Week 12 Extra Credit Blog

I just wanted to post this early, so anyone who wanted to complete it could get a head start!

This blog is due the day of the final exam (May 4) and is considered extra credit to replace a missing blog post from earlier in the semester. Please tell me which blog you would like it to replace in the beginning of the post.

For this post, imagine that you have the opportunity to add a lesson to the ENG 101 curriculum. What type of lesson would you want included (that wasn't already)? Explain the lesson, including a follow-up/in-class activity to the lecture. Think about what would have been helpful, as well as interesting, for you to learn at some point this semester. Remember that the paragraph needs to be a minimum of 150 words to receive full credit!

Week 11 Blog Post Topic

Sorry for the late posting! I announced the topic in class but forgot to put it on here!

For your final blog post (yay!), you will need to write a lengthy and well-developed reflection of the entire semester. You may comment on anything related to the course from your own performance to individual assignments, including responding to the blog itself. It will be very helpful to me to have your feedback so that I can make adjustments to how I structure future classes. Thank you so much for a wonderful semester! I really enjoyed reading each and every one of your blogs, and I wish you all the luck in the future.

Week 10 Blog Post Topic

For this week's blog assignment, you may write about anything you would like! It can be creative. It can be reflective. It can be informative. Just write.

Research Paper Outline Format

For your research paper outline due Monday in class, you may follow the following format or something similar.

I. Introduction
A. Hook (think of something that's going to grab your reader's attention)
B. Background/Definition (tell us what we need to know to understand your claim)
C. Thesis (WHAT-your argument/claim, HOW-how are you going to support it, WHY-the overall importance of your claim)

II. Supporting Point #1 (you might want to consider writing a full topic sentence)
A. Reason/evidence (summary, paraphrase, direct quote--you don't have to write out the whole sentence, but you want to be as specific as possible as to what you're including and where it's from--i.e. direct quote from...about...)
B. Repeat A
C. Repeat A (as many times as necessary)
D. Transition to next supporting point

III. Supporting Point #2 (repeat for as many times as necessary)
A. Repeat above

IV. Opposing Views (if you have them)
A. What are the opposing views
B. Your rebuttal

V. Solution
A. Example (include how you plan to organize/structure your solution)
B. Models (make sure to include references to any proven models from other organizations that you are basing your solution off of)

VI. Conclusion
A. So what? (explore the WHY in your thesis)
B. Leave with a final concluding thought

Week 9 Blog

For your blog post for week 9, please choose one sample argumentative essay from the models in Chapter 3 Argument or Chapter 64 Argument Readings in your HWA textbook. When you are done, please respond to the essay's argument in a 150 word min. post where you will identify and analyze the essay's use of the three rhetorical appeals (appeals to ethos, pathos, and logos). In addition, make sure to respond to the following questions. Do you find the argument to be a strong one? Are there weak points? Pay close attention to the use of outside sources and how the student incorporates quotes/paraphrases to support his/her points. Do the sources seem credible? How can you tell?

Annotated Bibliography Help

Here are some helpful links to get you prepared to write your annotated bibliography. Remember, though, to always look back to your instructions to determine the exact requirements for this assignment! http://olinuris.library.cornell.edu/ref/research/skill28.htm http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/614/01/ http://wordsworth2.net/writing/annotbibguide.htm You will be graded on the number/types of sources, the formatting of the page (margins, spacing, heading, title, ABC order, etc.), the source information (Did you include the required information for each source?), and the source punctuation (Was it in proper MLA format?). As always, let me know if you have any questions!

Week 8 Blog Post Topic

For this week's blog assignment, please visit the Wordle website at http://www.wordle.net/ . Once at the site, click on the "Create Your Own" link. You will be given a place to copy and paste a document. Please choose a paper that you have already written and have saved. The paper could be your Narrative Essay or a paper from any other class. Click "Go." You should then see a visual representation of your paper appear. You may then hit the "Randomize" button to change the design, or you can play with the language/color/font buttons at the top of the page. Once you have a design that you like, click on "Save to Public Gallery." You can enter in your name or leave it Anonymous. Once you save the design, you will see a code appear at the bottom. Then, you will want to copy and paste that code into your blog post. Make sure that you are in "Edit Html" mode in order to paste the text. Finally, make sure to write a minimum 150 word paragraph reflection on the Wordle. You may reflect on the three largest words or make a creative entry. It's up to you! Here's mine...

Research Links

Here are some links to pages I've shown in class to help you get started on your research. As always, email me if you have any problems/questions! Library Homepage: http://gvltec.edu/library/ Controversy/Argumentative Subject Guide: http://libguides.gvltec.edu/argumentative Opposing Viewpoints Database: http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/ovic/userGroupName=gvltec_main Remember, some of these you may be unable to access off-campus without your library card/student id number.

