nosy people.
What animal I should like to be for a day.
What I like in music or art.
What I get out of music.
What religion means to me.
What's wrong with my hometown.
What I want from life.
What I think about athletics.
What I really enjoy doing.
If I were president.
Where am I going?
If I had but three days to live.
If I were mayor of my hometown.
My future as I see it.
My favorite breed of dog.
My favorite hero in fiction.
My hobby and why I like it.
My book (play, movie) of the year.
My favorite subject.
The finest movie I have ever seen.
My World
What "bugs" me most.
What do you think are the enemies of mankind?
Should we go to the moon (or any other planet)?
What is your opinion of dissenters?.
The importance of independence.
Poverty and happiness.
Are movies and TV stereotyping us today.
Is dictatorship ever justified?
A catalog of likes and dislikes.
I would like to change and why...
If I could, I would like to...
I dislike...
I think... is wrong (or right).
If only...
Happiness is...
...and I just don't agree.
If I received a thousand dollars...
I remember...
Reminiscences And Reactions
Adolescence-a preparation for love.
After a long interval (revisiting a scene that holds special meaning
A belief I had when I was very young.
An action and my reaction.
The best team.
Dates-dating.
The day I received my driver's license.
An effective way to envision history is to read fiction.
A fear I overcame.
The generation gap.
I cut my hair.
I had to decide.
I saw it happen: why did it?
In the presence of my peers.
The joys of being a car owner.
The less brilliant moments in my life.
The moon-what next?
My biggest gripe.
My encounters with racial discrimination.
My experiences as a babysitter.
My first semester in high school.
My idea of a perfect day.
My opinion of poetry.
One of my favorite movies.
One of my favorite television shows.
On learning.....
An open letter to my parents.
A person to whom I am grateful.
The relevancy of school.
Rewards of nature.
Those were the good old days.
Three cars I would never own.
Three things worse than death.
A typical day in my life.
What I like best about summer.
What I have learned about people over... vacation.
What I dislike most about Christmas (or some other holiday).
What would have happened if....
When I feel most independent.
Why I'd change a rule in my school.
Why I like rock music.
The world in which I live.
How the English program at ... University should be changed.
Black is beautiful.
If I were suddenly blind.
When a car cuts me off on the freeway...
My .... was stolen.
I catch a thief.
When I failed the ....exam.
Where I can find some peace and quiet.
Familiar Essay Topics
Pet peeves.
Life begins at 10 p.m.
An adventure in friendship.
The virtues of idleness.
Pages from my family history.
I'd like to write a book.
Being contented.
Bargain shopping.
Crushes and hero-worship.
The most valuable thing I have learned.
An important decision.
Local crudities (or curiosities).
Fire!
A curious dream.
While the jukebox blares.
The art of conversation.
I should have known.
On favorite colors.
Let me cry on your shoulder.
Lest we forget.
Plot for murder.
Worrying is good for you.
Going around in circles.
Unnatural character in literature.
A contribution to better living.
If an ancient Greek came to Chicago (or any other place).
Shoe personality.
New brooms raise a great dust.
Nurses are angels.
On a rainy day.
Pride before a fall.
The tribulations of a junior high school student.
Soap operas.
Why all the excitement?
... night on the radio.
Sidewalk hogs.
Tied to the apron strings.
Table manners.
Mental cruelty.
What a home ought to be.
Many brave hearts.
Library notes.
Radios commercials.
Why people have hobbies.
Borrowing and lending.
The life of a biggy bank.
The kinds of friends who wear well.
Local weather.
Maturity has its drawbacks.
On a shoestring.
A real champion.
Going, going, gone.
The blue ribbon.
The world in which I live.
Cats are a nuisance (blessing).
The advantages of being a hermit.
"Look for the silver lining."
Borrowing.
Today's slang.
The value of pessimism.
Choosing a hat.
Different ways of washing dishes.
Telling fortunes.
On a dog.
The art of being friendly.
If I had twenty-four hours to live.
What it means to be poor.
Saturday night.
Things are tough all over.
Twins.
Skeleton in the closet.
Cosmetics: theoretical and applied.
Reading for pleasure.
