You MUST make TWO copies of your Final Portfolio. These are the guidelines/steps:
1) The Portfolio is a collection of revised essays and a Statement of Belief.
2) It must be 10 pages long (minimum). It MUST include revisions of 2-3 essays and MUST include a 2-3 page Statement. It MUST be in 12-point font.
3) First, choose 2-3 essays that you'd like to revise.
4) For each essay, make a list of the corrections you have to make. (Use my notes, peer notes, old drafts, things you notice.)
5) Go into your files, and open up the documents so that you can start to change small things.
6) After you've made MINOR corrections, read the whole essay and decide on what MAJOR changes you will make (add ideas? expand ideas? include another comparison?). Work on those. Be creative and thoughtful.
7) Read the essays aloud--with corrections and changes made. What else needs to be done? Do the essays make sense?
8) Read the descriptions of each component of the Rubric. Are you doing work that strives for the "Excellent" description?
9) Make more corrections and changes.
10) Print up final copies of the essays. Read them all at once. What do they have in common? Think about your writing style and your ideas.
11) Write your Statement of Belief. This statement will explain what's in your portfolio and how you feel about your writing and ideas. (You should have started to think this over in class.)
12) In 2-3 double-spaced pages, answer ALL of these questions:
What is something in which you strongly believe?
How does that belief make you unique?
What have you learned/do you know about the struggles of individuals within systems?
When do systems work? When do they fail? Who gets hurt? Who benefits?
How do your ideas about individuals/systems connect to your belief?
How do those two things connect to the writing in your portfolio?
How have you used rhetoric to communicate these ideas?
Monday, April 19, 2010
Sunday, April 11, 2010
It's not cheating when you're God.
In latest discovery by French scientists it has been recorded that God, in much of the United States population, has been denied and there is now a way for the “human race” to become God themselves. Following one man here in America who has accomplished this feat gave the public something new to look forward to in the few days to come. The beginning of this transformation began just before he, now “He”, started preparing for the Masters; setting the trend early along side Jesse James and Brad Pitt. In recent attempts to reappear in human form, tied to more than a dozen women, Woods now commercializes Himself with his dead father’s voice in the background in attempt to touch down on solid ground releasing some of the pressure of all his newfound followers. Many other attempts to become God have been made previously mostly by athletes but have never fully achieved it such as Tiger. “Swimming was my life,” said Phelps. “But I have to give credit to Tiger, he certainly took the better sport.” Phelps’s failed attempt may have left him higher than the rest, but certainly not to the level Woods has reached.
The now all-powerful Woods stated that, “Once the world catches wind of how to achieve such power, soon there won’t be anything to talk about.” Adding, “It ‘s just like the IPod, and soon like Saturday morning cartoons.”
In other news: One man in Chicago who got caught cheating on his wife now pays 1600.00 dollars a month in alimony and is only able to see his children once every month. In this world reactions to one situation will be recognized differently for those who are “above” others.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Sure Gang members have a life, to shoot little kids
Sure Gang members have a life, to shoot little kids
Gangs are all over Chicago and all they do is waste people's time. In the neighborhood of Little Village, they're everywhere. They think they're real "Kings" but in reality, they are wasting time for the people. The gangs pick on the little teenagers to be a gang member just like them.It's like they're a little recruit army to get the young ones in on it. SOme people from the hood refer to them as "gangbangers" or "bangers" because shooting things as well as kids is what they do.The gang members life is to sleep in until two in the morning and wait at the grammer school for the eighth graders to come out. They're usually around the age fourteen when the gangs go to recruit them.The people from the neighborhood are scared of them but for what;they carry guns yes but that don't mean they can aim right. A women from the neighborhood started hitting a gang member in the face and called him a "low life smelly bastard". The gang member named Insane ran from the lady with out looking back. They always run from people, just like they always run when they shoot a child. They look like clowns with all their tattoos and their pants hanging below their butts all day. An older Mexican guy said"They let their pants hang like that because they don't wash they're underwear". Some members are in that gang stuff for life because they really have nothing better to do. They all have things in common if you get to talk to them. One, they drop out of school freshman year, two, they use drugs before highschool and three, they have children already by the age sixteen. They think they protect the neighborhoods by standing on the corner everyday and throwing up their fingers but they just put themselves in danger. They recruit the younger kids and then you find out later that someone got shot in a gang drive by. It's a big problem in low class neighborhoods because the gangs cause the parents to fear for their child's life. The parents shouldn't have to fear anyone who doesn't know how to wash their underwear right.
Gangs are all over Chicago and all they do is waste people's time. In the neighborhood of Little Village, they're everywhere. They think they're real "Kings" but in reality, they are wasting time for the people. The gangs pick on the little teenagers to be a gang member just like them.It's like they're a little recruit army to get the young ones in on it. SOme people from the hood refer to them as "gangbangers" or "bangers" because shooting things as well as kids is what they do.The gang members life is to sleep in until two in the morning and wait at the grammer school for the eighth graders to come out. They're usually around the age fourteen when the gangs go to recruit them.The people from the neighborhood are scared of them but for what;they carry guns yes but that don't mean they can aim right. A women from the neighborhood started hitting a gang member in the face and called him a "low life smelly bastard". The gang member named Insane ran from the lady with out looking back. They always run from people, just like they always run when they shoot a child. They look like clowns with all their tattoos and their pants hanging below their butts all day. An older Mexican guy said"They let their pants hang like that because they don't wash they're underwear". Some members are in that gang stuff for life because they really have nothing better to do. They all have things in common if you get to talk to them. One, they drop out of school freshman year, two, they use drugs before highschool and three, they have children already by the age sixteen. They think they protect the neighborhoods by standing on the corner everyday and throwing up their fingers but they just put themselves in danger. They recruit the younger kids and then you find out later that someone got shot in a gang drive by. It's a big problem in low class neighborhoods because the gangs cause the parents to fear for their child's life. The parents shouldn't have to fear anyone who doesn't know how to wash their underwear right.
New Research: Consuming Fast Food Every Day is the Healthiest for our Body System.
According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), people who consume fast food every day accelerate in sports and in every day work basis, but the best is it makes you healthier. This survey was taken mostly by Latinos and African American, when given the survey they were promised to be given a cheeseburger loaded with bacon and a side of obesity.
Today people in America consume a vast of Fast food which makes them healthier and more beautiful. Younger Kids consume the most, which makes parents proud to see their children round and full. When we interviewed the Health expert to ask him about his opinion on Fast food he quoted “The rounder the people are, the happier they are, just like Earth big, round and beautiful.”
Dear Mexicans, Please come back.
As the days go by without a Mexican here in America a chaos is beginning to build up. Things around the United States just have not been normal these past days. Americans are struggling with trying to make their lives back to normal. They have began by encouraging the youth to take the jobs the Mexicans left behind. The young Americans responded with complains and claiming “These are not jobs! This is slavery.”
Common necessities that were taken by granted before the Mexicans disappeared are now highly in demand. The restaurants have lost more than 90 percent of their workers. Many restaurants in California have now purchases thousands of dishwashers being that no one else is willing to wash dishes by hand. Thousands of fast food restaurants all over America have closed down. It is just impossible for these restaurants to continue working, since they have no workers and no supplies. Without Mexicans, American agriculture is going downhill. Production of fruits and vegetables has never been as low as it is now.
An example of how desperate the situation in America is without Mexicans workers are two Americans moms from Beverly Hills, California who have not been able to find day care for their children. They are forced to leave their children alone or with Rocco, the family’s dog. In Wisconsin as well, last week two children were lost for about 48 hours in their own backyard, due to the height of the grass and weeds. Since Pedro who was the family’s landscaper fled back to Mexico with the other millions of Mexicans.
Americans now wonder if the Mexicans will ever come back or what plans the government is making. No one ever realized what a big impact these so called “Aliens” make in America. Now that they are gone, America needs them more than ever. America is now praying that the Mexicans would come back as fast as possible. California’s Governor said last week to the press “I guess we should have treated them with more dignity and we should have been more grateful for the great service they offer America.”
Mexico Is The Richest Country In The World
Mexico, Mex- Thanks to Carlos Slim Helu Mexico becomes the richest country in the world. During the past years, Carlos Slim Helu's wealth has increase. Now, he is the world richest man whose fortunate is worth more than $53 billion. With all the money, Carlos Slim Helu does not know what to do with it. Last week, he gave an interview to the press saying that he would donate all his money to his native country Mexico than Lebanon the country where his parents were born.
"Why are you donating all your money to Mexico?" the press said. "Mexico needs money to combat poverty, hunger, violence, etc and I know that in less than 5 years I will reunite all the money that I donate" Slim said. People could not believe what he just said and they thought that he was lying. But, he was not. After a month, all the people started to see changes in Mexico and were satisfied with what was happening. The interviewed that Carlos Slim Helu gave to the press was seen around the world. All Mexicans who left their country long time ago decide to go back to Mexico after hearing what Carlos Slim Helu said. Not only Mexicans want to go back to Mexico all people around the world want to live in Mexico because they know that in Mexico they will have a better future. Mexico does not have a problem with people deciding to live in Mexico because that will make Mexico a popular country. Mexico is extremely happy to welcome foreigners and gives permission to them to stay in Mexico.
You don’t have to be sick to get the new iHeart
By Beelet
Today Apple’s CEO Steven Jobs announced a new item will be released by Apple Inc. in August 2012, just after the gigantic success that Apple Inc. had experienced with its products such as iPhone, iPod, iPad and recently iFood. The new product is called iHeart. It is an electronic alternative device for the human heart. Just like any other Apple product, iHeart has an enormous number of applications, and of course, all of these applications are interconnected with the other Apple Products.
One of the iHeart's applications will be measuring the digestive system’s needs,functions, and problems, and along with another application in the iFridge, certain food will be provided to you and others will be eliminated based on your digestive system necessities. Not only will the iHeart be working with iFridge, but also with your iPharmacy so you don’t have to think and worry about your intake of vitamins and medicine when you wake up in the morning.
Another application of the iHeart is called Emotion Detector, it works with Apple TV, so whenever the discrete of your nervous system cells changes, the application will detect the emotion difference and will attempt to set a list of matching TV shows and programs that suit your new mood and thoughts.
Online pre-ordering began, and the anticipation of Apple Lovers and “MacHeads” can only be described with the long lines that stood outside Apple Stores. Some of the people have been waiting in line for more than 72 hour just to see a display version of the iHeart. A cardiac medical condition is one of the requirements for an early eligibility for the iHeart; many who intentionally consumed an overdosage of cardiac medications in order to cause cardiovascular dysfunction which would be an immediate eligibility.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Orange outcome of tanning deemed sexy, sets colorful trend
By Dulce Arroyo
Popularized by reality television shows like MTV’s “Jersey Shore,” tanning has become a nationwide obsession for men and women alike who strive to keep a glowing, attractive body all year long. But what started out as an orange mass of tanners has now grown to a range of colorful people walking the streets of Chicago, showing off their new shades of skin for the spring.
Tanning salons like L.A. Tan, Ultimate Exposure, and Tancun noticed how devout tanners, mostly teenage girls, kept coming back for more in order to keep their toasty, orange color.
“We thought, ‘If they’re so interested in looking gorgeous in orange, they’d definitely try a variety of awesome colors we could supply’,” said L.A. Tan’s CEO and President Nick Patel. “And it worked, thanks to some of television’s hottest and youngest celebrities; our top colors that customers love are Hot to Trot Pink, Green Apple Margarita, Sapphire Blue, and Purple Majesty.”
MTV’s newest star Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi tried out a bold fuchsia tan for a recent red carpet event, and in less than two hours after pictures hit the internet, fans raved about how it was an amazing change.
“She totally rocked that shade with her little black dress—as soon as I saw it, I knew I had to try a different color too,” said high school student Brianna Lamont. “It’s like a new way to make a statement with your body while keeping the same wardrobe.”
