Feb 18 - Repairing Common Mistakes

Objectives - students will repair and resubmit rough drafts according to MLA rules regarding formatting and documentation of quotes, paraphrases, and summaries within the text. Students will submit a works cited page with the hard copy rough draft resubmission.

CWoD - SEDULOUS


Once you have corrected the rough drafting errors we looked at yesterday - including in-text/parenthetical citations in your work, following MLA format, and creating a Works Cited page (and Works Consulted page - if necessary) ... you should have produced a hard copy of your rough draft.  If not, that is the first order of business today - all of our revising and editing will be done with pen/pencil ON that printed rough draft before we correct it.

The two things we are going to revise today ...

1) Transitioning all writing to 3rd person

• As we drafted, I said it would be OK in the rough draft to include 1st and 2nd person pronouns (and it was ... in the ROUGH DRAFT) ... but that is the first thing we are going to clean up.  Academic writing centers on YOUR VOICE and KNOWLEDGE - however, since you are the writer and voice, you have no need for "I" or "me."  If you make a statement, it is understood to be what you think already.  Likewise, if you are making a statement, it is assumed that your reader is the audience and "you" is unnecessary as well.
• CIRCLE all 1st person pronouns in your paper and in the spaces between lines (Which is WHY we double space) revise the sentences to omit all elements of 1st person writing.

This website will let you look at some examples that may help supercharge your writing:

Going from 1st Person to 3rd Person in Academic Writing

2) Verb tenses - all verb tenses (unless part of a direct quote) should likely be PRESENT tense

• underline ALL verbs (each sentence in your paper should have at least one, right?) and consider the tense of the verb ... if it is not present tense, revise it so that it is - along with other parts of the sentence that might need to be cleaned up to suit the change.

This website will help a little (maybe)... 

Verb Tenses in Academic Papers

Remember we are on a short period - so work quietly and productively.  Return your printed rough drafts to me, with visible pen/pencil notes and revisions, before you leave.

Feb 17 - Repairing, editing, revising begins...

Objectives - students will repair and resubmit rough drafts according to MLA rules regarding formatting and documentation of quotes, paraphrases, and summaries within the text. Students will submit a works cited page with the hard copy rough draft resubmission.

CWoD - VERVE

Before you leave class today, you must print and turn in a repaired copy of your rough draft. Your repaired copy MUST include in-text/parenthetical documentation of sources whenever they are quoted or paraphrased. Failure to do this is plagiarism and will result in an automatic zero.

MLA Formatting - Citations

Your rough draft should follow the rules of MLA formatting.

MLA Sample Paper

MLA Formatting Guide

You must submit a "Works Cited" page with your rough draft containing the MLA CITATION form for all sources quoted, paraphrased, or summarized in the paper. Any source not cited in the paper must be included on an additional "Works Consulted" page following the same formatting rules as the "Works Cited" page.

MLA Sample Works Cited Page

MLA Works Cited Page Rules

Friday ... the 13th ...

Objectives...

Students will read and analyze Jonathan Swift's satire "A Modest Proposal" - then will interpret the theme of the work and create a letter to a fictional friend making connections between their interpretation and the concept of satire.

Students will continue analyzing their research and synthesizing/creating their argument based on factual support for their research paper.  (English IV - Argument Paper Over a Controversial Issue ... College Prep English - Literary Analysis of Poetry).  Students will document source information in MLA format and will gather research on both sides of the issue (or, in the case of the college prep class, the literature being compared/contrasted in the analysis).  Students will complete the rough draft of their paper and share their work electronically.

CWoD - SARDONIC

Students will finish reading: 

• Background on Swift and on Satire - pp. 620-621
• "A Modest Proposal" - pp, 622-631

You can also find Swift's essay (and other tools you might find valuable) here: 

"A Modest Proposal" - Online text version

"A Modest Proposal" - Brief Explanation

"A Modest Proposal" - A Student's Literary Analysis

Literary Resource Center (Do Your Own Resource Search!)

Students will write a letter in their blog to a friend explaining what satire is - you can use the book's definition, but you'll need to explain in your own words as well.  Then explain what purpose Swift's "A Modest Proposal" serves.  What is the message?  What is Swift hoping to accomplish?  Why is this satire?  Is it successful?

***DO NOT answer the questions in numerical or bullet point form - answer them over the course of your 300-400 word letter as a part of text within***

Letter is due - or must be posted by - 2/13.


