SUU ENGL 1010: "This I Believe"  Essay/Schedule One

Keep scrolling down for the assignment schedule

 

Due dates: Workshop: Sept. 8; Final draft: Sept.12. No late work is accepted

Purpose:

  • Personal growth: To allow you to assert a belief that you live by, to demonstrate how it affects you in specific ways, and to argue for its validity or significance using personal evidence.
  • Technical growth: To allow you to learn how to assert and support a thesis using personal experience and to craft a personal voice by using vivid concrete language and varied sentence structure.

Audience: You will assume an educated general audience eager to understand your core beliefs and values.

Length: For this 2-page double-spaced, typed essay, you will  assert one of your core beliefs in terms of the experiences that have made you think as you do.  This project provides you the opportunity to assert one of your core beliefs in concrete terms. TOPICS to be covered: abstract/concrete language, anecdote,  audience, "confusable" words,  dialogue, evidence/support, introductions, metaphor,  purpose in writing, revision vs. editing, rubric, thesis statement, topic sentences, titles, voice, writing process.

Format: After stating your thesis in terms of a belief statement, you may explain your reasons in essay style or develop a narrative that makes your point. 

Points: Essay (100); Cover memo (5); Workshop with draft (5); daily work folder (30)

                                                                                                                     

TAKE NOTE: This essay should be presented in terms of positive, practical, specific, and personal actions. Avoid complaints; don't generalize about something unless you've experienced it.

 

"This I Believe" rubric (evaluation rubric)
Originality and specificity Essay asserts a significant, specific belief that becomes convincing because of the personal details presented in its support. Point is clear but may need to be supported more concretely to make it interesting and convincing. You are on the brink of  moving beyond common knowledge and generalities.
Voice Writer consistently uses vivid and concrete descriptions, surprising metaphors, and stylish sentences to create an engaging voice. Although the paper has its interesting moments, it needs a more vivid style and voice.  Try the techniques we worked on in class to develop a more personal or sophisticated style.
Organization The essay flows smoothly and may contain little surprises or dramatic moments that support the paper's point. The introduction makes me want to listen and the conclusion sticks in my mind. The essay is put together in an orderly way with a clear beginning, middle, and end.  You need to jazz up the intro and the conclusion to engage me and you might want to think about whether your material is presented in the most interesting order possible. What's the single point this essay expresses? Can you make everything in the essay contribute to that point in an orderly way? What fresh insight does your essay offer your reader?
Sentence structure Sentences show a sense of rhythm and exhibit grace. Sentences get the job done, but leave me a little sleepy. Grammatical problems leave me confused and annoyed.
Vocabulary and "confusable" words Vocabulary is appropriate for the audience and more--some words are used in such an apt or interesting way that they make me stop in admiration. There are no "confusable word" errors in this piece. Vocabulary is fine, but it reminds me of plain vanilla ice cream. The "confusable word" errors are distracting and even distasteful. Your voice may need to adjust itself to its audience. And/or you may need to do some editing to clear up errors. Back to the drawing board (or computer screen) with you.
Presentation Essay is 2 pages typed and double-spaced in Time-Roman 12 pt.  and follows class manuscript standards as outlined in the policy section. It is submitted with a complete and substantial cover memo and any other listed materials. Essay is at least 1.5 pages typed and double-spaced in Times-Roman 12 pt. and follows class manuscript standards as outlined in the policy section. It is submitted with the required cover memo. What happened?

 
 
Date Assignment due Focus of class
M/Aug 25

 

  
W/Aug 27

 

Bring to class: a yellow folder marked with your name (last name first) on the top front right hand corner and on the tab.  You might buy two, so that you have one to keep and one in which to submit your work. Any kind or style is fine.

Prepare for class: Complete  brainstorming for your own "This I Believe" essay.  Use the heuristics I've provided or simply make lists of what you might write about.

Prepare for class:  Print out and read the "This I Believe Essay" titled "Our Vulnerability Is our Strength. " Type a substantial paragraph that comments on both the purpose and the style of the essay, defining it  as a "good" or "poor" essay, based on the  NPR essay writing tips that we discussed in class last time.

