Thursday, December 5, 2019

December 5, 2019 - Thursday

Are there any questions about the essay?


Let's edit! Find the person in the room who shares your number. You have now met your editor!


Author’s Name: _________________________                                 Scale:
4:  The reader is easily able to understand and/or appreciate
3:  The reader is generally able to understand and/or appreciate
2:  The reader is often challenged to understand and/or appreciate
1:  The reader is seriously challenged to understand and/or appreciate   


Scale
Points
Comments
Content Editor:




Subject Matter Issues:
The subject matter of the document should be appropriate for the assignment, adequate to complete the assignment, and suitable for the level of the assignment.
4
3
2
1
N.A.


Focus Issues:
The focus (or main idea or thesis) should be apparent to the reader, presented so as to interest the reader, and targeted to achieve the purpose of the assignment.

4
3
2
1
N.A


Support Issues:
The support should be appropriate to sustain the document’s focus, carefully chosen to meet the needs of the assignment, and of sufficient quantity to carry out the development of the document.
4
3
2
1
N.A


Clarity Editor:





Organization Issues:
The document should be developed in a way that shows how all material relates to the focus, shows how all development relates to other parts of the document, and provides adequate transitions to guide the reader and illustrate these relationships.
4
3
2
1
N.A


Language Use Issues:
The language of the document should aid the reader’s comprehension and appreciation by using organized paragraphing, clear and correct sentences, and appropriate word choice.
4
3
2
1
N.A


Editing Editor:





Format Issues:
The format of the document should aid comprehension by being clear, consistent, and appropriate for the assignment.
4
3
2
1
N.A


Citation Issues:
The citation in the document should be complete, correct, and appropriate for the assignment.
4
3
2
1
N.A


Mechanics Issues:
The document should be comprehensively edited to ensure that the spelling is correct, that punctuation is properly used, and that grammar is correct.
4
3
2
1
N.A



You will edit one paper - all three sections.

Reminder: The exam is Thursday, December 12, 2019, at noon in our regular room.

Since it is exam week, class does NOT meet on Tuesday.

You must be present the day of the exam.

There will be a brief activity in addition to the writing.

You have until next Thursday to revise your essay. You will post in class AND give me a paper copy.

Go forth and WRITE!

Monday, December 2, 2019

The Final Writing Activity

Reminder: Our exam is scheduled for Thursday, December 12 at noon - same room!

School policy requires you to attend the day of the exam.

Final Writing


Inscribing a Personal Artifact
Don't let the title of this exercise fool you. Inscribing a personal artifact is not like ordering an engraved name plate to put on your suitcase, nor is it like your parents writing your address on the inside of your underwear. This is an exercise in personal archaeology—an opportunity to describe a personal object and explain what it says about you.
The following tips will help you complete the assignment below:
·         Focus on an overall insight or impression. In the drafting process, you will probably clarify what your object says about you. Focus your description of the object around that insight or impression. All the details you decide to include should be relevant to that focus.
·         Organize the description logically. You can structure your writing in many ways. You might describe each detail and explain what it says about you. You might describe the object entirely and then explain what it says about you. The details you choose first depend on your purpose. If you want to recreate the experience of seeing the object, for instance, you might begin with its most obvious feature and proceed to its least obvious feature.
·         Provide vivid descriptions and sensory details. If you have a digital camera, you might include a picture of the object. Either way, you have to create it for us using words. As you describe it, consider letting your attitude toward the object show through in your choice of words and details (e.g., "This baseball glove is triple stitched and made of genuine Black Angus leather. It is so soft and supple that it folds together as flat as a book.").
·         Conduct research. Find and share the history of the object. For example, if your object is a ring, locate information about the first rings in history. What did they symbolize? Are there any famous rings? How does your ring compare to the rings in history emotionally and physically? Why are rings important? Why are rings used as symbols of marriage? Keep track of your sources.
  • You might also consider an interview if the person who gave you the object is still living. Or, you could interview others who have artifacts like yours.

Assignment
To help you write, try asking yourself these questions:
·         Would people's opinions of you come from the object itself? For example, is it rare, valuable, or collectable?
·         Would their opinions come from its condition? Perhaps it's old and worn?
·         What would people think about the object's significance within the culture? Would it label you as a certain kind of person?
·         Would the artifact only have meaning for other people if they knew more about your individual life?
·         How do other similar artifacts found in history relate to you and your object? (This is a great place for research!)

  • Pay attention to organization. Will you start with a description of the object or tell the story of how it came into your possession? 
  • Where will you include the research? 
  • How will you explain the importance of the object to you?
  •  How will you end the essay?
  • During the revision process, work on connecting what the object is with what it tells others about you. Include the researched information about the other such objects.
  • Include a Works Cited page and in-text citations. Use MLA formatting.
  •  When you are finished, this paper should be 3-5 pages long.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019



NO CLASS THURSDAY!  
Happy Thanksgiving!

Image result for turkey pictures

Today . . .
You have one more opportunity to revise/correct/ perfect! Re-post in the same Canvas spot.
Peer Editing  . .

