Writing 20 - Cora Agatucci
Basic Writing I

WR 20 Assignments (2) - Fall 2001
for CRN #40561, Tues.-Thurs. 11:00 am - 12:15 pm, Jefferson 101 (Cora Agatucci)
Webtip:  When you re-visit this webpage on your internet browser (Netscape or Explorer),
please click "Refresh" or "Reload" to ensure you are seeing the latest version of this webpage.
See Fall 2001 WR 20 Course Plan for Deadlines
 Short Cuts:
Week #5: Chs. 20 & 19 Exercises; Punctuating Common Sentence Patterns  
& Practice Ex. (handout); Ch. 30 Exercises
Week #6: Quiz #1 Review Ex. (handout); Writer's Profile #3
(Assignments given in class: See Cora)
Week #7: Go to Paragraph #3 (Description)
URL: http://www.cocc.edu/cagatucci/classes/wr20/p3description.htm 
Weeks #7-8: Subject-Verb Agreement Ex. (handout)
Go to In-Class Paragraph #4 (Example)
URL: http://www.cocc.edu/cagatucci/classes/wr20/p4example.htm
Week #9:  Ch. 31 Ex. & Ch. 29 Ex.
Weeks #10 & #11:  Essay #1 (Process)

Go to WR 20 Assignments (1) (for Weeks #1 - #4)  
URL: http://www.cocc.edu/cagatucci/classes/wr20/assignments.htm

Go to  Sentence Analysis Review, Parts I, II, & & III (Weeks #4 & #5)
URL:  http://www.cocc.edu/cagatucci/classes/wr20/sentenceanalysis.htm

Week #5
See Fall 2001 WR 20 Course Plan for Deadlines

Sentence Analysis Review (Parts I, II, & III) handouts & Practice Exercises (Weeks #4 & #5)

Go to Sentence Analysis Review
 URL: http://www.cocc.edu/cagatucci/classes/wr20/sentenceanalysis.htm

Chs. 20 & 19 Exercise 
Directions: Read Odyssey:  (a) Ch. 20 "Comma Splices & Run-On Sentences" and (b) Ch. 19 on "Using Coordination,"  pp. 265-268.

Then do the following Ch. 20 & 19 exercises:

Recommended Follow-Up Editing Exercise: COMMA SPLICES & RUN-ON SENTENCES.
If Cora marks any of your sentences a “CS” or “RS” in Paragraphs #1 and/or #2, use what you’ve learned to analyze why your sentence is a comma splice or run-on sentence.  Then try to correct your comma splices CS and/or run-on RS sentences.

”Punctuating Common Sentence Patterns” (handout)

Read Handout "Punctuating Common Sentence Patterns" (and review Chs. 19, 20, & 30, p. 437); then do Practice Exercise (given below)

PATTERN 1: (Ch. 19 – Coordination: Compound Sentences; Ch. 30 p. 437 – Commas)

INDEPENDENT CLAUSE    , coordinating conjunction  INDEPENDENT CLAUSE.

                                                 (FANBOYS: see list p. 265)

          S     V                                                                                                         S      V
The print looks very light          ,                 for                           the typewriter ribbon is old.

            S            V                                                                          S        V
The fishermen trolled for hours,                  but                           they caught nothing.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PATTERN 2: (Ch. 19 - Coordination: Compound Sentences)

INDEPENDENT CLAUSE     ;     INDEPENDENT CLAUSE.

The print looks very light           ;      the typewriter ribbon is old.

   S   V                                                   S     V
Don is an expert mechanic         ;      he intends to open a service center.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PATTERN 3: (Ch. 19 - Coordination: Compound Sentences)

INDEPENDENT CLAUSE                 ;     conjunctive adverb,     INDEPENDENT CLAUSE.
                                                                  (see list p. 267)

INDEPENDENT CLAUSE      ;    transitional phrase,      INDEPENDENT CLAUSE.

The typewriter ribbon is old        ;         therefore,                     the print looks very light.

The typewriter ribbon is old        ;         as a result,                   the print looks very light.

The fishermen trolled for hours  ;         however,                      they caught nothing.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PATTERN 4: (Ch. 19 – Subordination: Complex Sentences)

INDEPENDENT CLAUSE     DEPENDENT CLAUSE  
                                                Subordinating conjunction + S + V
                                                 (see list p. 262)                                            

The fishermen caught nothing     although             they trolled in the bay for hours.

The print looks very light             because             the typewriter ribbon is old.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PATTERN 5: (Ch. 19 – Subordination: Complex Sentences; Ch. 30 p. 437 – Commas)

DEPENDENT CLAUSE                                        ,   INDEPENDENT CLAUSE.
Subordinating conjunction + S + V
(see list p. 262)

Although the fishermen trolled in the bay for hours  ,    they caught nothing.

