Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Update
Secondly, I have not begun grading the finals or Essay #3 yet, and I have just started looking at the revisions. Most of the journals are done though.
Thirdly, I will be on campus for a little while tomorrow around noon if you like to come visit me or have questions for me -- however, as I mentioned, I do not know grades done yet and would only be able to provide an estimate.
Finally, for those that are interested in grades but do not get a chance to meet with me, I will post some information about the grading scale here on the website later so that you can try to calculate it yourself (remember some of the values have changes since the beginning of the semester). Also, if you would like to, you may pick up your papers from my office next semester, if you would like them back. If you would like me to comment on them, you should send me an email (otherwise, I will simply just read and grade them).
Overall, you were all a pretty good class. Hooray!
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Last Reading Assignment
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/CollegeAndFamily/CutCollegeCosts/is-a-college-degree-worthless.aspx?page=1
Then write a response.
Why are you here?
Your response can be as long as you want it to be.
Note: If I will not be seeing you on Thursday, you may email me your response.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Revisions
All revisions are due by Thursday 12/10.
Papers submitted after this date will not be considered.
-Standard Revision rules include:
You may revise any of your out of class essays once.
You must highlight all of your changes.
You must hand in a hard copy of your paper to me.
You may make up a total of 15 points on any single paper.
Points lost due to a failure to complete a portion of the essay will not be reclaimable.
Friday, December 4, 2009
The Myers-Briggs Test
For this assignment, I would like you to take either test and see what you get. While the test is not exactly scientific, and more specific versions of the test exist, this one is free. Since they are free, there is a bunch of extra junk on the sites, so I do not recommend following any of the extra links -- I don't endorse or know where they go. We can use this test to learn a little bit more about our personalities.
http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp
(for this test, after you receive your type you can click either of the links for type descriptions by D.Keirsey or J. Butt and M.M. Heiss)
http://sminds.com/mbti/
I would like you guys to take the test one day and read what it says about your personality type (note: the first test provides a more in-depth description of the personality types-- assuming you click either of the links I mentioned above). Then I would like you to write a response to the test (one page minimum). In addition to the standard journal response information, I would also like you to briefly tell me what you think about your results (include the personality type you got). Then a day later, and please wait a day, take either test again and see if you get the same result. If you do, let me know what you think about what it says and if you feel it is accurate. Does it seem like your life is making use of these strengths?
If you got different results, what were the differences? Which do you think is more accurate? And is your life in some way reflected in either of these two personality types?
Have fun with it, but also remember to think about how English fits into this assignment.
The whole assignment should be a minimum of 1.5 pages when you are done, but naturally you can always write more.
For further information on the specifics of your personality type, should you be interested, I recommend a quick look at your personality type on Wikipedia.com.
Note: As a second option, if you would like to take this test only once, but get a very thorough profile of yourself (or you are interested by tests like this), I recommend visiting our campus' career center. It is on the second floor of Langsdorf Hall 208 (the same building where my office is). Such an endeavor would not be a waste of your time.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Fallacies and Debates
The earlier you turn it in, the more of a chance you will have that I will read it and offer good revision feed back.
As I mentioned, the paper is due by 11:59 on Dec 03, in order to be eligible for a revision.
Otherwise the paper is due by Thursday Dec 10 (with no chance for revision).
Also remember, your paper has to show effort, in order to be eligible for revision.
Make sure you observe standard formatting.
Send me an email if you have a question.
Debates will continue on Thursday.
Review your Fallacies!
Monday, November 30, 2009
Tomorrow
Be prepared!
For class you also need one copy of your rough draft.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Essay #3 Outlines/Theses
See entry below for details.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Holiday Break
As it currently stands, here are the topics people have chosen for Essay #3
Max Tormohlen (Gun Control)
Sarah Kim (Animal Testing)
Jessica Rojo (Animal Testing)
Elizabeth Tracy (Animal Testing)
Nicole Sorenson (Animal Testing)
Gabriel Arballo (Animal Fur)
Alex Burtea (Obama’s Healthcare Reform)
Brandon Goco (Film Remakes)
Dylan Plautz (Legalization of Marijuana)
Christian Michel (Legalization of Marijuana)
Tyler McAfee (Legalization of Marijuana)
Danie Austin (Young Marriages)
Ranim Ziade (Violence in the Media)
Alexandra Tichy (Vegetarianism)
Ashley Ortiz (Beauty Pageants)
Melanie Perezalonso (Beauty Pageants)
Olga Valladares (Euthanasia)
Claudia Torres (Drivers Licenses for Aliens)
Jerry Hernandez (Lowering the Drinking Age)
Jaime West (Lowering the Drinking Age)
Kevin Kim (College for NBA players)
Sam Ahn (Evolution in Public Schools)
Emaan Sourjah (Childcare for Students?)
Abe Rodas (War in Afghanistan)
Speros Mantas (Criminal Graffiti as Art)
Bryce Forbes (Baseball Instant Replay)
Manny Hurtado (Border Control?)
I did not list stances, but I have notes on them. If your topic is not right, or you have a question mark next to your topic, please send me an email to clarify your topic. (Some of you guys talked to me after class about your topics, but I do not remember what you decided on, so please let me know your final answer.)
In addition to making sure I know you topic and stance, the break’s homework for Essay #3 is to email me a formal outline of your paper by Tuesday 11-24. Include your thesis and a section on your counterargument in the outline. Remember: there will not be a revised outline for this essay, so make sure you spend some time on your outline and make it right the first time. It should look like a formal outline, be formatted correctly, and observe MLA guidelines.
For the Tuesday when we come back (12-01), you must have a rough draft of your essay (at least 3 full pages). While I recommend you seek out help from your peers over break, the official peer review will homework for Tuesday’s class. Remember: Revision for this last essay will be difficult, as it will be the end of the year, so I recommend you turn in the best product you can, as well as get as many points as you can on the minor things like outlines and rough drafts.
*Do not forget that this essay requires at least on scholarly source.*
Finally, the Tuesday we come back from break will be Debate day!
Here are the teams, as far as I remember. If I have someone in the wrong place, just let me know, please. If you are not on a team, please send me an email, so I can put you somewhere.
Team 1 = Alex, Brandon, Abe, Bryce
Team 2 = Speros, Elizabeth, Ashley, Sam, Olga
Team 3 = Christian, Sarah, Tyler, Alexandra
Team 4 = Emaan, Jerry, Gabriel, Kevin
Team 5 = Claudia, Jessica, Jamie, Max
Team 6 = Melanie, Nicole, Danie, Ranim, Dylan
The topics and team stances are:
Legalization of Marijuana
-Pro (Team 3) Against (Team 1)
Euthanasia
-Pro (Team 2) Against (Team 5)
Animal Testing
-Pro (Team 1) Against (Team 6)
Raising Tuition
-Pro (Team 3) Against (Team 5)
Privatizing the Prison System
-Pro (Team 4) Against (Team 2)
Death Penalty
-Pro (Team 6) Against (Team 4)
So be prepared as best you can. Stay in contact with each other and develop a strategy. Remember to familiarize yourself with the fallacies, as fallacies automatically weaken an argument. Individual topic discussion will last roughly 10 minutes, with each team getting 5 minutes. Please try to arrange it so that everyone does something and everyone talks at least once. Have fun and be respectful of each other.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Taking a Stand
If you are considering multiple topics and cannot decide between them, list them all and your stances on the topics in the email
Send me an Email if you have a question.
Information on Redemption Essays - Recap
First: If you scored above a 70 on Essay #2, you do not have to turn in a so-called "Redemption Essay" on Thursday, as you did well enough that you do not need redeeming.
(Elizabeth, Jamie, Christian*, etc.)
Of those people who scored above 70, if you scored above 74 you will be entitled to some privileges later in the semester.
