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

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.

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

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

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

Research Paper Assignment Schedule

Below is a copy of the schedule handed out last week in class.

For your research paper, you’ll choose an issue of national scope that interests you and research it through a variety of sources, including researching what each major presidential candidate’s stand on the issue is. You’ll then come to a final stand on the issue yourself and argue the merits of your own position. Your opinions on the issue will (of course) have no bearing on your grade: how well you argue your position will.

Audience and tone: Your audience should be assumed to be open-minded on your issue and likely to respond best to well-reasoned and well-supported arguments based on logic. So even if you feel strongly about your issue, your tone should be even-handed in dealing with all sides of the argument. Avoid too much use of the word “I” (once or twice for emphasis in your introduction or conclusion would be appropriate) as well as informal language, contractions (spell them out) and exclamation points.

Paper Assignment Schedule

Keep in mind that there will be a quiz toward the end of class based on skills learned during the instruction session.

October 17 Your tentative thesis for your paper should be in place

October 24 A draft full sentence outline for your paper will be due. Your outline points should be written in full sentences. Failure to turn in a draft outline will result in a half grade deduction from your research paper grade.

October 31 A revised full sentence outline for your paper will be due. Your outline points should be written in full sentences. Failure to turn in a revised outline will result in a half grade deduction from your research paper grade.

November 7 A rough draft of your paper will be due. Failure to bring a complete rough draft to class for peer reviewing will result in a half grade deduction from your research paper grade.

November 14 A revised “Works Cited” list will be due. Failure to turn in a revised “Works Cited” list (it should have at least six sources, at least three of which should be periodical articles or books) will result in a half grade deduction from your research paper grade.

November 21 Your final draft will be due

Reminder: Class Tomorrow Will be in Carman 124

Class tomorrow will be in Carman 124 at 9 am. They'll be an editing quiz and then we'll do some research and outlining for your research paper.
Sue