“You can’t go wrong with a little experimentation!” said Amanda Richards. “Me and my girls go tanning every week and when we found out about the new colors, we just had to get one. We even take turns using a different shade each time.”
Male tanners have also tried out the new colors, such as MTV’s Paul Delvecchio, aka “Pauly D.”
“I’ve got a tanning bed in my house to keep up that GTL—gym, tan, laundry, baby!” said Delvecchio. “When I saw this sick shade of blue I turned to my boy and said, ‘Yo, we got to try it out on the ladies!”
Although reports on tanning causing melanoma have come from dermatologists across the country, tanners are not fazed from maintaining their images.
“My mom says I could die of skin cancer but like, come on, we’re all going to die some day,” said Lamont.
Samantha Hayes, an employee in Ultimate Exposure, has recently spotted a mole on her back that was not there before.
“I think of it as a surprise beauty mark,” said the 20 year old. “I mean, Cyndi Crawford had one and she was still gorgeous. It’s definitely not going to make me stop tanning—summer’s around the corner and I can’t wait to show off my sexy bronze tan.”
With business booming, Patel also ignores the link between tanning and skin cancer based on his customers’ devotion.
“Girls want to look and feel attractive year-round, so what better way to achieve this than breaking away from their boring, pale complexion?” said Patel. “L.A. Tan is an outlet for those who want to be beautiful by first changing the way they look on the outside. That’s what beauty is essentially about these days, anyway.”
And apparently, tanning fanatics agree.
“Some people call tanning ‘fake and bake,’ but I don’t care,” said Richards. “As long as I’m baking long enough to be delicious, I’ll fake and bake until I die!”
Popularized by reality television shows like MTV’s “Jersey Shore,” tanning has become a nationwide obsession for men and women alike who strive to keep a glowing, attractive body all year long. But what started out as an orange mass of tanners has now grown to a range of colorful people walking the streets of Chicago, showing off their new shades of skin for the spring.
Tanning salons like L.A. Tan, Ultimate Exposure, and Tancun noticed how devout tanners, mostly teenage girls, kept coming back for more in order to keep their toasty, orange color.
“We thought, ‘If they’re so interested in looking gorgeous in orange, they’d definitely try a variety of awesome colors we could supply’,” said L.A. Tan’s CEO and President Nick Patel. “And it worked, thanks to some of television’s hottest and youngest celebrities; our top colors that customers love are Hot to Trot Pink, Green Apple Margarita, Sapphire Blue, and Purple Majesty.”
MTV’s newest star Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi tried out a bold fuchsia tan for a recent red carpet event, and in less than two hours after pictures hit the internet, fans raved about how it was an amazing change.
“She totally rocked that shade with her little black dress—as soon as I saw it, I knew I had to try a different color too,” said high school student Brianna Lamont. “It’s like a new way to make a statement with your body while keeping the same wardrobe.”
“You can’t go wrong with a little experimentation!” said Amanda Richards. “Me and my girls go tanning every week and when we found out about the new colors, we just had to get one. We even take turns using a different shade each time.”
Male tanners have also tried out the new colors, such as MTV’s Paul Delvecchio, aka “Pauly D.”
“I’ve got a tanning bed in my house to keep up that GTL—gym, tan, laundry, baby!” said Delvecchio. “When I saw this sick shade of blue I turned to my boy and said, ‘Yo, we got to try it out on the ladies!”
Although reports on tanning causing melanoma have come from dermatologists across the country, tanners are not fazed from maintaining their images.
“My mom says I could die of skin cancer but like, come on, we’re all going to die some day,” said Lamont.
Samantha Hayes, an employee in Ultimate Exposure, has recently spotted a mole on her back that was not there before.
“I think of it as a surprise beauty mark,” said the 20 year old. “I mean, Cyndi Crawford had one and she was still gorgeous. It’s definitely not going to make me stop tanning—summer’s around the corner and I can’t wait to show off my sexy bronze tan.”
With business booming, Patel also ignores the link between tanning and skin cancer based on his customers’ devotion.
“Girls want to look and feel attractive year-round, so what better way to achieve this than breaking away from their boring, pale complexion?” said Patel. “L.A. Tan is an outlet for those who want to be beautiful by first changing the way they look on the outside. That’s what beauty is essentially about these days, anyway.”
And apparently, tanning fanatics agree.
“Some people call tanning ‘fake and bake,’ but I don’t care,” said Richards. “As long as I’m baking long enough to be delicious, I’ll fake and bake until I die!”
When Will the Recession End??
Chicago IL- Researchers at Northeastern Illinois University have researched on the affect the economy has had on peoples' life's. They went around asking a series of questions to determine answers for their research; only to discover that a young women by the name of Tanzania White was not affected in any way by the recession. She was still wasting her money on dinning out everyday at fancy restaurants. She was also buying clothes and shoes regularly as she had before the economy went bad. When she was asked if her life was impacted in any form because of the recession her statement to that was "Not in any way. Everyone is talking about how they are getting laid off from work or how many people are cutting back on their spending, but not me. On the other hand it's a different story for me." She also went on talking about how she feels excluded from society since everyone is affected by the economy and she is the only who has not been.
Who's the Baby Daddy?!
By: Rema Abdelqawi
As Tiger Woods is in the process of preparing for his upcoming golf tournament three new alleged mistresses have came to light claiming they are pregnant with Tiger Woods’ child. To Woods it's just another win.
The women are scheduled to take publicly televised paternity tests to prove validity of their claims. Tiger Woods has in turn kept low key, but rumors have spread of him hiring an infamous hit man from California to secretly induce a miscarriage on the three alleged mistresses. High-tech security has been used to protect and surveillance the three mistresses who are willing to go through with the birth.
Woods' wife has been seen having lunch with these women, and shopping for baby clothes. Looks like she’ll be the new godmother to these kids. The police have reported to the public, “For more information on this fascinating scandal it can be seen on TMZ.”
Week After Mexicans spontaneously fled out of the United States
As the days go by without a Mexican here in America a chaos is beginning to build up. Things around the United States just have not been normal these past days. Americans are struggling with trying to make their lives back to normal. They have began by encouraging the youth to take the jobs the Mexicans left behind. The young Americans responded with complains and claiming “These are not jobs! This is slavery.” Common necessities that were taken by granted before the Mexicans disappeared are now highly in demand. The restaurants have lost more than 90 percent of their workers. Many restaurants in California have now purchases thousands of dishwashers being that no one else is willing to wash dishes by hand. Thousands of fast food restaurants all over America have closed down. It is just impossible for these restaurants to continue working, since they have no workers and no supplies. Without Mexicans, American agriculture is going downhill. Production of fruits and vegetables has never been as low as it is now. An example of how desperate the situation in America is without Mexicans workers are two Americans moms from Beverly Hills, California who have not been able to find day care for their children. They are forced to leave their children alone or with Rocco, the family’s dog. In Wisconsin as well, last week two children were lost for about 48 hours in their own backyard, due to the height of the grass and weeds. Since Pedro who was the family’s landscaper fled back to Mexico with the other millions of Mexicans.
Americans now wonder if the Mexicans will ever come back or what plans the government is making. No one ever realized what a big impact these so called “Aliens” would make in America, after leaving. Now that they are gone, America needs them more than ever. America is now praying that the Mexicans would come back as fast as possible.
Americans now wonder if the Mexicans will ever come back or what plans the government is making. No one ever realized what a big impact these so called “Aliens” would make in America, after leaving. Now that they are gone, America needs them more than ever. America is now praying that the Mexicans would come back as fast as possible.
Animals Looking Better than Models
Animals Looking Better than Models
By Stephanie Nguyen
Published: April 8,2010
Chicago- Nowadays, you see pigs, monkeys, and rabbits in beauty salons gossiping about their "frenemies". They spend twice the amount in there than we do. They are trying on new, totally safe, products before the products hit the stores' shelves. The products they are all trying on give them large, harmless rashes that do not have to be checked out by a veterinarian. When the pigs, monkeys, and rabbits are walking out the salons, they are looking more glamorous than the models. Maybe next season, you will see the animals walking the runways because they are prettier and are getting the essential beauty products before the models do.
MISSING CATEGORY IN THE 2010 CENSUS
The census is take every ten years. This procedure is doen to take an official count of a particular population. Families are to answer questions about their ethnicity, race, age, gender, and questions relating to the amount of people in the house. Family memebers are to review their household budget and spending.
During the last census, surprisingly the leading population was whites with 79.8% and the second highest was population was blacks with 12.8%. No one took notice that the same year Americans have lost jobs and their houses. The uemployment rate was decreasing at a steadily rate. To our surprise the percentage of homeless people in the same year was 50% African-Americans, 35% whites, 12% Hispanics, and 1% Asian.
" I answered every question, but was stuck on where it was asked, How many memebers in the household?" said Dorothy W. " I knew the answer to that question, but was hesitant since I did not own a house. While filling the survey out, I was hoping this time, the census would ask the MAIN question." " If we were homeless or not?" said Dorothy W.
"I wondered why they did not ask this question. I mean since the economy is doing such hard work to increase more jobs." questioned Dorothy. The rate of unemployment has sky rockted during our stable economy. Numerous people lost their jobs, which resulted in not being to pay their house mortgage. Families became bankrupt and ended up having foreclosures.
" I had a forclosure, too. So do i still fill out the census?" questioned Emily G. " I believe many others like me have become homeless during this stable economy. So do we still need to fill out the census. If we do, how coem we are not asked the most sensible question at this time?" " I mean I'm sure if the question is asked, we would be the highest population in the 2010 census." said Emily G.
During the last census, surprisingly the leading population was whites with 79.8% and the second highest was population was blacks with 12.8%. No one took notice that the same year Americans have lost jobs and their houses. The uemployment rate was decreasing at a steadily rate. To our surprise the percentage of homeless people in the same year was 50% African-Americans, 35% whites, 12% Hispanics, and 1% Asian.
" I answered every question, but was stuck on where it was asked, How many memebers in the household?" said Dorothy W. " I knew the answer to that question, but was hesitant since I did not own a house. While filling the survey out, I was hoping this time, the census would ask the MAIN question." " If we were homeless or not?" said Dorothy W.
"I wondered why they did not ask this question. I mean since the economy is doing such hard work to increase more jobs." questioned Dorothy. The rate of unemployment has sky rockted during our stable economy. Numerous people lost their jobs, which resulted in not being to pay their house mortgage. Families became bankrupt and ended up having foreclosures.
" I had a forclosure, too. So do i still fill out the census?" questioned Emily G. " I believe many others like me have become homeless during this stable economy. So do we still need to fill out the census. If we do, how coem we are not asked the most sensible question at this time?" " I mean I'm sure if the question is asked, we would be the highest population in the 2010 census." said Emily G.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
Monday, March 8, 2010
Writing techniques and 6 word story
Writing tech.
- alliteration , tones, irony
Six word story
- Procrastination fun now a pain later
- alliteration , tones, irony
Six word story
- Procrastination fun now a pain later
six word memoir and writting skills
Positive attitude: my key to success.
Writting Techniques:
Must have a conflict, Point of view and have a thesis.
Writting Techniques:
Must have a conflict, Point of view and have a thesis.
6 Word Story & 3 Writing Techniques
6 word story
Left my house, finding my home.
3 writing techniques
1. maintaining the suspense all along the story.
2. using figurative language, especially simile.
3. manipulating the timeline of the story.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
6 word memoir
Educations vital; finally realized it's important.
Techniques: Disagreement, Struggle, Awareness.
Techniques: Disagreement, Struggle, Awareness.
Writing techniques and Six- word Memoir
Writing Techniques:
Personification, Tone, Point of view
Six-Word Memoir:
Special Memories: Family is always close
Personification, Tone, Point of view
Six-Word Memoir:
Special Memories: Family is always close
six word memoir and 3 writing techniques
short story: Happily married today divorced later on.
writing tecniques: using stories within stories.
providing plenty of details for imagery
flash forward
writing tecniques: using stories within stories.
providing plenty of details for imagery
flash forward
Writing techniques and six-word memoir
Writing Techniques:
Description, Creative, and Narration
Six-Word Memoir:
Be successful: one of my goals.
