Best wishes to everyone during this holiday season and in the new year. I enjoyed teaching and getting to know you all during the semester and hope that the skills learned and the writing done in class will be a help as you continue on in college.
Also, your course grade for English 120 should be accessible online now. Let me know if have any questions about your final grade.
Sue
Monday, December 22, 2008
Friday, December 12, 2008
Reminder for Revisions Deadline: Monday, December 15
Hello all,
If you're planning to revise a paper for a higher grade, keep in mind that the deadline for getting a paper to me is Monday, December 15. You can either leave your revision in my mailbox at the English Department office in Carman 302 or email it to me at sbarker711@gmail.com. You can revise one paper of your choice from the semester. Since the Research Paper is worth 30% of your grade, revising it (if your grade merits it) will potentially have the bigest impact on your final grade.
Sue
If you're planning to revise a paper for a higher grade, keep in mind that the deadline for getting a paper to me is Monday, December 15. You can either leave your revision in my mailbox at the English Department office in Carman 302 or email it to me at sbarker711@gmail.com. You can revise one paper of your choice from the semester. Since the Research Paper is worth 30% of your grade, revising it (if your grade merits it) will potentially have the bigest impact on your final grade.
Sue
Monday, November 24, 2008
CPE Paper Assignment
CPE stands for CUNY Proficiency Exam. Every CUNY student must pass the two parts (called Task One and Task Two) of the CPE exam in order to graduate from a CUNY college. For this paper, you’ll be doing some writing that will be similar to what will be required in Task One of the CPE exam. This will involve reading two selections and writing an essay talking about these two writings, as well as bringing your own thoughts into the discussion. For the actual CPE you would not be given the second reading until the time of the test, and you would do all of your writing at the test site.
The specific requirements for the writing as described in the original CPE booklet are below. Following the directions here as to the specific focus your paper should take is extremely important in writing a passing essay for the CPE.
“With the reading selections by Howard Gardner and Lewis Thomas in mind, write an essay in which you discuss error and learning. In your essay summarize Howard Gardner's criticism of the schools. Draw a relationship between Gardner 's ideas and what you have just read about the value and utility of error. In light of the reading selections, describe your own experience or observations of learning, either in school or out. Discuss the degree to which your experience does or does not reflect the ideas of Gardner or Thomas or both. You may address these points in any order, but be careful to respond to all parts of the assignment and to connect your thoughts into a single, clearly-organized essay. Make specific references to the readings to support your ideas.”
Due date: December 5th Length: 2 and ½ to 3 pages doublespaced
Format: Your paper should follow MLA format, although your documentation style can be more informal. That is, while you should mention your authors by name when you are quoting or paraphrasing them, you do not need to use formal in-text citations or have a Works Cited list for your paper. You also do not need a title for this paper, although you can give it one if you wish.
Preparation: View the relevant parts of the Lehman CPE Tutorial at:
http://www.lehman.edu/provost/enrollmentmgmt/issp/cpe.html
You will need to login with your Lehman email user ID and password. Please view the entire Task One information, as well as the Writing Tips and Study Tips sections for Task One.
The CPE Reference Sheets will also be necessary to review before and while writing this paper.
Many of the writing elements for this paper are precisely the same ones that have been emphasized in the writing of the first three papers for English 120. Even so, the types of readings used for the paper and the relative lack of class time preparation for it may make it somewhat difficult to write. Be sure to allow enough time to do a careful job that follows the CPE guidelines. How comfortable you ultimately feel in writing this paper will help you to gage how much more preparation you’ll need for doing well when you take the “real” CPE.
The CPE Paper counts for 10% of your grade
The specific requirements for the writing as described in the original CPE booklet are below. Following the directions here as to the specific focus your paper should take is extremely important in writing a passing essay for the CPE.
“With the reading selections by Howard Gardner and Lewis Thomas in mind, write an essay in which you discuss error and learning. In your essay summarize Howard Gardner's criticism of the schools. Draw a relationship between Gardner 's ideas and what you have just read about the value and utility of error. In light of the reading selections, describe your own experience or observations of learning, either in school or out. Discuss the degree to which your experience does or does not reflect the ideas of Gardner or Thomas or both. You may address these points in any order, but be careful to respond to all parts of the assignment and to connect your thoughts into a single, clearly-organized essay. Make specific references to the readings to support your ideas.”