(Alex, Abe, Ashley, Brandon, Jerry, Jessica, Melanie*, and Ranim)
If any of you would like to do a revision of this essay anyway, standard procedures still apply.
(Highlight your changes and Turn it in as a hard copy to me before the end of the year.)
Note: If you have an asterisk (*) next to your name, it means you are suffering from some deductions, but you still managed to get enough points that you do not have to turn in your revision by Thursday. I recommend you address those issues before you turn in your final revisions of Essay #2.
Second: For those of you not exempt from the Redemption Essay, I would like the first couple of pages to be the new Outline and then you can go right in to the Essay itself. Do not make them two separate documents, but please observe standard formatting for your header, page numbers, margins, etc. Even though some of you guys have turned in both outlines (Rough and Revised), I would still like you to make one more outline, as I believe it will help you with structuring your paper and organizing your ideas. (I will be expecting these people to submit an essay under the "Redemption Essays" tab on TurnItIn.com before 11:59 pm on Thursday (11-19): Sam, Gabriel, Max, Emaan, Kevin, Bryce, Alexandra, Olga, Danie, Nicole, Dylan, Claudia, Manny, Sarah, Speros, and Tyler)
(Special case instructions: Dylan, you do not need to include a new outline. Emaan, your essay is due Sunday before 11:59 pm; do not worry about the "late" next to your name, as long as you turn it in by then, you will be fine. Manny, I am still expecting a rough draft by email this evening.)
Third: Highlight your changes. If you change something like a word, add a sentence, or anything minor like that, I would like you to highlight that change. If you create an entirely new essay, you do not need to highlight it. If you create a new paragraph, within your existing essay, you only need to highlight the first and last word. I hope that makes sense.
(Example: much like the way bold was used in that last paragraph.)
Note: Everyone that failed to come to peer review and/or did not email me a rough draft will not be able to redeem those points -- they are lost forever. Peer review is a valuable tool.
I hope this clarifies everything. If not, you should send me an email -- immediately!
Good Luck. Remember this assignment exists because I want you to do well.
Essay #3 - Argumentative Essay
Final Draft Due 12-04-09
Essay Assignment #3 – Argumentative Essay
Arguments are a part of everyday life and a major component of your college work. In fact, I believe you can become a better citizen if you know how to disassemble arguments and create your own, as you will be able to make choices for yourself and question those made by people around you – or even in power. I also believe that if you cannot argue your point, you are a detriment to your cause, as you must not only believe in something and support it, you must also know why. So for this essay you must write a well-developed, cohesive paper that states a point and supports it. Additionally, you must support your point with at least one scholarly source, as knowing how to research an idea before arguing it is extremely important.
Write a 4 page paper minimum in which you argue a position. This position can be virtually anything: taking a side on a political controversy, propose a policy change, provide an answer to a personal crisis, something you want, etc. Whatever your topic, you must focus on a debatable point—something someone could, theoretically, at least, disagree with. However, you must pick something that can be supported with evidence, so try to stay away from faith based arguments (things like abortion and so on). If you would like to argue on something that often uses a faith-based argument but approach it in a different way, you may talk to me. Additionally, you must avoid fallacies. Fallacies in your argument not only weaken your ethos on the position, as they show you do not have a grasp of logic, they do not provide a valid argument, and thus will not satisfy this assignment.
Remember to place your thesis statement at the end of the introduction in which you clearly articulate your topic and your stance regarding your topic, so that your argument is explicitly clear from the beginning. You will also need to include a counterargument in which you recognize and address the major opposition to your view point. As always, papers shorter than the four-page absolute minimum will be severely penalized or summarily failed, depending on how short the essay is. There will be no second chances on this one. If you anticipate wanting to revise, you might want to get your paper to me before the deadline; however, this does not guarantee that I will get to it before the end of the semester, so try to turn in your best work the first time around.
Choose a topic you are interested in and write a well-developed, cohesive essay arguing your point. Make sure you acknowledge the opposing side’s argument in a counterargument and include at least one (no more than three) scholarly source.
The essays must be:
- Double spaced
- **Typed in 12-pt Times New Roman font**
- **At least 4 full pages long.**
- and Follow MLA guidelines for citations and format
Note: Failure to comply with these specifications will result in an unredeemable loss of points.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Argumentative Assignments
One was about the elements of an Argument (Warrant, Claim, etc), which you write a one page response to.
The other was a few fallacies. In addition to the fallacies in the reading, you should find one of your own and document it. The only page requirement for this portion of the assignment is that it suffcient enough to explains the fallacy in your own words, where you found it, and contains any other information you think is important.
Second go to: http://www.southparkstudios.com/guide/809/
And watch the episode of South Park relating to Walmart.
In a one page response, consider: How it compares to "The High Costs of Low Prices"?
Although it is crude, analyze the argument of the show.
You might also consider things like: What is the show's stance on Walmart?
How can you tell? Does it use any of the fallacies?
Finally, two posts below this one, I presented some General Tips to becoming a more effective student.
My first tip of advice was Communicate and ask questions. The whole semester, I have essentially begged you to ask me questions when you do not understand something. I even went as far as making it an assignment.
But then on Thursday very few of you decided to communicate, so we will move on to the next tip of advice I offered: Become Self Reliant.
My advice for you, though many of you will most likely ignore it, is to review the following items on your own:
Sentence Errors:
-Active/Passive Voice
-Run-On Sentences
-Comma Splices
-Fragments
-Semicolons
-Commas and Restrictive/Nonrestrictive Elements
-Contractions
-Number agreement
Paragraph Issues:
-Transitions
-Organization
-Tone
Additional Information:
-The Appeals/ Modes of Persuasion
-Paper Formatting
Find a way to get the information!
If you are SERIOUS about YOUR EDUCATION, you will find a way.
You do not need to do it if you don't want to, you do not need to write a response, but you should familiarize yourself with this information. I guarantee those that have at least some understanding of this information will have an easier time with English in the future.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Redemption Outlines
This time around, since a lot of you did not turn in revised outlines, and those that did may still be changing their papers significantly, I would like you to create a new outline for your paper.
Preferably before you begin working on substantial changes to your paper, just take a few minutes to outline line what your paper's organization should look like. Include a revised thesis and try to follow the formatting of a formal outline.
Note: Dylan and Melanie, you do not need to make a new outline if you do not want to.
If you did receive a grade but your grade suffered because you did not turn in an outline, you might also consider making one and turning that in with your revision.
As you may notice, TurnItIn.com now has an assignment entitled "Redemption Essays," this is where you will be turning in your revised essays some time next week. Work on your stuff, but do not worry about it just yet.
I will discuss in class how and when these revisions will be turned in in class on Thursday.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Comments on Turn It In
Now, when you look at my comments, please make some notes on any that you feel are unclear, you need explained, or that you find are confusing. Make sure your make a note of what the comment or correction was, as well as write down the sentence that goes with the comment.
Some comments will be more detailed or specific to your entire text, so these may need to be discussed in a private meeting, but I encourage you to seek answers to anything that is unclear.
Remember to begin working on your revision, even if you got a grade, as it is a good idea to start early. Highlight all of your changes in yellow.
Monday, November 9, 2009
General Tips
Get involved in Your Education
Communicate
If you have problems communicate them to the teacher. If that is hard, communicate them to your peers.
+If you do not understand something, ask a question. If you cannot figure it out on your own, do not wait for some one else to ask it, or wait to figure it out on your own later. And definitely do not continue without ever trying to figure it out.
+If something is happening outside of school that is keeping you from doing your work, let your instructors know. Some instructors will not care, but some will be willing to work with you. If nothing else, let them know when you will be absent – preferably before you are absent or the day of the absence (not days later).
+If you are having trouble understanding an assignment, having trouble completing an assignment, or turning an assignment in on time, you should talk to your instructors in person or at least send them an email (Before it is due!). Even if they do not cut you some slack, they will at least know you are trying.