Description, Creative, and Narration
Six-Word Memoir:
Be successful: one of my goals.
Wrting techniques and six word memoir
Writing techniques: compare and contrast, exposition, and visualization
six word memoir : Negative thoughts: my own worst enemy.
six word memoir : Negative thoughts: my own worst enemy.
Monday, February 15, 2010
figurative language examples
1. "It's the brilliant green-and-yellow uniform that gives me away, like prison clothes on a fugitive."
- Nickel & Dimed; mode: simile
2. "And that ladder of law has no top and no bottom."
- "Hattie Carroll;" mode: metaphor
3. "Some are dark brown, and soft, while others are bright yellow, crunchy and have a certain 'tang' that is particular to dates."
- Baghdad Burning; mode: sensory details
4. "But the relevant point about Holly is that she is visibly unwell--possibly whiter, on a daily basis...think bridal gowns, tuberculosis, and death."
- N&D; mode: metaphors
- Nickel & Dimed; mode: simile
2. "And that ladder of law has no top and no bottom."
- "Hattie Carroll;" mode: metaphor
3. "Some are dark brown, and soft, while others are bright yellow, crunchy and have a certain 'tang' that is particular to dates."
- Baghdad Burning; mode: sensory details
4. "But the relevant point about Holly is that she is visibly unwell--possibly whiter, on a daily basis...think bridal gowns, tuberculosis, and death."
- N&D; mode: metaphors
Figurative Language
"It was like a circuit at times: roof, roof, boiler room" (Elliot pg. 154)- Cliche
"He was beautiful , like a woman, with his long black hair." (Elliot pg.157)- simile
"There were giant bald patches from where his hands slipped, and I looked like a mental patient. (Elliot pg. 160)- simile
"It was just as hard and cold in the broo, closet as it was outside" (Elliot pg, 153)- simile
"He was beautiful , like a woman, with his long black hair." (Elliot pg.157)- simile
"There were giant bald patches from where his hands slipped, and I looked like a mental patient. (Elliot pg. 160)- simile
"It was just as hard and cold in the broo, closet as it was outside" (Elliot pg, 153)- simile
Sunday, February 14, 2010
figurative language
"we clean floors the old fashion way-on our hands and knees..... "
"Now if I get a migrane I just pop two Excedrins and get on with my life".
"I should, if 'I were going to stay in character, find an emergency room after work and try to cop a little charitable care.
"All I can think of is like,wow, I'd like to have this stuff someday.
"Now if I get a migrane I just pop two Excedrins and get on with my life".
"I should, if 'I were going to stay in character, find an emergency room after work and try to cop a little charitable care.
"All I can think of is like,wow, I'd like to have this stuff someday.
Figurative Language
"The soothing light at the end of the tunnel was a freight train coming your way"
"So dawn goes down today. Nothing gold can stay"
"Being out in the streets is like being caught in a tornado"
"I'm half the man I use to be"
"So dawn goes down today. Nothing gold can stay"
"Being out in the streets is like being caught in a tornado"
"I'm half the man I use to be"
Figurative Language
"She always beat me and then did this little victory dance with her hands, fingers stretched like wings." (Elliot 160) simile
"...the muscles and joints are doing just fine, the skin has decided to rebel." (Ehrenreich 86) personification
"So here I am on my knees , working my way around the room like some fanatical penitent crawling through the stations of the cross..." (Ehrenreich 84) simile
"...the brilliant green-and-yellow uniform that gives me away, like prison clothes..."(Ehrenreich 100) simile
"...the muscles and joints are doing just fine, the skin has decided to rebel." (Ehrenreich 86) personification
"So here I am on my knees , working my way around the room like some fanatical penitent crawling through the stations of the cross..." (Ehrenreich 84) simile
"...the brilliant green-and-yellow uniform that gives me away, like prison clothes..."(Ehrenreich 100) simile
Figurative Language
"It's the brilliant green-and-yellow uniform that gives me away, like prison clothes on a fugitive."
"There were giant bald patches from where his hands slip and I looked like a mental patient."
"On the coldest nights, when my eyelashes became icicles,..."
"To be a circus freak, it was an act of raw cruelty well within my father's emotional range."
"There were giant bald patches from where his hands slip and I looked like a mental patient."
"On the coldest nights, when my eyelashes became icicles,..."
"To be a circus freak, it was an act of raw cruelty well within my father's emotional range."
Simile & Metaphors (Amanda Rentas)
1.)As annoying as scratching aganist a chalkboard.
2.)She's the apple to my eye.
3.) I looked like a mental patient.
2.)She's the apple to my eye.
3.) I looked like a mental patient.
Figurative Language
"There were giant bald patches from where his hands slipped, and I looked like a mental patient."
"A soft breeze cut around the sleigh hill and a few clouds pocked the long sky."
"True, I don't look so good by the end of the day and probably smell like eau de toilet and sweat, but it's the brilliant green-and-yellow uniform that gives me away, like prison clothes on a fugitive."
".. lay slain by a cane that sailed through the air and came down through the room.."
"A soft breeze cut around the sleigh hill and a few clouds pocked the long sky."
"True, I don't look so good by the end of the day and probably smell like eau de toilet and sweat, but it's the brilliant green-and-yellow uniform that gives me away, like prison clothes on a fugitive."
".. lay slain by a cane that sailed through the air and came down through the room.."
Monday, February 8, 2010
From Olivia: Tools for your Observation/Description
Craig Raine's poem
and
this idea
You'll need to know these terms for your next essay (Creative Essay #1):
Descriptive Writing Techniques: Sensory Details and Figurative Language
Figurative language modes: metaphor, cliche, simile, kennings, personification
and
this idea
You'll need to know these terms for your next essay (Creative Essay #1):
Descriptive Writing Techniques: Sensory Details and Figurative Language
Figurative language modes: metaphor, cliche, simile, kennings, personification
Monday, February 1, 2010
From Olivia: Information and Links
1. We're watching 50 minutes of the film North Country on Wednesday. It fits our theme, "Individuals vs. Systems," in lots of different ways. Here are some links for more information:
The Wikipedia entry
Some information about sexual harassment
Think about how the film connects to other texts we've examined. Think, also, about how the writers of the film are using some of the same tricks/techinques as did Bob Dylan when he wrote "The Lonesome Ballad of Hattie Carroll" (the song we listened to).
2. For Friday, you need to do: write an RR (6) on the film AND examine these two visual texts:
a) Faces of the Dead
b) Miss America
The Wikipedia entry
Some information about sexual harassment
Think about how the film connects to other texts we've examined. Think, also, about how the writers of the film are using some of the same tricks/techinques as did Bob Dylan when he wrote "The Lonesome Ballad of Hattie Carroll" (the song we listened to).
2. For Friday, you need to do: write an RR (6) on the film AND examine these two visual texts:
a) Faces of the Dead
b) Miss America
Friday, January 15, 2010
From Olivia
I've posted all our class documents here, which means that you can click on anything on the sidebar (right there---->) and see the document. "The Schedule" has steps to you can follow the get access to the reading homework for Wednesday (you'll need it to complete RR2).
Reading Response Guidelines
RR Guidelines:
These must be typed. While I do want you to answer each of the questions below clearly and thoughtfully, I expect these assignments to be about 1/2 page to 3/4 page (single-spaced) only. Answer the questions in one long paragraph. Each response to a question should be between one and three sentences long. Do not number the components. Try to move from question to question coherently—these are just responses; you are not trying to write a complete essay. I expect you to bring the assignment with you to class AND to contribute your ideas/responses during class. Later, these might prove useful in other writing assignments.
1. What is the thesis of this piece? If you can identify it in one, clear sentence, quote it. Otherwise, paraphrase what you see as the main idea. Is there evidence to support it? What is that evidence? Are there other ways in which the thesis is developed? Is it ever contradicted? {Don’t forget: a thesis is NOT a topic, but a statement about a topic.} (5 points)
2. Who is the individual? What is the system? What does this relationship have to do with the thesis? (2 points)
3. Look for “tricks,” or techniques, in pieces of writing that you might mimic in or remember for your own work. The author/filmmaker might have a particularly good line or interesting image. There might be something about the way the information is arranged. You might like the way the title works with the content. There might be some fascinating bit of information in the essay. Look for a technique you like. Does its effectiveness relate to the thesis in any way? (5 points)
4. Compare this to something else you have read/seen/heard. How is it like that? Feel free to make a strange connection. (1 point)
5. Consider the overall effectiveness of this piece. Does it successfully do what it sets out to do? Does it have any weaknesses? Does anything need to be clarified? (1 point)
6. What is one new word you learned while reading this? (Look up the definition and include it here.) If there were no unfamiliar words, look up a new word in general and record it here. (1 point)
These must be typed. While I do want you to answer each of the questions below clearly and thoughtfully, I expect these assignments to be about 1/2 page to 3/4 page (single-spaced) only. Answer the questions in one long paragraph. Each response to a question should be between one and three sentences long. Do not number the components. Try to move from question to question coherently—these are just responses; you are not trying to write a complete essay. I expect you to bring the assignment with you to class AND to contribute your ideas/responses during class. Later, these might prove useful in other writing assignments.
1. What is the thesis of this piece? If you can identify it in one, clear sentence, quote it. Otherwise, paraphrase what you see as the main idea. Is there evidence to support it? What is that evidence? Are there other ways in which the thesis is developed? Is it ever contradicted? {Don’t forget: a thesis is NOT a topic, but a statement about a topic.} (5 points)
2. Who is the individual? What is the system? What does this relationship have to do with the thesis? (2 points)
3. Look for “tricks,” or techniques, in pieces of writing that you might mimic in or remember for your own work. The author/filmmaker might have a particularly good line or interesting image. There might be something about the way the information is arranged. You might like the way the title works with the content. There might be some fascinating bit of information in the essay. Look for a technique you like. Does its effectiveness relate to the thesis in any way? (5 points)
4. Compare this to something else you have read/seen/heard. How is it like that? Feel free to make a strange connection. (1 point)
5. Consider the overall effectiveness of this piece. Does it successfully do what it sets out to do? Does it have any weaknesses? Does anything need to be clarified? (1 point)
6. What is one new word you learned while reading this? (Look up the definition and include it here.) If there were no unfamiliar words, look up a new word in general and record it here. (1 point)
The Syllabus without The Schedule
English 101: Writing I
Olivia Cronk
Instructor: Olivia Cronk
Office: CLS/LWH-2084
Phone: 773.442.5958
E-mail: o-cronk@neiu.edu
Office Hours: Mondays 11:45-12:45 and 4-5, Wednesdays 4-5
A few introductory words: first of all, please call me “Olivia” or “Ms. Cronk.” I prefer my first name, as it contributes to the conversational atmosphere of our class, but if you are more formal, you may use “Ms. Cronk”—but not “Mrs.” or “Miss.”
Second, you can always e-mail me with questions or to set up a mutually convenient meeting time. I will answer as soon as I get the message, and I check my e-mail at least once a day.
Third, syllabi are legal documents. Your teachers owe you a thorough explanation of the course via the syllabus; it’s your contract and your guide. Syllabi can also be kind of long. This one certainly is. We’ll go over everything, but you’ll need to constantly look at it for assignments, policies, and answers to other questions. Get comfortable finding the sections you will need: basics come first (course description, book list, goals, points, policies, etc.). Then come the specifics (how to keep track of your points, lists of assignments, a rubric, etc.). Our reading and writing schedule is at the very end. This document is posted on our blog, “Individuals, Systems, Patterns,” at www.composition1neiu.blogspot.com, where it will be updated or revised as necessary. Please note that you will receive several packets of information, in addition to this syllabus, including “Assignment Descriptions.” You should keep your supplies in a folder for class. If you misplace anything, most documents will be on the blog for easy access.
