Notebook Checks

Be ready for one soon. Just sayin'.

Joe's Paper for Wednesday

Section 3: Because Joe Walker has had trouble posting to his blog, I have posted his narrative argument under Course Content on Blackboard. Please access it there and be ready to workshop it on Wednesday. You do not need to post comments on his blog, but you should write him an extensive note on his paper.

(Section 4, you may disregard.)

Rebuttals & Rogerians Graded

At long last, grades for all rebuttal and Rogerian arguments have been posted on Blackboard. As I mentioned, I have not posted comments on your blogs in most cases. If you have questions about your grades or want to discuss your revisions, feel free to visit me during my office hours.

The grades you'll see are numerical equivalents of letter grades (A is 95, A- is 92, B+ is 88, etc.).

I will now turn my attention to posting comments on your blogs in response to your narrative drafts. The final draft of this paper is due on your blog on the last day of class, Friday, May 6.

Class Cancelled Wednesday; Paper Deadline Extended to Thursday

Two bits of good news for you this week!

1. I've decided to cancel class tomorrow (Wednesday) -- no, not because it's 4/20. As you know, I'm egregiously behind in my paper grading, and for that I'm very sorry. So I'm declaring tomorrow an official grading and writing day. I'll work on grading your papers, beginning at the end of the alphabet this time and working my way backward. I will be grading your rebuttal and Rogerian arguments at the same time. In order to expedite your grades, I will not be posting comments on your final drafts. If you have any questions about your grades, which you can check on Blackboard, you may of course come to my office hours to discuss them.

2. I am extending the deadline for the first draft of your narrative argument to noon on Thursday (4/21). This way, you can have a little extra time, but students will still have access to papers 24 hours in advance of our first narrative argument workshop (see the post below for details). On your own time, please post a reflection on this draft; we won't have time to do this in class on Friday.

See you Friday!

Narrative Argument Workshop Schedule

We'll be workshopping two narrative arguments in each of the next four classes. Here's the schedule:

Fri. 4/22
Francesca and Peggy in section 3; Dan and Joe in section 4

Mon. 4/25
Brian and Courtney in section 3; Ethan W. and Brendan in section 4

Wed. 4/27
Joe and Alex in section 3; Greg T. and Ethan F. in section 4

Fri. 4/29
Jasper and Grace in section 3; Meredith and Molly P. in section 4

As always, please print these essays and bring them to class to discuss, along with printed versions of your posted comments, which you will return to the author. This is the last push of classwork before the end of the semester. Let's give this last round of students some strong feedback.

Papers Due This Week!

On Monday, April 18, the revision of your Rogerian argument (Essay 3.2) is due on your blog (by the time class starts). (In addition, for Monday, please read the two narrative arguments linked in the post below, by Amy Benfer and Ayelet Waldman.)

On Wednesday, April 20, the first draft of your narrative argument (Essay 4.1) is due on your blog (by the time class starts).

Please remember that you must complete all four papers in order to pass the class. Let me know if you have any questions.

Rogerian Extension

Because there are a few Rogerian arguments I've yet to comment on, I am extending the deadline for the Rogerian argument revisions until Monday, April 18. Please post your revisions (Essay 3.2) by the time class meets on Monday.

Homework Correction

Today I told those of you in section 3 to read the two essays (by Ayelet Waldman and Amy Benfer) for Friday. Actually, you don't need to read those until Monday; I switched those days in my mind. (See the correct schedule below.) On Friday, we will begin prewriting and brainstorming for our narrative arguments, so bring your ideas for this paper and we'll shape them in class. My apologies for the confusion.

Narrative Argument Readings & Assignment

Here's our schedule for the remainder (!) of our semester, with links to readings:

Mon. 4/11: Readings from Good Reasons (access via Blackboard), plus “Family Faith: Raising Children in an Interfaith Marriage” by Leah Katz. 

Wed. 4/13: “Minivan Motoring, Or Why I Miss That Old Car Smell” by Sam Patteson. Narrative Techniques.
DVW Series: Fiction writer Sarah Shun-Lien Bynum Reading, Klingenstein Lounge, Egbert Hall, 7:30 p.m.

Fri. 4/15: Essay 3.2 due.  Reflection 3.2 in class.  Prewriting and group brainstorming, Essay 4.

Mon. 4/18: “What’s so wrong with a pregnancy pact?” by Amy Benfer; “Raped by statute” by Ayelet Waldman. 

Wed. 4/20: Essay 4.1 due.  Reflection 4.1.  Sentence Variety.