Because the typewriter ribbon is old                          ,     the print looks very light.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PRACTICE Exercise: Identify the Patterns and Punctuate them Correctly:

1.                   Don is an expert mechanic in fact he intends to open a service center.

2.                   Because Don is an expert mechanic he intends to open a service center.

3.                   Don is an expert mechanic so he intends to open a service center.

4.                   Don intends to open a service center since he is an expert mechanic.

5.                   The fishermen trolled in the bay for hours unfortunately they caught nothing

Ch. 30 Exercise

Read Odyssey Ch. 30 “Commas” and do the following:

1.  Using Commas Between Clauses Connected by Conjunctions (Odyssey p. 437:  See above: “PUNCTUATING COMMON SENTENCE PATTERNS” & Practice Exercise.

2.  Using Commas to Separate Items in a Series (Odyssey pp. 438-439):
Add commas where needed to set off a series of three or more items in the sentences below.  (NOTE: usually no commas are needed when there are only two items in a series.  Other exceptions will be discussed in class):

(a)  I like my cheeseburgers with onions mustard and catsup.

(b) I like my cheeseburgers with mustard and catsup.

(c)  My favorite breakfast is eggs and bacon toast and jelly and coffee with cream.

(d) My favorite breakfast is coffee and toast.

(e) Within an hour, Jane went to the grocery store bought some meat and returned home.

(f)  Within an hour, Jane went to the grocery store and returned home.

(g) When looking for a baseball team’s schedule on the Internet, people may first have to wade through vast amounts of local news financial disclosures and player statistics. 

(h) When I recently looked up podiatry osteopathy dentistry and chiropractic on the Internet, I was overwhelmed with information.

(i) Most science fiction falls into four categories:  hard science fiction science-based fantasy (also known as sword and sorcery) speculative fiction and genre science fiction.

(j) Genre science fiction, such as Star Trek, features familiar settings and recognizable characters. 

(k) A shady tree a cool stream and a nice picnic lunch would make for a lovely summer outing.

(l)  More no-fee calling areas lower rates and faster Internet connections have motivated many phone customers to switch to cable companies for service.

3.     Using Commas to Set off Introductory Material (Odyssey pp. 440-441):

4.     Using Commas to Set off Elements that Interrupt Sentence Flow (Odyssey pp. 441-442):

5.     Using Commas to Set off Direct Quotations & Other situations (Odyssey pp. 443-444):

Cora's Subject-Verb Agreement Exercise
Read/Review Odyssey Ch. 21, “Subject-Verb Agreement.” 
Then do the following exercises.

Each of the following sentences has one or more subject-verb combinations.  For each sentence, do the following:

(a)     Circle the Simple Subjects and underline the Verbs (with which the Simple Subjects must agree).

(b)    Identify the number of clauses in each sentence.  (Tip: count the number of complete subject-verb combinations that each sentence has.)

(c)     Correct any errors in Subject-Verb Agreement that you find.

1.                  The two weary old women sits down on the park bench.

2.                  Does John and Martha miss the bus everyday?

3.                  Yes, John and Martha does indeed miss the bus almost everyday!

4.                  Does Juanita and Frank come for Thanksgivings each year?

5.                  No, Juanita and Frank do not always come for Thanksgivings every year.

6.                  Jane attends college and study very hard.

7.                  Has Juanita and Felipe called in today?

8.                  No, Juanita and Felipe have not called in today.

9.                  My mother goes to the store, and she buys some groceries

10.             My mother goes to the store and buy some groceries nearly every day.

11.             The list has been posted on the library door.

12.             A list of required textbooks has been posted on the library door.

13.             There are a list of required textbooks on the library door.

14.             One of the women lost her child in the schoolyard yesterday.

15.             One of the boys loses his bicycle in the schoolyard every year.

16.             Some of the boys lose their bicycles in the schoolyard every year.

17.             There is two bicycles by the fence at the schoolyard.

18.             Where are my glasses?

19.             Here is your glasses.

20.             The print looks very light because the typewriter ribbon is old.

21.             The fishermen trolls in the bay for hours; however, they usually catches nothing.

Week #9 Textbook Assignments

Odyssey Ch. 31 Exercises - DUE:  Tuesday, Nov. 13

Read Odyssey Ch. 31 “Other Punctuation & Capitalization” and do the following:

Odyssey Ch. 29 Exercises - DUE:  Tuesday, Nov. 13

  Read Odyssey Ch. 29 “Spelling” and do the following:

3.  Also Read (only) Odyssey –for Thursday, Nov. 15

 

(a) Ch. 14, "Developing an Essay"
(b) Ch. 15, "Examining Types of Essays":  pp. 196-208

Essay #1 (Process) Directions

DEADLINES: (see Course Plan)

Ø      Detailed Outline and/or Preliminary Draft (3 copies) & Workshop:
DUE:   (see Course Plan)

Ø      Revised/Final  Draft of Essay #1 (to be graded) – must be double spaced, and typed or word-processed, or it will not be accepted.  *Submit Essay #1 with all copies of outline and preliminary drafts in a folder.
DUE:  (see Course Plan)

1.      Topic:  Choose a process topic for Essay #1.  Choose a process that you know well, and one that you believe would be interesting and/or beneficial for others to learn (about).  Remember that you are writing to communicate with a general WR 20 audience, and Essay #1 should be “reader-centered.”

