Final Drafts: Remaining Due Dates

• Assignment for Saturday, 12/8 (due by 11:59 p.m.):
• Submit E2D3 (your final, most-perfect draft) to the Turnitin folder named "Essay 2, Draft 3 - Persuasive - FINAL (All Sections)."
• Update based on my E2D2 editing comments (which will be ready to view shortly). Also update based on my E2D1 content comments, if you haven't already.
• As with the final draft for Essay 1, go further with your editing. You now know the types of formatting and editing matters by which to update your final draft. Comb through the essay, sentence by sentence, to make sure that you submit the cleanest and best draft possible.
• You can also review my editing comments for E1D3 to get a clear idea of what areas to focus on while updating Essay 2.
• Add to the final draft one semicolon, one colon and one dash or pair of dashes (all properly used).
• Be sure to fulfill all assignment instructions. You can find those instructions in an earlier blog post.
• Assignment for Monday, 12/10 (due by 11:59 p.m.):
• Submit E3D2 (your final, most-perfect draft) to the Turnitin folder named "Essay 3, Draft 2 - Argument/Analysis - FINAL (All Sections)."
• Update based on your classmates' feedback. For this draft, you will focus on both content and editing matters while updating.
• Add to the final draft one semicolon, one colon and one dash or pair of dashes (all properly used).
• Again, make sure to fulfill all assignment instructions. You can find those instructions in an earlier blog post.

I expect every single student to meet these due dates. 

Assignment for 12/7 (and Final Exam Information)

Assignment for Friday, 12/7:

• Reread and annotate Turkle's "Can You Hear Me Now?" Research terms and concepts within the text. Along with your printout, bring to class three discussion points.
• Also bring back to class these readings:
• Johnson's "Watching TV Makes You Smarter"
• Stevens' "Thinking outside the Idiot Box"
• Goldwasser's "What's the Matter with Kids Today?"

Additional notes:

• For our 12/7 class, we will meet at 8 a.m. in Drescher 203 (the computer lab). Please bring your flash drive.
• Make note of the date/time for your class final: Friday, 12/14, 8-11 a.m. Every student must attend this session and complete the final exam. There will be no exceptions.

The Panopticon

Weekend Assignments (for 12/1 and 12/2)

• Assignment for Saturday, 12/1 (due by 11:59 p.m.):
• In Doc Sharing, under the "PowerPoint Presentation" section, download and review the "PUNCTUATION - Special Forms" file. Learn these forms of punctuation, and add them to E1D3. 
• Submit E1D3 (your final, most-perfect draft) to the Turnitin folder named "Essay 1, Draft 3 - Narrative - FINAL (All Sections)."
•  Update based on my E1D2 editing comments, but do not stop there. Review each section and sentence to make sure that all phrasing is crisp and clear. Also, make sure that you have followed all basic MLA formatting guidelines.
• Be sure to add to the final draft one semicolon, one colon and one dash or pair of dashes (all properly used per the PowerPoint, of course).
• Assignment for Sunday, 12/2 (due by 11:59 p.m.):
• Complete the PeerMark activity (Turnitin's version of peer review).
• You will review two E3D1 essays (written by other students).
• For the first two questions, spend time on your written responses.
• For the other questions, use our essay rubric. Be honest and objective when rating the essays.

Essay 3 - Instructions and Writing Prompts

For Essay 3, you will write an argument/analysis essay on one of our recent topics (concerning fast food and health, media or technology). The final draft will be a minimum of three full pages, plus a Works Cited list on the fourth page. You will draw from at least one of the sources/readings that I have provided; you will also draw from at least two additional sources/readings. This time, you may branch outside of the SMC databases for your additional sources. Just be sure that you use credible, valid sources. If you are unsure about the validity of a source, check with me.

The first draft is due Thursday, 11/29, by 11:59 p.m. The requirement for the first draft is a minimum of two full pages (no Works Cited page required for the first draft). Name the file E3D1, and submit the file to Turnitin, in the folder called "Essay 3, Draft 1 - Argument/Analysis (Section 2022)." Bring a paper copy to class on Friday, 11/30, for peer review.  

As with all other essays, Essay 3 must be MLA-formatted, double-spaced and written in Times New Roman, 12-point font. Use one of these file extensions: .doc, .docx, .rtf or .odt. Do not submit a .txt (text) file.