Fri. 4/22: Essay 4 Workshops (two essays)

Mon. 4/25: Essay 4 Workshops (two essays)

Wed. 4/27: Essay 4 Workshops (two essays)

Fri. 4/29: Essay 4 Workshops (two essays)

Mon. 5/2: Concision.

Wed. 5/4: TBA.

Fri. 5/6: Last day of class.  Essay 4.2 due.  Final reflection in class.

NARRATIVE ARGUMENT ASSIGNMENT

“To be a person is to have a story to tell.”

—Isak Dinesen

We love stories.  Stories are a human currency; they sustain us and give form to formless experience.  Stories, when shaped effectively, can also be powerful arguments.  This assignment will depart from our traditional notion of argument by asking you to consider the power of pathos, example, and persuasive storytelling.

Many of you have used elements of narrative in your previous papers.  However, in this assignment, you will use narrative as your primary method of argument.  Choose a true story that makes a powerful argument, and share it with your audience.  This might mean using one central story to support your claim.  Or, you may need a series of ancillary anecdotes.  These stories could be from your personal experience, the experience of your friends or family, or from experiences you learn about through primary or secondary research.  It will be your job to clearly describe these experiences through concrete detail and sensory language.

While you need not explicitly state your claim and/or reasons, they should be clear to the audience.  This assignment prizes creativity and risk-taking as well as focus and clarity.

Final length: 1200 words, minimum (approximately 3 to 4 pages, double-spaced)

Percentage of final grade: 25

Research: At least three secondary sources are required to support your argument.  As always, your sources must be properly incorporated and documented using the MLA system.  And as always, you should choose the most appropriate and credible type of evidence available.

Topics: The topic of your paper is open.  While I encourage you to be creative and to choose a topic about which you feel strongly, remember that this is an academic paper, and that your topic should meet the needs of an academic audience.  In other words, your purpose should not be simply to share a “lesson,” or your favorite sport, food, song, etc.  For example, you might take a stand on the issue of granting illegal immigrants amnesty by narrating your experience hiring day laborers, living in a city with a large population of illegal immigrants, or being an immigrant yourself.  Or you might take a stand on Title IX based on your experience playing college sports.

               

Office hours: Especially because this is the most challenging assignment yet, I encourage you to see me during my office hours to discuss topics, claims, structure, or any other concerns at any point during your writing process. I also encourage you to visit the Writing Center.

First draft due: Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Second draft due: Friday, May 6, 2011 (last day of class)

GRADING CRITERIA

An “A” paper (90–100):

·      advances a clear, insightful, and original claim and well-defined reasons

·      supports the reasons with sufficient and compelling evidence

·      uses research critically and ethically and incorporates it appropriately

·      is constructed of unified, well-developed paragraphs in logical order with clear transitions

·      makes bold and creative use of narrative techniques to develop and support a point of view

·      demonstrates mastery of documentation, grammar, and formatting

·      shows sophistication, innovation, and creativity with style, diction, and voice

A “B” paper (80–89):

·      advances a clear argumentative purpose, but may lack the insight  or originality of an “A” paper

·      supports the reasons with clear and relevant evidence, but support may lack insight

·      uses research ethically and incorporates it adequately, but analysis may lack insight

·      progresses logically, for the most part, and shows some attempt at transition

·      makes effective use of narrative techniques to develop and support a point of view

·      demonstrates proper documentation and exhibits few grammar and formatting errors

·      provides evidence of an evolving, but perhaps underdeveloped, individual voice

A “C” paper (70–79):

·      demonstrates an attempt, though perhaps inconsistent, at an argumentative purpose

·      provides support, but may contain generalizations, overlook relevant examples, or rely on obvious or clichéd evidence

·      uses research, but research may not be appropriate or incorporated effectively

·      orders paragraphs logically and coherently with, perhaps, a few lapses

·      demonstrates a simplistic understanding of narrative techniques

·      exhibits patterns of grammatical error, but they do not significantly impede meaning

·      documents sources appropriately but perhaps with some lapses in formatting

·      may be simplistic in style or reliant on clichés; may lack sentence variety

A “D” paper (60–69) may lack any of the following:

·      an argumentative purpose

·      sufficient and relevant support

·      analysis of evidence

·      logical paragraph order or clearly defined paragraphs

·      understanding of narrative techniques

·      understanding of grammar or documentation

An “F” paper fails to meet most requirements and/or the writing exhibits serious deficiency.

Monday's Essays

Matthew and Jake's essays are proving difficult to print because of the background color of their blogs. I've posted a Word doc of Jake's essay (section 4) on Blackboard under Course Content and will try to do the same for Matthew's essay (section 3) ASAP.