Become Self Reliant.
Find resources for yourself and practice discipline.
+There is such a thing as a stupid question. Stupid questions are ones you can figure out on your own or have already been answered a few times.
+But it’s far better to ask a stupid question and be a little embarrassed, then to be ignorant.
+Remember if you do not understand something, it is up to you to figure out a way to learn it.
+If you cannot get something, it is up to you to find a way to get it – even if it seems unreasonable or unobtainable.
+Teach yourself to self analyze and learn to spot your own errors.
+Check your own work. If you see something that is wrong, fix it.
+Know your own weakness and strengths. Work to make these two things more equal.
+When something is difficult, explore ways that you can fix it on your own. (Do your own research).
+No one will be there to force you to do your homework or come to class. Try to think of it less like Work and more like Working Out. Much like the gym, you aren’t here to get paid, you paid to be here. The harder you try here, the more value you get for your money.
+Be in charge of your own brain. Do not accept everything you are told. If you analyze what you are being told there will be times where you question what professors are telling you. Don’t be afraid to do your own research, ask other students, other professors, or even the professor him/herself.
Network
Often, you will be the only one you can count on, but when you have the opportunity, reach out to other people. Even a small community can help make both learning and assignments easier.
+Proofread each other’s work (and your own).
+Ask each other questions.
+Use each other’s strengths. You probably do this with your friends all the time. It may be time to do this now with new people.
+Get phone numbers and email addresses of other students, and don’t be afraid to use them when you need to.
+Be someone other people can rely on, but don’t let people rely on you when they offer you nothing in return.
+Talk to professors. They often will be willing to help you – even after you have passed their class. They also come in handy when you need things like letters of recommendation later.
Failure Happens
Not everything always goes according to plan.
+When you fail, it is up to you to fix it.
**Sometimes the teacher is a jerk, sometimes you get sick, sometimes you just mess up, but what ever happens, you can fix it. You just have to be willing to try (I mean really try).
+When failure happens, ask yourself why it happened. Apply your critical lens to the situation, and remember to apply it to yourself as well.
+If you cannot figure out what went wrong, ASK (politely).
+Failure is only failure if you learned nothing from the experience.
+Sometimes people just need more time to master something. Everyone develops at a different rate, and that rate is seldom the four months in a semester.
+Remember that failure is a powerful teacher.
Be Professional
As a student in a university, you are a professional scholar – act like it. But remember this advice is applicable to other professions as well.
+Be presentable.
Even having a professional sounding email address can go a long ways.
+Try to eliminate things that are easy to catch before they become problems.
+Try not to shoot yourself in the foot. And try to make things easier for those above you or evaluating you.
+Take your time, but do not procrastinate.
+Professionals read, and they also read the directions.
+Professionals practice manners and courtesy with their superiors and each other.
+Professionals are always prepared.
+Professionals know their material, but aren’t afraid to admit when they don’t; but when they don’t, they quickly find out, so that it never happens again.
+And professionals are familiar with the above four sections.
**Professionals communicate when they need to. They are self reliant, but they network when they need to. And most of all, professionals fail. The only thing that is different is that when professionals fail, they learn from their failure, so they don’t fail next time.
Now, there is obviously one thing I left out: Fun. Yes, it is actually important to have fun. People actually learn more when they have fun. Also things tend to feel less overwhelming when they are fun. So, when you have an assignment, try to pick subjects that interest you. Do not always take all of the “hard” classes together. Spread them out, or you will fatigue. Make sure you plan some fun into your life, but keep it balanced. Have fun. Three is no reason why fun cannot be part of the equation when it is appropriate.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Research and Sources
Please read the pages I emailed you entitled "A Troubleshooting Guide to Research."
You should also read the page on Evaluating Web Pages at http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/Evaluate.html
Consider the importance of this information beyond just this class.
You only need to do a minimum of one page for your response for both of these assignments, but I HIGHLY recommend you read them in full. They really aren't that long.
Check back here later for one more post.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Peer Review Due
Also remember that presentations will continue this week. Please, come to class and be supportive of your classmates.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Writing Center Workshop Schedule
Here is a list of Workshops that the Writing Center is going to be hosting.
I recommend that you go to one.
They are good for you!
If you have not gotten your visit in for the Writing Center... DO IT!
Writing Center Workshop Schedule
All workshops last for one hour.
Date Time Subject Room
10/19 1:30 p.m. Responding to Prompts UH-207
10/26 4:00 p.m. Editing & Proofreading UH-337
10/29 11:30 a.m. Brainstorming UH-239
11/2 4:00 p.m. Thesis Statements UH-337
11/3 1:00 p.m. Mechanics/Sentence Construction LH-304
11/5 11:15 a.m. Descriptive Writing UH-239
11/10 1:00 p.m. Prewriting & Developing Theses LH-304
11/11 1:30 p.m. Revision Strategies LH-403B
11/12 9:00 a.m. Active Voice & Descriptive Language LH-320
11/13 2:00 p.m. Editing UH-337
11/17 11:00 a.m. Organization UH-239
11/18 12:00 p.m. Persuasive Writing UH-240
(Notice the last one is going to be our next Essay topic)
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Two for Tuesday
The Final Draft will be due on Thursday (10-29), when we will begin doing presentations.
Get ready! Remember, the presentations are only 5 minutes long. You should have a clear understanding of what you are talking about and be ready to go. Your outlines may help you structure your presentation, as well as give you an idea of what to cover and in what order.
Assuming your outline was precise and detailed.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Thursday's "Class" Assignment
In case you need to know, I wrote this essay using the Batman outline that I mailed to you earlier (also seen in the entry below). I have written an analysis of The Dark Knight, using essay Prompt#1. I am analyzing the Two main characters.
Know that my outline is structurally correct, and that it outlines the type of paper that would effectively answer the prompt, but this paper does not. This paper is not what I want, so do not follow this essay's example.
My essay has many errors, some that I want you guys to practice spotting.
Here is what you must look for AND mark:
+Find four uses of the second person (Not including things that are in quotes). Highlight these words in Blue.
+Find four formatting issues. Next to these issues write what the problem is and highlight your words in Red.
+Find three contractions or places that need apostrophes and correct them. Highlight these corrections in Orange.
+Find two run-on sentences and try your best to correct them. Highlight your corrections in Green.
+Find five misused commas or places that need commas and fix them. Highlight these corrections in Yellow.
+Find three different instances of redundancy and highlight them purple or magenta.
+Find four instances of an informal tone being used and simply make it bold.
+Find one major instance of failing to answer the prompt or deviating from the prompt and italicize it.
+Then, below my essay I want you to peer review the paper like we did for our partners last time. As my partner, what would you recommend I do to fix this paper. You cannot simply say that I am terrible and that I need to rewrite it. Do not be overly rude or unhelpful. What constructive criticism would you offer? Where should I focus on developing my ideas? Pick a few places you have questions about and ask them. Be specific.
+Finally, considering the following criteria I use to grade papers, what would you give me for a grade? Be fair.
Clarity = 20
Flow = 20
Details = 20
Analysis = 20
Form = 20
Remember this must be emailed back to me with your marks before 11:59 tonight (10-22)!
If you have a questions send me an email.
If you want to point to multiple things in a single sentence, instead of highlighting everything, highlight particular parts for the first thing and change the color of the font to the second color for the second thing.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
For Example:
I. The introduction offers a brief overview of the success of the movie “The Dark Knight.”
*****A. Its success in the box office.
**********1. Earned more than $500 million at the North American box office.
********** 2. Earned more than $1 billion world wide.
*****B. The film received numerous awards nominations and two Academy Awards.
********** 1. Best sound editing
********** 2. Best Supporting Actor
*****C. Thesis: “The conflict between chaos and order is personified in the struggle for Gotham’s soul between Batman and the Joker.”
