Discuss what you learned from this essay: about writing, argument, yourself as a writer, etc. What process steps would you use for another assignment? For what types of assignment, and why? What would you rethink, and why?

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Post Script Questions:

This is informal writing, but it must be submitted with your essay.

  1. Explain at least three ways that you served your audience. Be specific. For example, don’t say that you “used appropriate language”; instead, discuss specific language choices that you made.
  2. What “sources” (formal or informal) did you consult to go beyond your own experience and opinion and to understand possible reader objections? What impact did these “sources” have on your opinions and essay?
  3. What’s your argument/thesis (just in case it’s not clear)?
  4. Discuss what you learned from this essay: about writing, argument, yourself as a writer, etc.
  5. What process steps would you use for another assignment? For what types of assignment, and why? What would you rethink, and why?
  6. What do you like best about your essay?
  7. What concerns do you have about your essay? What do you want me to pay special attention to or comment on?
  8. Anything else?

Respond to the prompt with a thesis that presents a defensible interpretation. Select and use evidence to support your line of reasoning. Explain how the evidence supports your line of reasoning.

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“Shaving” by Richard Blanco

Question 1

In Richard Blanco’s poem “Shaving,” published in 1998, the speaker writes about the act of shaving.

Read the poem carefully. Then, in a well-written essay, analyze how Blanco uses literary elements and techniques to develop the speaker’s complex associations with the ritual of shaving. In your response you should do the following:

• Respond to the prompt with a thesis that presents a defensible interpretation.

• Select and use evidence to support your line of reasoning.

• Explain how the evidence supports your line of reasoning.

• Use appropriate grammar and punctuation in communicating your argument.

List three concrete revisions that you made and explain how you made them. What problem did you fix with each of these revisions? Issues may be unity, cohesion, rhetorical appeals, content, or any other areas on which you received constructive feedback.

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English Question

ASSIGNMENT: Review the in-text comments and summary feedback you received on your Touchstone 3.2 draft to enhance your writing. You will then submit a revision of your Touchstone 3.2 draft that reflects the evaluator’s feedback, making all necessary changes to the idea development, organization, style, and conventions. Make sure to include a copy of your Touchstone 3.2 draft below the reflection questions for this unit.

As this assignment builds on Touchstone 3.2: Draft an Argumentative Research Essay, that Touchstone must be graded before you can submit your final research essay.

Reflection Questions

DIRECTIONS: Below your assignment, include answers to all of the following reflection questions.

  1. How much time did you spend revising your draft? What revision strategies did you use, and which worked best for you? (2-3 sentences)
  2. List three concrete revisions that you made and explain how you made them. What problem did you fix with each of these revisions? Issues may be unity, cohesion, rhetorical appeals, content, or any other areas on which you received constructive feedback. (4-5 sentences)
  3. What did you learn about your writing process or yourself as a writer? How has your understanding of the research process changed as a result of taking this course? (2-3 sentences)

How effective is the advisement process for undecided students? Do students that enroll with declared majors have an easier time with advisement? How does an advisor help a student that does not have a declared major?

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Assignment 1: Chapter I: Introduction Section: Research Problem

The Introduction Section of the research paper sets up the problem that the research study attempts to explore. This is often achieved by referencing resources in the field to help the writer establish a gap between what is ideal and what is reality within the research topic, before briefly addressing what the researcher’s study will aim to do to attempt to better understand the topic and bridge that gap. Using the sample provided as a guide, construct a properly formatted Introduction Section for your research study. Be sure to include the following:

  • Purpose of the Study
  • Summary of Prior Literature
  • Definition of Key Terms
  • Research Questions

50 points

Research Questions:

  • The primary research question that will guide the analysis in this study include:
  • How effective is the advisement process for undecided students?
    • Do students that enroll with declared majors have an easier time with advisement?
    • How does an advisor help a student that does not have a declared major?

Compare and Contrast Louisa in “A New England Nun” and Amy in “The Sleeper Wakes” and their identity.

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Compare and Contrast Essay

Compare and Contrast Louisa in “A New England Nun” and Amy in “The Sleeper Wakes” and their identity. It has to be 3-4 pages. Work cited page is not necessary unless outside sources are used besides text book.

Select a novel or play and, focusing on one symbol, write an essay analyzing how that symbol functions in the work and what it reveals about the characters or themes of the work as a whole.

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English Literature and Composition

Select a novel or play and, focusing on one symbol, write an essay analyzing how that symbol functions in the work and what it reveals about the characters or themes of the work as a whole.