2.      Choose a Process Approach best suited to your topic and audience

(a)    Instructions or Directions:  explain how to do something, giving directions or a set of instructions that you actually expect your Wr.20 readers to be able to follow.  Such a process should be suitable to teach fairly completely to beginners in a short essay—that is, directions that are not too technical or complicated for your general uninformed readers to follow or do themselves.  This type of process essay generally addresses readers directly as “you” (2nd person point of view).

OR . . .

(b)   Process Explanation: explain how a process works, giving a step-by-step account, so that your Wr .20 readers can understand the process, but not expecting your readers to actually perform this process themselves.  This approach is better for a process that you cannot realistically expect beginning-level or uninformed readers, such as your Wr .20 audience, to learn how to do from one relatively short essay.  This type of process essay is often presented in the 3rd person—or the 1st person point of view.

3.      Length:  Short essays are usually 4 to 6 paragraphs long, about 750 words or 3 typed double-spaced pages. The final draft of your essay should be typed or word processed and double spaced; with standard-sized fonts (10-12 point), you will probably get 200-250 words on each double-spaced page. Choose a process that you can explain clearly and completely within this suggested length.

4.      Title, Introductory Paragraph and Thesis:  Your first paragraph should introduce your topic/process, get your readers’ attention, and present your thesis.  In your introduction and thesis should do more than simply announce the process you are about to explain; try to answer the “So what?” question: why is this process worth learning about?  Try to give your readers motivation or reason(s) why they would want or need to learn about the process you will explain, and/or how they will benefit from learning (about) this process. In your introduction, you may also wish to preview the major steps/stages you will be discussing in the body of your essay, but if you do so be sure to preview all the steps and list them in the same order you will treat them in the body of your process essay.

5.      Organization, Coherence, and Body Paragraph Breaks:  Process essays should be organized in a logical, step-by-step sequence, usually ordered by time (what you do first, second, third, etc.).  You will confuse your reader if you jump around or present the steps or stages of the process out of sequential order.  Prepare yourself by actually doing the process yourself, if possible, and/or by observing and reviewing the actual process first hand again, taking notes and outlining the exact sequential order of steps or stages in which the process is performed.  *Before you start explaining the process, be sure you introduce necessary background, materials, equipment, expenditures, etc., that your readers may need to assemble or understand before they can begin to learn the actual process.   It’s a great idea to “test” the draft of your directions or process description by having an uninformed reader try to follow your directions or understand your process explanation.  Coherence will be strengthened by using appropriate sequential or time transitions to move your reader smoothly and logically from step to step, or stage to stage of the process.  Logical body paragraph groupings and paragraph breaks will also aid the coherence and clarity of your instructions or process explanation.  Either plan on devoting a full body paragraph to each major step/stage in the process, or group a related series of minor steps together in a single paragraph (you do not want to have 18 short, choppy, one or two sentence paragraphs in your essay—that hurts, rather than helps, coherence!).  As with other paragraphs you’ve written, the body paragraphs of your process essay should have topic sentences to unify the paragraphs; you’ll also want to integrate thesis transitions that tie the body paragraphs to process topic and thesis purpose.

6.      Body paragraph development:  Your goal is to develop each major step or stage, or groups of related minor steps, in the process clearly and completely enough so that your readers can follow your directions and/or understand your explanation as fully as possible.  Again, don’t neglect to introduce necessary background, materials, equipment, expenditures, etc., that your readers may need to assemble or understand before they can begin to learn the actual process.  Your main focus is on explaining how something is done or how something works.  However, it is sometimes also good to stop and explain why a particularly important step or stage is important, why it should be done in a certain way or in a certain order.  It is also useful to offer your reader timely warnings about what not to do at a particular stage in a process, or why a process step should not be skipped or not done in a different way.  Your explanations and transitions may also occasionally point out how or why particular steps or stages are crucial to producing the desired outcome or result of the process.

7.      Conclusion:  The conclusions of process essays generally (a) restate the thesis and purpose of the essay, (b) present the (desirable) outcome of following your directions, or the (beneficial) result of the process you’ve explained, and (c) reemphasize the value or benefit to you and your readers of learning (about) this process.

 

Cora's Fall 2001 WR 20 Syllabus | Course Plan |
Assignments are being webposted after they are discussed in class.
WR 20 Course Home Page

You are here ~ WR 20 Assignments (2) ~ Fall 2001
 URL of this webpage: http://www.cocc.edu/cagatucci/classes/wr20/assignments2.htm
Last updated: 12 August 2002


This webpage is maintained by Cora Agatucci, Professor of English,
Humanities Department, Central Oregon Community College
I welcome comments: cagatucci@cocc.edu
© Cora Agatucci, 1997-2001
Cora's Home Page | Current Schedule |  Cora's Classes | Copyright | Site Map

For problems with this web, contact webmaster@cocc.edu