In-Class Essay #2 directions & topic choices

In-Class Essay #2 Directions & Topics
WR 121, Prof. C. Agatucci - Winter 2004
Essays #2, #3, & Final Exam Essay (timed "In-Class" essays) will be scored using Final Exam Essay evaluation criteria, and letter graded: 2 highest grades [ @ 20%] will be computed
in determining final course grade, but see also WR 121 Final Exam Essay Policy.
NO Late or "Make-Up" In-Class Essays are allowed.

For deadlines, preparation, & materials needed, see WR 121 Course Plan

Assigned Topic Choice. Prepare your essay in response to one of the assigned topics given below.
NOTE WELL: Essays that do not address an assigned topic choice, and/or fail to address all parts of the chosen assigned topic will receive failing scores & grades!!
Advice: Make sure your essay is unified by a clearly stated thesis and narrowed focus. Your essay should be logically organized, coherent, and well developed with supporting explanation, specific examples and detail drawn from observation, experience, and reading.

Avoid Plagiarism: Cite Your Source/s. Bring Muller textbook to in-class writing period to assist you in quoting, paraphrasing, summarizing, and citing from Muller reading source/s.
In-Text Citation: In first reference to relevant Muller reading source(s) that you bring into your essay, introduce the author’s full name and title of the article; author tags should accompany any summary from the Muller reading, and MLA-style in-text parenthetical citation [be sure to give page numbers!!] should follow all quotations and/or paraphrases. Please review Directions for Essay #1 for general Advice on "incorporating" in-text citations into your essay.
URL: http://web.cocc.edu/cagatucci/classes/wr121/winter2004/essay1.htm
Works Cited: You need to devote a bluebook page at the end of your essay to Works Cited, wherein you give complete bibliographic entry on each outside source (i.e. Muller reading) that you have cited in-text of your essay. You are allowed--and encouraged--to write out Works Cited bibliographical entries in advance, on this Essay #2 Topics handout and bring them to the in-class writing period.
To help you, MLA-style Works Cited examples for Muller readings are given below.

Essay Length: In-Class Essays should be 750 to 1000 words--not counting the separate Works Cited page at the end of your bluebook essay. Warning: the perceived length of handwritten essays in bluebook pages can be misleading and come to very different word counts than word-processed, double spaced pages. Tip: Prepare your Preliminary Draft on wordprocessor and use the word count feature to judge the length of your essay.
Recommended: Read In-Class Essay Student Examples
URL: http://web.cocc.edu/cagatucci/classes/wr121/inclassessayexamples.htm

General Directions (very similar to those you will receive for the WR 121 Final Exam Essay):
Choose one of the following topics for your In Class Essay #2 Exam. Whichever topic you choose, make sure your essay addresses the chosen topic and is unified by a clearly stated thesis and a narrowed focus. The essay must be well-developed with supporting examples, specifics, or details collected from observation, experience, and reading. Topic choices are drawn from Muller readings previously assigned in WR 121 sections this term.
In your essay, you must incorporate at least two points from the relevant Muller article/s, citing the author correctly and avoiding plagiarism. [Summary, paraphrase, and/or quotations must be cited in-text; paraphrase and quotation require page numbers if the source is paginated. Bring Muller text/article to class with you and prepare your Works Cited list, which must be copied into your bluebook at the end of your bluebook essay.] If you do any additional reading in preparation for this essay, likewise give credit to your source(s) in-text and in your Works Cited list at the end of your bluebook essay. [Bring any additional sources you plan to cite in your essay to class as well.]

Topic #1: Parental Influence
Both Annie Dillard, in “An American Childhood,” and Robert Coles, in “ I Listen to My Parents and Wonder What They Believe,” explain how parents’ values, attitudes, and/or behaviors can affect their children. Write an essay in which you identify two or three influential values, attitudes, and/or behaviors of your parents, and analyze how and why they made a lasting impact on you. Remember: You must state and develop a clear thesis and you must incorporate at least two relevant points made by Dillard and/or Coles, citing the author correctly and avoiding plagiarism.

