On Friday, October 30, 2009, we discussed Comparison and Contrast's Block Pattern. The block pattern allows the reader to see each subtopic as a whole, without interruption. For additional guidance on the block pattern, please go to your text "Great Essays", page 64.
Your homework assignment is to develop a list of similarities for two movies you have seen in the past.
I've created an example of a list of similaries below for two movies, Becoming Jane and Jane Eyre:
Movies: Becoming Jane and Jane Eyre
Jane Eyre and Becoming Jane are dramas.
Both movies have the name Jane in the title.
The leading roles are played by American actresses.
Both movies are set in 19th century England.
In the movie Jane Eyre, Jane is love with someone who cannot marry her.
In the movie Becoming Jane, Jane is love with someone who cannot marry her.
The locations for both films are dark, cold and bleak.
Both movies highlight tragic deaths.
Both movies highlight fashions which represent the 19th century era.
Jane Eyre and Becoming Jane looks at women who become strong because they have to make difficult decisions in their lives.
Jane Eyre and Becoming Jane involve the genre of romance.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Samples of Outlines
Outlines
It is important to create an outline as part of your preparation for the writing of your essay. The outline helps guide you into the writing process by helping you stay on topic. Because it can become a strategy or plan for what you want to say in the essay, it helps you see the "big picture" or the purpose of your essay.
Things to remember about your outline:
You should have two or three subtopics. The subtopics are the reasons which help prove your thesis statement.
You should remember to develop a restated thesis in the first line of your conclusion. The restated thesis reminds the reader of the purpose of your essay. Restated thesis means that you have re-written the idea of your thesis statement but used different words.
The last few lines of your conclusion should have an insightful closing, which tells the reader something about the future of your topic. You may also use a saying or a proverb which provides an insight.
Outline Structure
I. Motivation/Hook:
Connecting sentence:
Thesis statement:
II. Body paragraph/subtopic:
A. Supporting detail:
B. Supporting detail:
III. Body paragraph/subtopic:
A. Supporting detail
B. Supporting detail
IV. Conclusion
A. Restated thesis
B. Insightful closing sentence
I have included below links to help you with your outline for your essay.
Developing An Outline/OWL Purdue Guides:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/544/01/
Creating and Using Outlines/Univ. of Arkansas at Fayetteville-Quality Writing Center:
http://www3.uark.edu/qwct/resources/handouts/10%20Creating%20and%20Using%20Outlines.pdf
It is important to create an outline as part of your preparation for the writing of your essay. The outline helps guide you into the writing process by helping you stay on topic. Because it can become a strategy or plan for what you want to say in the essay, it helps you see the "big picture" or the purpose of your essay.
Things to remember about your outline:
You should have two or three subtopics. The subtopics are the reasons which help prove your thesis statement.
You should remember to develop a restated thesis in the first line of your conclusion. The restated thesis reminds the reader of the purpose of your essay. Restated thesis means that you have re-written the idea of your thesis statement but used different words.
The last few lines of your conclusion should have an insightful closing, which tells the reader something about the future of your topic. You may also use a saying or a proverb which provides an insight.
Outline Structure
I. Motivation/Hook:
Connecting sentence:
Thesis statement:
II. Body paragraph/subtopic:
A. Supporting detail:
B. Supporting detail:
III. Body paragraph/subtopic:
A. Supporting detail
B. Supporting detail
IV. Conclusion
A. Restated thesis
B. Insightful closing sentence
I have included below links to help you with your outline for your essay.
Developing An Outline/OWL Purdue Guides:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/544/01/
Creating and Using Outlines/Univ. of Arkansas at Fayetteville-Quality Writing Center:
http://www3.uark.edu/qwct/resources/handouts/10%20Creating%20and%20Using%20Outlines.pdf
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
ESSAY ASSIGNMENT GUIDELINES
WHAT YOU MUST TURN IN:
You must turn in your essay using the following format. All credited work must have the professor's initials and date on it. The essay and its parts are worth 100 points:
1) Cluster or Brainstorming exercise (10 points)
2) Outline (10) points
3) First body paragraph (10 points)
4) Draft of essay (50 points)
5) Typed draft of essay: 20 points
6) Evaluation sheet (evaluation sheets will be provided)
Your essay and its parts must be enclosed in a two-pocket folder.
IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER ABOUT YOUR ESSAY'S CONTENT AND ORGANIZATION:
One of the most important aspects of writing an academic essay is the critical analysis, development, and evaluation of your topic.
Hook/Motivation: These three sentences should work to attract your reader and get them interested in your topic.
Thesis statement: The essay's logic is found in its thesis - your reader should be able to follow the thesis all the way through the body paragraphs to the conclusion.
Subtopics and supporting details: The development of your topic exists in the body paragraphs, in which you provide proof or you support your thesis statement using explanation, examples, facts, statistics, data, anecdotes, quotes, and/or historical background. You must ask yourself if you have developed your topic clearly and intelligently.
