Monday, September 29, 2008
Assignment for Wednesday, 10/1
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Assignment for Monday, 10/29
Writing Conference #1 - Schedule
Monday, September 22 - NGT 456
- 2:15pm:Ruzzier-Gaul
- 2:30pm: Ponomarenko
- 3:30pm: Smith
Monday, September 22 - MAN 610
- 4pm: O'Neal
- 4:15pm: Borshch
- 4:30pm: Avellino
Wednesday, September 24 - NGT 456
- 2pm: Maharajh
- 2:15pm: Swaebe
- 2:30pm: Vergara
- 2:45pm: Loizzo
- 5:15(ish): Beauchamp
Wednesday, September 24 - MAN 610
- 4pm: Thibodeau
- 4:15pm: Evers
- 4:30pm: Fountain
- 4:45pm: Keitt
- 5:00pm: Flora
Monday, September 15, 2008
Assignment for Wednesday, 9/17
Essay Assignment #1
Assignment: Download, and read, “What’s Wrong with Cinderella?” by Peggy Orenstein. The article is available from the New York Times Magazine online here. After reading the article, write a short essay that offers a critical response to Orenstein’s argument. You need to first IDENTIFY her argument (you need to be able to summarize it clearly), and then EVALUATE this argument. Is the author’s thesis persuasive or not? Is her reasoning flawed? Does she need additional evidence?
Your essay should be 3-4 pages, double-spaced, and typed with 1” margins. There is no need to include citations because, in this case, I know exactly what source you are using. However, if you quote from the article, please format the quotation properly.
Objectives: The goal of this essay is to help you make the transition from summarizing a text to offering a critical response, complete with thesis statement and supporting textual evidence. You will need to employ critical reading skills (to provide a close and detailed reading of the text) and critical thinking skills (to formulate a response to the reading). These critical reading and thinking skills provide the foundation for critical writing.
I suggest that you follow these steps in completing the assignment:
- Read the whole work, noting key ideas and concepts (either annotating the text itself or keeping your own notes).
- Determine the essay’s thesis and the main points that the author uses to support this thesis. Write a preliminary summary of each of these main points.
- Formulate a (tentative) opinion about the essay with regards to the author’s success or failure in supporting the thesis. NOTE: This is different from agreeing or disagreeing with the author's thesis. Form an opinion regarding how effectively the author argues his/her point, whether you agree with it or not.
- Move from a general reaction to the essay towards a more focused statement about it. In other words, edit the thoughts you formulated about the essay into one statement (your preliminary thesis statement).
- Once you’ve identified a preliminary thesis statement, prepare a tentative outline that organizes each of the points you will use to support your thesis. This outline should identify what textual evidence you plan to use to support your ideas.
- Once you have an outline, you are ready to start writing your first draft. Write the draft based on the outline, but do NOT feel that you have to slavishly follow it. If, while writing the essay, you discover alternative points or different ways of structuring your argument, modify the outline to match.
Deadlines: Your first draft of the essay will be due IN CONFERENCE with me on either Monday, September 22 or Wednesday, September 24. (A sign-up sheet for conference times will be available in class a week ahead of time.) We will meet one-on-one for a 15-minute conference concerning the draft. You should bring TWO COPIES of the draft paper (you will read one copy while I read the other).
Based on availability, you can decide which of the two days you will meet with me, but be aware of the trade-offs involved. For example, meeting Wednesday gives you more time to complete your first draft, but leaves you with less time for revision. If you absolutely cannot make the scheduled meeting times, contact me to arrange an alternative meeting time.
Your final draft is due on Wednesday, October 1, at the beginning of class. You should attach your first draft, because I will want to see how much you have revised the essay since your draft. You should attach the copy of your first draft with my comments and notations from the writing conference.
Just to be clear, these again are the deadlines:
- Monday/Wednesday, September 22-24
First Draft Due (2 copies) - Wednesday, October 1
Final Draft Due (w/ 1st draft attached)
Grading: Grading will be based on the criteria provided in your syllabus. However, four additional considerations will also be factored into your grade:
- If you do not meet with me in conference to discuss your first draft, I will deduct a full letter grade from your grade for the assignment.
- If you hand in your essay late, without a valid and documented excuse, I will deduct a full letter grade from your grade for the assignment.
- If you do not attach your first draft to the final draft, I will deduct a third of a letter grade from your grade for the assignment.
- In general, you should revise extensively between the first draft and final draft. A lack of revision will be reflected negatively in the final grade.
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