Writing Prompts:

• Fast Food and Health
• Write an argument essay that responds to Radley Balko's article "What You Eat Is Your Business." You may agree, disagree, or both agree and disagree.
• Write an argument essay that responds to Paul Campos' article "Being Fat Is OK." You may agree, disagree, or both agree and disagree.
• In "Being Fat Is OK," written in 2001, Paul Campos downplays the idea that Americans are overweight. However, a recent report states that we are trending toward obesity, with most Americans being obese by 2030. Write an argument essay that responds to Campos, factoring in the report's information.
• If that recent report is true, and if we are headed toward an obesity epidemic, then how can we prevent a crisis? What are the solutions? What steps must we take? In your essay, make this argument.
• Media
• In "Watching TV Makes You Smarter," Steven Johnson discusses the benefits of watching TV. In "Thinking outside the Idiot Box," Dana Stevens responds to Johnson, presenting a different perspective, and also discusses "the wet-blanket Puritanism of the anti-TV crowd." Which piece is more effective/persuasive, and why? Respond to this prompt in an argument essay.
• To analyze is to break down a subject in order to gain a clearer understanding of that subject. In "Watching TV Makes You Smarter," Johnson analyzes various TV shows to support his argument. He breaks episodes down into their plots, sub-plots, characters, indicators (i.e., flashing arrows), etc., and he presents his findings in graphs. Using Johnson as a model, write an analysis essay in which you examine three TV shows or three TV commercials (your chosen texts). Analyze these texts, breaking them down into their parts, in order to support your argument. You can also develop your own graphs to support your claim.
• In "Bart Simpson: Prince of Irreverence," Douglas Rushkoff analyzes The Simpsons to support his argument about the show. Using Rushkoff as a model, choose a television show that you watch regularly, and write an essay in which you analyze the show in order to support your unique argument about it.
• Write an argument essay in which you take a stand on the intellectual merits of television. Consider the arguments of Johnson, Stevens and Rushkoff. Frame your essay as a response to one of them.
• Technology
• In "What's the Matter with Kids Today?", Amy Goldwasser argues that today's tech-savvy youth are strong critical thinkers. What do you think? Responding to Goldwasser, write an argument essay in which you take a stand on this issue. Provide examples from your own experiences and observations.
• Amy Goldwasser and Sherry Turkle both use questioning titles in their essays; however, their positions are quite different. Of the two readings ("What's the Matter with Kids Today?" and "Can You Hear Me Now?"), which piece is more effective, and why? Respond to this prompt in an argument essay.

Assignments for the Next Two Weeks

• Assignment to complete ASAP:
• In Doc Sharing's "Media and Technology" section, print out, read and annotate Goldwasser's "What's the Matter with Kids Today?" and Turkle's "Can You Hear Me Now?" Bring these texts to class on 11/30.
• Research terms and concepts within the texts. Along with your printouts, bring to class three discussion points for each text.
• Thursday, 11/22: THANKSGIVING
• Enjoy your break.
• Assignment for Monday, 11/26 (due by 11:59 p.m.):
• Submit E2D2 (your revision) to the Turnitin folder called Essay 2, Draft 2 - Persuasive (Section 2022).
• Assignment for Thursday, 11/29 (due by 11:59 p.m.):
• Submit E3D1 to the Turnitin folder called Essay 3, Draft 1 - Argument/Analysis (Section 2022).
• Assignment for Friday, 11/30 (to be completed before class):
• Bring to class a paper printout of Essay 3 (your two-page draft).
• You must have your draft present in order to receive full points for Friday's class session.
• Bring to class your annotated Goldwasser and Turkle texts. Be ready to discuss these texts.

Winning Prewriting

After receiving the prompt for an in-class, timed writing exam, you should spend a small portion of your time on prewriting. Some students see prewriting as a waste of time; they start writing their essays right away. That strategy works well for a few students but not as well for others. Oftentimes, a student who hasn't done any prewriting will go off-topic or will neglect to mention a key point. 

In an earlier post, I presented an example of winning annotation. Below are examples of winning prewriting (from my T/Th classes). Mirna's page shows a thorough outline; Lauren's page shows clustering and a brief outline.

For our next in-class writing exam, I suggest that you emulate Mirna and Lauren, spending 10-12 minutes on prewriting.

Rushkoff Supplemental

Here is another playlist (roughly 12 minutes long) to help you out with our Rushkoff reading.

