Composition II Homework Assignments

General Guidelines for Homework Assignments

· All homework assignments should be completed as described in the assignment, typed and double-spaced, containing your name, the homework assignment number, and the date due in the top left-hand corner, and turned in at the beginning of the class period for which it has been assigned. Type all assignments, double-spaced; left justify all paragraphs, and double-double space between paragraphs when necessary. If you have printer/computer difficulties, speak to Mrs. Finnegan about alternatives that are acceptable.

· Any work not turned in at the beginning of class will be marked down one letter grade per day that it is late, so make sure to hand in everything promptly. If you encounter special circumstances which render this impossible, speak to Mrs. Finnegan.

· Whenever copy work is required, it should be copied by hand into the “Copy Work” section of your 3-ring binder. The work is copied by hand to accomplish several important purposes, not the least of which includes the careful attention to detail required and the tactile nature of the work. Place the assignment number {such as “Homework #1”} on the top of the first page of lined paper in this section, then begin the copy work on the following line. Skip at least two lines between copy work assignments.

· All homework, when it is returned to you following its grading, should be placed in the “Homework” section of your 3-ring binder.

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Assigned 4-29-10, due 5-6-10

Homework #27

1. This week, we will again be writing a deliberative essay regarding a law, ordinance or rule. You may choose the rule (either real or imaginary) and you may argue for or against the law, whichever you choose.

1. You should go through steps 1-5 from Homework #26 from last week, but you only need to turn in the final version of your essay.

1. There is no paragraph or word limit on this assignment. You need to use the right tools and the right number of words to persuade your audience to either support/pass the law or oppose/deny the law. Use all the tools in your rhetorical toolbox to convince your reader (me!)

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Assigned 4-22-10, due 4-29-10

Homework #26

1. First, make up a law. This should be something you can argue in favor of, but that is not currently a real law. Write out your law in careful, brief terms. Type this as #1 on your homework assignment.

1. Your job is to argue to confirm your law, and persuade your audience that this law should become part of the legal code. Reform your law into a proposition, and type this proposition as #2 on your homework assignment.

1. Create an ANI chart for your proposition, using the deliberative topics. Type this up as #3 on your homework.

1. Use your ANI chart to prepare a 4-point outline for your essay. The 4 main points should be:

I. Introduction

II. Narrative and proposition

III. Confirmation

IV. Conclusion

And you should choose anecdotes, proverbs, sayings, points from your ANI chart, and fill out your outline with sub-points. This should be #4 typed on your homework.

1. Turn your outline into a four to six paragraph essay in favor of your law. You will need to revise this essay a few times at least after your first draft, to make it logical, cohesive, coherent, and persuasive. Use figures od speech to help you be persuasive. Type the final draft of this as #5 on your homework.

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Assigned 4-15-10, due 4-22-10

Homework #25

1. This week, you will write a deliberative essay refuting a thesis (arguing against a thesis). For your topic, you may argue against the topic you argued for last week, or you may choose one of the other two topics from Homework #23 that you have not yet written about.

2. If you have not yet expanded your ANI chart for your chosen thesis using the deliberative topics, do so before you begin to write. You do NOT need to turn the chart in this week.

3. Write a deliberative essay confirming the thesis. It should follow the standard arrangement for a deliberative essay, and should use several of the ideas found in your expanded ANI chart. Make sure you pay attention to good paragraph structure and sentence structure, and make your essay persuasive: you want to convince me to pay attention to your argument. Try to incorporate some of the persuasive figures we have discussed, too!

Your deliberative essay should be between four and seven paragraphs, typed and formatted, and ready to turn in at our next class. Be prepared to read your essay to the class.

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Assigned 4-8-10, due 4-15-10

Homework #24

1. Choose one of the three thesis statements that you created charts for in Homework #23 part 3. Make it a thesis you wish to argue in favor of (in the affirmative).

2. Expand the ANI chart you have done for that topic by asking the deliberative topics:

a. Necessary/unnecessary

b. Possible/impossible

c. Advantageous/disadvantageous

d. Easy/hard

e. Fitting/not-fitting (inappropriate)

f. Lawful/unlawful (illegal)

g. Customary/not customary

h. Just/unjust

Type this new, expanded chart for inclusion in your homework.

3. Write a deliberative essay confirming the thesis. It should follow the standard arrangement for a deliberative essay, and should use several of the ideas found in your expanded ANI chart. Make sure you pay attention to good paragraph structure and sentence structure, and make your essay persuasive: you want to convince me to pay attention to your argument. Try to incorporate some of the persuasive figures we have discussed, too!