Students who have not submitted or shared their RESEARCH PAPER ROUGH DRAFT must complete that assignment first.  That needs to be in my hands ASAP.

2/12 ... Friday Eve ... Wrapping up rough drafts and "A Modest Proposal"

Objectives...

Students will continue analyzing their research and synthesizing/creating their argument based on factual support for their research paper.  (English IV - Argument Paper Over a Controversial Issue ... College Prep English - Literary Analysis of Poetry).  Students will document source information in MLA format and will gather research on both sides of the issue (or, in the case of the college prep class, the literature being compared/contrasted in the analysis).  Students will complete the rough draft of their paper and share their work electronically.

Once finished, students will read and analyze Jonathan Swift's satire "A Modest Proposal" and analyze.

CWoD - EGALITARIAN

Students who have not submitted or shared their research paper ROUGH DRAFT must complete that assignment first.  That needs to be in my hands ASAP.

Once finished, students will read: 

• Background on Swift and on Satire - pp. 620-621
• "A Modest Proposal" - pp, 622-631

Students will write a letter in their blog to a friend explaining what satire is - you can use the book's definition, but you'll need to explain in your own words as well.  Then explain what purpose Swift's "A Modest Proposal" serves.  What is the message?  What is Swift hoping to accomplish?  Why is this satire?  Is it successful?

***DO NOT answer the questions in numerical or bullet point form - answer them over the course of your 300-400 word letter as a part of text within***

Letter is due - or must be posted by - 2/13.

Tuesday 2/10 - Rough Drafts Due (Finally)

Objectives...

Students will continue analyzing their research and synthesizing/creating their argument based on factual support for their research paper.  (English IV - Argument Paper Over a Controversial Issue ... College Prep English - Literary Analysis of Poetry).  Students will document source information in MLA format and will gather research on both sides of the issue (or, in the case of the college prep class, the literature being compared/contrasted in the analysis).  Students will complete the rough draft of their paper and share their work electronically.

CWOD - LOQUACIOUS

All classes should be finishing the rough draft. You may begin sharing finished rough drafts with me through Google Docs (Richard.davis@sfisd.org) as you finish.  If you know you will not meet this deadline, you need to visit with me during class today about it.  Otherwise, I will expect to see your work shared with me today.

When you finish, look at the interactive "quizzes" at the following link under PUNCTUATION AND BASIC MECHANICS (you'll have to scroll down to it).  Work on these as a review.

INTERACTIVE GRAMMAR REVIEWS

Tomorrow - we have a guest speaker.  We will get back to work editing and revising our rough drafts in class on Thursday.

Monday - 2/9... Classroom Rough Draft Work Day

Objectives...

Students will continue analyzing their research and synthesizing/creating their argument based on factual support for their research paper.  (English IV - Argument Paper Over a Controversial Issue ... College Prep English - Literary Analysis of Poetry).  Students will document source information in MLA format and will gather research on both sides of the issue (or, in the case of the college prep class, the literature being compared/contrasted in the analysis).

CWOD - CONDESCENDING 

All classes should be working towards completion of the rough draft. You may begin sharing finished rough drafts with me through Google Docs (Richard.davis@sfisd.org) as you finish. Today was the deadline... However, some of you have talked with me about needing more time so we will extend the deadline one day to 2/10. Please do everything you can to meet this deadline as it is crucial to staying on pace with what we are doing as a class. 

I am out this morning but will be checking my email when possible. Email me if you have issues/questions. 

Friday ... 2/6 ... Library Lab Workday

Today's Objective:
Students will continue analyzing their research and synthesizing/creating their argument based on factual support for their research paper.  (English IV - Argument Paper Over a Controversial Issue ... College Prep English - Literary Analysis of Poetry).  Students will document source information in MLA format and will gather research on both sides of the issue (or, in the case of the college prep class, the literature being compared/contrasted in the analysis).

CWoD - ECLECTIC

Continue working on your rough drafts - visit with me if you have problems or questions.  Monday remains our target date for getting the rough drafts turned in.  If this doesn't seem reasonable for you, and we haven't already discussed it, you need show me what you've accomplished and explain why you'll need additional time.  Be sure you are implementing in-text (or parenthetical) citations for information from your sources you are quoting or paraphrasing.  However, keep in mind that through your research and through building your argument - YOU are an authority on your subject and YOUR voice needs to be the main part of your writing with your research backing you up.