Topic #2: Reading and/or Writing Effectively
Mortimer Adler's "How to Mark a Book," Peter Elbow's "Freewriting," and Donald Murray's "The Maker's Eye: Revising Your Own Manuscripts" present the authors’ advice about effective processes for reading or writing. Write an essay in which you explain strategies that you use in your own reading and/or writing processes. Remember: You must state and develop a clear thesis and you must integrate at least two relevant points made by Adler, Elbow, and/or Murray, citing the author correctly and avoiding plagiarism.

Topic #3: Ethnic Identification and Its Consequences
In "The Cult of Ethnicity," Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr., expresses his concerns about the "unhealthy" consequences of "promoting, celebrating, and perpetuating separate ethnic origins and identities" in the U.S.A. today, although he concedes that there can also be some "healthy consequences" (48, 8). In response to Schlesinger's essay, however, Jamie Taylor explains that "strong identification" with one's ethnicity can be healthy, rather than divisive (38-39). Write an essay which you identify and analyze at least one "healthy" consequence and at least one "unhealthy" consequence of strong identification and celebration of people's ethnic origins. Remember: You must state and develop a clear thesis and you must integrate at least two relevant points made by Schlesinger and/or Taylor.

Topic #4: Appeals of Advertising
In "Red, White, and Beer," Dave Barry offers a satirical analysis of how television commercials have used "retail patriotism" (520) to sell beer. Identify, illustrate, and analyze at least two different appeals used in U.S. advertising--including the appeal of "retail patriotism" presented by Barry--in order to demonstrate (a) why such appeals are effective in persuading U.S. consumers to buy the advertised products; and/or (b) how critical analysis of such appeals can help consumers resist these advertising tactics. Remember: You must state and develop a clear thesis and you must introduce at least two relevant points made by Barry.

Topic #5: Gender Communication Problems
In “Sex, Lies and Conversation: Why Is It So Hard for Men and Women to Talk to Each Other?” Deborah Tannen examines communication problems between females and males that result from different gender role expectations and behaviors. Write an essay in which you identify and analyze one or two communication problems created by gender roles or expectations of males and/or females in our society. Draw upon your own experiences/ observations, as well as at least two points made by Tannen, to develop your essay discussion.

Outcome 1 Write essays that . . .
    ...use a thesis to establish control over content;
    ...supply relevant and adequate supporting details drawn from observation, personal experience and/or responsive reading;
    ...employ the organizational strategies of effective beginnings, transitions, and endings; and
    ...conform to standard edited English.
Outcome 2 Achieve Outcome 1 under time constraints (prior to the final exam), while conforming to expectations of an assigned topic and of edited English appropriate for timed writing.
Outcome 4 Employ one or more sources responsibly (without plagiarizing) in a summary or another writing assignment.
Outcome 5 Demonstrate, in an essay, a sustained style employing rhetorically effective tone, persona, diction, idiom, and syntax [i.e. sentence style & word choice].

In addition, preparatory & follow-up assignments & activities--e.g. written plans, preliminary drafts & author's directions, writer's workshops--will help you achieve WR 121 learning Outcomes #7, #8, & #9.

Adler, Mortimer J. "How to Mark a Book." Rpt. The McGraw-Hill Reader: Issues Across

the Disciplines. Ed. Gilbert H. Muller. 8th ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2003. 47-49.

Barry, Dave. "Red, White, and Beer."   Dave Barry's Greatest Hits, 1988. Rpt. The McGraw-Hill
        Reader: Issues Across the Disciplines. Ed. Gilbert H. Muller. 8th ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill,
        2003. 519-521.

Coles, Robert. “I Listen to My Parents and I Wonder What They Believe.” Redbook February 1980.

Rpt. The McGraw-Hill Reader: Issues Across the Disciplines. Ed. Gilbert H. Muller. 8th ed.

Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2003. 438-442.

Dillard, Annie. "An American Childhood." An American Childhood. HarperCollins, 1987. Rpt. The

McGraw-Hill Reader: Issues Across the Disciplines. Ed. Gilbert H. Muller.

8th ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2003. 184-189.

Elbow, Peter. "Freewriting." Writing Without Teachers. Oxford UP, 1973. Rpt.