Your deliberative essay should be between four and seven paragraphs, typed and formatted, and ready to turn in at our next class. Be prepared to read your essay to the class.

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Assigned 3-25-10, due 4-8-10

Homework #23

1. Create 5 excellent thesis topics: these should be topics that you can argue from either side of the issue, and written in a well-worded and well-thought-out way.

1. For each of your five thesis topics identify:
   1. Is the thesis definite or indefinite?
   2. Is the thesis practical or theoretical?
   3. Is the thesis simple, twofold, or comparative?

1. Choose your three favorite thesis topics from the five you have listed, and complete ANI charts for each of those three topics. Use the topics of invention to help you think about the topic and discover ideas. Make them complete and full of good ideas.

1. Type and turn in one copy of your work (the five thesis statements and the three ANI charts), and keep a second copy in your notebook.

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Assigned 3-11-10, due 3-25-10

Homework #22

1. Choose a character for the main character of a Speech-in-Character three-paragraph essay. It may be a real person (like Mrs. Finnegan), an historical figure (like Abraham Lincoln), or a mythological or fictitious character (like Anne of Green Gables or Hercules). It may be a definite person (like Henry V of England) or an indefinite type of person (Like a general). This is the “so-and-so” of your essay.

2. Choose an occasion in the life of the character you have chosen. This may be a real event, a fictional event, or an imaginary event that you just made up. This is the “such-and-such” of your essay.

3. Entitle your essay with the so-and-so and the such-and-such of your Speech-in-Character, for example:

a. So-and-so on the occasion of such-and-such

b. So-and-so, and such-and-such has just happened

c. So-and-so at such-and-such

4. Write a three paragraph speech-in-character that utilizes the present-past-future arrangement of writing:

i. Present tense: reveal the character’s ethos or emotional state of mind regarding his/her circumstances

ii. Past tense: recall the happiness/tragedy that once was

iii. Future tense: forecast a vision of the future for misery or happiness.

5. Rewrite and revise. Turn in your final copy, properly typed and formatted, next week.

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Assigned 3-4-10, due 3-11-10

Homework #21

1. Choose one of the following poems from the handout you received in class today:

i. “To be or not to be”

ii. “Death, be not proud”

iii. “Yet here, Laertes!”

iv. “On First Looking Into Chapman’s Homer”

2. Write a Speech-in-Character based on the poem you choose. Use the speaker and structure given in the original, but make it your own descriptive prose. Write in first person, and present tense.

3. Type and turn in your speech next week.

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Assigned 2-25-10, due 3-4-10

Homework #20

1. Using the two Milton poems “L’Allegro” and “Il Penseroso” as a basis for your comparison, write a comparison essay which compares the virtues of a life of sociability and a life of contemplation.

1. Choose one of the following arrangements which we discussed in class for your essay:

1. I. Introduction

II. Amplification

A. Characteristic A

1. Example 1

2. Example 2

B. Characteristic B

1. Example 1

2. Example 2

C. Characteristic C

1. Example 1

2. Example 2

III. Conclusion

OR:

I. Introduction

a. Example 1

b. Example 2

II. Narrative

a. Example 1

b. Example 2

III. Amplification

a. Example 1

b. Example 2

IV. Conclusion

a. Example 1

b. Example 2

1. Type and turn in your composition next week.

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Assigned 2-18-10, due 2-25-10

Homework #19

1. This week’s homework will deal with two poems by John Milton: “L'Allegro” and “Il Penseroso”. You will find these poems in the handout entitled, “Comparison Class 1 Handout”.

1. Begin by reading each of these rather lengthy poems aloud. Try to follow the punctuation and read expressively.

1. Read each of the poems silently at least twice. Do not look up any words or terms yet. Just read from start to finish. Then answer the following questions. Type your answers and turn them in next week.

1. After these preliminary readings, without looking up any words, terms or allusions, what do you think each of these poems is about? Give me a summary in 1-2 sentences of the point or purpose of each poem.

1. Why are these two poems, taken together, an excellent example of comparison: what are they comparing?

1. Go to the following web sites. There you will find the poems, with links on the difficult or unusual vocabulary and allusions. Click on the links to get the definition or explanation. Go through each of the two poems in this manner, reading the references:

http://www.dartmouth.edu/~milton/reading_room/l'allegro/index.shtml

http://www.dartmouth.edu/~milton/reading_room/penseroso/index.shtml

1. After carefully reading the poems on the web sites, write one paragraph for each poem, summarizing its main ideas.
2. Turn in one copy of your answers, and keep one copy of your answer in your notebook for future use.