Week 7 Blog Post Topic

For your Argumentative Research Paper, you will choose an issue negatively affecting your community that you feel warrants more attention. Your assignment will be to convince your audience 1) your issue greatly affects their community and 2) your proposed solution will address this issue effectively within the community and is based on proven models.
For the proposal, you should first come up with a strong claim, which will argue that a particular issue is negatively affecting your community and should be recognized. Your claim for the proposal might not end up being exactly the same in your research paper, and that is fine. Next, you will decide on a number of supporting reasons to back up your claim. If you haven’t done all of the research, you should still have an idea of what type of research/evidence you will need to support your claim.
Remember, your proposal should use proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation and be a minimum of 250 words to receive full credit!

Week 6 Blog Post Topic

Sorry this is a day late. Hope you are all having a great spring break!

For this week's blog post, use the Imagination Prompt Generator at http://www.creativity-portal.com/prompts/imagination.prompt.html to find a creative writing topic. You may click on the "next prompt" button as many times as you like until you find something that sparks your interest. Remember, it still needs to be at least 150 words and should use proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

Don't forget that you should be titling your posts "Week 6 ..."

Week 5 Blog Post Topic

For this week's blog assignment, write a reflection on your Narrative Essay. In order to do this, you must actually read through your paper with my comments (which I will hand back on Wednesday) and make mental notes of areas in which you feel you excelled and areas in which you could use some improvement. Then, record these thoughts and any others you may have after fully completing this assignment in a well-developed paragraph (min. 150 words). End the paragraph with a discussion of your goals going into writing the Rhetorical Analysis Essay, including how you plan to address any/all areas of concern.

*This is not an excuse/opportunity for you to vent about your grade. If you have any questions about my comments and/or the grade you received, make an appointment to meet with me outside of class.

Sample Rhetorical Analysis Essays

In addition to the reading from the book, an Analysis of 2 Film Trailers on pg. 240, I have included links to a few sample essays that we will discuss in class on M 3/14. Be prepared to discuss these.

http://www.speakwrite.net/sample_rhetorical_analysis_paper.htm

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/202048/rhetorical_analysis_of_1971_jeep_commando.html

Writing a Rhetorical Analysis

Below I've posted a link that will give you some assistance in preparing to write your next essay, the rhetorical analysis.

http://writingcenter.tamu.edu/2010/how-to/academic/rhetorical-analysis/

We will be discussing this more in-depth next week, but it's never a bad idea to prepare ahead of time!

Week 4 Blog Post

For this week's blog, please choose one photo from any of Time.com's photo essays. Similar to what we did in class, I would like for you to identify any elements used to help convey the photo's persuasive message, including text, color, visuals, design, etc. You should also identify any rhetorical appeals (to ethos, pathos, logos) that you see at work in the photo. You may also practice a sentence or two assessing the overall effectiveness/ineffectiveness of the photo's rhetorical message.

Here's the link to the photo essays:

http://www.time.com/time/photoessays

Color Symbolism Chart

Here's a link to the color symbolism chart I showed you in class. If you choose to write your rhetorical analysis on a piece of visual rhetoric, understanding the various cultural and emotional associations with different colors could be very useful!

http://www.princetonol.com/groups/iad/lessons/middle/color2.htm

Week 3 Blog Post Topic

For this week's blog post, I would like for you to keep a daily record and observation of the rhetoric that you encounter. In addition to listing and describing the rhetorical pieces, also include your impressions of their rhetorical messages. If you need to review examples and definitions involving rhetoric, please see the Introduction to Rhetoric presentation on Blackboard.

Transition Words

Follow this link for some helpful information about using transitional words and phrases in your writing. Incorporating these into your writing is crucial to maintaining cohesive, unified paragraphs and essays.

http://grammar.about.com/od/developingparagraphs/a/cohsignals.htm

Outlining Process

This presentation offers some good ideas about outlining and topic sentences.

Outlining Process

View more presentations from Claudia Cárdenas.

Week 2 Blog Post Topic

For this week's blog post, please choose one line from the song "American Pie" by Don McLean, and use that line to describe anything about yourself (goals, hopes, desires, dislikes, past, present, future, family, friends, etc.). I have included the link to the song's lyrics below:

http://www.lyricsfreak.com/d/don+mclean/american+pie_20042099.html

This exercise should help you figure out how you might incorporate your chosen song's lyrics into your narrative essay. Have fun and be creative! There are no wrong answers.

Make sure that your post is a minimum of 150 words in order to receive full credit. And, like all blog posts, this one is due by Sunday at midnight.