Due date: December 5th Length: 2 and ½ to 3 pages doublespaced
Format: Your paper should follow MLA format, although your documentation style can be more informal. That is, while you should mention your authors by name when you are quoting or paraphrasing them, you do not need to use formal in-text citations or have a Works Cited list for your paper. You also do not need a title for this paper, although you can give it one if you wish.
Preparation: View the relevant parts of the Lehman CPE Tutorial at:
http://www.lehman.edu/provost/enrollmentmgmt/issp/cpe.html
You will need to login with your Lehman email user ID and password. Please view the entire Task One information, as well as the Writing Tips and Study Tips sections for Task One.
The CPE Reference Sheets will also be necessary to review before and while writing this paper.
Many of the writing elements for this paper are precisely the same ones that have been emphasized in the writing of the first three papers for English 120. Even so, the types of readings used for the paper and the relative lack of class time preparation for it may make it somewhat difficult to write. Be sure to allow enough time to do a careful job that follows the CPE guidelines. How comfortable you ultimately feel in writing this paper will help you to gage how much more preparation you’ll need for doing well when you take the “real” CPE.
The CPE Paper counts for 10% of your grade
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Self-Editing Sheet for Research Paper
Hello all,
Below are some methods to use and things to look for as you edit the final draft of your Research Paper. We’ll also do a little self-editing in class on Friday morning, but it will be brief and will not be a substitute for doing careful proofreading and editing on your own.
Self Editing for Research Paper
--Is your title an engaging one? Would the title spur a reader's interest? Would you feel interested in checking out a paper with a similar title? If your answer to these questions is not an unqualified "yes," then brainstorm a few new titles until you have developed a more effective one.
--Is your introduction an effective one? Does it preview your main points? Does it use one of the methods discussed in class to add interest to your writing? Is every sentence clearly written? Is your thesis clearly communicated? If your answer to these questions is not an unqualified "yes," then revise your introduction accordingly.
--Is your conclusion an effective one? Does it review your main points? Does it use one of the methods discussed in class to add interest to your writing? Is every sentence clearly written? Is the final position of your argument clearly communicated? If your answer to these questions is not an unqualified "yes," then revise your introduction accordingly.
--Read your paper out loud looking for clarity, word form and other issues. Have a friend, relative or significant other read your paper and alert you to any clarity, argument or other issues.
--Check all of your in-text citations to make sure they are listed by author and page number, for example (Smith 34) or by the first few title words when an author is not available, for example (Energy Althernatives 11). If no page number is available, then omit it.
--Do the authors or title words in your in-text citations all match the first word or words of one of your Works Cited entries? If not, change your in-text citations so that they do.
The basic MLA formatting has been great for your drafts, but you'll still want to do a quick check including:
--Doublespacing throughout
--All 12 point New Times Roman font used
--Page header includes last name and page number in New Times Roman 12 point font
--No boldface font used in title or other places
--No words in all capitals used in title or other places (unless you’re using an acronym) --Name, class, date etc. information listed correctly (use paper due date for date)
Your Work Cited page should have a more careful check including:
--It is titled Works Cited?
-- Are hanging indentations used for all entries?
--Are your Works Cited entries alphabetized?
--Are all citations complete, including volume, issue and page numbers for articles as necessary?
--Have you included retrieval dates for all web pages and library database articles?
--Are you using the database name from the library database list to identify your database rather than the producer name, such as EbscoHost?
Other Things to Check:
--Are all direct quotations in quotation marks?
--Are all quotations led into with signal phrases so that they are not dropped quotes?
--Have you spelled out all numbers that can be written in one or two words?
--Have you used it's only when you mean to use the contraction of it and is?
--Do all possessive forms except for its include an apostrophe?
--Look for common misspellings with homophones such as to/too/two and their/there/they’re.
See pages 299-300 of A Writer’s Reference for additional examples. Look up any words in your paper that you’re unsure that you’re using correctly.
Below are some methods to use and things to look for as you edit the final draft of your Research Paper. We’ll also do a little self-editing in class on Friday morning, but it will be brief and will not be a substitute for doing careful proofreading and editing on your own.
Self Editing for Research Paper
--Is your title an engaging one? Would the title spur a reader's interest? Would you feel interested in checking out a paper with a similar title? If your answer to these questions is not an unqualified "yes," then brainstorm a few new titles until you have developed a more effective one.
--Is your introduction an effective one? Does it preview your main points? Does it use one of the methods discussed in class to add interest to your writing? Is every sentence clearly written? Is your thesis clearly communicated? If your answer to these questions is not an unqualified "yes," then revise your introduction accordingly.
