Final Drafts

Mapping the Essay.doc

Mapping the Essay.doc

Daybook Post 1

Final Reflection

This is a blog hyperlink.

April 23

Today, we graded ourselves on participation.  We spent the rest of class working on things for class, such as the working on the final reflection, designing the product for the presentation, revising, etc.
Homework:

• Post your first draft of your Argumentative Essay to your blog.
• Bring copies of your first draft for your blog group.

Note: Valerie Bright will be a sub for Megan on Thurday.  Emoni and MC have been given the authority to ask people to quiet down and get back to work.

April 18

For writing into the day, we wrote a poem about our experiences this semester.  Then, we talked about the logistics of how to turn the dialogue into an academic paper by answering the four questions in the PowerPoint.  We came up with the following answers:

1. What do you need to add?

• Introduction
• Possibly more sources
• Intext citation
• Works cited
• Paragraphs
• Transitions

2. What do you need to keep the same?

• Direct quotes
• Structure (Rogerian or Toulmin)
• Thesis
• Sources

3. What do you need to take out?

• Script elements
• Informal language
• Stuff you made up 
• Unsupported opinions
• Setting

4. What did you need to keep, but change a little?

• Conclusion (now what), but work on the flow

Think about the dialogue like an outline for your essay.

We talked about writing more simply (instead of writing to "sound smarter") by using two example sentences about bilingual education (see the Power Point).

Then, we wrote the introduction of our papers by using the reading from Swales.  In your introduction, include these four things:

1. Pick one of the steps from Move 1
2. If you are writing the Toulmin, write out how you introduced the problem.  If you are writing the Rogerian, write out how you introduced the issue.
3. If you are writing the Toulmin, write out how your solution (claim, reason and warrants).  If you are writing the Rogerian, write out your buy-in.
4. Write out the organization of your paper starting with the words "In this paper, I will..." 

We read page 254-255 in Practical Argument about quoting sources.  We took some time to decide which direct quotes to use by using the blue box on page 254.

Things to remember:

• Use inline citation with paraphrases and direct quotes
• Your conclusion should be the "now what"
• Use the blue box on page 257 for example words to use when introducing quotes
• If you are writing the Rogerian, make sure you use objective language and acknowledge that both sides have valid arguments.
• If you are writing the Toulmin, make sure you are consisently supporting your thesis (claim and reason). For example, if your thesis is "I believe standardized testing should be eliminated because they are decreasing student creativity" your whole paper should show how tests are descreasing creativity.  A paragraph about how tests cost the school a particular amount of money would, therefore, be off topic.

April 16

For writing into the day, we responded to the question: In relation to an English class, what do you think of when you hear the word "reflection"?

The class responded with the following:

• Going over what someone has commented on
• Personal standpoints on what someone else wrote
• The "why" instead of the "what"
• How you grew and what you wrote
• Final review
• What went well, what did not and the things in between

Megan then gave the following a working definition for this class:

Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines reflection as: “(1) the action of bending or folding back [and] (2) consideration of some subject matter, idea, or purpose¹.” Reflecting in a writing classroom combines these two definitions.

“Reflection is thinking for an extended period by linking recent experiences to earlier ones…The thinking involves looking for commonalities, differences, and interrelations beyond their superficial elements.²” “The act of reflection, therefore, becomes crucial to [students’] education. It serves as the bridge between experiences and learning.^3”

“Meaningful reflection considers three questions:

1. What—what happened?
2. So what—what does it mean? 
3. Now what—what is the next step?⁴” 

We talked about the Final Presentation and Final Reflection assignments.  On the last day of class, you will need to put the on your blog:

• In one post, you will embed the final drafts of the major assignments (see the document "Using Scribd to Post to Your Blog"  for how you should do this)
• In another post, you will write the final reflection letter

Finally, we used Megan's SI Reflection (http://megansreflection.blogspot.com) as a model for the final reflection and discussed it.

What does "good" reflection look like?

• Lots of evidence
• Gets personal
• Gets into thought process and feelings
• Well rounded

 

What types of things might you link to or use as examples in your final reflection?

• Ebscohost
• Daybook entries
• Blog posts
• Quotes
• TedTalks
• Other classmate's blog posts
• Twitter/Facebook posts
• Visual Analysis pictures
• Personal experiences
• Pictures - writing environment, notes, brainstorming
• Sources

How would you describe the final reflection to someone outside this class?

• Organize it chronically
• Combination of personal experiences and examples of work
• It's like a diary entry
• Everything you're thinking altogether - the hyperlink s are like side notes
• Writing with JD fantasies

Homework:

• Decide which structure you want to use for the Argumentative Essay.

Note: All drafts for extra feedback must be email to Megan by midnight on April 18.

April 11

Today, we wrote into the day creating goals for today and for the rest of the semester.  Then, we brainstormed for the Toulmin dialogue by pulling information from our sources to find the backing, the grounds and the rebuttals.  We also wrote a "now what."  We use the slide on the PowerPoint on BlackBoard for this brainstorming.  In the last 30 minutes, we drafted for the dialogue or worked on revisions of previous drafts for class.

Homework:

• Post your Toulmin dialogue to your blog and to BlackBoard before class.
• Post the "Self Assessment Reflection" for the Toulmin dialogue on your blog before class.