The playlist contains clips of the following: 

• Father Knows Best and I Love Lucy (the '50s TV that Rushkoff mentions) 
• The Tracy Ullman Show (on which the Simpsons family first appeared) 
• The Simpsons (an extended opening to the show) 
• A commercial for Mr. Microphone (the toy parodied in "Radio Bart")
• A scene from "Radio Bart" (in which Sting and others sing "We're Sending Our Love down the Well")
• A dinner scene involving the Warren family (from Father Knows Best)
• Short dinner scenes involving the Simpsons family (from The Tracy Ullman Show)

 

Johnson Supplemental

To supplement the Johnson reading, and to give you visual support for the shows he references, I have compiled this playlist of YouTube clips. In total, this playlist's run-time is roughly 25 minutes (edited down from over an hour of video).



 



Note: The playlist ends with the final scene of The Sopranos. The show did end in this way: cutting suddenly to black, followed by 10 full seconds of black before the end credits appeared. At the time, some fans expressed irritation. They thought their TVs had malfunctioned, or they saw the ending as ambiguous and as a cop-out. Other fans saw it as the perfect ending for this series. They noted the allusion to the restaurant scene in The Godfather, and they claimed that the scene provided clues to what would follow (Tony's death).

Assignment for 11/16

Assignment for Friday, 11/16 (to be completed before class):

• Swiftly reread Johnson's "Watching TV Makes You Smarter." Then read Stevens' "Thinking outside the Idiot Box." Bring both texts to class. Be prepared to discuss them.
• In Doc Sharing's "Media and Technology" section, print out, read and annotate Rushkoff's "Bart Simpson: Prince of Irreverence." Along with the printout, bring to class three discussion points.
• In TSIS, read and annotate Ch. 9 (pp. 121-28). Bring to class three discussion points.
• Bring to class a printout of one of your essays (for a writing activity).

Assignment for 11/9

Assignment for Friday, 11/9 (to be completed before class):

• In Doc Sharing's "Media and Technology" section, print out Johnson's "Watching TV Makes You Smarter" and Stevens' "Thinking outside the Idiot Box." Bring these texts to class.
• For Johnson's text, read and annotate the printout. Along with the printout, bring to class three discussion points.
• For Stevens' text, just bring the printout to class.
• Prepare to take Writing Exam #3. For instructions and tips, see the previous post.
• We will again meet in Drescher 203 to take the exam. If you choose not to type your essay, bring a blue book to class.

Writing Exam #3 - Information and Tips

On Friday, 11/9, you will take the third in-class writing exam. Writing Exam #3 will focus on our four "Fast Food and Health" readings: Zinczenko's "Don't Blame the Eater," Campos' "Being Fat Is OK," Balko's "What You Eat Is Your Business" and Warner's "Junking Junk Food." 

Once again, I will provide you with the specific writing prompt on the day of the exam, and then you will have 80 minutes to compose an essay that responds to the prompt.


Bring to class all necessary materials:

• A large blue book
• All four texts, annotated (including the Zinczenko text in TSIS)
• Pens (not pencils)
• A paper English dictionary or thesaurus (optional)

Here are some tips to prepare for the exam:

• Reread and re-annotate the four readings.
• In each reading, note where the writer makes strong points. Explain why these points are effective.
• Note where the writer's argument is lacking. Explain why the argument is weak.
• Focus on the specific "moves" that each writer uses. Where does the writer effectively use the TSIS moves that we have learned? Are any moves lacking? How might these moves have strengthened the writer's argument?

Here are some tips to use during the exam:

• Be aware of the time. Manage your time wisely.
• Spend 10-12 minutes on writing a quick outline. Without such an outline, your writing might ramble off-topic.
• Respond directly to the writing prompt. 
• Use textual evidence (in other words, draw from the readings) to support your claims.
• Write clearly. I will need to be able to read your writing. If I cannot read your writing, then you might receive no points for this exam.

Winning Annotation

To be an "A" student in our class, one who goes above and beyond, you will want to be an active (not passive) reader, interacting with every assigned text. As I've mentioned before, interacting with texts requires annotation.

Below is an example of winning annotation from your classmate Juanita. I suggest that you emulate Juanita here, annotating all texts thoroughly. 

