Second Posting for Tuesday, April 30th, 2013

Hello again...

As I sit here reviewing a pile of revisions, I am inclined to post a little reminder...

When you decide to revise an essay, please know that I do not actually make every correction for you. So simply "fixing" the errors I edited for you does not really constitute a successful revision. Of course, if there is very little to revise or correct, this reminder does not apply to you.

Revising an essay involves starting over. Reading and digesting all of my commentaries and applying those suggestions and observations as you revise. For example, if I note that there is not enough development, that translates to...you need to do more reading and research to locate more information and examples to develop your essay.

See you tomorrow!

Tuesday, April 30th, 2013--5:30 pm

Greetings,
a few things:
1. Due to my error--I noted the due date for essay 3 rough drafts as Monday, April 29th, on the course outline BUT Wednesday, May 1 on the essay assignment. I apologize. Those students who still want to submit a rough draft for essay 3 can do so tomorrow. Since there is NO CLASS ON FRIDAY, I would prefer that you email me your draft by the end of the day tomorrow. That way I can review the essay and send you comments via email.
2. Below you will find a copy of the handout from Monday.

English 20, Spring 2013

Editing & Proofreading Workshop, Monday April 29th

REVIEW

NEW POLICY EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY! J

For this third and final out of class essay, it is now an unacceptable error (10 points deducted, if your heading set up is incorrect. By heading, I am referring to your name, my name, the class title and the date.)  Please refer to your class notes from the first week or so of classes. Also, you now have received and read at least six sample student essays, which also provide you with the correct set-up.

*******************************************************************************

REVISIONS

·      Please follow the guidelines on how to submit a revision, which are provided on your class syllabus.

·      If you did not choose to revise out of class essay one or two, and you end up wanting to revise essay three, there will still be time. Graded essay three will be returned to you on Monday, May 13^th. If you choose to revise, it must be submitted no later than Friday of finals week. YOU MUST EMAIL ME TO LET ME KNOW YOU HAVE PLACED IT IN MY DEPT. MAILBOX. Otherwise, I will not be on campus to pick it up. ALSO, be sure you hear back from me that I have indeed received the email instruction.

RESEARCH DOCUMENTATION

·      You must introduce all direct quotations with a lead-in.

·      If you refer to the author in the lead-in or when you paraphrase, you DO NOT NEED an in-text citation.

·      All in-text citations MUST CORRESPOND/MATCH THE SOURCE ON THE WORKS CITED PAGE EXACTLY.

·      DOUBLE SPACE ENTIRE WORKS CITED PAGE.

·      INDENT SECOND AND CONSECUTIVE LINES OF EACH CITATION.

·      YOU DO NOT NEED TO RECORD THE ENTIRE WEB ADDRESS.

CONTENT AND ORGANIZATION

·      One main idea per paragraph.

·      Transition clearly from one paragraph to the next. You do not need TWO transitional sentences, one at the end of the paragraph and one at the beginning of the next!

·      You do NOT need to include a Webster’s dictionary definition of words that are commonly understood and recognized by the majority of readers. For example: suicide and alcoholism are commonplace terms and do not need further explanations.

·      In a three to five page essay, there is no need to summarize your main points in the conclusion. And you also do not need to actually write—“In conclusion….”

·      Most instructors (and it should be ALL instructors) expect near perfection from a writing assignment where the student has been given three to four weeks to plan, research, write and revise an essay.  In other words, evidence of editing and proofreading must be obvious.

Although other classes probably do not have an Unacceptable Errors list, they will not be tolerant of the errors I have included on that handout, 

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Greetings,

change to the due date for first revisions of out of class essay 2:
all sections now have the due date of Monday, April 29th. (since there will be no class on Friday, and I will not be on campus to pick the essays up.)

Also, I realize that no  one really PLANS to be late to class...but if you could make an extra effort to be on time tomorrow, Wednesday, that would be great! We will have a guest speaker for the first ten minutes or so of class.

See you tomorrow.

Sunday, April 21, 2013--4:30 pm

Greetings,

A few things... and Packet #10 assignment:

1.  For students in sections 1 and 4, if you choose to revise out of class essay #2, the first revision is due by Friday, April 26th. Please refer to the syllabus on details about how to submit a revision

2. For students in section 7, if you choose to revise out of class essay #2, the first revision is due by Monday, April 29th. Please refer to the syllabus on details about how to submit a revision.

3.  A few students in section 7 asked if they could keep their copy of Musings on Immigration that we used for Group Work #3 last Friday.  Since we were finished with the work, I agreed. Any students from other sections who wish to have a copy, just ask me on Monday. I will bring them to class just in case.

4. Packet 10 Assignment: (due on Wednesday, April 24)
"Nate Silver: Does Racism affect how you Vote?"
http://www.ted.com/talks/nate_silver_on_race_and_politics.html

5. Please note that Friday, April 26th is earmarked as a day for you to work on out of class essay #3. This translates to no class on Friday, the 26th.

6. Please bring the sample student essay #3 to class tomorrow, Monday, the 22nd. Please be sure you have read it and recorded your evaluation on your copy. (This was distributed in class last Monday)

Wednesday, April 17th, 2013--6:45 pm

Hello,
below you will find a copy of the assignment distributed and discussed today in class: Out of Class Essay #3.