Transitional phrases or words: You should remember to use transitions in your essays, between paragraphs and between sentences to show the reader you are taking them from one idea to another or expanding on an idea. Examples of transitions are: such as, for instance, for example, however, therefore, in contrast, additionally, etc.
For more information on transitions, go the following weblink:
http://writing2.richmond.edu/writing/wweb/trans1.html
Conclusion: Your conclusion is made up of two parts: the restated thesis and the insight. The restated thesis is important because it reminds the reader of the essay's purpose. Like a summary, it must be paraphrased or rewritten, using new words to repeat the same idea. Remember: a restated thesis never repeats the same language as your thesis statement.
Because the insight is the final sentence of the essay, it should leave your reader with a lingering and powerful perspective of your topic. Many writers use proverbs or saysings to close their essays. Some writers offer an insight into the future of the topic. The insight should not, however, offer new or contradictory information on the topic. It should still be relevant to the main idea. Like the hook or the motivation, the insight is used to keep your critical evaluation of the topic in the reader's mind for a very long time.
You must turn in your essay using the following format. All credited work must have the professor's initials and date on it. The essay and its parts are worth 100 points:
1) Cluster or Brainstorming exercise (10 points)
2) Outline (10) points
3) First body paragraph (10 points)
4) Draft of essay (50 points)
5) Typed draft of essay: 20 points
6) Evaluation sheet (evaluation sheets will be provided)
Your essay and its parts must be enclosed in a two-pocket folder.
IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER ABOUT YOUR ESSAY'S CONTENT AND ORGANIZATION:
One of the most important aspects of writing an academic essay is the critical analysis, development, and evaluation of your topic.
Hook/Motivation: These three sentences should work to attract your reader and get them interested in your topic.
Thesis statement: The essay's logic is found in its thesis - your reader should be able to follow the thesis all the way through the body paragraphs to the conclusion.
Subtopics and supporting details: The development of your topic exists in the body paragraphs, in which you provide proof or you support your thesis statement using explanation, examples, facts, statistics, data, anecdotes, quotes, and/or historical background. You must ask yourself if you have developed your topic clearly and intelligently.
Transitional phrases or words: You should remember to use transitions in your essays, between paragraphs and between sentences to show the reader you are taking them from one idea to another or expanding on an idea. Examples of transitions are: such as, for instance, for example, however, therefore, in contrast, additionally, etc.
For more information on transitions, go the following weblink:
http://writing2.richmond.edu/writing/wweb/trans1.html
Conclusion: Your conclusion is made up of two parts: the restated thesis and the insight. The restated thesis is important because it reminds the reader of the essay's purpose. Like a summary, it must be paraphrased or rewritten, using new words to repeat the same idea. Remember: a restated thesis never repeats the same language as your thesis statement.
Because the insight is the final sentence of the essay, it should leave your reader with a lingering and powerful perspective of your topic. Many writers use proverbs or saysings to close their essays. Some writers offer an insight into the future of the topic. The insight should not, however, offer new or contradictory information on the topic. It should still be relevant to the main idea. Like the hook or the motivation, the insight is used to keep your critical evaluation of the topic in the reader's mind for a very long time.
3102 End of October Schedule
Monday, October 19: Continue in-class work on draft of essay.
Wednesday, October 21: Complete draft essay and discuss with professor.
Friday, October 23: Final essay due date. Turn essay in to professor, according to guidelines (guidelines listed in second blog post.)
Monday, October 26: Graded essays will be returned. Discussion of revision. Revision of essays will be due Monday, November 2.
Wednesday, Ocotber 28: Begin discussion on comparison-contrast essay pattern. Exercise handouts will be provided to expand on discussion of the pattern.
Monday, November 2: Begin in-class, pre-writing exercises on comparison-contrast pattern. Revisions of Essay I due.
Students must visit my office during office hours to discuss their essays. During these visits, students should have questions in mind to ask me regarding their draft essays. Questions concerning organization, content, thesis, vocabulary and grammar are expected; however, any question about the writing process and experience is welcomed. If you have a scheduling conflict, I can try to make an appointment for another time.
Wednesday, October 21: Complete draft essay and discuss with professor.
Friday, October 23: Final essay due date. Turn essay in to professor, according to guidelines (guidelines listed in second blog post.)
Monday, October 26: Graded essays will be returned. Discussion of revision. Revision of essays will be due Monday, November 2.
Wednesday, Ocotber 28: Begin discussion on comparison-contrast essay pattern. Exercise handouts will be provided to expand on discussion of the pattern.
Monday, November 2: Begin in-class, pre-writing exercises on comparison-contrast pattern. Revisions of Essay I due.
Students must visit my office during office hours to discuss their essays. During these visits, students should have questions in mind to ask me regarding their draft essays. Questions concerning organization, content, thesis, vocabulary and grammar are expected; however, any question about the writing process and experience is welcomed. If you have a scheduling conflict, I can try to make an appointment for another time.
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