Essay
Assignments
Wr 123, Winter 2000
College Composition III: Research
CRN 25477, 12:00 MWF, 246 Gerlinger
Overview of Essay Assignments
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Essay #1
Analysis of an Argument
January 14--Small group discussions,
brainstorming, thesis statement
January 14-18--Outside of class, work on your rough
draft
January 19--Rough draft of Essay #1 due for peer review, in
class
January 21--Revision workshop; work on essay in class
January 24--Final version of Essay #1 due at beginning of
class
Preparation
Select any of the essays from Ch. 2, 3, or 4 of the text not already discussed in class to analyze. Everyone in your small group should read and analyze the same essay. First, read the essay. By Fri., Jan. 14, do a "work-up" on the essay--make a list of chief points, a list of assumptions (explicit or implicit), and prepare a summary. Using the information about how arguments are structured (from Chapter 3) and the steps for analyzing an argument outlined in Chapter 4, discuss and analyze the argument in your small group during class on Fri., Jan. 14. Refer also to "Three Approaches for Analyzing an Argument's Effectiveness" in the course packet.
Writing
Using the steps outlined in Chapter 4 and referring to the example in the text, draft your analysis of the argument/essay you have read. You might first write out your thesis statement and chief points of support. As noted in the text, "because your paper is itself an argument, it needs its own thesis," which will be "your evaluation or judgment" of the essay, and your essay will itself be an argument. For this first essay, writing the rough draft will take place outside of class; a peer review day and a revision day have been scheduled during class time. Refer to the Peer Review Checklist for this assignment (p. 49 in the packet) while you are drafting your essay as an added guide. These are the questions your peer reviewers will use to analyze your essay.
Finished Product
Your final essay should be 2-3 double-spaced, typed pages in length (500-750 words, the same length as the example in the text). Place your essay, rough draft, peer reviewers' comments, mechanics checklist (p. 48 in packet) and notes for/from the Jan. 14 workshop (thesis statement, brainstorming, summary, list of assumptions, list of chief points) in your folder to turn in. Please use a folder with pockets.
Refer to the syllabus for information about mechanics (margins, for example) and peruse the packet for related materials on style, grammar, mechanics, and citation. If you quote only from the essay you are analyzing, you do not need to add a Works Cited page for this assignment, though you should cite parenthetically in text quoted, paraphrased, or borrowed material (refer to information on using parenthetical citations in the packet or here--MLA, APA). If you quote from other material, you will want to read ahead in the text (Chapter 6) to learn how to add a Works Cited page. You can also ask me about citation form during the revision workshop.
Essay #2
Short Argument
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January 31--Complete Thesis Statement
Worksheet* *These should be completed individually by students outside of class. |
You should note that the second paper will be due much more quickly than the first, and that several steps that were covered in class in preparation for your first paper (brainstorming, thesis, revision) are left for you to do on your own. This compression does not mean that you should omit these steps, for they are important; it merely means that a specific class period has not been scheduled for them. You should not wait until we have finished the first three group presentations to select a topic. Skim through the sections that the first groups will cover so you can get started right away. Otherwise you will not leave yourself enough time to complete your library research and final draft by the due date.
Topics
The topic for your short argument should be related to what we are doing in class. You may go back to any of the essays from the first four chapters for ideas or may use topics that grow out of the sections selected for the first three group presentations and the class discussion of those sections. You may use ideas directly raised in the essays, questions that you had as a result of reading the essays, questions that were raised in class, or any related issue (see Barnet and Bedau, pp. 160-166 on "Getting Ideas"). The important factor that you must consider is whether or not your topic has at least two arguable sides (note: it might have more than two); if not, you do not have a "question at issue" and do not have a topic that will result in an effective argument. Review the steps given in Barnet and Bedau on the thesis statement (pp.166-170) and page 13 in the packet. Complete page 47 in the packet, to be turned in with your essay.
Final Version
Your final essay should be 4-5 double-spaced, typed pages in length. As part of the independent research component, you should cite from three different types of sources (for example, 1 journal, 1 book, 1 newspaper article), document your sources correctly, and include a Works Cited page. Use the citation style appropriate to your major. Place your essay, rough draft, peer reviewers' comments, mechanics checklist, working outline, and thesis generating worksheet in your folder to turn in; leave your diagnostic essay, first essay, and the grammar/mechanics checklist in your folder as well.
Essay #3
Longer Argument
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February 16--Select a topic for Essay
#3* *These should be completed individually by students outside of class or, in the case of peer review, by assigned groups. |
Several steps that were covered in class for essay #1 and partly in class for essay #2 (brainstorming, thesis, peer review, revision) are left for you to do on your own. This compression does not mean that you should omit these steps, for they are important; it merely means that a specific class period has not been scheduled for them. The real change for this essay is that you will sign up for peer review groups that will meet outside of class; arrange the meeting times and places for these groups on your own. Use a copy of the peer review form in the packet, along with the revision and mechanics checklists. You may not want to wait until the dates indicated above for your group to begin meeting; this date is simply given as a marker for when you should start meeting if you haven't already.
We'll have independent research hours the week of Feb. 21-25. If you need help, you can meet with me (on a first-come, first-served basis) that week during class time in 529 PLC and/or also during regularly scheduled office hours, also in 529 PLC.
If somehow you have not done so yet, be sure to read "Leads," "Opening & Closing Paragraphs" (2 separate items with the same title), and "Using Direct Quotations" in the Packet and "Quoting from Sources," pp. 207-209 in the text.
Topics
Once again, the topic for your final, longer argument should grow out of the reading and discussions we have had in class. You may go back to any of the earlier essays we discussed, or use topics related to the sections selected for group presentations. As before, you may use ideas directly raised in the essays, questions that you had as a result of reading the essays, questions that were raised in class, or any related issue. You may also go back to the short essays in Chs. 1-4 of the text. One factor you must consider is whether your topic has at least two arguable sides (note: it might have more than two); if not, you do not have a "question at issue" and do not have a topic that will result in an effective argument. In addition, your topic for Essay #3 must be different than the one you wrote on for Essay #2. Review the steps given in Ch. 5 of B & B on the thesis statement and "Generating a Thesis," p. 13 in the packet. Then complete the "Thesis Generating Exercise," p. 44 in the packet.
Your final essay should be 8-10 double-spaced, typed pages in length. As part of the independent research component, you should include a variety of sources, cited and documented correctly. Use the citation style appropriate to your major. Place your essay, rough draft, peer reviewers' comments (p. 43 in Packet), thesis generating exercise (p. 44 in packet), and mechanics checklist (p. 42 in Packet) in your folder to turn in. Leave your first two essays and the grammar/mechanics checklist in your folder as well.
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Last Updated 02/14/00