Write an argumentative essay on “Why shouldn’t women be allowed to play professional sports on men’s teams?”

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Argumentative essay

Write an argumentative essay on “Why shouldn’t women be allowed to play professional sports on men’s teams?”

Does your topic sentence require further explanation? If so, add another 1-2 sentences explaining your topic sentence here.

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Strong Body Paragraphs

A strong body paragraph explains, proves, and/or supports your paper’s argumentative claim or thesis statement. If you’re not sure how to craft one, try using this handy guide!

1. INSERT A TOPIC SENTENCE:
Encapsulates and organizes an entire paragraph. Although topic sentences may appear anywhere in a paragraph, in academic essays they often appear at the beginning. When creating a topic sentence, ask yourself what‟s going on in your paragraph. Why you chosen to include the information you have? Why is the paragraph important in the context of your argument or thesis statement? What point are your trying to make? It should be noted that relating your topic sentences to your thesis can help strengthen the coherence of your essay. If you include an argumentative claim or thesis statement in your introduction, then think of incorporating a keyword from that statement into the topic sentence. But you need not be overly explicit when you echo the thesis statement. Better to be subtle rather than heavy-handed. Do not forget that your topic sentence should do more than just establish a connection between your paragraph and your thesis. Use a topic sentence to show how your paragraph contributes to the development of your argument by moving it that one extra step forward. If your topic sentence merely restates your thesis, then either your paragraph is redundant or your topic sentence needs to be reformulated. If several of your topic sentences restate your thesis, even if they do so in different words, then your essay is probably repetitive. Although most paragraphs should have a topic sentence, there are a few situations when a paragraph might not need a topic sentence. For example, you might be able to omit a topic sentence in a paragraph that narrates a series of events, if a paragraph continues developing an idea that you introduced (with a topic sentence) in the previous paragraph, or if all the sentences and details in a paragraph clearly refer—perhaps indirectly—to a main point. The vast majority of your paragraphs, however, should have a topic sentence.

2. EXPLAIN YOUR TOPIC SENTENCE:
Does your topic sentence require further explanation? If so, add another 1-2 sentences explaining your topic sentence here.

Explain how well the writer summarizes the overall research conversation. Explain how the writer plans to enter that conversation. Provide a suggestion for improving the final paragraph or two, which should provide an overview of the topic and research conversation.

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Peer Review & Self Review

ASSIGNED QUESTIONS

1. Describe two strengths of the Annotated Bibliography.

2. Suggest two places where the Annotated Bibliography could be improved. Justify your rationale for each suggestion.

3. Explain how well the sources represent multiple perspectives on the topic. Justify your rationale for the evaluation. Provide a suggestion for including better sources or more points of view.

4. Explain how well the writer summarizes the overall research conversation. Explain how the writer plans to enter that conversation. Provide a suggestion for improving the final paragraph or two, which should provide an overview of the topic and research conversation.

5. Evaluate whether each annotation clearly summarizes the source, so that someone who has not read it will understand the main ideas. Justify your rationale. Identify whether summaries are neutral, fair, and accurate. If so, justify your rationale. If not, describe where you were confused or needed more information, or where the writer’s bias is apparent.

6. Identify whether the writer follows each article summary with an evaluation or assessment of the source. Evaluate whether the writer indicates how this source will be used in the argument essay. Justify your rationale. Provide a suggestion for improving the response/evaluation portion of the annotations, referring to specific sources as necessary.

7. Identify whether each annotation is preceded by an MLA-style works cited entry. Identify whether all relevant information is included. If not, indicate which entries need revision. If so, justify your rationale.

8. Answer the questions and respond to any concerns the writer identified in the Annotated Bibliography “Dear Reader” Letter. For your self-review, elaborate on how you wish to improve the paper.

Explain the issue and the context of the issue. Identify for whom this issue is important and what the various sides of the issue are.

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English Question

Instructions:
After you have identified your issue, written your linked questions, and spent some time researching and thinking about your topic during the Exploratory Essay stage, you need to start planning your Researched Argument paper. Your argument plan will include:

  • A position statement
  • Rhetorical context analysis
  • Audience analysis
  • A claim
  • A few reasons supporting the claim
  • optional other elements* see below

Rhetorical Context: Explain the issue and the context of the issue. You may want to identify for whom this issue is important and what the various sides of the issue are.

Audience Analysis: Determine who the target audience for your argument is. Your target audience is your choice, so you should spend some time thinking about who they are and how you can reach them. You should think about the unstated assumptions, beliefs, attitudes and values of this audience.