Quizzes
What is tact?
Amateur dramatics.
Mother picks a school for Mortimer.
Brotherly love.
Fishing.
My idol.
What is a dog's life?
How intelligent is a horse?
Baby-tending, a harrowing job.
If anyone told the truth.
It's fun to observe people.
If we could read each other's minds
They did it again
Facing facts in daily life.
A good spectator.
Amusement crazy.
Horror movies.
The early worm passes more examinations.
A recipe for a satisfactory life.
Christmas (holiday) gifts are a necessary evil.
A tale told by . . . (some relative).
The last call.
Once upon a time.
Dangerous living.
Chivalry is still alive.
"The best laid schemes. . . ."
Books which have become movies.
Is it important to know one's weaknesses?
Clothes do not make the man.
Bad habits and how to enjoy them.
The picture of life one gets from movies.
Counting chickens before they are hatched.
Useful pets.
Good taste.
Liars should have good memories.
It's a wonderful life.
A fly in the ointment.
Mice.
The jolly company.
Green pastures.
Practical people.
Midnight.
Reputation.
The tables turned.
Old age.
Ghosts.
Things old and new.
The key.
A pipe and slippers.
Come and get it.
The unknown.
The circus comes to town.
Better late than never.
Radio jingles.
A pair of gloves.
Moustaches.
Life on the farm.
Life in the city.
On hearing an alarm clock.
My correspondence.
The value of pets.
Superstitious practices.
Who is my neighbor?
Misleading labels.
What is success in life?
What is sportsmanship?
Things old and new.
The key.
A pipe and slippers.
Come and get it.
The unknown.
The circus comes to town.
Better late than never.
Radio jingles.
A pair of gloves.
Moustaches.
Life on the farm.
Life in the city.
On hearing an alarm clock.
My correspondence.
The value of pets.
Superstitious practices.
Who is my neighbor?
Misleading labels.
What is success in life?
What is sportsmanship?
My definition of tolerance.
What is humor?
What liberty means to me.
The life and times of ...
My favorite computer game.
Computers are for the birds!
Food glorious food.
Freedom and me.
Pets resemble their owners or visa versa?
Character Sketch Topics
Daydreamer.
Jukebox addict.
Taxi driver.
The practical joker.
The proud parent.
The "successful" man or woman.
Master of ceremonies.
The American woman.
Radio personality.
The drunkard.
The student.
Baby-sitter.
Preacher's son (or daughter).
Student waiter.
Camp counselor.
The movie detective.
Do-gooder.
The local policeman.
Teachers who bore me.
Little old lady.
A personal appearance.
Meet Joe Doe (the average American).
My most interesting friend.
The person I admire most.
Grandfather.
The man who never had a chance.
The most abused public servant.
A historical character.
An interesting public personality.
A character from fiction I should like to meet.
My favorite hero/heroine.
Brothers under the skin.
Eyes of blue.
From the other side of the tracks.
A person I have almost forgotten.
My friend,... (someone of a different race or nationality).
A person I can't bear.
My favorite teacher (relative, commentator).
The most wonderful person I know.
A first-rate teacher.
My distinguished ancestor.
My best friend.
A person who has influenced my life.
What I learned from Dad. (In defense of Dad.) (My Dad.)
The most prominent citizen in my hometown.
A person I will never forget.
A brief sketch of myself (any age, any mood).
Meet the Doc.
Fantasy
Fantasies of childhood.
How I'd change a book if I had written it.
The house of tomorrow.
I wish I had built......
I wish I had known.....
I wish I had lived in the time of....
If I were a inanimate object.
I wish I had witnessed...
A letter I would like to write ( but never send).
My dream vacation.
My trip to the moon.
My medieval romance.
Land of no sleep.
Then the computer said to me...
A dream inside a dream.
All the money in the world.
Description Topics
The most beautiful place I know.
A tropical sunset.
Spring in the country.
Scenic beauty nearby.
A storm. (A snow storm.)
Across the United States by commuter train.
A scene for a photographer.
January.
What my study table looks like.
The main street of my home town (describing stores, people, etc.)
Classroom impression.
Getting a meal in a crowded restaurant.
An old shop.