Also, on Friday, before we begin the group work session, you will take the second part of Quiz 5 (20 additional points) that you did not respond to today.

English 20--Spring 2013

Prof. Fraga

Out of Class Essay Assignment #3 (200 points)

Assigned: Wednesday, April 17

Rough Draft (optional) Due:  no later than Wednesday, May 1

Final Draft Due:  Monday, May 6 REMEMBER TO ATTACH THE VIEWING JOURNAL TO YOUR FINAL DRAFT. IF IT IS SUBMITTED, IT IS AN AUTOMATIC 20 POINTS DEDUCTED FROM YOUR EARNED SCORE AND THESE 20 POINTS CANNOT BE EARNED BACK IN A REVISION.

Requirements:

·      MLA format

·      If you utilize any outside sources (not required) you must follow MLA format for in- text citations, Works Cited page, etc.

Before you began viewing the first season of Breaking Bad, I assigned a mandatory “journal” of sorts; you were to take notes during and/or soon after you viewed each episode. You were also to (eventually) select a character to focus on more carefully than others. These notes will now be a valuable source as you write your last out of class essay for this course.

Assignment:

Write an in-depth character analysis of one of the characters in the first season of Breaking Bad. Write your essay for an audience that has viewed these episodes. In other words, be specific but you need not relate the entire story line.

Your essay must include the following:

• An introduction/description/background of your character

• Assertions about your character

• Supportive evidence from the episodes that support your assertions (how did you come to the conclusions you did regarding your character?)

Your supportive evidence might include but is not limited to:

• what others observe/say (or don’t observe/say) about your character—either directly or in private

• the actions of your character in particular situations

• the reactions/responses of your character in particular situations

• what drives this character

• what terrifies this character

• what pleases this character

• what does this character long for

• what does this character need

Your thesis must be assertive…it is YOUR opinion as a viewer of these episodes.

Whether or not you LIKE or DISLIKE this character is not an issue in this essay.

Whether you LIKE or DISLIKE the series is also not an issue in this essay. Proving to the reader that this character has the attributes (good, bad, layered, shallow) that you assert he or she has is your goal.

Your thesis might read something like this:

Once Walter learns of his terminal cancer, he seems very unstable and irresponsible; however, his behavior truly represents a very determined, focused and highly intelligent, strictly moral father and husband.

or…

Marie is a very insecure and lonely woman who is unhappy and uncomfortable living in the shadow of her power-driven DEA husband and her happily married and very bright sister, Skylar.

Monday, April 15th, 2013--7:30 pm

Greetings,

A few things:

1. Packet #9, due to be read by Friday, April 19:
"Writing to America:  Banned in Tucson" by Luis J. Rodriguez
https://www.facebook.com/notes/california-gold-the-sacramento-valley-chapter-of-reforma/banned-in-tucson-luis-j-rodr%C3%ADguez-progressive-april-2012/292771537459843

2. We WILL be discussing the TED Talk on Sex Slavery, so please be sure to carry any notes you may have taken while viewing with you to class until we complete our discussion.

3. Thank you, again, to all students who attended class today and completed the feedback form regarding the use of Breaking Bad as curriculum for English 20. Lots of very valuable suggestions and commentary!

SECOND POSTING FOR SUNDAY, APRIL 7TH--10:30 pm

Hello again,
somehow,
someway,
from the time I posted the first note here around 8:30 pm and now...
I have been hit with a migraine.
Not good.
In fact, I think I am going to have my husband drive me to Urgent Care to get a magic shot...it appears that it will be THAT kind of migraine.
Which is to say,
I am forced to cancel class tomorrow. I am so so sorry!
See you Wednesday in MUCH better shape that I am right now, hopefully.
Have a good, safe Monday.

Sunday, April 7th--8:30 pm

Greetings,

I had every intention of posting this entry sooner, but alas, English 1A research essays have kept me very distracted, and not in a particularly GOOD way....:)

Below you will find a few items of interest:

1. Assignment for Packet #8, due on Wednesday April 10th--(TWO ITEMS):

"NYT Correspondent Talks on Ties between Human Trafficking, Illegal Immigration"
http://journalism.indiana.edu/notices/nyt-correspondent-talks-on-ties-between-human-trafficking-illegal-immigration/

"The Fight Against Sex Slavery"
http://www.ted.com/talks/sunitha_krishnan_tedindia.html

2. Reminder about Quiz 4 on Part III of the Handbook THIS FRIDAY, APRIL 12TH.  All the information you need to prepare for the quiz is on the syllabus. It is an open notes quiz.

3. New assignment, NOT on syllabus:
 Please write (TYPE)  at the top of your paper: MUSINGS ON IMMIGRATION. Then list or write whatever comes to your mind when you hear the word "immigration" There is no incorrect way to do this. There is no word or length requirement. You can choose to list by bullet points; you many want to write a paragraph or two, or? It is VERY important that you complete and submit this assignment correctly or you will be unable to receive credit. This assignment must be submitted in person, not through email. This assignment is worth 25 points--half of the 50 points possible for Group Work #3 on Friday, April 19th.
DIRECTIONS: YOU MUST TYPE THIS ASSIGNMENT AND YOU MUST NOT PUT YOUR NAME ANYWHERE ON THE ASSIGNMENT. It is due this Friday, April 12th.