II. This section offers a brief overview of the plot.
*****A. Audience
**********1. Demographics
**********2. Expectations
***************a. Exceeded Expectations
*****B. Super Hero Movies
**********1. Complexity of Character
***************a. Both Batman and The Joker are insane
**********2. Moral Grey Area
***************a. How far can a hero go to stop a mad man?
**********3. Deep Critique of Society
III. “Batman has no limits” – Bruce Wayne
*****A. This section offers an analysis of Batman’s character.
*****B. What types of gadgets does Batman use?
**********1. Sonar imaging system.
***************a. Provides him with incredible power
*************************i. Lucius Fox
*************************ii. The destruction of the mainframe
***************b. Provides him with the ability to better control his environment
**********2. Other specialized equipment.
***************a. He is so rigid, he can’t turn his head.
***************b. Grants him the Power to be Batman
*************************i. “I’m not wearing hockey pads” -Batman
*****C. What does Batman stand for?
**********1. People do not have to be afraid
**********2. Criminals do
*****D. What lines will Batman not cross?
**********1. Batman usually refrains from maliciously hurting people
**********2. Batman refuses to kill people
*****E. Batman is order incarnate because he restores order to a disorderly world (Gotham).
IV. “A better class of criminal” – The Joker
*****A. This section offers an analysis of the Joker’s character
*****B. What does the Joker favor? (destruction)
**********1. Cheap Weapons
***************a. Dynamite
***************b. Gunpowder
*************************i. Thompson Submachine Gun
***************c. Gasoline
*************************i. Burns the Money
**********2. Mayhem
***************a. “Nothing in his pockets but knives and lint”-Lt. James Gordon
*****C. The Joker is Chaos incarnate, because his goal is to disassemble order in Gotham City.
V. “Some men just want to watch the world burn” –Alfred Pennywise
*****A. The Final Confrontation between the Joker and Batman
**********1. “This is what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object”-The Joker
B. This section offers the connection between the characters and the theme.
**********1. Alfred’s story of the man in Burma
********** 2. Lighting/Cinematography
***************a. Serious Tone
VI. The conclusion reiterates the thesis in new words: “The Joker and Batman both are intensely powerful characters on their own, but their effectiveness at captivating audiences comes from their complex interactions, and through these interactions they become modern archetypes of Chaos and Order.”
*****A. This section recaps the conflict between the major characters.
*****B. Poses some ideas as to why “The Dark Knight” was so successful.
**********1. Because it friggin’ rocks!
Revised Outlines
Just for Fun
Here is a dinosaur rendition of some of the things we talked about yesterday. Yes, even dinosaur comics are aware of these tricks.
http://www.qwantz.com/index.php?comic=1211
Then the next panel too.
http://www.qwantz.com/index.php?comic=1212
T-rex is the only one that offers good advice.
And, sadly, there is no easy way to do that one. :-P
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Furlough Recap
First off, for those that did not hand in your outlines before you left (or were not in class today), please email them to me immediately. I will take a look at them and send you back a comment or two. The revised version, especially considering what we talked about in class today, will be due on Thursday 10-22 through email.
For those that wanted to see my example on Batman, I will post that on here later, probably tomorrow. Remember mine is just an example, but I would like to see your outlines follow this format here:
I. Major Section
*****A. Subsection
**********1. Sub-subsection
***************a. Details
********************i. Minutia
********************ii. Remember you should have at least two divisions to justify a division.
***************b. One more level b
**********2. Sub-subsection 2
**********3. Sub-subsection 3
*****B. Subsection B
II. Major Section II
Note: The * are simply indicating spaces; that way you guys can see the number of spaces per line break.
Creative Options
I only got a few people that talked to me about a creative option on this paper. Remember if you are considering that option, you have to talk to me. Also remember, that if you are considering that, that you have to have a clear understanding of what you are trying to convey and to make it look good. Do not make the mistake of thinking this is just an easier way to do the assignment. I will, in some ways, be grading on your artistic abilities, as well as your ability to persuade and analyze what it takes to be persuasive.
Essay #2
Just to restate the rules that we talked about on this coming paper (and all papers to come).
Papers must reach the minimum page requirement or they will be awarded a zero.
To make sure you have as many pages as you think you have, you will want to make sure you have one inch margins all the way around, 12 pt font, a font style that is similar to Times New Roman, and that your paper is correctly double-spaced (no extra spaces).
*Also, do not use "You" or Contractions or you will be penalized.
Make sure you look at your prompt and answer it.
If you are having a hard time understanding the prompt or finding something to write on or making the paper good, or you simply have a general question, come talk to me or send me an email!
You can also try the Writing Center. If you are having a hard time, the Writing Center can help.
Yes, even if you already have one visit, you may need to go a second time. Sometimes getting help is what it takes to do well in college and in life. I encourage you to take the initiative.
If you had a hard time with your clarity, perhaps due to being bilingual, the Writing Center or I can help. All you have to do is ask.
Revisions:
If you did not do well on the last paper, or you just want to revise (which is recommended everyone do to maximize their points in class), you must do a few things.
If you want to earn points, you cannot simply correct the grammar things that I marked and hand it in. Content must also be revised and updated. I would like to see improvement in all categories. If you do not understand those categories, ask me and I can show you.
If you have questions how to improve those categories, you should come talk to me.
The Writing Center can also help you.
When looking for help from me or the Writing Center, I recommend you have a good idea of the question you want to ask, or the areas you want to focus on before you show up though.
When you do revise, I want any part that you changed to be highlighted. I want to easily be able to find the things you have changed.
Finally, the only homework for tonight is to work on and revise the Outline and Thesis for your paper, which is due on Thursday 10-22.
THURSDAY'S "CLASS" ASSIGNMENT:
I will email you guys an assignment at 12:00 am on Thursday. You will have all day to do it, but it is due at 11:59 pm that night (before it is technically Friday). This assignment will be an essay I wrote just for you guys. It will be terrible. The epitome of what I do not want to see. For this assignment you will practice revising, as well as locating common errors found in student papers and fixing them. There will be more specific rules on the actual assignment, but this is basically what I would like you to do. You are only required to spend roughly an hour on it, but I will have no way of knowing how long you spend on it. So do it fast, do it slow, I don't care as long as you do it well. Since you will not be getting points for attendance or any in-class assignment or even a homework assignments, this assignment will be worth Triple the points.
Do it well! Remember to check your email boxes on Thursday. Good luck.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
The New Deal
After careful consideration, I have decided to have you guys come to class next Tuesday 10/20.
But before you panic, I have also decided not to have you guys come on Thursday 10/22.
This is what the majority of you guys said you wanted anyway. But this also means you better be there!
Here is what this means for the class: I want to see a thesis and outline for next Tuesday's class (even if you want to do a creative option and have not cleared it with me yet). Check the class website later this weekend for more specific information. We will most likely meet on the outside stairs to Langsdorf Hall (the building that houses my office) for class. At this meeting we will continue analyzing some more ads, as well as discuss your recent creative media pieces (which are hilarious, by the way, and perhaps why I am changing my mind). This will also give you guys an earlier opportunity to ask any questions on Essay #2 that you may have, as well as give those people who want to try a creative project a chance to discuss it with me. It will also give the industrious few who want to start on their revision of the first essay a chance to talk to me. I will be there as early as 1:30, in case anyone wants to discuss something with me before class.
Since we will not be meeting on Thursday, I simply will move everything back a day. The rough drafts of Essay #2 will not be due until Tuesday 10/27. The presentations will then begin on Thursday 10/29, which is now when the final draft will be due.
