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.