The McGraw-Hill Reader: Issues Across the Disciplines. Ed. Gilbert H. Muller.

8th ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2003. 52-56.

Murray, Donald M. "The Maker's Eye: Revising Your Own Manuscripts." The Writer 1973. Rpt.

The McGraw-Hill Reader: Issues Across the Disciplines. Ed. Gilbert H. Muller.

8th ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2003. 56-60.

Schlesinger, Arthur M., Jr. "The Cult of Ethnicity." Time July 8, 1981. Rpt. The McGraw-Hill Reader:
        Issues Across the Disciplines. Ed. Gilbert H. Muller. 8th ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2003.
        47-49.
Tannen, Deborah. “Sex, Lies, and Conversation: Why Is It So Hard for Men and Women to Talk to
         Each Other?” Washington Post 1990. Rpt. The McGraw-Hill Reader: Issues Across the
         Disciplines. Ed. Gilbert H. Muller. 8th ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2003. 228-232.

In-Class Essay #2 Evaluation                    Name___________________________
WR 121, Winter 2004, Prof. C. Agatucci
Two highest scores/grades on three in-class                         Grade & Score_______________
essays count (2 @ 20% of course grade)                              No Late/Make Up Allowed

____Must be written in blank bluebook(s) or In-Class Essay will not be accepted for grading.
____Must avoid plagiarism: see Category #6 below.

PASSING SCORES & GRADES: High Pass = 4 (Grade of A);
Clear Pass = 3 (Grade of B); Marginal Pass = 3- (Grade of C)
FAILING SCORES & GRADES: Fail = 2 (Grade of D); Low Fail = 1 (Grade of F)
In-Class Essays must demonstrate at least minimum competency (score of “3-”)
in all 6 of the following categories in order to receive a Passing Score/Grade:

_____1. ASSIGNED TOPIC & TOPIC FOCUS: Clearly addresses (all parts of) assigned topic question & explores relevant issues; topic/thesis is well focused (limited enough) to allow for satisfactory treatment in an essay of 750-1000 words within timed writing period.

____2. CONTENT, THESIS/PURPOSE: Shows depth, complexity of thought (not simplistic) in exploring issues relevant to assigned topic; establishes and maintains a clear "focus" unified by a thesis statement, with clear controlling sentences (e.g. thesis/purpose statements, topic sentences, thesis transitions); engaged writing to communicate with the intended audience. Essay must be written to make a central point--i.e. unified by, organized and developed to support a clear, focused thesis that responds explicitly to assigned topic.

____3. ORGANIZATION, COHERENCE, ESSAY FORM: Effectively organized by a clear, logical organizational pattern appropriate to assigned topic & thesis; essay structure (e.g., introduction, conclusion, transitions & paragraph breaks) clearly establishes and carries out organizational pattern; effective transitions, logical reasoning, & clear expression maintain strong coherence throughout the essay.

____4. PARAGRAPH DEVELOPMENT: Body paragraphs are well-developed, drawing upon reading, personal experience, observation; general points (e.g. topic sentences) are developed with strong supporting detail & well-selected examples, with sufficient explanation to establish relevance of body points & specific evidence to the essay topic & thesis.

____5. STYLE & COMMAND OF STANDARD WRITTEN ENGLISH: Clear, coherent, effective style demonstrates control of diction/word choice & sentence structure, creating tone appropriate to topic/purpose; & pleasing sentence variety; strong Command of standard written English is demonstrated by few flaws in grammar, usage, punctuation, mechanics; no serious patterns of errors (e.g. subject-verb agreement, verb form/tense, persistent misuse of commas) and no more than three (3) major/high distortion errors (errors that hurt clarity)—e.g. fragments; run-on (CS) comma splices & (FS) fused sentences; unclear pronoun references, word choices, or sentence structure.

____6. EFFECTIVE & RESPONSIBLE USE OF READING. Demonstrates strong reading comprehension & integrates smoothly, effectively viewpoint/s &/or quotations from relevant reading, as required by assigned topic; avoids plagiarism: all sources are cited responsibly within (in-text) & at the end of (Works Cited) the essay; good faith effort to follow MLA style.