Also, if you have not signed up for presentations, this will give you a chance to get over there and sign up sometime before presentations actually start. By the way, if you haven't signed up for presentations yet, you should expect to go on the first day, which is Thursday 10/29, as those appear to be the only slots left. I recommend all of you be prepared to go on the first day, anyway, simply because you never know what could happen. Half of the class could not show up, and the next name on the list could be yours. :-)
I believe this will work better for everyone. If you have any concerns or something is not clear. Email me and let me know.
Essay Assignment #2 – Media Analysis Paper
Choose one of the following essay prompts, and a corresponding piece of media, and write a well-developed, cohesive essay about the different elements presented within.
The essays must be:
- Double spaced
- **Typed in 12-pt Times New Roman font**
- **At least 4 full pages long.**
- and Follow MLA guidelines
Note: Failure to comply with these specifications will result in a terrible loss of points.
Prompt #1
Analyze stereotypes (or lack there of), the main character(s) (limit two), or the themes (limit three) in either a movie or a video game of your choosing. I recommend choosing a movie/game you can sit through a couple of times. Do not analyze all three of these things; however, a character, for instance, may be stereotyped or play an important part in a theme, so it is okay to include these ideas if they are relevant to your analysis of one element. Things you should consider when looking at the above elements include: cinematography, dialogue, lighting, music, story, genre, and audience expectations. Then try to draw some conclusions about the audience of this particular movie/game. Are they reinforcing these ideas by paying for a ticket/ buying the game? How culpable is the audience in what is displayed on the screen? Although in a movie, the movie itself is the product, be aware of any product placement or instances where they are trying to get the audience to buy or buy into a certain thing.
Note: Do not spend more than one paragraph summarizing the movie/game. Although it may help to choose a critically acclaimed movie/game or one that has won an award of some nature, you do not need to. If you do choose a movie/game with serious or extensive reviews, do not simply recycle what the critics say!
Prompt #2
Print ads make a complex argument in a very limited space – even if they are on huge billboards. Analyze a print advertisement of your choosing (you may want to pick one that you feel strongly about). Look both at the appeals and the visuals presented in the ad that assist with these appeals. How are these appeals conveyed? How do they affect the audience? Who is that audience? What does that say about the audience that looks supports or responds to these ads? You may want to start by describing the advertisement; if so, keep it brief. The real description should be sprinkled throughout the various paragraphs that are analyzing different aspects of the advertisement. Berger’s “Checklist for Analyzing Print Advertisements” might help here. Consider things such as: who is in the ad (is it anyone famous?), color, space, mood, design, product being sold, models used (race, gender, class of those models), use of text, and where the ad is found. Also, try to boil down the advertisement’s argument to its most extreme message.
Note: You must turn in a copy of your advertisement to me with a cover page with the title of your paper and your standard information on it on the day the paper is due.
Prompt #3
Live action commercials fall somewhere between print advertisements and movies. They often have plots, likeable characters, and delightful music, in addition to trying to sell their product. Choose a commercial (preferably one you feel strongly about or can watch a few times) and analyze it by looking at the combination of appeals and visual arguments, and how these two elements work together to persuade the audience to buy a product. How are these appeals conveyed? How do they affect the audience? Who is that audience? What does that say about the audience that looks at, supports, or responds to these ads? You may want to start by describing the advertisement; if so, keep it brief. The real description should be sprinkled throughout the various paragraphs that are analyzing different aspects of the advertisement. Consider things such as: who is in the ad (is it anyone famous?), color, space, mood, product being sold, models used (race, gender, class of those models), use of text, and where the ad is found. You may also consider: cinematography, dialogue, lighting, music, story, audience expectations, product being sold, and the importance of the central character (including his/her personality/charisma/effectiveness). Berger’s “A Primer on Analyzing Television Commercials” may be of some help here. Just as with the print ad, try to boil down the advertisement’s argument to its most extreme message.
Note: You must find a website that hosts this commercial and include the link at the end of the essay, so that I may watch it.
Appendix: What does it mean to look at Gender/Racial/ Class Stereotypes?
For gender, show how the characters or models are either typically feminine or masculine or how they do not fit the normal categorization of gender, as well as the implications of this gender “norm.” If looking at race, are they stereotyped? Are the models/characters simply tokens intended to appeal to a great audience? Are the models even that ethnically diverse or are they extreme representations of their race? Do they act naturally or do they seem false? If the main character is a certain race, how are other races situated around him/her? When looking at class, see if the main “character” is part of a certain class. How can you tell? How are other classes represented? Are they stereotyped, offensive, over the top, or more moderate? Does that help indicate who this product is being marketed to? When you check, see if the models/characters are sexualized, objectified, stereotyped, or realistic. Look at their physical characteristics, emotional behavior, actions, clothing, and word choice. These are important focal points for this assignment. Virtually all of these ideas can also then be applied to the audience.
Prompt #4
Creative Options: In these options you are the force behind the advertisement. While the creative options require less writing, you must have a clear understanding of the techniques you are utilizing, as well as have a clear focus of what you are trying to achieve. Also, you must get your idea cleared by me before you can do it as an option.
Choose one of the below options:
+Create a movie trailer roughly one to three minutes in length for a movie that does not exist. Write up a short explanation of the video and the techniques you used to appeal to the audience and entice them to come see the movie (one page minimum). You may also want to tell me what the plot of the movie “would” be.
+Create a live action commercial roughly thirty to sixty seconds in length for a product that does not exist. Write up a short analysis of your commercial telling me about the appeals you used, your target audience, and your commercials main method of persuading the audience to buy your product (two page minimum). You may also want to explain what the product you are selling is or does.
+Design a detailed print advertisement on a professional medium for a product or cause that does not exist. Write up an analysis of your own advertisement (similar to prompt #2), where you describe the major appeals and techniques you used in order to persuade the audience to buy your product (3 page minimum). You may also want to explain what the cause or product that you are promoting does.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
I can has cheezBerger?
This should help with your analyses, as well as make you aware of a few things you perhaps did not know about before. Read it and respond to it in no more than a page. This means your response must be concise but poignant. The last two parts (the "checklist" and the "primer") are definitely things you should consider when you work on your own topic for your essay (which I will be passing out the prompt for on Wedsday).
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Swift Assignment: Round Two
Second, look for proof that this is a satire; things like irony, word play, and humor will help prove this. Finally, in addition to poverty, think about what other specific problems are facing Ireland. For these problems, only consider the ones Swift points to in his essay. As the essay was written in 1729, I do not want contemporary problems that Ireland has to deal with. To answer this, you may want to ask yourself, what problems are leading to Ireland's poverty? What policies, social orders, or beliefs cause the Irish to continue their "terrible" cycle of existence? You do not have to provide outside research, but I would like you to analyze the essay. In roughly a page record a few of your findings and analyze the way in which this mode of persuasion, appeal, or whatever is conveyed and the effect it has on the reader.
So, to clarify, for the minimum, you should write roughly a page regarding the appeals and roughly a page regarding the satire and problems facing Ireland question, but you can always go over the minimum. If you have some good ideas then write them down!
Also, for Tuesday's class please bring at least one blank, white piece of paper of standard notebook paper size, and your favorite drawing pencil/pen, and a few colored pencils, markers, etc.
Do not just bring a piece of notebook paper and the same pen you use everyday.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Swiftly Moving On
http://www.online-literature.com/swift/947/
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Midterm Time
Also, please bring the Peer Response you got from your partner, as I will be evaluating them.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
****Papers Due****
If you are already done, then you may turn your paper in "early".
For future reference, the papers that get turned in early usually get read first and the grades for those papers are posted first. However, do not turn a paper in so early that you do not get a chance to implement any of the advice of me or your peers. That would just be silly.