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Assigned 2-11-10, due 2-18-10

Homework #18

1. This week you will write either an invective or an encomium, following the general essay pattern given for Homework #17. Choose one of the following specific situations, and tailor your writing to that purpose and audience:

1. Write a eulogy praising someone who has recently died. {This should be a real person, but you may imagine that they have died, and write in their praise as if you were writing for their eulogy.}

1. Write a travel brochure for a destination you wish to encourage people to visit. This may be a place mentioned either in fiction or existing in real life.

1. Write a letter to the editor blaming the vices of an evil person and calling for some kind of action on the part of your audience.

1. Write an address for yourself to give at the “Roast” of a person: this should be a real person or a fictitious character, and your “roast” should tease the person, but also praise them. It is meant to be satirical, funny and witty.

1. Type and turn in your assignment next week.
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Assigned 1-28-10, due 2-11-10

Homework #17

1. If you wrote an encomium for Homework #16, you will write an invective this week. If you wrote an invective for homework #16, you will write an encomium this week.

1. Choose another famous person: this may be a person from history, fiction, or the news. Make sure you know something about this person.

1. Using the sub-topics of invention, come up with some excellent ideas for writing an encomium/invective for that person.

4. Using our new pattern for encomium/invective, write an essay of 6-7 paragraphs praising or blaming your chosen subject. Remember, the essay pattern is:

i. Introduction

ii. Narrative

iii. Praising virtue or blaming vice

iv. Praising achievements or blaming evil deeds

v. Comparison or contrast

vi. Conclusion

Remember, you may combine these if it makes your paragraphs stronger!

1. Type your essay and turn it in next week.

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Assigned 1-21-10, due 1-28-10

I. Assignments due next week, January 28, 2010

i. Review all your vocabulary and handouts

ii. Read over the new handout, “Proofreading for Commas”

iii. Find one more example for the tropes section of your Commonplace Book.

iv. Complete Homework #16

Homework #16

1. Choose a famous person: this may be a person from history, fiction, or the news. Make sure you know something about this person.

1. Decide whether to write an encomium (praising) or an invective (blaming) essay about this person. Ask yourself the topical and sub-topical questions to come up with plenty of good ideas before writing. You may want to make a list of qualities or acts that can be used to either praise or blame your person.

1. Follow this arrangement for your essay:

i. Introduction

ii. Narrative

iii. Amplification of virtue or vice

iv. Comparison to someone of like virtue/vice and/or contrast to someone unlike your person

v. Conclusion

Your essay should be 5-6 paragraphs, and interesting to read. Make sure you save time to rewrite and revise!

1. Type and turn in your Encomium/Invective Essay next week.

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Assigned 1-14-10, due 1-21-10

I. Assignments due nest week, January 21, 2010

§ Review: vocabulary and handouts

§ Study the comma handout

§ Find: two examples for your commonplace book

§ Complete: Homework #15

Homework #15

1. Choose a virtue or a vice that you see exhibited in the world around us. This should be something with ready examples.

1. Your purpose in this commonplace assignment will be to encourage your audience to admire the virtue you choose, or abhor the vice.

1. Create a commonplace statement regarding this virtue or vice. This will become the proposition for your commonplace essay.

1. Use the topical questions, especially the sub-topics for commonplace, to invent or discover ideas for your essay.

1. Write a commonplace essay that includes an introduction, narrative, proposition, amplification, and conclusion. It should be between 4 and 10 paragraphs. Pay attention to your paragraph and sentence structure. Make your essay interesting, inspiring, and cohesive. Make sure your introduction grabs our interest, and your conclusion ties everything together. Turn in your essay at class next week.

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Assigned 1-7-10, Due 1-14-10

Homework #14

1. Find a brief news article in a newspaper, magazine or online. Print or cut or make a copy of the article.

2. Come up with a good commonplace proposition for the issue in the article (a general statement of something that everyone generally holds to be true: for example, all thieves should go to prison, or repay those they steal from, etc.)

3. Using the topics of invention, especially the commonplace categories of Contrast, Comparison, Intention, Past life, Rejection of pity, Description (of the act), Legality, Justice, Expediency, Honorableness, Practicality and Immediate Results, come up with a list of reasons to use in your amplification. Remember, your purpose is to sway your audience to agree with your assessment of the case.

4. Using the commonplace Essay pattern, turn your work into a short commonplace essay. Make sure you include all the necessary parts of the essay:

a. Introduction

b. Narrative

c. Proposition

d. Amplification of commonplace

e. Conclusion

5. Turn in a typed copy of your essay, along with a copy of your original news article.

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