Insert a hard copy in your folder. OR choose another of the NPR essays listed on the website and respond to it any way you wish in a substantial typed paragraph.

TAKE NOTE: Please ALWAYS bring copies of assigned readings to class.

 

 

 

 

Ladder of abstraction exercise

F/AUG29

 

Prepare for class: Read Lisa Sandin's essay "I Am Not My Body"  and print it out.

As you read, highlight all the comparisons she makes between her body and other things. Type up a list of those comparisons and then in a brief paragraph explain which one you found particularly striking and why. 

 OR choose another of the NPR essays listed on the website and try to decide how the language used conveys the thesis.

Insert a hard copy in your folder to turn in with your final paper.

 

  • In-class exercise: Exploring Sandin's use of craft.

 
W/Sept 3 Pass/Fail boxing and bearbaiting diagnostic essay due; click HERE to access the directions, which were also distributed in class.

 

Be sure to provide TWO copies of the boxing and bearbaiting essay if you want me to comment on one of them. Staple the cover form filled out with your name to the "official" copy of your essay. Your name should not appear anywhere on that copy. If you are indeed turning in a second copy for me to comment on, DO put your name on that one. Good luck!

Bring to class some document, object, or photo connected to your "This I Believe "essay topic (NOT to the boxing diagnostic essay that you handing in today.).  (exercise dropped for lack of time)

 

  In-class:

Together we'll read David Buetow's "Teaching a Bad Dog New Tricks." We'll explore  the cause/effect format that Buetow is using. (Note that this assignment has been changed from a homework to an in-class assignment.)

OR choose another of the NPR essays listed on the website and respond to by figuring out what cause/effect relationships the writer sees.

Insert a hard copy in your folder to turn in with your final paper.

 

Object exercise exchanges

(dropped for lack of time)

 

 

 
F/Sept5 Prepare for class:  Print out James Loney's essay "All Things Are Interconnected." As you read, highlight all the details and the anecdotes  which the writer uses to make his point.  After explaining in a sentence or two where this essay might fall on the "ladder of abstraction" (choose the passage in the essay that you find the most memorable and type up a paragraph indicating how that passage helps the writer make his point convincing to you. 

OR choose another of the NPR essays listed on the website and respond to it any way you wish in a substantial typed paragraph.

Insert a hard copy in your folder to turn in with your final paper.

Be sure to bring your printout to class.

 

 In-class exercise: Finding a way to format your essay. (We didn't have time for this last class.)

In class exercise:

Avoiding "confusable" words

  (5 PZ points):

 
M/Sept8

Prepare for class: After you finish drafting a draft of your 2-page essay, type three specific questions you have about it at the top of the draft.

Print out the rubric for this assignment and bring it to class.

Bring enough copies of your essay to distribute to a four-person group.

 

 REQUIRED ROUGH DRAFT WORKSHOP for your  "This I Believe" essay  (Counts as one homework assignment.)

 
W/Sept 10

Bring the newest copy of your draft to class.

 Editing workshop

In-class exercise: Using prepositional phrases  and participial phrases to achieve sentence variety and up the amps in your descriptive writing. (5 PZ points)
F/Sept. 12

 

 

 

 FINAL DRAFT DUE of "This I Believe" essay (100) with cover memo (10 points) and daily assignment folder (40 points) The cover memo should identify the strengths and weaknesses of the essay and explain what you would revise in another draft.  Here's how to arrange the material:
  • REQUIRED cover memo: (at least one substantial paragraph, typed and double-spaced) The cover memo should identify the strengths and weaknesses of the essay and explain what you would revise in another draft. Be sure to consider the rubric and the NPR guidelines for writing good essays as you write this memo. (10 points)
  • Final draft formatted according to class manuscript style. For an explanation of this style, look in the class policy link under "manuscript style."
  • Assignment folder listed from the earliest to the last assignment with each clearly labeled and dated.
  • A copy of the rubric for this assignment

 

 		 Introduction of Project Two