A plan for a recreation room.
The state (county) fair.
Interesting people or unusual customs in . . . .
Sounds at night.
In a strange land (real or imaginary).
With pen and brush.
Interior of a business house (barber shop, music store, etc.).
Setting of a novel or a play.
A lonesome road.
Colors in everyday life.
Snowfall.
An impressive sight.
Rural England (France, Belgium, etc.) as I saw it.
Winter in . . . .
A local building (interior or exterior).
Full moon.
School sounds.
The most horrible sight I ever saw.
A meal at a quick-lunch counter.
A typical railway station.
Home of a famous person.
My favorite haunt.
An efficient kitchen.
A favorite restaurant.
Saturday night in . . . .
Farm sale.
A great engineering (or other) project.
A street scene.
Strolling down Michigan Boulevard (Fifth Avenue, Main Street, etc.).
The hometown drugstore.
A trip on a 747.
Sunday dinner. (Family dinner.)
The auto of the future.
Our home.
A mysterious sound.
Bargain day.
The art of seeing things.
The well-dressed man or woman.
The most disreputable building I ever saw.
An interesting holiday in . . . .
Scene after victory.
Cheering section.
The look and feel of dusk.
Clouds.
Footsteps.
A train whistle.
Is there such a thing as silence?
Inventions I haven't yet perfected.
Write a letter in the role of a character from a book recently read.
Hunting a unicorn.
Inside Mrs. Murphy's purse.
The window.
The American of the seventies.
A college campus.
Customs in our school.
My room.
The ideal home, room.
Current costumes.
My mathematics class.
Seven o'clock Saturday night.
Dancers.
Description of a foreign city.
The music . . . festival.
The ideal Illinois farm.
Thanksgiving kitchen (or table).
An athlete's view of the opposing team.
Your garden in the fall (or any other season).
A drop of water.
A classroom bell.
An airplane overhead.
A bus going uphill.
An incident through the eyes of an inanimate object.
How to bathe a dragon.
How to eat a grapefruit.
The king on the mountain.
Automobile horns.
Comparison of two photographers of the same subject.
A dance.
Description of Christmas card.
Faces.
A game.
Hypocrisy.
The inner city.
A list of choices, such as, wall, coat, etc. to write an impression of.
My sense of smell- I would know it with my eyes closed.
Nights of the streets of . . .
This picture makes me think or feel like . . .
Profiles in courage.
View from a window (various windows and neighborhoods).
What color is love?
What is a man?
Who is they?
The year 2222.
Today's heroes.
Description of a dream (nightmare) - real or fictional.
I love San Francisco (any city).
Kinds of doors.
This music reflects . . . .
My car.
My favorite building.
My world would include . . .
Sounds.
Walls and fences.
What does happiness taste like?
Narrative Essay Writing
Narrative Essay Writing
Narrative Essays
As a mode of expository writing, the narrative approach, more than any other, offers writers a chance to think and write about themselves. We all have experiences lodged in our memories which are worthy of sharing with readers. Yet sometimes they are so fused with other memories that a lot of the time spent in writing narrative is in the prewriting stage.
In this stage, writers first need to select an incident worthy of writing about and, second, to find relevance in that incident. To do this, writers might ask themselves what about the incident provided new insights or awareness. Finally, writers must dredge up details which will make the incident real for readers.
Principles of Writing Narrative Essays
Once an incident is chosen, the writer should keep three principles in mind.
1. Remember to involve readers in the story. It is much more interesting to actually recreate an incident for readers than to simply tell about it.
2. Find a generalization which the story supports. This is the only way the writer's personal experience will take on meaning for readers. This generalization does not have to encompass humanity as a whole; it can concern the writer, men, women, or children of various ages and backgrounds.
3. Remember that although the main component of a narrative is the story, details must be carefully selected to support, explain, and enhance the story.
Conventions of Narrative Essays
In writing your narrative essay, keep the following conventions in mind.
* Narratives are generally written in the first person, that is, using "I." However, third person ("he," "she," or "it") can also be used.
* Narratives rely on concrete, sensory details to convey their point. These details should create a unified, forceful effect, a dominant impression.