Fourth, our class includes an optional “Enrichment Seminar,” led by our Graduate Assistant, Angella Lamondi. Angella will be able to help you one-on-one and may participate in some of our in-class work. She is quite familiar with our syllabus and our texts, so she is great resource. There is more information contained herein, but you should know from the start how to reach her.
Angella’s e-mail is a-lamondi@neiu.edu.
Course Description:
This course will provide you with strategies for planning, writing, and revising essays (primarily in the expository mode). You will also develop your critical reading and thinking skills. We will cover general grammatical rules, as well as specific grammatical issues related to your writing. We will work on three formal essays and two creative essays. One formal essay will be an in-class essay; it will be treated like an exam. You will work on multiple drafts of most of the essays. You will also create a final portfolio that represents your best work and includes a statement about the process of writing these pieces over the term. You will be writing about 25 pages in this class.
The theme of this course is “the individual against the system.” In order to explore how writing reveals things about our culture, the world, and human behavior and belief, we will write about and discuss many different kinds of texts. Our class will use all of these texts (readings from your nonfiction book, literature, blogs, videos, audio texts, news and magazine articles, art) to make connections. These connections will feed your own writing projects with ideas and techniques; also, we’ll be looking to constantly expand and re-imagine the theme. How does this kind of dynamic affect the way we think? How does that thinking-process lead to writing?
Another important component of the class is “the find”: discovery through critical and creative reading. We will read (and talk) in order to “find” things. First of all, we are looking for “tricks” (writing techniques) a writer employs (sentence structure, style, tone, use of dialogue, conclusion, use of examples, etc. etc.). Secondly, we want to engage with the ideas the readings suggest. Over the term, you will get better and better at finding in what you read what is most useful to your own style. Reading is a creative act; each of us responds to words in a unique way. We will always keep in mind that reading and writing are linked, like inhaling and exhaling. Sometimes we will read to obtain information about a formal writing assignment (examples). Sometimes we will read to discover things about the world. Sometimes we will read to understand, isolate, and lift “tricks.” The way that you will process each assigned text is by submitting five pages worth of Reading Responses (more on that later).
Methods of instruction are: lecture (about readings and about grammatical concepts), discussion (led by me, and by you and your peers), workshop, reading, writing, game, and blogging. Some terms you will learn, know, and practice include: analysis, audience, exposition, genre, paraphrase, process, revision, rhetoric, summary, theme, thesis, tone, and voice.
Textbooks and Materials:
You need all of the books and supplies listed here. You should purchase them by the second class meeting. You can keep track of what books to bring on what days by following the schedule (much, much further down).
• Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich
• The Metamorphosis and Other Stories by Franz Kafka
• Rules for Writers by Diana Hacker
• a folder or binder in which to keep ALL handouts
• a folder or binder in which to keep ALL drafts and ALL RRs
• a notebook/journal
• a gmail address (free and easy to set up) AND an NEIU address
A note about your folders: you MUST practice good record keeping; you will need all of your work at various points in the term. When you submit RDs and FDs to me, you should simply put them in the folder listed in #4 (where everything can accumulate over the term). Also, keep all your RRs in this same folder. This comprehensive pile of your work will also help when we meet and discuss your writing.
A note about e-mail: I expect you to use your NEIU address to e-mail me with drafts, questions, or clarifications. It’s a good habit to have an academic address from which you conduct school business; keep your personal address for personal use. You do NOT have to use or check your gmail account; we simply need to set up gmail names for the purpose of blogging—another useful thing.
Course Learning Outcomes:
All sections of English 101 at NEIU are founded on the same learning-goals. It is the job of your instructor (me!) to lead the class to those goals. We don’t want these outcomes to be something we just quickly skim over on the first day of class; we want to use these statements to guide our thinking, reading, talking, and writing every step of the way. Your assignments will often be graded with these goals in mind, and I will often mention how the things we’re doing are related to desired outcomes (and, sometimes, what the terms in each outcome mean). So, here’s what the English Department says of our work together:
Students who pass English 101 will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes:
• Rhetorical knowledge, including the ability to articulate the rhetorical situation of texts that students read and write (the relationship between the writer, purpose, audience, genre, topic and context);
• Knowledge of rhetorical principles such as thesis or focus, development, organization (including major modes of organization, paragraphing, and transitions), and style, and the ability to appropriately adapt these principles for various rhetorical situations;
• Engagement with writing as both a process of composing and an occasion for learning that includes discovery, multiple drafts, and proofreading;
• Critical thinking, reading, and writing skills, including the ability to interpret, question, and evaluate a variety of texts, and the ability to justify these analyses using textual evidence and/or considerations of students’ own experiences and wider contexts;
• The ability to accurately summarize and synthesize sources and to appropriately integrate the discussion of others’ writing into students’ own texts;
• The ability to compose a variety of texts in electronic environments and to use electronic resources and tools to aid students’ writing process in academic, professional, and personal contexts;
• Satisfactory mastery of standard academic writing conventions including grammar, syntax, punctuation, spelling, and, when appropriate, citation formats.
Course Requirements and Breakdown of Points:
Following all the components of your grade can be a little confusing. We’ll often stop and “check in” with each other to make sure that everyone is clear on our schedule and steps.
Your points will be recorded on the grade sheet you fill out at the start of the term; there’s a copy of that here, which you can use to record your own points. At any time, you can request the total points earned thus far, as an estimate of your grade. There are 690* points; your final grade is calculated as a percentage of points earned vs. total points. Basically, each and every point is worth 0.14%. For example, if you earned 581 total points, your grade would be 581/690 (84%).
The relationship between percentages and letter grades is as follows:
A=90-100
B=80-89
C=70-79
D=60-69
F=59 and below
*(Class Membership=360 points, Writing=320 points)
Class Membership
Participation=50
This portion includes your attendance (no more than 3 misses) and your in-class efforts. I expect you to be alert and engaged, to either make thoughtful contributions to our conversation or to carefully and respectfully listen to others’ comments. If you miss more than three classes, 10 points for each extra day will be deducted from your grade. If you miss more than six classes, you will not be eligible to pass the class, regardless of your other points earned. Three tardies will equal an absence. I make a note on your grade sheet if you come in more than 5 minutes late.
Journal and other informal writing (in and out of class)=80
We will begin every class with a journal entry (25-30, usually worth 1 point each) and we will regularly complete quizzes or writing exercises in class; I’ll collect your journal at the end of the term. Additionally, you will post some assignments, writing exercises, and comments on our blog: http://composition1neiu.blogspot.com.
* Please note that I will often post announcements, guidelines, and reminders on the blog; you should check it regularly.
Leadership of two RR discussions=50
You will sign up for two discussions. You and one to three other people will create the journal question for the day and a selection of three discussion questions each. This is NOT a presentation; this is a regular class discussion—led by you (and a “panel” of people). You will be expected to share all the work, to fill about 25 minutes of class time, and to guide the class in thinking and responding to the text(s). You can feel free, also, to create a supplementary activity or game. You will be graded on your preparation and your thoughtfulness.
Reading Responses=180 (12 @ 15 points each)
There are 14 to 20 RRs assigned; you are responsible for 12 of them. Please note that you CANNOT turn RRs in outside of the class meeting in which they are discussed (no e-mailed submissions, no late submissions). The guidelines for RRs are further down. Note, also, that if you complete extra RRs, only two can be counted as extra points in your RR grade.
Writing
Formal Essays
Formal Essays are completed over three drafts—and may even be revised a fourth time for your final portfolio. Usually, the beginnings of these essays will happen in class, through our discussions and writing exercises.
The first Rough Draft (RD1) will be reviewed by a classmate.
The second Rough Draft (RD2) will be reviewed by me. You’ll get points for simply completing RD2 and following the assignment guidelines. And, most importantly, you’ll get notes from me about things to fix, change, expand, think about, rewrite, etc. I expect you to use these notes as you work on the Final Draft (FD).
The Final Draft (FD) is submitted to me, with a packet of EVERY old version of the essay. (Just put everything into your writing folder.) You’ll get it back with a grade that corresponds to our rubric (see below).
• Definition Essay=50 points
4 complete pages
Look at your packet titled “Assignment Descriptions.” We will talk about and prepare for this essay in class, using our RRs and our own ideas.
RD1: Due in class (should be 2 complete pages; 20 points for bringing it and participating in Peer Review)
RD2: Due to me in hard copy (should be 3 complete pages; 10 points for following guidelines and submitting it for review)
FD: Due to me in hard copy (4 complete pages; graded according to our rubric and worth 20 points)
• Narrative Connections Essay=60 points
5 complete pages
Look at your packet titled “Assignment Descriptions.” We will talk about and prepare for this essay in class, using our RRs and our own ideas.
RD1: Due in class (should be 3 complete pages; 20 points)
RD2: Due to me in hard copy (should be 4 complete pages; 10 points for following guidelines and submitting it for review)
FD: Due to me in hard copy (5 complete pages; graded according to our rubric and worth 30 points)
• In-class Essay (EXAM)
Response Essay: Image as evidence for a claim=50 points
2 complete pages, composed during a class visit to a computer lab
This essay, unlike our others, is done in class. Before “Exam Day,” we will plan for and discuss how to write this essay and how to demonstrate all the wonderful tricks and ideas you have collected over the term.
Creative Essays
Creative Essays are completed in two or three drafts (depending on the assignment). For one, you will submit an RD and FD to me, for a grade, and for another, you will post your FD on our blog for others to see and comment on.
• Satire: Fake Headline & Newspaper Article=20 points
2 complete pages
Look at your packet titled “Assignment Descriptions.” We will talk about and prepare for this essay in class.
FD: Post on the blog for others’ comments and to be graded.
• Observation/Description from an Alien’s perspective=50 points
3-4 complete pages
Look at your packet titled “Assignment Descriptions.” We will talk about and prepare for this essay in class.
RD: Due in class (should be 2 complete pages; 10 points)
FD: Due to me in hard copy (3-4 complete pages; graded according to our rubric and worth 40 points)
Finished Essays
Your Final Portfolio will be 10-12 pages long. It includes: new revisions of 2-3 essays, a personal statement of 2-3 pages (based on a Statement of Belief and on your reflections on your writing process). You will get more specific details in class.
Final Portfolio=100 points
. . . Phew! So, that’s a lot of information to process. How will we keep track of it? Below is a miniature copy of the grade sheet I will use to record your points. You can record them for yourself, right here, every time you get back graded work, submit an RD, post on the blog, write a journal entry, or come to class.
Name:
Class Membership
Participation: /50
Journal & Informal Writing: /80
Leadership of two discussions: /25 /25: /50
Reading Responses: /180
Writing
Definition Essay: /50
Narrative Essay: /60
Exam: Response: Thematic Connections: /50
Satire: /20
Observation/Description: /50
Final Portfolio: /100
Total Points: /690
Academic Integrity:
Please refer to NEIU’s student conduct code at: http://www.neiu.edu/~DeanSt/survival/conduct.pdf
In general, anything that falls under the following list is a violation:
• cheating,
• plagiarism (turning in work not written by you, or lacking proper citation*),
• falsification and fabrication (lying or distorting the truth),
• helping others to cheat,
• unauthorized changes on official documents,
• pretending to be someone else or having someone else pretend to be you,
• making or accepting bribes, special favors, or threats
*Generally, this is the most relevant issue for an English class. Do NOT turn in anything that fails to distinguish between your writing and someone else’s. You will fail the assignment and will NOT be allowed to make it up. More than one incident will immediately result in failure of the course.
Enrichment Seminar
As noted on the first page, you will have the option of working with our Graduate Assistant in an Enrichment Seminar. Mostly, this work will take the form of individual conferences. Angella will be able help you with: sentence structure problems, organizational problems, editing, proofreading, revising, creating a thesis, incorporating others’ ideas, and more. If your RRs or essays seem to require extra proofreading/editing help, I’ll let you know that you should schedule a meeting. Students who meet regularly with Angella, according to arrangements you and she make, will be allowed to revise all (upcoming) RRs (due the next class after receipt). Additionally, a long-term commitment (okayed by Angella) will entitle you to 25 extra credit points.
Policies:
Turn cell phones off completely before coming to class. If you need to be available for a call, inform me in advance and turn the phone to vibrate. If your cell phone rings during class, you may be asked to leave.
Do not come to class if you are more than 15 minutes late. If you are late three times, those tardies will count as one absence.
If you appear to be unprepared for class (lacking materials, books, drafts, having failed to complete the homework), I may ask you to leave (and you will be marked absent).
I will shuffle our schedule as necessary if things come up; I will never move a deadline closer.
You are entitled to three absences without penalty. I do not distinguish between excused or unexcused absences. After three, you lose 5 points per day. You are responsible for contacting a classmate to find out what handouts/information you are missing. After an absence, you should e-mail me to request handouts or any other relevant information.
I do NOT accept late or e-mailed RRs (see below). They can ONLY be turned in the day of discussion, in class (typed). This rule applies even when you are sick.
Final Drafts are graded, but not commented on. I can accept late essays up to three days, but they will lose 2 points for each day late. If you have documentation of an emergency, I will accept late work without a penalty. If you miss class on a deadline day, you may e-mail your essay to me as an attachment THAT SAME DAY, by 10:00 p.m. I will use the e-mail as a way to verify that you will not be penalized for lateness, but you MUST bring me a hard copy during our next class meeting. I will NOT print your essay. You can also put essays in the box on my door. Please note that a hard copy of an e-mailed essay must be submitted within three days of the e-mail.
Often, Rough Drafts are due in class; if you do not have an RD during a Peer Review day, you will be asked to leave class and you will be marked absent. If you miss class on a RD day, you can get credit for your work by taking your RD to a Writing Tutor at the Writing Lab, CLS 2046, (773) 442 - 5480, http://www.neiu.edu/~ewlab/ and turning it in with your Final Draft (and a receipt from the tutor).
Please note here, also, that you might make up for or enhance your RD or FD grade by meeting with Angella.
Other Rough Drafts are turned in to me, for comments. On those RDs, you’ll receive points for simply following the guidelines and meeting the deadline. If you fail to turn in one of those, you will need to make an appointment with me in order to discuss your draft and get credit for it. Failure to follow that step will mean a zero on that section your essay grade.
I will give 10 points extra credit for every documented visit to a writing tutor, up to three visits; any appointments for extra credit have to be scheduled before Spring Break.
I will announce occasional (other) extra credit as it arises; it is your responsibility to take advantage of those opportunities in a timely manner.
If you miss more than one essay or more than 1/2 of the required RRs, you will not be eligible to pass the class.
I will return your essays as quickly as possible. Some of your Rough Drafts (RD2) will be returned with notes on how to improve or expand—and possibly a grammar/mechanics checklist that you will need to use in order to look up your errors in your handbook. Your Final Drafts will include an evaluation form identifying the components of the grade (see the rubric below). Please feel free, at any stage of writing, to meet with me to discuss any unclear comments or notes.
I expect all members of the class to share opinions and writing samples. Because of this, it is necessary to have an environment that is completely open to diversity in background and ideas. No negativity in this way will be tolerated. You should be mindful of diversity when you make comments in conversation, being careful to avoid generalizations and stereotypes. Our class must be anti-racist, anti-heterosexist, anti-label. Exercise great care in listening to others respectfully and quietly.
I think of my job as a conversation with you all. I try to expose you to an interesting variety of readings, give you a variety of forms in which to write, give you concrete mechanical and grammatical information, provide feedback on the technical details and content of each of your essays, and generally encourage an atmosphere of “ideas.” Please feel free to bring in any outside materials that you think have some sort of value. Please also let me know if there are topics/rules/writers that you want me to cover in lectures.
Nuts and Bolts, Guidelines, Stuff:
Okay, moving along . . .
Question: How will you complete your Reading Responses? Answer: We will cover the guidelines on the second day of class, and you will always have this list handy. After you have completed a reading assignment, you’ll need to sit down at a computer and answer these questions. Your RR must be printed out before class. You’ll get better and better at this as the term progresses.
RR Guidelines:
These must be typed. While I do want you to answer each of the questions below clearly and thoughtfully, I expect these assignments to be about 1/2 page to 3/4 page (single-spaced) only. Answer the questions in one long paragraph. Each response to a question should be between one and three sentences long. Do not number the components. Try to move from question to question coherently—these are just responses; you are not trying to write a complete essay. I expect you to bring the assignment with you to class AND to contribute your ideas/responses during class. Later, these might prove useful in other writing assignments.
(over---)
1. What is the thesis of this piece? If you can identify it in one, clear sentence, quote it. Otherwise, paraphrase what you see as the main idea. Is there evidence to support it? What is that evidence? Are there other ways in which the thesis is developed? Is it ever contradicted? {Don’t forget: a thesis is NOT a topic, but a statement about a topic.} (5 points)
2. Who is the individual? What is the system? What does this relationship have to do with the thesis? (2 points)
3. Look for “tricks,” or techniques, in pieces of writing that you might mimic in or remember for your own work. The author/filmmaker might have a particularly good line or interesting image. There might be something about the way the information is arranged. You might like the way the title works with the content. There might be some fascinating bit of information in the essay. Look for a technique you like. Does its effectiveness relate to the thesis in any way? (5 points)
4. Compare this to something else you have read/seen/heard. How is it like that? Feel free to make a strange connection. (1 point)
5. Consider the overall effectiveness of this piece. Does it successfully do what it sets out to do? Does it have any weaknesses? Does anything need to be clarified? (1 point)
6. What is one new word you learned while reading this? (Look up the definition and include it here.) If there were no unfamiliar words, look up a new word in general and record it here. (1 point)
Rubric!
A rubric, in general, is a statement of purpose or a set of categories. A writing rubric is a list (with categories and specific statements and descriptions) that helps you do the following: 1) it acts as a guide in evaluating your work for yourself, 2) it allows me to show you how certain parts of your essay are working or not working, 3) it creates a standard for our class by which you can understand why you get the grades you get and how you might improve and grow.
Although there are many sections of English 101 at NEIU, all teachers of this course strive to grade students’ writing according to similar standards. The descriptions below explain the qualities of writing that are expected of all students enrolled in English 101.
Please be aware that the five skill areas below are not equally important; they are listed here in order of their general importance to a text. Also, although the skill areas are described separately, in written texts these skills often intersect and overlap.
Thesis or Focus
Thesis or focus refers to the main idea that unifies a text. In excellent writing, the thesis/focus is appropriate for the text’s purpose and audience, is supported throughout the text, and is original and complex. In good writing, the thesis/focus is clear throughout the text, although it may be somewhat less original or complex. In adequate writing, there is still a thesis or focus, but parts of the text may stray from this main idea. In inadequate writing (graded below a C), there is no clear thesis or focus that guides the whole text.
Development of Ideas
Development refers to how thoroughly and thoughtfully you have discussed the ideas in your text (the complexity of your evidence, support, and analysis). In excellent writing, the development is insightful and extensive throughout the text. In good writing, the development is appropriate and consistently sufficient, though perhaps less insightful. In adequate writing, the text may be unevenly developed, with parts of the essay requiring further development. In inadequate writing (graded below a C), the text offers little or no support, may simply restate the thesis, and/or fails to meet the minimum length requirement.
Organization
Organization refers to the structure of a text (introduction, body, and conclusion) and the connections between and within paragraphs. In excellent writing, the organization is logical and flows smoothly. In good writing, the organization is clear but less smooth. In adequate writing, the organization is occasionally disjointed or simplistic. In inadequate writing (graded below a C), the introduction and/or conclusion may be missing, the connections between paragraphs may be missing or blurred, and/or the body may not contain suitable paragraph breaks.
Written conventions
Written conventions refer to the text’s grammar, syntax, punctuation and spelling. The most important conventions involve recognizing when a sentence ends (avoiding run-ons, comma splices, and fragments). Using verbs correctly (S-V agreement; verb tense; verb forms) is also a major concern. Correct use of other punctuation and spelling is somewhat less important, but errors here shouldn’t be numerous. Conventions are evaluated based on the seriousness, quantity, and variety of errors. Writing is inadequate (graded below a C) if the errors are so extensive that they interfere with a reader’s ability to understand the text.
Style
Style refers to the sentence structure and word choice in your writing. In excellent writing, the style is both creative and clear. In good writing, the style is consistently clear but perhaps less creative. In adequate writing, the style is usually clear but at times may be unclear or redundant. In inadequate writing (graded below a C), the style is often unclear and/or overly simple.
So, how will we use this thing?
First of all, before work begins on each essay, we’ll discuss how these categories apply to the assignment. You can use your class notes to guide your essay planning—and you’ll have explanations and descriptions that explain your writing goals.
When you submit an RD for comments, I’ll use the rubric to direct my feedback; that way, you’ll know what to work on for the future drafts.
Sometimes, we’ll use the rubric in peer review or in self-evaluation. Our goal is to internalize all the “excellent” descriptions so that we can become better, slicker, more stylish writers.
Since it is our goal to get all pieces of writing up to the “excellent” category, you should consider this rubric a good set of guidelines for informal writing that is posted on the blog, for Reading Responses, and for your Final Portfolio.
Olivia Cronk
Instructor: Olivia Cronk
Office: CLS/LWH-2084
Phone: 773.442.5958
E-mail: o-cronk@neiu.edu
Office Hours: Mondays 11:45-12:45 and 4-5, Wednesdays 4-5
A few introductory words: first of all, please call me “Olivia” or “Ms. Cronk.” I prefer my first name, as it contributes to the conversational atmosphere of our class, but if you are more formal, you may use “Ms. Cronk”—but not “Mrs.” or “Miss.”
Second, you can always e-mail me with questions or to set up a mutually convenient meeting time. I will answer as soon as I get the message, and I check my e-mail at least once a day.
Third, syllabi are legal documents. Your teachers owe you a thorough explanation of the course via the syllabus; it’s your contract and your guide. Syllabi can also be kind of long. This one certainly is. We’ll go over everything, but you’ll need to constantly look at it for assignments, policies, and answers to other questions. Get comfortable finding the sections you will need: basics come first (course description, book list, goals, points, policies, etc.). Then come the specifics (how to keep track of your points, lists of assignments, a rubric, etc.). Our reading and writing schedule is at the very end. This document is posted on our blog, “Individuals, Systems, Patterns,” at www.composition1neiu.blogspot.com, where it will be updated or revised as necessary. Please note that you will receive several packets of information, in addition to this syllabus, including “Assignment Descriptions.” You should keep your supplies in a folder for class. If you misplace anything, most documents will be on the blog for easy access.
Fourth, our class includes an optional “Enrichment Seminar,” led by our Graduate Assistant, Angella Lamondi. Angella will be able to help you one-on-one and may participate in some of our in-class work. She is quite familiar with our syllabus and our texts, so she is great resource. There is more information contained herein, but you should know from the start how to reach her.
Angella’s e-mail is a-lamondi@neiu.edu.
Course Description:
This course will provide you with strategies for planning, writing, and revising essays (primarily in the expository mode). You will also develop your critical reading and thinking skills. We will cover general grammatical rules, as well as specific grammatical issues related to your writing. We will work on three formal essays and two creative essays. One formal essay will be an in-class essay; it will be treated like an exam. You will work on multiple drafts of most of the essays. You will also create a final portfolio that represents your best work and includes a statement about the process of writing these pieces over the term. You will be writing about 25 pages in this class.
The theme of this course is “the individual against the system.” In order to explore how writing reveals things about our culture, the world, and human behavior and belief, we will write about and discuss many different kinds of texts. Our class will use all of these texts (readings from your nonfiction book, literature, blogs, videos, audio texts, news and magazine articles, art) to make connections. These connections will feed your own writing projects with ideas and techniques; also, we’ll be looking to constantly expand and re-imagine the theme. How does this kind of dynamic affect the way we think? How does that thinking-process lead to writing?
Another important component of the class is “the find”: discovery through critical and creative reading. We will read (and talk) in order to “find” things. First of all, we are looking for “tricks” (writing techniques) a writer employs (sentence structure, style, tone, use of dialogue, conclusion, use of examples, etc. etc.). Secondly, we want to engage with the ideas the readings suggest. Over the term, you will get better and better at finding in what you read what is most useful to your own style. Reading is a creative act; each of us responds to words in a unique way. We will always keep in mind that reading and writing are linked, like inhaling and exhaling. Sometimes we will read to obtain information about a formal writing assignment (examples). Sometimes we will read to discover things about the world. Sometimes we will read to understand, isolate, and lift “tricks.” The way that you will process each assigned text is by submitting five pages worth of Reading Responses (more on that later).
Methods of instruction are: lecture (about readings and about grammatical concepts), discussion (led by me, and by you and your peers), workshop, reading, writing, game, and blogging. Some terms you will learn, know, and practice include: analysis, audience, exposition, genre, paraphrase, process, revision, rhetoric, summary, theme, thesis, tone, and voice.
Textbooks and Materials:
You need all of the books and supplies listed here. You should purchase them by the second class meeting. You can keep track of what books to bring on what days by following the schedule (much, much further down).
• Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich
• The Metamorphosis and Other Stories by Franz Kafka
• Rules for Writers by Diana Hacker
• a folder or binder in which to keep ALL handouts
• a folder or binder in which to keep ALL drafts and ALL RRs
• a notebook/journal
• a gmail address (free and easy to set up) AND an NEIU address
A note about your folders: you MUST practice good record keeping; you will need all of your work at various points in the term. When you submit RDs and FDs to me, you should simply put them in the folder listed in #4 (where everything can accumulate over the term). Also, keep all your RRs in this same folder. This comprehensive pile of your work will also help when we meet and discuss your writing.
A note about e-mail: I expect you to use your NEIU address to e-mail me with drafts, questions, or clarifications. It’s a good habit to have an academic address from which you conduct school business; keep your personal address for personal use. You do NOT have to use or check your gmail account; we simply need to set up gmail names for the purpose of blogging—another useful thing.
Course Learning Outcomes:
All sections of English 101 at NEIU are founded on the same learning-goals. It is the job of your instructor (me!) to lead the class to those goals. We don’t want these outcomes to be something we just quickly skim over on the first day of class; we want to use these statements to guide our thinking, reading, talking, and writing every step of the way. Your assignments will often be graded with these goals in mind, and I will often mention how the things we’re doing are related to desired outcomes (and, sometimes, what the terms in each outcome mean). So, here’s what the English Department says of our work together:
Students who pass English 101 will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes:
• Rhetorical knowledge, including the ability to articulate the rhetorical situation of texts that students read and write (the relationship between the writer, purpose, audience, genre, topic and context);
• Knowledge of rhetorical principles such as thesis or focus, development, organization (including major modes of organization, paragraphing, and transitions), and style, and the ability to appropriately adapt these principles for various rhetorical situations;
• Engagement with writing as both a process of composing and an occasion for learning that includes discovery, multiple drafts, and proofreading;
• Critical thinking, reading, and writing skills, including the ability to interpret, question, and evaluate a variety of texts, and the ability to justify these analyses using textual evidence and/or considerations of students’ own experiences and wider contexts;
• The ability to accurately summarize and synthesize sources and to appropriately integrate the discussion of others’ writing into students’ own texts;
• The ability to compose a variety of texts in electronic environments and to use electronic resources and tools to aid students’ writing process in academic, professional, and personal contexts;
• Satisfactory mastery of standard academic writing conventions including grammar, syntax, punctuation, spelling, and, when appropriate, citation formats.
Course Requirements and Breakdown of Points:
Following all the components of your grade can be a little confusing. We’ll often stop and “check in” with each other to make sure that everyone is clear on our schedule and steps.
Your points will be recorded on the grade sheet you fill out at the start of the term; there’s a copy of that here, which you can use to record your own points. At any time, you can request the total points earned thus far, as an estimate of your grade. There are 690* points; your final grade is calculated as a percentage of points earned vs. total points. Basically, each and every point is worth 0.14%. For example, if you earned 581 total points, your grade would be 581/690 (84%).
The relationship between percentages and letter grades is as follows:
A=90-100
B=80-89
C=70-79
D=60-69
F=59 and below
*(Class Membership=360 points, Writing=320 points)
Class Membership
Participation=50
This portion includes your attendance (no more than 3 misses) and your in-class efforts. I expect you to be alert and engaged, to either make thoughtful contributions to our conversation or to carefully and respectfully listen to others’ comments. If you miss more than three classes, 10 points for each extra day will be deducted from your grade. If you miss more than six classes, you will not be eligible to pass the class, regardless of your other points earned. Three tardies will equal an absence. I make a note on your grade sheet if you come in more than 5 minutes late.
Journal and other informal writing (in and out of class)=80
We will begin every class with a journal entry (25-30, usually worth 1 point each) and we will regularly complete quizzes or writing exercises in class; I’ll collect your journal at the end of the term. Additionally, you will post some assignments, writing exercises, and comments on our blog: http://composition1neiu.blogspot.com.
* Please note that I will often post announcements, guidelines, and reminders on the blog; you should check it regularly.
Leadership of two RR discussions=50
You will sign up for two discussions. You and one to three other people will create the journal question for the day and a selection of three discussion questions each. This is NOT a presentation; this is a regular class discussion—led by you (and a “panel” of people). You will be expected to share all the work, to fill about 25 minutes of class time, and to guide the class in thinking and responding to the text(s). You can feel free, also, to create a supplementary activity or game. You will be graded on your preparation and your thoughtfulness.
Reading Responses=180 (12 @ 15 points each)
There are 14 to 20 RRs assigned; you are responsible for 12 of them. Please note that you CANNOT turn RRs in outside of the class meeting in which they are discussed (no e-mailed submissions, no late submissions). The guidelines for RRs are further down. Note, also, that if you complete extra RRs, only two can be counted as extra points in your RR grade.
Writing
Formal Essays
Formal Essays are completed over three drafts—and may even be revised a fourth time for your final portfolio. Usually, the beginnings of these essays will happen in class, through our discussions and writing exercises.
The first Rough Draft (RD1) will be reviewed by a classmate.
The second Rough Draft (RD2) will be reviewed by me. You’ll get points for simply completing RD2 and following the assignment guidelines. And, most importantly, you’ll get notes from me about things to fix, change, expand, think about, rewrite, etc. I expect you to use these notes as you work on the Final Draft (FD).
The Final Draft (FD) is submitted to me, with a packet of EVERY old version of the essay. (Just put everything into your writing folder.) You’ll get it back with a grade that corresponds to our rubric (see below).
• Definition Essay=50 points
4 complete pages
Look at your packet titled “Assignment Descriptions.” We will talk about and prepare for this essay in class, using our RRs and our own ideas.
RD1: Due in class (should be 2 complete pages; 20 points for bringing it and participating in Peer Review)
RD2: Due to me in hard copy (should be 3 complete pages; 10 points for following guidelines and submitting it for review)
FD: Due to me in hard copy (4 complete pages; graded according to our rubric and worth 20 points)
• Narrative Connections Essay=60 points
5 complete pages
Look at your packet titled “Assignment Descriptions.” We will talk about and prepare for this essay in class, using our RRs and our own ideas.
RD1: Due in class (should be 3 complete pages; 20 points)
RD2: Due to me in hard copy (should be 4 complete pages; 10 points for following guidelines and submitting it for review)
FD: Due to me in hard copy (5 complete pages; graded according to our rubric and worth 30 points)
• In-class Essay (EXAM)
Response Essay: Image as evidence for a claim=50 points
2 complete pages, composed during a class visit to a computer lab
This essay, unlike our others, is done in class. Before “Exam Day,” we will plan for and discuss how to write this essay and how to demonstrate all the wonderful tricks and ideas you have collected over the term.
Creative Essays
Creative Essays are completed in two or three drafts (depending on the assignment). For one, you will submit an RD and FD to me, for a grade, and for another, you will post your FD on our blog for others to see and comment on.
• Satire: Fake Headline & Newspaper Article=20 points
2 complete pages
Look at your packet titled “Assignment Descriptions.” We will talk about and prepare for this essay in class.
FD: Post on the blog for others’ comments and to be graded.
• Observation/Description from an Alien’s perspective=50 points
3-4 complete pages
Look at your packet titled “Assignment Descriptions.” We will talk about and prepare for this essay in class.
RD: Due in class (should be 2 complete pages; 10 points)
FD: Due to me in hard copy (3-4 complete pages; graded according to our rubric and worth 40 points)
Finished Essays
Your Final Portfolio will be 10-12 pages long. It includes: new revisions of 2-3 essays, a personal statement of 2-3 pages (based on a Statement of Belief and on your reflections on your writing process). You will get more specific details in class.
Final Portfolio=100 points
. . . Phew! So, that’s a lot of information to process. How will we keep track of it? Below is a miniature copy of the grade sheet I will use to record your points. You can record them for yourself, right here, every time you get back graded work, submit an RD, post on the blog, write a journal entry, or come to class.
Name:
Class Membership
Participation: /50
Journal & Informal Writing: /80
Leadership of two discussions: /25 /25: /50
Reading Responses: /180
Writing
Definition Essay: /50
Narrative Essay: /60
Exam: Response: Thematic Connections: /50
Satire: /20
Observation/Description: /50
Final Portfolio: /100
Total Points: /690
Academic Integrity:
Please refer to NEIU’s student conduct code at: http://www.neiu.edu/~DeanSt/survival/conduct.pdf
In general, anything that falls under the following list is a violation:
• cheating,
• plagiarism (turning in work not written by you, or lacking proper citation*),
• falsification and fabrication (lying or distorting the truth),
• helping others to cheat,
• unauthorized changes on official documents,
• pretending to be someone else or having someone else pretend to be you,
• making or accepting bribes, special favors, or threats
*Generally, this is the most relevant issue for an English class. Do NOT turn in anything that fails to distinguish between your writing and someone else’s. You will fail the assignment and will NOT be allowed to make it up. More than one incident will immediately result in failure of the course.
Enrichment Seminar
As noted on the first page, you will have the option of working with our Graduate Assistant in an Enrichment Seminar. Mostly, this work will take the form of individual conferences. Angella will be able help you with: sentence structure problems, organizational problems, editing, proofreading, revising, creating a thesis, incorporating others’ ideas, and more. If your RRs or essays seem to require extra proofreading/editing help, I’ll let you know that you should schedule a meeting. Students who meet regularly with Angella, according to arrangements you and she make, will be allowed to revise all (upcoming) RRs (due the next class after receipt). Additionally, a long-term commitment (okayed by Angella) will entitle you to 25 extra credit points.
Policies:
Turn cell phones off completely before coming to class. If you need to be available for a call, inform me in advance and turn the phone to vibrate. If your cell phone rings during class, you may be asked to leave.
Do not come to class if you are more than 15 minutes late. If you are late three times, those tardies will count as one absence.
If you appear to be unprepared for class (lacking materials, books, drafts, having failed to complete the homework), I may ask you to leave (and you will be marked absent).
I will shuffle our schedule as necessary if things come up; I will never move a deadline closer.
You are entitled to three absences without penalty. I do not distinguish between excused or unexcused absences. After three, you lose 5 points per day. You are responsible for contacting a classmate to find out what handouts/information you are missing. After an absence, you should e-mail me to request handouts or any other relevant information.
I do NOT accept late or e-mailed RRs (see below). They can ONLY be turned in the day of discussion, in class (typed). This rule applies even when you are sick.
Final Drafts are graded, but not commented on. I can accept late essays up to three days, but they will lose 2 points for each day late. If you have documentation of an emergency, I will accept late work without a penalty. If you miss class on a deadline day, you may e-mail your essay to me as an attachment THAT SAME DAY, by 10:00 p.m. I will use the e-mail as a way to verify that you will not be penalized for lateness, but you MUST bring me a hard copy during our next class meeting. I will NOT print your essay. You can also put essays in the box on my door. Please note that a hard copy of an e-mailed essay must be submitted within three days of the e-mail.
Often, Rough Drafts are due in class; if you do not have an RD during a Peer Review day, you will be asked to leave class and you will be marked absent. If you miss class on a RD day, you can get credit for your work by taking your RD to a Writing Tutor at the Writing Lab, CLS 2046, (773) 442 - 5480, http://www.neiu.edu/~ewlab/ and turning it in with your Final Draft (and a receipt from the tutor).
Please note here, also, that you might make up for or enhance your RD or FD grade by meeting with Angella.
Other Rough Drafts are turned in to me, for comments. On those RDs, you’ll receive points for simply following the guidelines and meeting the deadline. If you fail to turn in one of those, you will need to make an appointment with me in order to discuss your draft and get credit for it. Failure to follow that step will mean a zero on that section your essay grade.
I will give 10 points extra credit for every documented visit to a writing tutor, up to three visits; any appointments for extra credit have to be scheduled before Spring Break.
I will announce occasional (other) extra credit as it arises; it is your responsibility to take advantage of those opportunities in a timely manner.
If you miss more than one essay or more than 1/2 of the required RRs, you will not be eligible to pass the class.
I will return your essays as quickly as possible. Some of your Rough Drafts (RD2) will be returned with notes on how to improve or expand—and possibly a grammar/mechanics checklist that you will need to use in order to look up your errors in your handbook. Your Final Drafts will include an evaluation form identifying the components of the grade (see the rubric below). Please feel free, at any stage of writing, to meet with me to discuss any unclear comments or notes.
I expect all members of the class to share opinions and writing samples. Because of this, it is necessary to have an environment that is completely open to diversity in background and ideas. No negativity in this way will be tolerated. You should be mindful of diversity when you make comments in conversation, being careful to avoid generalizations and stereotypes. Our class must be anti-racist, anti-heterosexist, anti-label. Exercise great care in listening to others respectfully and quietly.
I think of my job as a conversation with you all. I try to expose you to an interesting variety of readings, give you a variety of forms in which to write, give you concrete mechanical and grammatical information, provide feedback on the technical details and content of each of your essays, and generally encourage an atmosphere of “ideas.” Please feel free to bring in any outside materials that you think have some sort of value. Please also let me know if there are topics/rules/writers that you want me to cover in lectures.
Nuts and Bolts, Guidelines, Stuff:
Okay, moving along . . .
Question: How will you complete your Reading Responses? Answer: We will cover the guidelines on the second day of class, and you will always have this list handy. After you have completed a reading assignment, you’ll need to sit down at a computer and answer these questions. Your RR must be printed out before class. You’ll get better and better at this as the term progresses.
RR Guidelines:
These must be typed. While I do want you to answer each of the questions below clearly and thoughtfully, I expect these assignments to be about 1/2 page to 3/4 page (single-spaced) only. Answer the questions in one long paragraph. Each response to a question should be between one and three sentences long. Do not number the components. Try to move from question to question coherently—these are just responses; you are not trying to write a complete essay. I expect you to bring the assignment with you to class AND to contribute your ideas/responses during class. Later, these might prove useful in other writing assignments.
(over---)
1. What is the thesis of this piece? If you can identify it in one, clear sentence, quote it. Otherwise, paraphrase what you see as the main idea. Is there evidence to support it? What is that evidence? Are there other ways in which the thesis is developed? Is it ever contradicted? {Don’t forget: a thesis is NOT a topic, but a statement about a topic.} (5 points)
2. Who is the individual? What is the system? What does this relationship have to do with the thesis? (2 points)
3. Look for “tricks,” or techniques, in pieces of writing that you might mimic in or remember for your own work. The author/filmmaker might have a particularly good line or interesting image. There might be something about the way the information is arranged. You might like the way the title works with the content. There might be some fascinating bit of information in the essay. Look for a technique you like. Does its effectiveness relate to the thesis in any way? (5 points)
4. Compare this to something else you have read/seen/heard. How is it like that? Feel free to make a strange connection. (1 point)
5. Consider the overall effectiveness of this piece. Does it successfully do what it sets out to do? Does it have any weaknesses? Does anything need to be clarified? (1 point)
6. What is one new word you learned while reading this? (Look up the definition and include it here.) If there were no unfamiliar words, look up a new word in general and record it here. (1 point)
Rubric!
A rubric, in general, is a statement of purpose or a set of categories. A writing rubric is a list (with categories and specific statements and descriptions) that helps you do the following: 1) it acts as a guide in evaluating your work for yourself, 2) it allows me to show you how certain parts of your essay are working or not working, 3) it creates a standard for our class by which you can understand why you get the grades you get and how you might improve and grow.
Although there are many sections of English 101 at NEIU, all teachers of this course strive to grade students’ writing according to similar standards. The descriptions below explain the qualities of writing that are expected of all students enrolled in English 101.
Please be aware that the five skill areas below are not equally important; they are listed here in order of their general importance to a text. Also, although the skill areas are described separately, in written texts these skills often intersect and overlap.
Thesis or Focus
Thesis or focus refers to the main idea that unifies a text. In excellent writing, the thesis/focus is appropriate for the text’s purpose and audience, is supported throughout the text, and is original and complex. In good writing, the thesis/focus is clear throughout the text, although it may be somewhat less original or complex. In adequate writing, there is still a thesis or focus, but parts of the text may stray from this main idea. In inadequate writing (graded below a C), there is no clear thesis or focus that guides the whole text.
Development of Ideas
Development refers to how thoroughly and thoughtfully you have discussed the ideas in your text (the complexity of your evidence, support, and analysis). In excellent writing, the development is insightful and extensive throughout the text. In good writing, the development is appropriate and consistently sufficient, though perhaps less insightful. In adequate writing, the text may be unevenly developed, with parts of the essay requiring further development. In inadequate writing (graded below a C), the text offers little or no support, may simply restate the thesis, and/or fails to meet the minimum length requirement.
Organization
Organization refers to the structure of a text (introduction, body, and conclusion) and the connections between and within paragraphs. In excellent writing, the organization is logical and flows smoothly. In good writing, the organization is clear but less smooth. In adequate writing, the organization is occasionally disjointed or simplistic. In inadequate writing (graded below a C), the introduction and/or conclusion may be missing, the connections between paragraphs may be missing or blurred, and/or the body may not contain suitable paragraph breaks.
Written conventions
Written conventions refer to the text’s grammar, syntax, punctuation and spelling. The most important conventions involve recognizing when a sentence ends (avoiding run-ons, comma splices, and fragments). Using verbs correctly (S-V agreement; verb tense; verb forms) is also a major concern. Correct use of other punctuation and spelling is somewhat less important, but errors here shouldn’t be numerous. Conventions are evaluated based on the seriousness, quantity, and variety of errors. Writing is inadequate (graded below a C) if the errors are so extensive that they interfere with a reader’s ability to understand the text.
Style
Style refers to the sentence structure and word choice in your writing. In excellent writing, the style is both creative and clear. In good writing, the style is consistently clear but perhaps less creative. In adequate writing, the style is usually clear but at times may be unclear or redundant. In inadequate writing (graded below a C), the style is often unclear and/or overly simple.
So, how will we use this thing?
First of all, before work begins on each essay, we’ll discuss how these categories apply to the assignment. You can use your class notes to guide your essay planning—and you’ll have explanations and descriptions that explain your writing goals.
When you submit an RD for comments, I’ll use the rubric to direct my feedback; that way, you’ll know what to work on for the future drafts.
Sometimes, we’ll use the rubric in peer review or in self-evaluation. Our goal is to internalize all the “excellent” descriptions so that we can become better, slicker, more stylish writers.
Since it is our goal to get all pieces of writing up to the “excellent” category, you should consider this rubric a good set of guidelines for informal writing that is posted on the blog, for Reading Responses, and for your Final Portfolio.
The Schedule
HMWK for WEDNESDAY:
1. RR2: E-Res, Elliot, Where I Slept (You'll need to sign in to NEIUport, click on the Library tab, search Course Reserves, look under "Instructor" and "Cronk 101" for the title "Where I Slept."
2. Make sure you have ND for next week’s readings
M Jan 18
NO CLASS
W Jan 20
Discussion // Model: How to prepare for discussion leadership // Sign-up for leadership dates
Bob Dylan song: Lonesome Ballad of Hattie Carroll
HMWK:
RR3: ND Introduction and Ch 1 (just to p. 21)—leaders
F Jan 22
Discussion (Leaders) // List of themes/ideas/words so far // Writing game
HMWK:
1. RR4: ND, finish Ch. 1
2. Read Definition Essay in Assignment Descriptions
3. DH: TBA (write down p. #s in class)
M Jan 25
Definition Essay // Aligning with the rubric // Definition game: Balderdash
HMWK:
1. RR5: Read news at nytimes.com; find a story that links to our theme—leaders (prep for general news discussion)
2. Brainstorm for RD1 of Def. Essay (due Fri)
W Jan 27
News day // Definition Essay, continued // RD1 requirements
HMWK:
1. RD1
2. Bring DH to class
F Jan 29
Grammar lesson // Peer Review
HMWK:
RD2
M Feb 1
Turn in RD2 // North Country, pt. 1
HMWK:
RR6: the “text” of the movie (so far)
W Feb 3
North Country, pt. 2
HMWK:
1. Look at the links on the blog (Faces of the Dead, Miss America)
2. Post responses/ideas/questions on the blog
3. Leaders: prepare discussion ideas for just Faces of the Dead (a 15-minute discussion, no journal)
F Feb 5
Get back RD2 // Quickie grammar lesson // Quickie rubric check-in // Leaders: short discussion of Faces of the Dead
HMWK:
1. FD due Wed.
2. RR7: ND p. 51-69—leaders
M Feb 8
Discussion // Questions on FDs? Questions on recent blog posts? // Other housekeeping?
HMWK:
1. FD
2. RR8: ND p. 69-86
W Feb 10
Turn in FD // Read Descriptive Essay Assignment // Lesson: Figurative Language (Craig Raine, kennings, Vocal Impressions)
HMWK:
1. Post on the blog: four quotes (from any of our readings) that demonstrate figurative language // FOR EACH ONE: label the “mode” of figurative language
2. RR9: ND p.86-119
F Feb 12
NO CLASS
M Feb 15
Review assignment (terms, modes, etc.) // Review the rubric // Writing exercises
HMWK:
1. RD is due Fri: Complete your observation before W
2. Read (no RR yet): FK Part 1—leaders
W Feb 17
Discussion // Questions on RD?
HMWK:
1. RD (Fri)
2. RR10: FK Parts 2 and 3—leaders
F Feb 19
Discussion // Housekeeping, questions?
HMWK:
1. Work on FD (due next W)
2. Bring DH to class
M Feb 22
Grammar lesson // Peer Review
HMWK:
FD (attach your observation chart)
W Feb 24
Turn in FD // Begin King of Kong
F Feb 26
King of Kong
HMWK:
RR11: Read news at nytimes.com; find a story that links to our theme—leaders (prep for general news discussion)
M Mar 1
News discussion—leaders // Housekeeping?
RR12: E-Res: The Future’s Not Ours to See—leaders
W Mar 3
Discussion // Read aloud: Narrative Essay assignment // List: Narrative Techniques
HMWK:
RR13: E-Res: Ghost Children—leaders
F Mar 5
Discussion // more Narrative stuff: six-word memoirs!
HMWK:
1. Post your six-word memoir on the blog by 9:30 on Monday morning
2. Post a list of three writing techniques we can use in story-telling (there can be NO repeats; if yours is already posted, you need to think of a new one)
3. Brainstorm for your Narrative Essay (RD1 due W)
M Mar 8
More Narrative Essay // In-class writing
HMWK:
1. RD1
2. DH online exercises: TBA
3. Bring DH to class
W Mar 10
Grammar lesson // Peer Review // Sign up for conferences
HMWK:
RD2
F Mar 12
Turn in RD2 // Watch: clips from THX 1138
HMWK:
RR14—choose one of the following topics, and compose your RR based on the film’s exploration of the topic (modify any questions that don’t fit): food, work, TV, individuality, medicine/drugs, religion—RR14 should be turned in when you come to your conference. Please also bring: a list of three questions, your folders, your old work
M Mar 15
CONFERENCES in CLS/LWH-2084—get back your RD in conference
W Mar 17
CONFERENCES in CLS/LWH-2084—get back your RD in conference
F Mar 19
CONFERENCES in CLS/LWH-2084—get back your RD in conference
HMWK: (FOR AFTER BREAK) FINAL DRAFT! due Monday March 29
M Mar 29
Business // Catching up // Writing game
RR15: http://people.virginia.edu/~pmc4b/spring98/readings/Mother.html (it’s by Amy Tan; it’s called “Mother Tongue”)—leaders
W Mar 31
Discussion // Social issues // Themes and connections
HMWK:
RR16: Read news at nytimes.com; find a story that links to our theme—leaders (prep for general news discussion)
F Apr 2
News discussion // List of news-writing techniques // Terms: tone, satire
HMWK:
RR17: Read Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal” at http://www.gutenberg.org/catalog/world/readfile?fk_files=852817--click on “read online” and be sure to read the FULL text (7 pages)
M Apr 5
Discussion // More social issues, satire // The Onion // Satire assignment
HMWK:
1. Work independently on your RD; come to class with a plan in your notes
2. Extra credit RR (OR: example of satire FYI): http://www.smashboards.com/archive/index.php/t-17966.html
W Apr 7
Questions on the satire assignment? // Reading aloud: Brad Carrigan // Peer feedback on satire ideas
HMWK:
FD of Satire: DO NOT PRINT: post it on the blog by 9:30 a.m. on Friday (Cannot be submitted late!)
F Apr 9
Reading aloud: our Satires (blog) // Discussion // Selection of satires for homework
HMWK:
Satires (selection)—leaders
M Apr 12
Discussion
HMWK:
Satires (selection)—leaders
W Apr 14
Discussion
HMWK:
Satires (selection)—leaders
F Apr 16
Discussion
HMWK:
RR18: ND p. 121-146—leaders
M Apr 19
Discussion
List: An entire reading semester of tricks/techniques
HMWK: Read the upcoming work reminders on the blog; begin planning
W Apr 21
Catching up // Missing things?
HMWK:
In your journal, make a list of ten or more questions (grammatical, practical, textual, etc.)
F Apr 23
Questions Day // Portfolio guidelines and preparation
HMWK:
Get your materials together; decide on portfolio components
M Apr 26
Questions on portfolios? // Explanation of FINAL EXAM
HMWK:
1. Choose your FINAL EXAM image, and bring it to class
2. Work on your portfolio
W Apr 28
Work Day: image, thesis, outline, peer review of thesis statement
HMWK:
Portfolio and Final
F Apr 30
FINAL
Location: TBA
Portfolios (with ripped out journal pages organized and stapled together) are due on Monday, May 3, by 4 p.m. in my office (CLS/LHW-2084). If your work is not in my hand (no e-mailed copies) at this time, you will get a zero. Absolutely no exceptions.
1. RR2: E-Res, Elliot, Where I Slept (You'll need to sign in to NEIUport, click on the Library tab, search Course Reserves, look under "Instructor" and "Cronk 101" for the title "Where I Slept."
2. Make sure you have ND for next week’s readings
M Jan 18
NO CLASS
W Jan 20
Discussion // Model: How to prepare for discussion leadership // Sign-up for leadership dates
Bob Dylan song: Lonesome Ballad of Hattie Carroll
HMWK:
RR3: ND Introduction and Ch 1 (just to p. 21)—leaders
F Jan 22
Discussion (Leaders) // List of themes/ideas/words so far // Writing game
HMWK:
1. RR4: ND, finish Ch. 1
2. Read Definition Essay in Assignment Descriptions
3. DH: TBA (write down p. #s in class)
M Jan 25
Definition Essay // Aligning with the rubric // Definition game: Balderdash
HMWK:
1. RR5: Read news at nytimes.com; find a story that links to our theme—leaders (prep for general news discussion)
2. Brainstorm for RD1 of Def. Essay (due Fri)
W Jan 27
News day // Definition Essay, continued // RD1 requirements
HMWK:
1. RD1
2. Bring DH to class
F Jan 29
Grammar lesson // Peer Review
HMWK:
RD2
M Feb 1
Turn in RD2 // North Country, pt. 1
HMWK:
RR6: the “text” of the movie (so far)
W Feb 3
North Country, pt. 2
HMWK:
1. Look at the links on the blog (Faces of the Dead, Miss America)
2. Post responses/ideas/questions on the blog
3. Leaders: prepare discussion ideas for just Faces of the Dead (a 15-minute discussion, no journal)
F Feb 5
Get back RD2 // Quickie grammar lesson // Quickie rubric check-in // Leaders: short discussion of Faces of the Dead
HMWK:
1. FD due Wed.
2. RR7: ND p. 51-69—leaders
M Feb 8
Discussion // Questions on FDs? Questions on recent blog posts? // Other housekeeping?
HMWK:
1. FD
2. RR8: ND p. 69-86
W Feb 10
Turn in FD // Read Descriptive Essay Assignment // Lesson: Figurative Language (Craig Raine, kennings, Vocal Impressions)
HMWK:
1. Post on the blog: four quotes (from any of our readings) that demonstrate figurative language // FOR EACH ONE: label the “mode” of figurative language
2. RR9: ND p.86-119
F Feb 12
NO CLASS
M Feb 15
Review assignment (terms, modes, etc.) // Review the rubric // Writing exercises
HMWK:
1. RD is due Fri: Complete your observation before W
2. Read (no RR yet): FK Part 1—leaders
W Feb 17
Discussion // Questions on RD?
HMWK:
1. RD (Fri)
2. RR10: FK Parts 2 and 3—leaders
F Feb 19
Discussion // Housekeeping, questions?
HMWK:
1. Work on FD (due next W)
2. Bring DH to class
M Feb 22
Grammar lesson // Peer Review
HMWK:
FD (attach your observation chart)
W Feb 24
Turn in FD // Begin King of Kong
F Feb 26
King of Kong
HMWK:
RR11: Read news at nytimes.com; find a story that links to our theme—leaders (prep for general news discussion)
M Mar 1
News discussion—leaders // Housekeeping?
RR12: E-Res: The Future’s Not Ours to See—leaders
W Mar 3
Discussion // Read aloud: Narrative Essay assignment // List: Narrative Techniques
HMWK:
RR13: E-Res: Ghost Children—leaders
F Mar 5
Discussion // more Narrative stuff: six-word memoirs!
HMWK:
1. Post your six-word memoir on the blog by 9:30 on Monday morning
2. Post a list of three writing techniques we can use in story-telling (there can be NO repeats; if yours is already posted, you need to think of a new one)
3. Brainstorm for your Narrative Essay (RD1 due W)
M Mar 8
More Narrative Essay // In-class writing
HMWK:
1. RD1
2. DH online exercises: TBA
3. Bring DH to class
W Mar 10
Grammar lesson // Peer Review // Sign up for conferences
HMWK:
RD2
F Mar 12
Turn in RD2 // Watch: clips from THX 1138
HMWK:
RR14—choose one of the following topics, and compose your RR based on the film’s exploration of the topic (modify any questions that don’t fit): food, work, TV, individuality, medicine/drugs, religion—RR14 should be turned in when you come to your conference. Please also bring: a list of three questions, your folders, your old work
M Mar 15
CONFERENCES in CLS/LWH-2084—get back your RD in conference
W Mar 17
CONFERENCES in CLS/LWH-2084—get back your RD in conference
F Mar 19
CONFERENCES in CLS/LWH-2084—get back your RD in conference
HMWK: (FOR AFTER BREAK) FINAL DRAFT! due Monday March 29
M Mar 29
Business // Catching up // Writing game
RR15: http://people.virginia.edu/~pmc4b/spring98/readings/Mother.html (it’s by Amy Tan; it’s called “Mother Tongue”)—leaders
W Mar 31
Discussion // Social issues // Themes and connections
HMWK:
RR16: Read news at nytimes.com; find a story that links to our theme—leaders (prep for general news discussion)
F Apr 2
News discussion // List of news-writing techniques // Terms: tone, satire
HMWK:
RR17: Read Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal” at http://www.gutenberg.org/catalog/world/readfile?fk_files=852817--click on “read online” and be sure to read the FULL text (7 pages)
M Apr 5
Discussion // More social issues, satire // The Onion // Satire assignment
HMWK:
1. Work independently on your RD; come to class with a plan in your notes
2. Extra credit RR (OR: example of satire FYI): http://www.smashboards.com/archive/index.php/t-17966.html
W Apr 7
Questions on the satire assignment? // Reading aloud: Brad Carrigan // Peer feedback on satire ideas
HMWK:
FD of Satire: DO NOT PRINT: post it on the blog by 9:30 a.m. on Friday (Cannot be submitted late!)
F Apr 9
Reading aloud: our Satires (blog) // Discussion // Selection of satires for homework
HMWK:
Satires (selection)—leaders
M Apr 12
Discussion
HMWK:
Satires (selection)—leaders
W Apr 14
Discussion
HMWK:
Satires (selection)—leaders
F Apr 16
Discussion
HMWK:
RR18: ND p. 121-146—leaders
M Apr 19
Discussion
List: An entire reading semester of tricks/techniques
HMWK: Read the upcoming work reminders on the blog; begin planning
W Apr 21
Catching up // Missing things?
HMWK:
In your journal, make a list of ten or more questions (grammatical, practical, textual, etc.)
F Apr 23
Questions Day // Portfolio guidelines and preparation
HMWK:
Get your materials together; decide on portfolio components
M Apr 26
Questions on portfolios? // Explanation of FINAL EXAM
HMWK:
1. Choose your FINAL EXAM image, and bring it to class
2. Work on your portfolio
W Apr 28
Work Day: image, thesis, outline, peer review of thesis statement
HMWK:
Portfolio and Final
F Apr 30
FINAL
Location: TBA
Portfolios (with ripped out journal pages organized and stapled together) are due on Monday, May 3, by 4 p.m. in my office (CLS/LHW-2084). If your work is not in my hand (no e-mailed copies) at this time, you will get a zero. Absolutely no exceptions.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Homework for Friday
Do a RR (follow the guidelines on p. 8-9) on the blog Baghdad Burning. Focus on the posts you read for Wednesday and on any other posts you've read.
For further information/reading ideas: also read from here and here and here.
For further information/reading ideas: also read from here and here and here.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Welcome to Olivia Cronk's English 101 blog
You can browse the site for an overview of our blogging work, and you can check back here for course documents and links.
Wednesday's homework is listed in the syllabus: the blog Baghdad Burning.
Read two or three posts on that blog, and look at the RR guidelines in the syllabus to think about how you would answer the questions.
Wednesday's homework is listed in the syllabus: the blog Baghdad Burning.
Read two or three posts on that blog, and look at the RR guidelines in the syllabus to think about how you would answer the questions.
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