--Is your conclusion an effective one? Does it review your main points? Does it use one of the methods discussed in class to add interest to your writing? Is every sentence clearly written? Is the final position of your argument clearly communicated? If your answer to these questions is not an unqualified "yes," then revise your introduction accordingly.
--Read your paper out loud looking for clarity, word form and other issues. Have a friend, relative or significant other read your paper and alert you to any clarity, argument or other issues.
--Check all of your in-text citations to make sure they are listed by author and page number, for example (Smith 34) or by the first few title words when an author is not available, for example (Energy Althernatives 11). If no page number is available, then omit it.
--Do the authors or title words in your in-text citations all match the first word or words of one of your Works Cited entries? If not, change your in-text citations so that they do.
The basic MLA formatting has been great for your drafts, but you'll still want to do a quick check including:
--Doublespacing throughout
--All 12 point New Times Roman font used
--Page header includes last name and page number in New Times Roman 12 point font
--No boldface font used in title or other places
--No words in all capitals used in title or other places (unless you’re using an acronym) --Name, class, date etc. information listed correctly (use paper due date for date)
Your Work Cited page should have a more careful check including:
--It is titled Works Cited?
-- Are hanging indentations used for all entries?
--Are your Works Cited entries alphabetized?
--Are all citations complete, including volume, issue and page numbers for articles as necessary?
--Have you included retrieval dates for all web pages and library database articles?
--Are you using the database name from the library database list to identify your database rather than the producer name, such as EbscoHost?
Other Things to Check:
--Are all direct quotations in quotation marks?
--Are all quotations led into with signal phrases so that they are not dropped quotes?
--Have you spelled out all numbers that can be written in one or two words?
--Have you used it's only when you mean to use the contraction of it and is?
--Do all possessive forms except for its include an apostrophe?
--Look for common misspellings with homophones such as to/too/two and their/there/they’re.
See pages 299-300 of A Writer’s Reference for additional examples. Look up any words in your paper that you’re unsure that you’re using correctly.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Reminder: Class Will Meet in Computer Classroom on Friday, November 14
Hello to all,
This Friday, go directly to Carman 124 (one of the computer classrooms by the computer lab) at 9 am for class. We'll be there for the whole class period doing various types of revising that will involve both your research paper and your Works Cited list. Be sure to have a copy of your paper and works cited available to you on Friday morning so that you can work with them online.
Sue
This Friday, go directly to Carman 124 (one of the computer classrooms by the computer lab) at 9 am for class. We'll be there for the whole class period doing various types of revising that will involve both your research paper and your Works Cited list. Be sure to have a copy of your paper and works cited available to you on Friday morning so that you can work with them online.
Sue
Monday, November 10, 2008
Reminder: Have Access to Your Paper Draft and Works Cited List on Friday
Hello all,
On this Friday, the 14th, we'll be meeting in Carman 124, one of the computer classrooms by the computer lab in Carman. Part of your time on Friday will be spent doing revisions of various types to your research paper and works cited drafts. Be sure to have a Word copy of both these items available to you on Friday morning on a flash drive, some other storage device or by emailing it to yourself. A Works Cited list that should include all your sources will be due at the end of class on Friday.
In the meantime, continue revising on your own.
Sue
On this Friday, the 14th, we'll be meeting in Carman 124, one of the computer classrooms by the computer lab in Carman. Part of your time on Friday will be spent doing revisions of various types to your research paper and works cited drafts. Be sure to have a Word copy of both these items available to you on Friday morning on a flash drive, some other storage device or by emailing it to yourself. A Works Cited list that should include all your sources will be due at the end of class on Friday.
In the meantime, continue revising on your own.
Sue
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Obama's "Closing Argument" Speech
I couldn't help but be struck by the fact that Barak Obama called his speech on Monday his "closing argument." We'll look at some excerpts of the speech during this week's class to see what methods Obama uses to try to craft an effective argument for his audience and how they might (or might not) apply to your own arguments in your research papers. If you want to read the speech beforehand, one place it's posted at is:
http://thepage.time.com/full-remarks-from-obama-in-closing-argument-speech/
It can also be viewed on YouTube at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1X3eE18dfmE
http://thepage.time.com/full-remarks-from-obama-in-closing-argument-speech/
It can also be viewed on YouTube at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1X3eE18dfmE
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