* Narratives, as stories, should include these story conventions: a plot, including setting and characters; a climax; and an ending.
from http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/acadwrite/narrative.html
Narrative Essays
As a mode of expository writing, the narrative approach, more than any other, offers writers a chance to think and write about themselves. We all have experiences lodged in our memories which are worthy of sharing with readers. Yet sometimes they are so fused with other memories that a lot of the time spent in writing narrative is in the prewriting stage.
In this stage, writers first need to select an incident worthy of writing about and, second, to find relevance in that incident. To do this, writers might ask themselves what about the incident provided new insights or awareness. Finally, writers must dredge up details which will make the incident real for readers.
Principles of Writing Narrative Essays
Once an incident is chosen, the writer should keep three principles in mind.
1. Remember to involve readers in the story. It is much more interesting to actually recreate an incident for readers than to simply tell about it.
2. Find a generalization which the story supports. This is the only way the writer's personal experience will take on meaning for readers. This generalization does not have to encompass humanity as a whole; it can concern the writer, men, women, or children of various ages and backgrounds.
3. Remember that although the main component of a narrative is the story, details must be carefully selected to support, explain, and enhance the story.
Conventions of Narrative Essays
In writing your narrative essay, keep the following conventions in mind.
* Narratives are generally written in the first person, that is, using "I." However, third person ("he," "she," or "it") can also be used.
* Narratives rely on concrete, sensory details to convey their point. These details should create a unified, forceful effect, a dominant impression.
* Narratives, as stories, should include these story conventions: a plot, including setting and characters; a climax; and an ending.
from http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/acadwrite/narrative.html
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Student Blogs
Asmita's Blog: http://bellogirly.blogspot.com/
Lkhagva's Blog: lkhagvas.blogspot.com/
A's Blog: goonnerskanlaya.blogspot.com
Min's Blog: http://georgewcom.blogspot.com
Gina's Blog: http://msgst2005.blogspot.com
Mandukhai's Blog: http://shinemymiracle.blogspot.com
Lkhagva's Blog: lkhagvas.blogspot.com/
A's Blog: goonnerskanlaya.blogspot.com
Min's Blog: http://georgewcom.blogspot.com
Gina's Blog: http://msgst2005.blogspot.com
Mandukhai's Blog: http://shinemymiracle.blogspot.com
Thursday, September 10, 2009
BioPoem
How to Write a BioPoem
(Line 1) First name
(Line 2) Three or four adjectives that describe the person
(Line 3) Important relationship (daughter of . . . , mother of . . . , etc)
(Line 4) Two or three things, people, or ideas that the person loved
(Line 5) Three feelings the person experienced
(Line 6) Three fears the person experienced
(Line 7) Accomplishments (who composed . . . , who discovered . . . , etc.)
(Line 8) Two or three things the person wanted to see happen or wanted to experience
(Line 9) His or her residence
(Line 10) Last name
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Biopoem Sample
Rosa
Determined, brave, strong, loving
Wife of Raymond Parks, mother of all children
Who loved equality, freedom, and the benefits of a good education
Who hated discrimination, loved to stand up for her beliefs, and loved to help others
Who feared that racism would continue, feared losing the opportunity to make a difference, and feared that young people might lose opportunities to develop strength and courage
Who changed history as she accomplished great strides for equality and encouraged excellence for all
Who wanted to see love triumph and see an end to all bias and discrimination in a world in which respect is freely given to all
Born in Alabama and living in Detroit
Parks
From Abromitis, B.S. (1994, June/July). Bringing lives to life. Biographies in reading and the content areas. Reading Today, 11, 26. Reprinted with permission of the publisher and author.
Copyright 2004 IRA/NCTE. All rights reserved.
(Line 1) First name
(Line 2) Three or four adjectives that describe the person
(Line 3) Important relationship (daughter of . . . , mother of . . . , etc)
(Line 4) Two or three things, people, or ideas that the person loved
(Line 5) Three feelings the person experienced
(Line 6) Three fears the person experienced
(Line 7) Accomplishments (who composed . . . , who discovered . . . , etc.)
(Line 8) Two or three things the person wanted to see happen or wanted to experience
(Line 9) His or her residence
(Line 10) Last name
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Biopoem Sample
Rosa
Determined, brave, strong, loving
Wife of Raymond Parks, mother of all children
Who loved equality, freedom, and the benefits of a good education
Who hated discrimination, loved to stand up for her beliefs, and loved to help others
Who feared that racism would continue, feared losing the opportunity to make a difference, and feared that young people might lose opportunities to develop strength and courage
Who changed history as she accomplished great strides for equality and encouraged excellence for all
Who wanted to see love triumph and see an end to all bias and discrimination in a world in which respect is freely given to all
Born in Alabama and living in Detroit
Parks
From Abromitis, B.S. (1994, June/July). Bringing lives to life. Biographies in reading and the content areas. Reading Today, 11, 26. Reprinted with permission of the publisher and author.
Copyright 2004 IRA/NCTE. All rights reserved.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Where do you stand with regard to writing?
Where do you stand with regard to writing?
FEET: What do I stand for as a foundation of writing?
STOMACH: What upsets me about writing?
HEART: What do I love about writing?
HANDS: What do I feel about writing?
EARS: What do I hear about writing?
EYES: What do I see about writing?
BRAIN: What do I think about writing?
FEET: What do I stand for as a foundation of writing?
STOMACH: What upsets me about writing?
HEART: What do I love about writing?
HANDS: What do I feel about writing?
EARS: What do I hear about writing?
EYES: What do I see about writing?
BRAIN: What do I think about writing?
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Links
Written Communications I (82A) Course Blog:
http://masterwcom.blogspot.com/
LEO--Literacy Educatio Online -- Guide to writing, grammar, punctuation online: http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/
OWL--Online Writing Lab--http://owl.english.purdue.edu/
Visual Thesaurus:
http://www.visualthesaurus.com/?ad=rss
Onelook Reference Collection:
http://onelook.com/
Freemind:
http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
XMind:
http://xmind.net
Invention / Brainstorming:
http://www.csuohio.edu/academic/writingcenter/invent.html
http://masterwcom.blogspot.com/
LEO--Literacy Educatio Online -- Guide to writing, grammar, punctuation online: http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/
OWL--Online Writing Lab--http://owl.english.purdue.edu/
Visual Thesaurus:
http://www.visualthesaurus.com/?ad=rss
Onelook Reference Collection:
http://onelook.com/
Freemind:
http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
XMind:
http://xmind.net
Invention / Brainstorming:
http://www.csuohio.edu/academic/writingcenter/invent.html
Persuasive Writing:
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Syllabus
Course: Written Communication I
Department and number: English 82A
Credit: 3 units
Course prerequisites: none
Semester: Fall 2009 – Thursdays, 9:00-10:15, 10:30-11:45, 16 weeks (see schedule below)
Instructor: Dr. Sylvia Y. Schoemaker Rippel
Email: sysr@lincolnuca.edu
Course-related email for the semester: profsr20@gmail.com
Office hours and location: T, Th 11:45-12:30 and by arrangement, room 307
Office phone: 510-628-8036
Instructional Materials and References:
Required Text:
VanderMey et al. The College Writer. 2nd Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2007. ISBN: 0-618-74253-0
Student Textbook site: http://college.cengage.com/english/vandermey/college_writer/1e/students/index.html
Recommended Texts:
Dictionary, thesaurus
Description
ENG 82A & 82B - WRITTEN COMMUNICATION I & II
First term: A thorough study of grammar and the fundamentals of composition. Practice in writing themes, book reviews and other short papers is given. Particular attention is directed toward sentence structure, syntax, and general rhetorical principles. Second term: Critical reading and evaluation of selected texts and writings; composition of well-organized expository papers; a careful consideration of methods of research, organization in a clear, logical manner and other elements involved in writing research papers. (3 + 3 units)
Course Objectives
Students will develop their writing skills for academic, professional, and socio-cultural purposes, in mode-centered essay writing. Students will learn editing, documentation skills, use of pre, during, and post writing strategies, topic mapping and other resources
University learner goals 1 -6, and specifically in English: To develop basic academic and professional skills (1); to develop the ability to communicate effectively in English, orally and in writing, and to read with understanding (1.1) and institutional goals, especially 1, (1.1-1.4), 2.4
Students will demonstrate written communication skills in writing and presenting their essays for personal, peer and instructor evaluation based on established rubrics, including competencies in planning, drafting, editing, and documentation skills.
Topical Outline
English 82A covers the aspects of composing well-organized written communications. The core of the course will emphasize practice in organizing ideas in a clear, logical manner and other elements involved in writing papers in descriptive, narrative, analytical and persuasive rhetorical contexts. Student and professional writing models will be used throughout the units.
Assignments Overview
Students will complete the following: Essays for 3 Units, 2 to 3 weeks each, midterm and final exams, ePortfolios/blogs/wikis, due weeks 8 and 15, notes and maps for each unit and text assignment, including reference data, in-class presentations, readings and exercises
For each of the following units (as well as additional assignments given in class), students will do the following:
· Read assigned materials with care and understanding,
· Reflect on the weekly assignments in writing keeping a learning journal, addressing primary content and points of personal interest,
· Create a personalized, three-level map for each week’s assignment using the open source program Freemind (available in the computer lab and downloadable from http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
· Email your assignments to me at profsr20@gmail.com,
· Blog your work for sharing and presentations.
Note: The maps for your blog need to be in .graphic (.png or .jpg) format and you will need to save the native Freemind (.mm) format for submitting your work to me by email.
Assignments are due on the dates indicated in the schedule below. Additions/revisions to the schedule will be announced in class as needed. Class attendance is mandatory for content, interactions, and presentations. Researched materials must be documented using a consistent style for both in-text and end-text citations of sources using the published standards of the most recent subject-appropriate style guide, such as APA (social sciences) or MLA (humanities), for example.
82A Fall 2009 Schedule
| Date | Week | Unit | Assignments Each chapter contains an Intro, an Overview, Guidelines, Example Readings, and Writing Checklist/Activities |
| 8/27/09 | 1 | 1 Intro | I. A Rhetoric: College Student's Guide to Writing |
| 9/3/09 | 2 | Brief Overview Chapters | I. A Rhetoric: College Student's Guide to Writing Reading, Thinking, Viewing, and Writing |
| | | | 1. Critical Thinking Through Reading, Viewing, and Writing |
| | | | The Writing Process |
| | | | 2. Beginning the Writing Process |
| | | | 3. Planning |
| | | | 4. Drafting |
| | | | 5. Revising |
| | | | 6. Editing and Proofreading |
| | | | 7. Submitting, Writing, and Creating Portfolios |
| | | | The College Essay |
| | | | 8. One Writer's Process |
| 9/10/09-9/24/09 | 3-5 | Weeks 3-5 Unit I | Narrative, Descriptive, and Reflective Writing |
| 9/10/09 | 3 | Chapter | 9. Forms of College Writing |
| 9/17/09 | 4 | Chapter | 10. Narration and Description |
| | | Selected Reading | "Mzee Owitti" by Jacqui Nyangi Owitti |
| | | Selected Reading | "That Morning on the Prairie" by James C. Schaap |
| | | Selected Reading | "A Hanging" by George Orwell |
| | | Selected Reading | "Sunday in the Park" by Bel Kaufman |
| | | Selected Reading | "Northing" by Annie Dillard |
| 9/24/09 | 5 | Chapter | 11. Description and Reflection |
| | | Selected Reading | "The Stream in the Ravine" by Nicole Suurdt |
| | | Selected Reading | "Call Me Crazy But I Have to Be Myself" by Mary Seymour |
| | | Selected Reading | "None of This Is Fair" by Richard Rodriguez |
| | | Selected Reading | "Who Shot Johnny?" by Debra Dickerson |
| 10/1/09 | 6 | Unit I (Narrative, Descriptive, and Reflective Writing) Paper Due | |
| | | Unit II | Unit II -- Analytical Writing |
| | | Weeks 6-10 | |
| 10/8/09 | 7 | Chapter | 12. Cause and Effect |
| | | Selected Reading | "Adrenaline Junkies" by Sarah Hanley |
| | | Selected Reading | "The Legacy of Generation N" by Christy Haubegger |
| | | Selected Reading | "Our Tired, Our Poor, Our Kids" by Anna Quindlen |
| 10/15/09 | 8 | M I D T E R M Chapter | 13. Comparison and Contrast |
| | | Selected Reading | "A Fear Born of Sorrow" by Anita Brinkman |
| | | Selected Reading | "Two Views of the River" by Mark Twain |
| | | Selected Reading | "Shrouded in Contradiction" by Gelareh Asayesh |
| | | Selected Reading | "Like Mexicans" by Gary Soto |
| 10/22/09 | 9 | Chapter | 14. Classification |
| | | Selected Reading | "Three Family Cancers" by Kim Brouwer |
| | | Selected Reading | "Four Ways to Talk About Literature" by John Van Rys |
| | | Selected Reading | "No Wonder They Call Me a Bitch" by Ann Hodgman |
| 10/29/09 | 10 | Chapter | 15. Process Writing |
| | | Selected Reading | "Wayward Cells" by Kerri Mertz |
| | | Selected Reading | "Downloading Photographs from the MC-150 Digital Camera" (from WFB) |
| | | Selected Reading | "Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow" by Verne Meyer |
| | | Selected Reading | "Campus Racism 101" by Nikki Giovonni |
| 11/5/09 | 11 | Chapter | 16. Definition |
| | | Selected Reading | "The Gullible Family" by Mary Beth Bruins |
| 11/12/09 | | Selected Reading | "Understanding Dementia" by Sarah Anne Morelos |
| | Selected Reading | "Deft or Daft" by David Schelhaas | |
| | | Selected Reading | On Excellence by Cynthia Ozick |
| 11/19/09 | 13 | Unit II (Analytical Writing ) Paper Due | Presentations |
| | | Unit III | Persuasive Writing |
| | | Chapter | 17. Strategies for Argumentation and Persuasion 18. Taking a Position |
| | | | |
| | | Selected Reading | "An Apology for Ms. Barbie D. Doll" by Rita Isakson |
| | | Selected Reading | "In Defense of the Animals" by Meg Greenfield |
| | | Selected Reading | "Apostles of Hatred Find It Easy to Spread Their Message" by Leonard Pitts Jr. |
| 11/26/09 | | Thanksgiving Holiday | |
| | | Selected Reading | "Demystifying Multiculturalism" by Linda Chavez |
| | | 19. Persuading Readers to Act | |
| | | Selected Reading | "To Drill or Not to Drill" by Rebecca Pasok |
| | | Selected Reading | "Soul of a Citizen: Living with Conviction in a Cynical Time" by Paul Rogat Loeb |
| | | Selected Reading | "I Have a Dream" by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. |
| | | Selected Reading | "The Media's Image of Arabs" by Jack G. Shaheen |
| 12/10/09 | 16 | Chapter | 20. Proposing a Solution |
| | | Selected Reading | "Preparing for Agroterror" by Brian Ley |
| | | Selected Reading | "Uncle Sam and Aunt Samantha" by Anna Quindlen |
| | | Selected Reading | "The Media and the Ethics of Cloning" by Leigh Turner |
| | | Unit III (Persuasive Writing) Paper Due | Presentations |
| 12/17/09 | 17 | Final | Final Exam |
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA & METHOD OF EVALUATING STUDENTS
Students will demonstrate their level of proficiency and achievement through appropriate and accurate application of written communication theory and skills. Assessments of improved competence in writing descriptive, narrative, informative, and persuasive essays and personal and peer evaluations and reflections are fundamental to the grades attained.
Grading Guidelines
| Class Participation | 15% | |
| Quizzes, midterm | 10% | |
| Projects | 15% | |
| ePortfolios/Blogs | 30% | |
| Presentations | 10% | |
| Final Exam | 20% | |
| Total | 100% |
| 100-95 | A |
| 94-90 | A- |
| 89-87 | B+ |
| 86-84 | B |
| 83-80 | B- |
| 79-77 | C+ |
| 76-74 | C |
| 73-70 | C- |
| 69-67 | D+ |
| 66-64 | D |
| 63-60 | D- |
| 59 or < | F |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