Assignments for 10/26 and 11/2

• Assignment for Friday, 10/26 (to be completed before class):
• Reread and re-annotate Zinczenko's "Don't Blame the Eater" (TSIS, pp. 195-97).
• What new understanding do you have of this text? Be prepared to discuss the text in class.
• In Doc Sharing's "Fast Food and Health" section, print out, read and annotate Campos' "Being Fat Is OK."
• Bring to class this printout and three discussion points.
• In TSIS, read and annotate Ch. 10 (pp. 129-137). This chapter focuses on metacommentary. (We will cover Ch. 9 at some other time.)
• Bring to class three discussion points.
• In Doc Sharing's "Common Essay" section, print out, read and annotate the two texts to be used for the exam. Bring these texts to class.
• Develop one possible writing prompt based on these two texts. (As an example, think of the writing prompt for Writing Exam #1.) The purpose here is to anticipate what the Common Essay Exam will ask of you. Prepare to share your writing prompt in class.
• Assignment for Friday, 11/2:
• Meet in Drescher 203 to take the Common Essay Exam.
• In eCompanion's Webliography, open Warner's "Junking Junk Food" and Balko's "What You Eat Is Your Business." Print out these texts, and bring the printouts to class.
• For Warner's text, just bring the printout to class.
• For Balko's text, read and annotate the printout. Along with the printout, bring to class three discussion points.

Special Guidelines for Some Doc Sharing Texts

If you use Hendin or Kaveny as a source in Essay 2, then you can find the MLA citation information in MasterFILE Premier (check the SMC database). 

However, if you use Alvear, Frum, Rauch, Huttmann or Siegel as a source, then follow the special guidelines below when adding the entry to your Works Cited page.


Format:

Author. "Title of Article." Doc Sharing (eCompanion). Santa Monica College. Printout.
          Date of access.


Sample:

Frum, David. "The Marriage Buffet." Doc Sharing (eCompanion). Santa Monica College.
          Printout. 16 Oct. 2012.

Assignments for 10/18, 10/19 and 10/20

• Assignment for Thursday, 10/18 (due by 11:59 p.m.):
• Submit E2D1 to our Turnitin class (in the section for "Essay 2, Draft 1 - Section 2022").
• Assignment for Friday, 10/19:
• Bring to class ALL of these items:
• All necessary materials for Writing Exam #1 (see the previous blog post)
• A paper printout of Essay 2 (needed to receive full points for Friday's class session)
• A Writer's Reference (if you have it)
• Assignment for Saturday, 10/20 (due by 11:59 p.m.):
• Upload your Works Cited page in the eCompanion Dropbox for "Works Cited (Essay 2)."

Writing Exam #1 - Information and Tips

On Friday, 10/19, you will take the first in-class writing exam. Writing Exam #1 will focus on Siegel's "Treating the Pain by Ending a Life" and on Hendin's "Suicide, Assisted Suicide, and Medical Illness." I will provide you with the specific writing prompt on Friday, and then you will have 80 minutes to compose an essay that responds to the prompt.


Bring to class all necessary materials:

• A large blue book
• The two annotated texts
• Pens (not pencils)
• A paper English dictionary or thesaurus (optional)

Here are some tips for preparing for the exam:

• Reread and re-annotate the Siegel and Hendin readings.
• In each reading, note where the writer makes strong points, and be prepared to explain why these points are effective.
• Note where the writer's argument is lacking. Explain why the argument is weak.
• Focus on the specific "moves" that each writer uses. Where does the writer effectively use the TSIS moves that we have learned? Are any moves lacking? How might these moves have strengthened the writer's argument?

Here are some tips to use during the exam:

• Be aware of the time. Manage your time wisely.
• Spend 10-12 minutes on writing a quick outline. Without such an outline, your writing might ramble off-topic.
• Respond directly to the writing prompt. 
• Evaluate both readings (not only one reading).
• Use textual evidence (in other words, draw from the readings) to support your claims.
• Write clearly. I will need to be able to read your writing. If I cannot read your writing, then you might receive no points for this exam.

Essay 2 - Instructions and Writing Prompts

For Essay 2, you will write a persuasive/argument essay on one of these topics: gun control, same-sex marriage, or physician-assisted suicide. The final draft will be a minimum of three full pages. You will draw from at least two of the sources/readings that I have provided; you will also draw from at least one other source/reading (found in the SMC library databases).

The first draft is due Thursday, 10/18, by 11:59 p.m. The requirement for the first draft is two full pages. Name the file E2D1, and submit the file to Turn It In (for the "Essay 2, Draft 1" assignment). Bring a paper copy to class on Friday, 10/19, for peer review.  

Essay 2 must be MLA-formatted, double-spaced and written in Times New Roman, 12-point font. Use one of these file extensions: .doc, .docx, .rtf or .odt.

Writing Prompts:

• The recent spate of gun-related tragedies in the U.S.--particularly, those shootings in Arizona, Colorado and Wisconsin--have brought the gun-control debate back to the forefront. Where do you stand on the debate? Should we have stricter gun laws? Would these stricter laws help to diminish gun violence? Why or why not?
• