Education: Room for Debate

Read all opinions on this page and write a collective rhetorical precis of the writing. Post your precis on your blog.

http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2011/01/26/grading-the-education-president

Alternative Assignment :: March 18

Your task is to participate in peer review. If you missed class and don't know your review group, you must email me to ask. (Remember, your participation impacts your "process" points on your paper.) Follow these steps:

1. Post your draft (1500 words) by Friday morning at the start of class: 9 am or 11 am.
2. Review the drafts of each of your team members. (Must be 75 or more words) Answering each of these questions:

• Summarize what the paper is about.
• Identify the thesis statement.
• Point out strong words or phrases.
• Identify one item that would improve the paper

NOTE: Your peer review must be done by 9 pm on Sunday night.

Enjoy your spring break!

Major Writing Project 2: Process & Dates

03.07
In-class: Group work -- Identify civic/public issues
Homework: Read and write a rhetorical precis on Chapter 13 of Good Reasons


03.09
In-class: Research on civic/public program
Find at least 2 sources, write rhetorical precis with citation


Homework: Blog, in paragraph form in at least 400 words, answering these questions. (This will create a draft summary of the issue.):

• What exactly is the problem?
• Who is most affected by the problem?
• What causes the problem?
• Has anyone tried to do anything about it? If so, why haven't they succeeded?
• What is likely to happen in the future if the problem isn't solved?

Make a claim using this template (see page 210 of Good Reasons): Someone should (or should not) do something because . . .


03.11
In-class: Research on solution to problem
Find at least 3 sources, write rhetorical precis with citation


Homework: Blog, in paragraph form in at least 700 words, creating a draft summary of your proposal and your argument. Use the questions on page 223 of Good Reasons.


03.14
In class: Create outline
Homework: Write outline (on blog)


03.16
In-class: Compose first draft
Homework: Annotated Bibliography on blog


03.18
TBA


03.28
Final paper + Annotated Bibliography due at beginning of class

Alternative Assignment: February 25, 2011

Everything You Know

You have spent a good amount of time reading the research surrounding your topic of interest. You have blogged about your research. You have written summaries of your research and created an outline. Now, it is time to pause, step away from your research, and take stock of what you know about your topic. It is time to re-invite your own voice into the conversation. Your job is to blog (500 words) about everything you know on your topic -- in your own words, incorporating your own thoughts. This is, in some ways, a way to reflect on what you are learning. Some of what you write may end up in your final paper, but that isn't the ultimate goal.


Your blog is due on Sunday at 9 pm. You must comment on two classmates' blogs by classtime on Monday. (Your comments must be at least 75 words.)

Upcoming dates . . .

We have just officially entered the zone of your first Major Writing Project. Here is the plan for the next few weeks:

February 16: In-class & Homework: A total of 8 sources on your topic (at least 3 must be academic)with rhetorical precis on your blog -- DUE on 2/18

February 18: In-class: Now that you have done the research, it is time for you to make a claim. Write your claim + reasons and create a thesis statement. Get my approval before class is over. Homework: Write an introduction, using your newly created thesis statement. Put your intro on your blog.

February 21: In-class: Collaboratively create an outline. Homework: Write on your blog a summary of the arguments about your topic -- at least 500 words.

February 23:In-class: Begin compiling paper and annotated bibliography. Homework: Work on first draft

February 25:NO Class: Everything You Know Blog, alternative assignment

February 28: First draft (at least 1000 words) due in class -- on blog and in hard copy! In-class: Peer Review. Homework: Revision.

March 2: Second draft (at least 1500 words) due in class. In-Class: Instructor/Teacher conferences, if necessary

March 4: FINAL draft due.

Citing Sources

Here is my favorite online guide for citing sources:

http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/legacylib/mlahcc.html#books

Another -- even better -- resource:

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/

A weekend for catching up . . .

My dear Comp102 students, you have the weekend to catch up your blogs. By Monday, at the start of class, you should have the following items done:

1) Set up blog on blogspot.com
2) Follow all of your classmates' blogs
3) Follow my blog: dawndiprince.blogspot.com
4) Have the following blog posts:
** 10-15 questions you have about your topic
** a Ted.com video (yes, it must be from Ted.com) related to your topic
** a Rhetorical Precis about your video (use the same format as you would for creating a precis for an article)
** a Rhetorical Precis about an academic article you found using Google Scholar AND the CSU-Pueblo library system

Please NOTE: Your questions, video, AND both Rhetorical Precis should be added to your blog. You do NOT need to bring a hard copy of your precis to class.

Have a great weekend! See you on Monday. If you haven't already heard President Mubarak stepped down from power in Egypt.