Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Tonight 1/31/12

Tonight we reviewed the indicators on our rubric for the Summary Response paper (Project I):


  • Genre

  • Focus

  • Development

  • Organization

  • Mechanics

We reviewd the conventions of an academic Summary, and then discussed correct examples from a variety of written passages.


Many of you signed up for A-Team sessions in the next week. Remember we meet in CAS 1st Floor, just passed the One Stop Desk on the left. Remember to bring writing to work on, please!


Homework:



  1. Continue to work on Summary Response paper. Due 2/14/12.

  2. Reflective Response paper will be due 2/9/12. The article for this paper will be posted here by the time of Thursday's class and distributed in hard copy as well.

Reflective Response Papers-- requirements

English 1031/1032—Reflective Response Papers

Interpretive/Reflective Response
In this type of response, writers focus on a key passage or idea from the text, explaining and/or exploring it further. They also might reflect on their own experiences, attitudes, or observations in relation to the ideas of the text. The writer might use their response to consider how the author's ideas might be interpreted by other readers, how the ideas might be applied, or how they might be misunderstood.

Why reflect?

Reflecting on literature is important in English courses. The need to think reflectively improves your ability to read critically and analyze course readings, ideas presented in class and experiences in all areas of your life. As you write you clarify your own understanding. The process of thinking and writing reflectively helps you to lay philosophical foundations for yourself.
Reflection guides you as you
• explore issues or ideas that are important for you
• react to the text or situation by agreeing or disagreeing and explaining why
• discuss links between the ideas on a topic to the work of more than one writer (you need at least two)

Assignment for our Reflective Response papers:

Write a reflective response using some of the guidelines for a reflection as detailed above. The reflection should illustrate that you have spent time reading and reflecting. These papers should be 500 words typed, 12 pt. Times New Roman. Bring two printed copies to class.These reflection papers will be shared in small groups on the day they are due.

Your essay will be graded on the following criteria:
Kean University English Composition Grading Policies
Writing assignments are evaluated according to
a)genre/ audience;
b) clarity of focus;
c) quality of development;
d) effectiveness of organization;
e) correctness of mechanics (grammar, spelling, punctuation).

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Tonight's activities (1/26/12) and homework

Tonight:


  • We reviewed agendas and discussed the importance of an organized, detailed daily schedule.

  • We learned how to log into Tutortrac. Prof. K's schedule is forthcoming!

  • Introduced the Conventions of a Summary and a Response for Project I.

  • Read through the rubric for Project I.

  • Reflected on how we begin writing.

  • Reflected about the differences in our writing processes between school writing and personal writing.

  • Chose an article for Project I.

Homework:



  • Read and take notes on your Project I article. You should be very familiar and knowledgeable about all aspects of your article.

  • Read HTWA Chapters 40 & 41.

  • Review Chapter 10 in HTWA, if you have not yet done so.

A-Team Schedule

Our A-Team Schedule for Spring 2012 is listed below for your convenience. Cancellation dates are listed as well. All A-Team sessions takes place in the Tutoring Center on the first floor of CAS, just passed the One Stop desk.

Mondays 4:00-5:00 p.m.
Wednesdays 6:00-9:00 p.m.
Thursdays 5:00-6:00 p.m.


**Remember to sign up early and often. Attending more than five sessions earns extra credit toward your final grade! Here's a link to Tutortrac: http://www.kean.edu/~cas/tutortrac.html

Cancellations MUST be made at least two to three hours in advance otherwise Tutortrac will not accept them. If it is a Monday cancellation for that Monday, please email me ASAP at Gotprofkiefer@gmail.com. (I come to campus JUST for that session.) Thanks!

Make sure NOT to sign up for these dates since there will be no A-Team:
Monday 2/13--Prof. Kiefer unavailable
Monday 2/20--President's Day
Monday 3/19--Spring Break
Wednesday 3/21--Spring Break
Thursday 3/22--Spring Break

Project 1 Summary/Response Paper Rubric

In English Comp. 1031/1032 we will use a rubric so that you are able to know how you will be assessed on your writing. This rubric can be a helpful guide as you organize, write and revise your paper for assessment. When I send your essays back to you via email, they will have a copy of this rubric attached and completed with your grade and score in every area. Good Luck!

Project I—Summary/Response Paper- Rubric
Definition: A summary/response assignment asks a writer to first present the major points of another source and then expand on those points through incorporating other ideas.

_____out of 25 points Conventions of a summary:
• Names the author and/or title of the piece
• Opens with a clear statement of the original piece’s focus.
• Contains all (or in our case a few focused) examples used in the original piece
• Explains all the key terms in the piece, as applicable for the focus
• Presents accurately the ideas in the original piece, without or otherwise changing their meaning.
• Presents the information in a coherent, focused way, not as a list of points or ideas.