As for when will grades be posted, they will be posted roughly 2 weeks after you turn it in. I read them randomly, sometimes based on cool titles and sometimes based on when the paper was turned in, so if you titled your paper "My Goal" or "Essay #1" or wait until the last minute to turn it in like some sort of slacker, I may wait until the last minute to read it. :-)
Saturday, September 26, 2009
"Homework"
I talked about some additional reading, but I think you guys should just stay focused on your essays.
**Somethings to remember:**
+Make sure you focus on the PROCESS (whatever that process might be) This is a process paper.
+Provide important details
+Check your Thesis with your Paper
+Check your MLA formatting (take a look here: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/ for some help)
1 inch margins
Double Spaced
12 pt. Times New Roman Font (or equivalent)
Align your text to the left (Do not evenly justify it)
Do not skip extra lines between paragraphs
Name and Page number in Header
+Do not use Contractions or the word "You"
+Make sure you have 3 full pages (touch the fourth at least a little), all though it is alright to write more.
+Check your ideas against the prompt. Make sure you answer the prompt.
Send me an email if you have a question.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
A Note on Essays
Although the minimum for the rough draft is two pages and 3 full pages for the final draft (meaning it touches the fourth page), it does not mean that you are limited to only that many pages.
Do not feel obligated to go beyond, but the idea is that you write as much as you need to in order to fully explore your topic.
This is a writing class, and as such, you will never be punished for writing more than the minimum.
Of course, if you write 3 pages of meandering nonsense and three pages of good information, you will obviously not do well -- and I will tell you to reduce it.
For future reference, only if I state that their is a maximum limit on what you write do you need to worry about your upper limits. :-)
Rough Drafts
Work on your papers and produce a rough draft that is at least Two Full Pages long.
Bring Two Copies of this Rough Draft for Thursday.
In addition to the rough draft, you must also revise your Outlines to better reflect your paper and include your Revised Thesis in your Outline.
Make sure you write in complete (but brief) sentences and use the standard hierarchical format to structure your outline. Bring One copy of this Outline on Thursday as well.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Identity
SO, what does that mean? Obviously one cannot ever put everything that constitutes their identity into a single paper. We, as individuals, are far too complex for that -- in fact the idea of identity is far too complex for that.
But here is an exercise I would like you guys to try:
I would like each of you to pick out 3-5 pieces of clothing (or accessories) that you own and wear that you think says something important about who you are. You can put them on or just lay them out, but I want you to really look at them. Describe them to me briefly and then tell me how they reflect who you are. What would they tell a stranger about you, if that stranger was looking at you from across the room and could not hear you talk or see how you behave.
Shakespeare frequently defined (or complicated) identity by the clothes his characters wore. Often a character gained and lost power by the way they dressed. Do you think this is true? Is your identity contained within yourself or is it something that is worn, or is it even something you have control of? Could your identity be something that is contained not in you, but in what people perceive you to be?
Provide me with roughly a 2 page response to this, including what those articles of clothing are and what they say about you. Keep it brief and try to stay within the page requirement if you are doing only 3 articles, as this will force you to use your language effectively. No repetition or unnecessary phrasing. Be precise! If you do 5 articles you can only have one additional page, but feel free to give it a shot.
Try to have fun with it.
Consider this: instead of reading "articles" from some website or book, you are reading articles of clothing.
Send me an email if you have a question.
Turn It In (Round Two)
Our information is as followed: class ID: 2854695 enrollment password: xxxxxxxxxxxx
Simply go to https://www.turnitin.com/newuser_type.asp?r=58.8204330693248&svr=11&session-id=a3a5458092d6e01a1e3c60f65146036b&lang=&
If you have never used TurnItIn.com before, then click the link marked student, under Create New Account. Follow it from there. If you run into a problem, send me a message.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Theses and Dinosaurs!
http://www.qwantz.com/index.php?comic=720
You do not need to answer all of those questions I gave you, but you may want to consider them in some way. You may also include what you think about the comic on a more personal level, but do not neglect some sort of connection or evaluation.
Then I would like you guys to try your best at coming up with a thesis statement of your own for your upcoming papers (your outlines/discussions should aid you in this). Compare your thesis statement to T-Rex's. What is different? What is the same? Is it better? Why? This explanation should be roughly a page as well. We will, of course, talk more about thesis statements on Tuesday.
There will be one more assignment that I will post tomorrow. If nothing else, it should be fun.
*Note: Those of you who have not made a TurnItIn.com account should do so, and submit your test pager!*
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Outlines and Zombies!
http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2008/04/how-to-battle-z/
http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2005/4/18/153047/155
Write roughly a one page response to these two articles.
Compare them and try to find how they connect to our assignments.
Then you should look at your own topic. You may want to begin researching your subject. Work on refining and narrowing down what it is you want to include in your paper.
I would also like you guys to produce a "rough" outline for the things you will talk about in your paper. This will be needed for the in-class assignment on Thursday so bring two copies of it.
Those of you that have a bonus assignment to do should take a look at the post below this one.
Topics and Lateness
Max Tormohlen (Fishing in Alaska)
Elizabeth Tracy (Lake Havasu Vacation)
Alex Burtea (Snowboarding in the Alps)
Jaime West (Swim Instructor)
Nicole Sorenson (Becoming a Nurse)
Brandon Goco (Film Greatness)
Dylan Plautz (Skateboarding)
Danie Austin (Cooking ?)
Jessica Rojo (Writing Poetry)
Ranim Ziade (Dentistry)
Alexandra Tichy (Hiking the Grand Canyon)
Christian Michel (Perfect Jam Session)
Ashley Ortiz (Life Goal ?)
Sarah Kim (Profession Singer)
Olga Valladares (Working with Kids)
Claudia Torres (Vacationing in Mexico)
Jerry Hernandez (Art History Museum Curator)
Melanie Perezalonso (CEO of Success?)
Here are the names of the 9 people who did not email their topic in time.
Tyler McAfee (Basketball ?)
Kevin Kim (Pro Basketball player)
Sam Ahn (Learning Multiple Languages)
Emaan Sourjah (Becoming a Sociologist)
Gabriel Arballo (Volleyball ?)
Abe Rodas (Becoming a Math Teacher)
Speros Mantas (Law and Theme parks)
Bryce Forbes (Baseball Games)
Manny Hurtado (Military Might)
Take a look at your topic. Make sure it resembles what you wanted as your topic. Email me if you would like it to change.
Those of you that have a question mark by your name: this means I am still unclear on what exactly you are doing. If you have two question marks, it means you still haven't emailed me and told me what you want to do. Let me know what you want to do ASAP. Definitely before Thursday!
For those shameful few of you that are on the second list, you must take any piece of fruit (preferably a whole piece of fruit ) and analyze it for roughly one page. Capture it with words as if it was within your viewfinder. Here is the trick: you cannot tell me what piece of fruit it is. Describe it anyway you can, but do not say what it is or use any words that would reference what it is.
Do not say:
It is an apple.
It is Newton's favorite fruit.
It is something a teacher would have on her desk.
(nothing like that)
I am looking for details and sensory information about this thing.
Touch it, taste it, sniff it; if it speaks to you, tell me what it says.
Email me if you have any questions.
Formatting Paper Help
Here is a site that will help you with MLA (Modern Language Associations) format.
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/557/01
This is usually how many teachers want your papers formatted -- especially English teachers.
Note: There is a link to Works Cited help on this page as well.
(See our little OWL for a direct link)
Friday, September 11, 2009
Origami
If you are not satisfied with the options I provided (or you have your own favorite origami), feel free to make a different figure that is not listed.
Note: All of the ones I showed start with a square piece of paper.
Please try to really engage and think about this assignment.
We will be talking about it on Tuesday.
If you have any questions, send me an email.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Weekend Assignment
I will email you guys a small 3 page essay. It is just an example. We will talk about it on Tuesday.
Write a journal response to this essay.
I will also email you guys some pages on How to Make Origami.