1. MLA  formatting and style
2. Content is the most important part of your paper. Are YOU part of that content? What words are yours? What words/thoughts belong to others? The goal is to find experts to back up what you say - not the other way around. (On the draft, highlight all words that are yours.)
3. In-text citations and Works Cited page


Final Writing




Inscribing a Personal Artifact
Don't let the title of this exercise fool you. Inscribing a personal artifact is not like ordering an engraved name plate to put on your suitcase, nor is it like your parents writing your address on the inside of your underwear. This is an exercise in personal archaeology—an opportunity to describe a personal object and explain what it says about you.
The following tips will help you complete the assignment below:
·         Focus on an overall insight or impression. In the drafting process, you will probably clarify what your object says about you. Focus your description of the object around that insight or impression. All the details you decide to include should be relevant to that focus.
·         Organize the description logically. You can structure your writing in many ways. You might describe each detail and explain what it says about you. You might describe the object entirely and then explain what it says about you. The details you choose first depend on your purpose. If you want to recreate the experience of seeing the object, for instance, you might begin with its most obvious feature and proceed to its least obvious feature.
·         Provide vivid descriptions and sensory details. If you have a digital camera, you might include a picture of the object. Either way, you have to create it for us using words. As you describe it, consider letting your attitude toward the object show through in your choice of words and details (e.g., "This baseball glove is triple stitched and made of genuine Black Angus leather. It is so soft and supple that it folds together as flat as a book.").
·         Conduct research. Find and share the history of the object. For example, if your object is a ring, locate information about the first rings in history. What did they symbolize? Are there any famous rings? How does your ring compare to the rings in history emotionally and physically? Why are rings important? Why are rings used as symbols of marriage? Keep track of your sources.
  • You might also consider an interview if the person who gave you the object is still living. Or, you could interview others who have artifacts like yours.

Assignment
To help you write, try asking yourself these questions:
·         Would people's opinions of you come from the object itself? For example, is it rare, valuable, or collectable?
·         Would their opinions come from its condition? Perhaps it's old and worn?
·         What would people think about the object's significance within the culture? Would it label you as a certain kind of person?
·         Would the artifact only have meaning for other people if they knew more about your individual life?
·         How do other similar artifacts found in history relate to you and your object? (This is a great place for research!)

  • Pay attention to organization. Will you start with a description of the object or tell the story of how it came into your possession? 
  • Where will you include the research? 
  • How will you explain the importance of the object to you?
  •  How will you end the essay?
  • During the revision process, work on connecting what the object is with what it tells others about you. Include the researched information about the other such objects.
  • Include a Works Cited page and in-text citations. Use MLA formatting.
  •  When you are finished, this paper should be 3-5 pages long.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

It's Peer Editing Time!

1. Make sure that your draft appears on the screen. Your readers will be looking for the following:

Professional writers read all or part of their writing to others. Select one or two paragraphs to share with the class. What do you like best? What segment needs help? (Writers' Circle)

Writing Rubric - War                       Author’s Name: _________________________   Scoring scale:
4:  The reader is easily able to understand and/or appreciate
3:  The reader is generally able to understand and/or appreciate
2:  The reader is often challenged to understand and/or appreciate
1:  The reader is seriously challenged to understand and/or appreciate           


Scale
Points
Comments
Content
Editor’s name:



Subject Matter Issues:
The subject matter of the document should be appropriate for the assignment, adequate to complete the assignment, and suitable for the level of the assignment.
4
3
2
1
N.A.

Topic:
Focus Issues:
The focus (or main idea or thesis) should be apparent to the reader, presented so as to interest the reader, and targeted to achieve the purpose of the assignment.

4
3
2
1
N.A

State the message:
Support Issues:
The support should be appropriate to sustain the document’s focus, carefully chosen to meet the needs of the assignment, and of sufficient quantity to carry out the development of the document.
4
3
2
1
N.A

What was the support?
Clarity
Editor’s name:



Organization Issues:
The document should be developed in a way that shows how all material relates to the focus, shows how all development relates to other parts of the document, and provides adequate transitions to guide the reader and illustrate these relationships.
4
3
2
1
N.A

What was the pattern of organization?
Language Use Issues:
The language of the document should aid the reader’s comprehension and appreciation by using organized paragraphing, clear and correct sentences, and appropriate word choice. Highlight two or three strong sentences.
4
3
2
1
N.A

List three powerful words.
Editing
Editor’s name:



Format Issues:
The format of the document should aid comprehension by being clear, consistent, and appropriate for the assignment.
Was MLA style followed?
4
3
2
1
N.A

Check for MLA Style
Citation Issues:
The citation in the document should be complete, correct, and appropriate for the assignment. Were there in-text citations? Is there a Works Cited page?
4
3
2
1
N.A


Mechanics Issues:
The document should be comprehensively edited to ensure that the spelling is correct, that punctuation is properly used, and that grammar is correct. Note areas that need attention.
4
3
2
1
N.A






Revision Time
https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/revising-drafts/

Getting ready to revise - Considerations

https://irsc.libguides.com/c.php?g=483085&p=3303403

https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_general_format.html

Sentence Variety: Analyze your writing. Take one page of your essay and number the sentences.

Sentence Variety
Sentence #
Number of Words
First three words











































































 Evaluation:
Look at the chart. Are most of your sentences the same length? If they are short, try to combine sentences.
If they are long, try breaking some of the sentences into smaller separate sentences.
Did you start all sentences the same way? If so, you need to revise sentences so that you have variety.

What do you need to do to elevate your writing style?

1. MLA  formatting and style
2. Content is the most important part of your paper. Are YOU part of that content? What words are yours? What words/thoughts belong to others? The goal is to find experts to back up what you say - not the other way around. (On the draft, highlight all words that are yours.)


Revise your essay. Post the final version by the beginning of class on Tuesday, November 26.