_____ out of 25 points Conventions of a response:
• States the focus of the response, usually in the beginning of the response.
• Engages in a discussion about the ideas in the piece
• A clear connection between the writer’s ideas and the ideas in the original text.
• A clear sense of the writer’s feelings and/or opinions about the ideas to which they are responding.
• An explanation of why the audience should find the response significant, fascinating or otherwise engaging.
• Quote should only appear in the response section of the paper.

_____ out of 10 points Assignment: 500 word minimum.
Select an article about which you would like to summarize and respond. You may choose any informative source that interests you. Due Tuesday February 14, 2012.

_____out of 40 points Kean University English Composition Grading PoliciesWriting assignments are evaluated according to
____out of 8 points a)Genre/Audience;
____out of 8 points b)Focus;­
____out of 8 points c) Development;
____out of 8 points e) Organization;
____out of 8 points h) Mechanics (grammar, spelling, punctuation).

_____ out of 100 Total Points

A Excellent fulfillment of the assignments requirements; original substantive content; effective organization and logical development; correct mechanics; clear effective diction and syntax; fluent use of language; correct documentation (when applicable).
B Above average fulfillment of the assignments requirements; thorough and interesting content; good organization; correct mechanics; effective diction and syntax; fluent use of language; correct documentation (when applicable).
C Fulfills basic requirements of the assignment; some solid content; adequate organization; no major mechanical errors; no major documentation errors.
D Does not fulfill basic requirements of the assignment; vague content; ineffective organization; major mechanical errors; significant errors in documentation.
F Does not fulfill basic requirements of the assignment; little content; minimal form; major, serious repeated mechanical errors; violations of the Academic Integrity Policy.

Project 1 Assignment --Summary/Response Paper

Project I—Summary/Response Paper-

Due Tuesday February 14, 2012
The ability and skill to be able to clearly craft an effective and complete summary and a thoughtful and organized response to a reading, viewing or other form of media is essential to successful college work.

Definition: A summary/response assignment asks a writer to first present the major points of another source and then expand on those points through incorporating other ideas.

Conventions of a summary:
• Names the author and/or title of the piece
• Opens with a clear statement of the original piece’s focus.
• Contains all (or in our case a few focused) examples used in the original piece
• Explains all the key terms in the piece, as applicable for the focus
• Presents accurately the ideas in the original piece, without or otherwise changing their meaning.
• Presents the information in a coherent, focused way, not as a list of points or ideas.

Conventions of a response:
• States the focus of the response, usually in the beginning of the response.
• Engages in a discussion about the ideas in the piece
• A clear connection between the writer’s ideas and the ideas in the original text.
• A clear sense of the writer’s feelings and/or opinions about the ideas to which they are responding.
• An explanation of why the audience should find the response significant, fascinating or otherwise engaging.
• Quote should only appear in the response section of the paper.

Assignment: 500 word minimum.
Select an article about which you would like to summarize and respond. You may choose any informative source that interests you. Assume you are writing for the same audience as your response essays: a college freshman English class focusing on popular culture. An example of the kind of summary required can be found in the last paragraph of your reading on page 424 of HTWA. A good example of a response paper is found in your reading on page 263 in HTWA. Hints: This assignment is intended to help you learn how to effectively and objectively summarize an article and then provide a clear, organized, well-supported response with your opinion. You should paraphrase and quote only in the response section.

Kean University English Composition Grading Policies:
Writing assignments are evaluated according to
a) Genre/Audience;
b) Focus;
c) Development;
d) Organization;
e) Mechanics (grammar, spelling, punctuation).

A Excellent fulfillment of the assignments requirements; original substantive content; effective organization and logical development; correct mechanics; clear effective diction and syntax; fluent use of language; correct documentation (when applicable).
B Above average fulfillment of the assignments requirements; thorough and interesting content; good organization; correct mechanics; effective diction and syntax; fluent use of language; correct documentation (when applicable).
C Fulfills basic requirements of the assignment; some solid content; adequate organization; no major mechanical errors; no major documentation errors.
D Does not fulfill basic requirements of the assignment; vague content; ineffective organization; major mechanical errors; significant errors in documentation.
F Does not fulfill basic requirements of the assignment; little content; minimal form; major, serious repeated mechanical errors; violations of the Academic Integrity Policy.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Welcome!

It was great meeting you all last night!

Here are some reminders for Thursday's class:

1) Bring your agendas filled out and COMPLETED for the next few weeks with your class schedules, assignments and studying schedule.

2) Diagnostic Essay Due: Bring your rough draft (the copy you completed in class) and the one-hour revision to class. These will be assessed.

3) Read Chapter 10 in How to Write Anything by class on Thursday!

4)) Follow this blog and save the link someplace where you can easily access it.

5) Begin to plan when you will attend your first A-Team meeting (sometime in the next two weeks.) The schedule will be under a separate post.