For your journal response to the Origami manuals you will make one of the origami figurines (Try your best. I am not judging you on your artistic ability, but give it an honest try)
You do not need to write a response to the origami.
You should also begin thinking about your up coming essay. But you do not need to do anything yet. I know I mentioned an outline to some of you. All I want you to do is be thinking about it. If that means you make some notes for yourself, then that is what you should do. Otherwise, we will talk more about it in class on Tuesday.
Note: Some of you need to make sure you did both parts of the journal that was due today. Some of you only did the page on your interest. You must also do a normal journal response to that article.
Finally, do not forget the "in-class" assignment of finding something in the Arboretum that interested you. That will be due Tuesday as well.
Note: A few posts below, there is one about TurnItIn.com. I recommend you check it out and make an account if you can. Your essays will be submitted through TurnItIn.com, it helps to get a jump start on making an account. We will also talk more about this next week.
Essay #1
Final Draft Due 10-01-09
Essay Assignment #1 – Expository Essay
Expository essays are all about the “How”. In class, and in our conferences, you have had a chance to discuss something that interests you, as well as take some time to examine these things closely. But now I want you to describe the method behind some of the things you love. Choose one of the following essay prompts and write a well-developed, cohesive essay about something that interests you.
Essays must be:
- Double spaced
- Typed in 12-pt Times New Roman font
- At least 3 full pages long.
- and Follow MLA guidelines
1) From cooking shows with Julia Childs to Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe, the best explanations of how something gets done have personality, in addition to the information. Believe it or not there is something you are an expert on! Tell me about something you like to do. Describe in detail the process you go through to do this activity. If it has numbers/weights/values be sure to include them. If it requires special tools, make sure you let me know what they are and why they are important for this job. Does it require help? Does it require special materials? Or a special location? What are the specifics? This may require that you think about the process in an entirely new way (you may even need to do a little research). Make this explanation personal, but stay focused on the topic. Remember I don’t know as much about this topic as you do. You might also include why you like to do this activity or why you do this activity at all (Does it make you money? Is it a means to an end?). Let me know the details, but concentrate on the procedure. Explain it to me. I want to learn something.
2) Almost everyone has a dream for his/her own life. Sometimes these goals are dreamlike and vague (like being rich), but sometimes the goals are very specific and concrete (like visiting Notre Dame Cathedral). This prompt is for those of you who have a very specific goal in their life. Tell me about your goal and how you are going to reach it. If you want to have a job like someone, what do you have to do to become like this person? If you want to go somewhere on a trip, what do you have to do to get there? If it’s a personal goal, what do you have to change to reach it? What do you have to learn? What about this attracts you to this goal? It doesn’t have to be a job, but it cannot be simply graduating college (although college can be a milestone on your road to this goal). It can be anything from a trip you want to take to a future career. It can be an exercise routine that you need to maintain to get into the military or just a skill you want to acquire. Plan it out and tell me about the process you would need to take to get there.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Conferences
Here is the map: http://www.fullerton.edu/campusmap/CampusMap.htm
Do not go to the classroom. Send me an email if you have a question.
Be on Time and Come prepared!
While at the Arboretum, find something that interests you. Try to look for something natural and unique to the Arboretum (such as a plant or area). This will be due Tuesday.
Name / Time
1. Brandon Goco 1:55
2. Bryce Forbes 2:00
3. ? 2:05
4. Abe Rodas 2:10
5. Olga Valladares 2:15
6. Melanie Perezalonso 2:20
7. Jessica Rojo 2:24
8. Nicole Sorenson 2:28
9. Danie Austin 2:32
10. Kevin Kim 2:36
11. Sam Ahn 2:40
12. Alexandra Tichy 2:44
13. Emaan Sourjah 2:48
14. Jerry Hernandez 2:52
15. Gabriel Arballo 2:56
16. Ranim Ziade 3:00
17. Dylan Plautz 3:04
18. Claudia Torres 3:08
19. Sarah Kim 3:12
20. Manuel Hurtado 3:16
21. Speros Mantas 3:20
22. Max Tormohlen 3:24
23. Alex Burtea 3:28
24. Jaime West 3:32
25. Elizabeth Tracy 3:36
26. Ashley Ortiz 3:40
27. Tyler McAfee 3:44
28. Christian Michel 3:48
Do not neglect the post below!
An Interest in Interests
For our meeting in the Arboretum.
Read the article at:
http://www.wetfeet.com/Experienced-Hire/Getting-hired/Articles/Tell-Me-About-Yourself.aspx
Then, in addition to the normal journal response (answering the questions), write me a page about something that interests you. I want you to focus the “tell me about yourself” question on a specific topic, hobby, or activity that you enjoy. You should have a relatively good understanding of this activity. It can be anything, but keep in mind this is going to be what we talk about in our conference on Thursday. This journal should help you prepare. Consider the guidelines outlined in the article. Your topic should be something you enjoy (passion), it should be something you know a lot about (value), you should allow your unique perspective on the topic to come out (personality), and your ideas should be condensed and organized enough that they fit our four minute conference window with enough time left over for me to ask you any questions I might have (brevity & openness).
Have fun with the assignment.
Also, if you did not finish the view finder assignment, make sure you bring that for me as well.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Tone and Music
Check your Emails. I sent out Roberts' essay "How to Say Nothing in 500 Words". There were a few problems sending the email at first, but it should be alright now. The file numbers correspond to the page numbers. I think you can figure it out. Read it and respond using the questions I gave out in class.
Then we shall look at tone. Remember tone exists in written mediums, but sometimes it is harder to notice. Therefore, music is an easier and more straightforward place to look for examples of tone.
Choose one of the following and analyze the tone.
Here are your choices:
"In the Hall of the Mountain King" - Edvard Grieg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzyi3C4gNnE
"Hurt" - Johnny Cash
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmVAWKfJ4Go
"Angel" - Massive Attack
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaef2NgwqHY
Note: The tone in "Angel" may be difficult to pin down. Try your best
Use the following guidelines to structure your response to the piece. Write as much as you think it takes (should be around 1/2 - 1 page)
-What is the tone of this piece? (It will go beyond formal or informal)
Consider: lyrics/voice (if there are any), instruments used, and tempo/beat. (You may also want to examine bass and volume as well)
-How does it affect the audience?
-What type of mood does it create? (You can consider yourself the audience)
-What instruments are used to achieve this goal (synthesizers count)?
-How are they effective?
-If there are lyrics: What words are used to convey the tone?
-Why/How do these words create this mood? (Be specific)
Also, be specific in your moods. If it is a complex mood, describe what it means to you.
Once you have analyzed one of the above three pieces, you have one more thing to do. You must choose one of the following options and complete it. Just like before, this response should be as long as it needs to be. (roughly 1/2 - 1 page in length)
1) I have shown you some of the songs I like. Now it is your turn to analyze a song you like.
Choose your favorite song and analyze the tone. Depending on the song you choose, this maybe easy or difficult. (Remember that no one is judging you on the song you select as your favorite)
2) For those of you who are creative and enjoyed the song "Angel," write a short explanation as to why you think the main character is being chased. Use elements (tone, images, beat, etc) from the song and video to support your story. Feel free to make it interesting and interpret those elements creatively. (write as much as you need to, but don't get carried away)
Send me an email if you have any questions. Remember you also have the numbers and emails of other students if you feel you want to talk to somebody about the assignment.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Turn It In
<<<<< href="https://www.turnitin.com/newuser_type.asp?r=58.8204330693248&svr=11&session-id=a3a5458092d6e01a1e3c60f65146036b&lang">https://www.turnitin.com/newuser_type.asp?r=58.8204330693248&svr=11&session-id=a3a5458092d6e01a1e3c60f65146036b&lang=&
If you have never used TurnItIn.com before, then click the link marked student, under Create New Account. Follow it from there. If you run into a problem, send me a message.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Language
http://www.pbs.org/speak/seatosea/americanvarieties/spanglish/viva/
They both have similar arguments, so they can be done together.
