Class #11

We do some grammar.

We read a handout about Pat Bourne, and groups do some work on it. This is to illustrate the two kinds of summary that one may be expected to perform.

The Five Paragraph Essay. See the end of Tuesday's post for links.

Peer Review on Draft #1 of your Summary/Response essay.

Once again, if there is time, we'll do a rhetorical analysis of this.

Homework:

1. Create Draft #2 of your Summary/Response essay. For this draft you should have a clear introduction and a satisfying conclusion.

2. Read in Reid pages 216-222. This is to prepare for the NEXT paper.

3. In your journal be sure that your error lists are complete for both the Remembering and the Observation papers. On your list you should have labeled what errors the numbers from the "Top Twenty" list refer to. Did you have fewer errors in the second paper? Remember, for this next paper comma splices, run-ons and fragments will cost you two points each.

4. Two vocabulary words.

Class #10

You get your Remembering papers back.

We go over the grammar handout. More grammar?

We look at responding to "Teach Diversity -- with a Smile."

Then we discuss Tannen's article and two responses to it on pages 208-212 in Reid.

HEY, 7:30 CLASS, I FORGOT TO SHOW YOU THESE PAGES. THEY ARE HELPFUL:We look at pages 374-381 to help with critical reading of informative writing.

If there's time, we'll discuss the Five Paragraph Essay. Here's one example , and another. (Didn't happen in either class.)

Homework:

1. Create the first draft of your Summary/Response essay. In order to do this you must read, understand, analyze and decide what you think about your article. Then summarize the main points of the article (describing it so that someone who has never read it would have a clear idea of what it contains and how it is presented) and explain your analysis and opinion of it.

2. Please email me with questions. You must bring a draft that has attempted BOTH summary and response on Thursday to get credit for the first draft.

3. Two words.

NOTE: HERE IS THE TEXT OF THE COMMENT SHEET FOR YOUR FIRST DRAFT --

Peer Revision: Summary and Response Draft #1

Name Title of Draft

Read the entire draft. As you reread, answer these questions:

1. Consider the introduction. Does it attract your attention effectively?

Does it explain the writer's thesis? What is the thesis?

Does it cite the text clearly?

2. Consider the summary. Does it give you a clear idea of the main ideas of

the text? Suggestions?

Is it written in clear language that you can follow? Do you have any confusion about sources of information? Suggestions for improvement:

Are there regular author tags (at least every few sentences in the summary) to remind the reader where the ideas are coming from?

Are quotes and paraphrases used clearly and smoothly? Specific problems:

3. Consider the response.

Does this response analyze the effectiveness of the text?
Could it do more in this area? How?

Does this response agree/disagree with the text? Is this done effectively?

Does this response interpret or reflect on the text? Does it refer back to the text frequently? Does the response maintain its focus on the text?

4. Answer the writer's questions in No. 3 in the writer's page:

And here is a sample introduction to a summary/response of a Malcolm Gladwell article that is not on your list:

You’re sitting at the beach and a 250 pound bully walks up to you and kicks sand in your face. You are the underdog. What do you do now? What are the odds that you can win in such a situation? According to Malcolm Gladwell’s article “How David Beats Goliath,” underdogs generally win 30% of the time. But if they don’t play by the bully’s rules, they can win 60% of the time. Gladwell provides interesting examples of both recent and historical conflicts where the winner was clearly expected to lose by any reasonable assessment; however, in each case, in spite of the appearance of long odds, the “ninety-pound weakling” pulled it off.