February 8, 2010 Archives

First -- I've Posted Feedback on Ex 1 to Turnitin.com

I really enjoyed reading your goals for STW, and have posted my feedback (grades and comments) to the site.   You can find my feedback by clicking on the red apple next to your submission.

Recall that I said I would evaluate Ex 1 based on your ability to write a 200-word paragraph, to cite the sources, and to focus on telling me something I didn't already know.  But my feedback also includes additional notes. 

Comments I left on individual student papers included a reference to the US Government's Plain Language initiative, the difference between "close minded" and "closed-minded," how analytical writing can be creative (and vice-versa), and the value of grabbing the reader's attention with a catchy title.

When you view those marginal notes, think of each one as an invitation to a discussion. Feel free to send me an e-mail, or work a response into your next reflection paper or pre-writing assignment, or come by my office for a visit.

Pre-writing Portfolio 1 is a collection of several short assignments, designed to help you get a good start on Paper 1. Include all the assignments in a single word processor file, and upload the submission to the proper slot in Turnitin.com.

More details appear below, but In brief, the components of the pre-writing portfolio are:

1. A personal essay that demonstrates your ability to connect all the readings we've done so far in Rereading America. 
2. A complete Works Cited list for all the sources your paper uses.
3. A preliminary thesis for Essay 1
4. Optional: Your blueprint (supporting points and organizational structure you plan to implement) for your rough draft of Essay 1.
   

Full details on each component of the portfolio follow.  But first, let's talk a bit more about  Paper 1.