For your Journal:
In a page, explain to me the connections between these two papers and their importance.
What are their arguments? Try to provide this information in the form of a Thesis.
Do you agree with them? Use specific information when discussing them. I want to see your evidence. You may also consider the list of questions I gave you in class (but do not feel limited to or by them).
Then read the excerpt from Malcolm X's biography.
http://www.stlucie.k12.fl.us/slwch/Kind_LearningtoRead_Text.pdf
For page 2 of your journal:
Compare they way he feels about his language to the way Chang/Gonzales feel about theirs.
What is the difference? Do they agree or disagree? How do you feel about your own? How do you feel about Malcolm's argument?
You should consider the questions I provided in class.
Remember the goal is analysis! Do not summarize. Connect it anyway you like, but show me that you are going beyond the surface information.
Try to avoid repetition or vague statements.
I want to see you connecting with and using the material in your responses.
At least, your responses should be specific enough that I know what you are referring to.
Send me an email if you have a question.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Paulo Freire and the Pedagogy of the Oppressed
For this assignment, write a one page response (double-spaced) to Freire's essay in which you attempt to answer those questions that I gave you in class. This is due on Tuesday at the beginning of class.
(Remember do not summarize the essay)
If you have a question, or for some reason the link does not work, send me an email and I will get back to you shortly.
Reminder: If you have not turned in your blue cards to the Writing Center, do so before Tuesday.
Monday, August 24, 2009
First Assignment
Remember to visit:
1) My Office - sign in with your Email address
(Make sure the address works and you write legibly)
2) Writing Center – Turn in your Blue Card
(Consider making an appointment to see a tutor)
English 101 Course Outline for Fall 2009
08/25: Introductions
Polls
Arrow Maker
Assignment: Read the Syllabus (Do it!)
08/27: Syllabus Discussion
Questions
Analyze another Homework assignment
Assignment: Freire/Pedagogy of the Oppressed
Journal: Respond to Freire’s proposed system
Week Two: Language
09/01: Student/Teacher Relationship Discussion
Linguistics Discussion
Assignment: Create an Account at TurnItIn.com
Read: Lily Gonzalez/ Viva Spanglish & Joyce Chang/Drive Becarefully
Malcolm X/ Learning Words
Journal: Locate thesis and Do you agree with the authors?
09/03: Lolcatz – www.Icanhazcheezburger.com
Know your Audience Discussion
Tone Discussion
Sign up for Conferences
Assignment: Listen to Music, analyze tone, and respond.
Read: Roberts/How to Say Nothing in 500 Words
Journal: Respond to the essay
Week Three: Conference Week I -- Details
Labor Day
09/08: Effective Ways to Communicate Discussion
Five Senses Discussion
View finder experiment
Read: Scharf/ Tell Me About Yourself
Journal: Respond and Something that Interests you
Prepare for your Conference!
09/10: Field Trip
Conferences in the Arboretum
In-Class Assignment: Something natural that interests you
Read: Woods/ My Puzzles
Assignment: Origami Experiment – Make me some Origami
Essay Prompt #1: Expository Essay
Week Four: Essay Basics
09/15: Analysis Quiz
Writing Myths
Getting Started/ Formatting
Read: Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse
Journal: Which is the better Expository Essay?
Assignments: Email me your Topics and Create an Outline/Thesis
09/17: Thesis/ Introduction/ Conclusion Discussion
Expository Essays
Due: Good Thesis/Outline for Essay #1
Reading: T-rex Comic
Journal: Respond to the comic
Assignment: Begin Essay #1: Rough Draft
Week Five: Essay Development
09/22: A Few Good Theses
Thesis Recap
Organization
Assignment: Work on Rough Draft and Revising your Outline
Read: Identity – Finding texts in unlikely places
Journal: What do these texts say about you?
09/24: Discussion on Responding to Peer Papers
Peer Review
In-class assignment on Identity
Due: Rough Draft Essay #1/Revised Outline Essay #1 Assignment: Consider the suggestions your partners offered
Work on Essay#1: Final Draft
Remember to visit The Writing Center
Week Six: Movie Week!
09/29: Questions on the Paper?
Watching Gran Torino in Class
(Bring a snack if you want)
In-class Worksheet
Assignment: Work on Final Draft
10/01: Continue Watching Gran Torino in Class
Themes Discussion
Due: Final Draft Essay #1
Journal: Respond to the Movie
Week Seven: Inferring Meaning
10/06: Midterm – In-class Essay #1
**Bring Blue Book to Class**
Assignment: Swift/ A Modest Proposal
Journal: Respond to Swift’s Argument
10/08: Lecture on the Appeals
Swift Discussion
Essay Prompt #2: Analyzing a piece of Media
Assignment: Swift Reassigned – Spotting the Appeals
Week Eight: Half Way There
10/13: Swift Discussion: Round Two
Logic vs. Emotion
Watch “Truthiness”
Presentation Discussion
Sign up for Presentation Order at my Office
Read: Berger/ Sex as a Symbol in Fashion Advertising, Checklist for Analyzing Print Advertisements, and A Primer on Analyzing Television Commercials
Journal: Respond
10/15: My Comments on Essay #1
Revision Discussion
Watching Advertisements
Assignment: SAVE/STOP THE ______
Create your own Advertisement
Week Nine: Proofreading
10/20: Examining Print Advertisements
Formatting and Outlining Tips
Due: Outline/Thesis
Assignment: Continue Working on Essay #2
10/22: Furloughed L
Revised Outline/Thesis Due – through Email
Assignment: Practice Peer Review and Proofreading
Week Ten: Media Presentations I
10/27: Searching Our Own Work
Peer Review
Common Errors in Student Writing
Due: Rough Draft Essay #2
10/29: First Third of Presenters
Due: Final Draft Essay #2
Workshops are being offered at The Writing Center!
Take Advantage of them
Week Eleven: Media Presentations II Fallacies and Arguments
11/03: Second Third of Presenters
11/05: Final Third of Presenters
Presentation Discussion
Research/ Citations Discussion
Read: “A Troubleshooting Guide to Research” & “Evaluating Web Pages”
Journal: Respond
Week Twelve: Questions For Me
11/10: My Comments on Essay #2
Transitions/Organization/Thesis Recap
Assignment: Check my comments
Journal: Write down some Questions
Veteran’s Day
11/12: Questions For Me
Watch “The High Cost of Low Prices
Read: Elements of Arguments and Fallacies
Journal: Respond & Find your own Fallacy
Assignment: At home watch South Park: “SWMTWC”
http://www.southparkstudios.com/guide/809/
Week Thirteen: Debates and Quizzes
11/17: Grammar Quiz
Watch “The Onion” Clips
Fallacy Discussions
Essay Prompt #3: Argumentative Essays
Assignment: Find a Topic and a Position
Read: Some famous Arguments
Journal: Respond
11/19: Fallacy Quiz
Class Debates
Discussion on Counterarguments
Due: Topics
Week Fourteen: Fall Break
11/23-29 – No Classes
Assignment: Outline/Thesis Due through Email
Work on revisions!!!
Week Fifteen:
12/01: Due: Rough Draft Essay #3
Peer Review Workshop
Fallacy Hunt
12/03: Due: Final Draft Essay #3(Improve you chance for revision by turning in early)
Student Evaluations
Satirizing Ourselves
Assignment: Myers Briggs Test
Journal: How do you feel about your results?
Week Sixteen: Woo! The End
12/08: My Comments on Essay #3
Discussion: Results on the MB Test
Assignment: Hough/ Is a College Degree Worthless?
Journal: What do you think?
12/10: Last Day for Revisions
Final – In-class Essay #2
**Bring Blue Book to Class**