If you need the "cheat sheet" for MLA documentation, use the link below....

MLA Citation Guide

Again, be sure to visit with me if you have questions or issues - I am good at resolving problems, but horrible at reading minds.

ON MONDAY ... 1st period and 4th periods will be able to meet in a library lab.  2nd and 3rd, as of now, are meeting in the classroom.

Thursday - Computer Lab Workday 2/5

Today's Objective:
Students will continue analyzing their research and synthesizing/creating their argument based on factual support for their research paper.  (English IV - Argument Paper Over a Controversial Issue ... College Prep English - Literary Analysis of Poetry).  Students will document source information in MLA format and will gather research on both sides of the issue (or, in the case of the college prep class, the literature being compared/contrasted in the analysis).

CWoD - OBFUSCATE

Like yesterday, be sure to review the information on MLA for and citations within your writing as needed - yesterday's links are below in case you need them again.  The quick guide below should be helpful as you draft:

MLA Citation Guide

Be sure to visit with me if you have questions or issues - I am good at resolving problems, but horrible at reading minds.

Tuesday - Classroom Workday 2/3

Today's Objective:
Students will continue analyzing their research and synthesizing/creating their argument based on factual support for their research paper.  (English IV - Argument Paper Over a Controversial Issue ... College Prep English - Literary Analysis of Poetry).  Students will document source information in MLA format and will gather research on both sides of the issue (or, in the case of the college prep class, the literature being compared/contrasted in the analysis).

CWoD - HEGEMONY

Like yesterday, be sure to review the information on MLA for and citations within your writing as needed - yesterday's links are below in case you need them again.

Online Writing Center - Documentation Notes - this is helpful on "what" to document

MLA Info from ACC - gives a good general overview MLA Documentation as well as an "animated" slideshow of the most important components: MLA Tutorial Slideshow

MLA Beginners Guide - Slideshow - another good overview - good place to start if you know "nothing" about this

Bedford/St. Martin's Notes on MLA - a better review for students who are familiar with how to use in-text/parenthetical documentation and need a more advanced review

You can also certainly refer back to the webquest we did on January 7th - either your own webquest notes OR the webquest info itself.


Once you have completed the outline and shared it with me electronically, continue working on your rough draft of your paper.  Since we have the guest speaker tomorrow we will extend the due date for the rough draft until Monday February 9th (we will be in the classroom that day).

And ... it's February ... Time to get Rough Drafting

Today's Objective:
Students will continue to gather, analyze, paraphrase, etc. relevant information for their research paper.  (English IV - Argument Paper Over a Controversial Issue ... College Prep English - Literary Analysis of Poetry).  Students will document source information in MLA format and will gather research on both sides of the issue (or, in the case of the college prep class, the literature being compared/contrasted in the analysis).  Students will finish creating a working outline for their paper and will share the document electronically.  Students will begin the initial/rough draft of their paper.


CWoD - DISPOSSESSED


Your target for today is to review information on using MLA Citations in your writing - you MUST document information from your research in your paper using the correct format or it will be deemed plagiarism.  There's no wiggle room on this and no coming back later and saying "I didn't know" or "I didn't understand."

You can use the following sites for a refresh/review of how to document and what to document - if you have questions though, please make a point of visiting with me about it.  Depending on your individual experience with this process (and on how much you took from the initial webquest), all students may be in different phases of understanding the what, how, and why of this - so use the resources (your teacher included) to make sure you are completely comfortable with this because it is a MUST in your paper.

Online Writing Center - Documentation Notes - this is helpful on "what" to document

MLA Info from ACC - gives a good general overview MLA Documentation as well as an "animated" slideshow of the most important components: MLA Tutorial Slideshow

MLA Beginners Guide - Slideshow - another good overview - good place to start if you know "nothing" about this

Bedford/St. Martin's Notes on MLA - a better review for students who are familiar with how to use in-text/parenthetical documentation and need a more advanced review

You can also certainly refer back to the webquest we did on January 7th - either your own webquest notes OR the webquest info itself.


Once you have completed the review AND you have completed the rouigh draft of your outline and shared the Google Doc with me, turn your attention to the rough draft of the paper itself.  I am still working on reviewing notes and source info - expect that back in your hands tomorrow - but work from your electronic copies today as needed.