You will be working on several writing projects throughout the semester. Each one gives you the opportunity to:
-practice analyzing an assignment for it's rhetorical situation
-use "writing to learn" techniques such as free writing, pre-drafting, drafting, revision
-deepen your understanding of common structures in college writing, such as: the thesis statement, use and citation of evidence, titles, introductions and conclusions
-develop methods of workshopping drafts, such as peer workshops, outline workshop, etc.
-understand the difference between grammar and correctness; learn how to make editing choices appropriate to the audience and purpose.
Writing Project 1: Classic Humanities Essay on "The Overstory" (FINAL version due in Midterm Portfolio)
Goal: to think deeply about one aspect of "The Overstory"
You will go through a drafting process, saving each part: 1. compost heap 2. rough draft 3. full draft 4. edit draft
compost heap: collection of quotes you find interesting
rough draft: choose quotes that link together and seem to add up to a particular insight about the book. Write a paragraph for each quote, analyzing the words of the quote to show how you arrive at the meaning of the quote.
full draft: this draft looks like an essay. It should include title, introduction with a thesis statement, analysis of
quotes to show their meaning and how they connect to the thesis, and an interesting conclusion
edit draft: use this draft to work on the sentence level of the essay. How does it sound? Read it aloud. Ask someone else to read it aloud to you. Make note of places that cause a reader to stumble. Use an editing program like Grammarly (grammarly.com) or Hemingway (https://hemingwayapp.com/) for both voice and correctness.
Writing Project 2: Developing Your Own Memory Story for the booklet (FINAL version due in Final Portfolio)
Consider your memory stories that you have shared this semester in class and outside of class.
Your task is to write up ONE of your stories, and to create a rubric you want me to use to grade it.
step 1: Revisit the Moth's instruction book "How to Tell a Story" and look for the elements of a good story. Draft a rubric for how to decide if something is a "good story." (Look at the rubrics we have used this semester for how to structure a grading rubric.)
step 2: Draft and revise your story.
step 3: revise/edit story and rubric
Writing Project 3: Research Planning with Annotated Bibliography (FINAL version due in Final Portfolio)
Scholarly Lenses: investigating a topic through academic disciplines
Scholars talk with one another through the articles they publish in special journals. This project will allow you to learn about how different academic disciplines investigate and speak differently as you dive deeper into a particular point that interests you.
GOALS: Through this assignment, you will
1. Develop skills in searching and finding material in scholarly publications, including the process of creating an annotated bibliography.
2. Develop an understanding of the differences and similarities between several disciplines.
3. Learn about a question that interests you
STEPS:
Part 1: Locate a source from work you have read
1. Choose a source from Campbell’s “Richmond’s Unhealed History” that holds some interest for you. Locate/check out the source.
2. Read the source and locate the part that is referenced in Campbell’s text. Read before and after the quote. What is the context? What kind of text is it? What can you learn about the publication.
3. BRING the source on 11/3. If the source you choose first is not accessible (if, for instance, it is in a special archive and can’t be accessed by non-scholars) please choose another source that CAN be accessed. You will receive an Activity Point for bringing it to class.
Part 2: Search and locate more
1. On 11/10, we will meet librarian Molly Fair in a library computer classroom, (first floor of library). The goal is to help you become more sophisticated searchers. Ms. Fair will present some information and then you will have the chance to experiment and to ask questions. Consider this: What is interesting you about the first source you looked into? What do you want to know more about? FIND two sources that are NOT in Campbell’s book which shed more light on your questions. At least one of the sources should be a secondary source that was published in a peer reviewed journal. *Your ultimate goal is to create an annotated bibliography on a question you develop after looking at the source from Campbell’s book. Use the 3 sources—1 is the one you brought to class on 11/8, and 2 new ones you have found, one of which is a peer reviewed scholarly article.
TO PREPARE: please read: https://www.bibliography.com/chicago/chicago-annotated-bibliography-entries/
(note: this source emphasize either summary or evaluation. I am asking you to do both! see below.)
Part 3: Products
1.You should document your search process in your reflection journal, including what you tried in searching that did NOT work, and how you solved your problems. (this will be writing that you can use in your final portfolio.)
2. Create an annotated bibliography describing your sources. For each source, you should include two paragraphs: one of summary and one of evaluation. The summary should tell the author’s credentials, what kind of document it is (primary, secondary, article, book, online website, etc.) who published it and what kind of audience and purpose that particular publication serves? Also include a brief summary of what it says (2-3 sentences max).The second paragraph should tell what in the article/text answers the question you were researching, how you might use this source, and new ideas or questions it raises for you.
3. Bring a draft of your Annotated Bibliography to class, ON PAPER (printed), so that we can do a workshop. You must print because we are going to look at format. Also attached in this packet should be a one-paragraph memo that tells what you noticed about scholarly / discipline-specific writing. This must be turned in for a grade in your final portfolio. We will do an in-class workshop of a draft on NOV. 15.
GRADING and Evaluating:
You will turn in a final version of the Annotated Bibliography with your final portfolio. You will also write one reflection essay on what you learned about the research process, using quotes from your journal about research process snags and discoveries. More information on the points and rubrics will be in the “Final Portfolio” instructions on our class site.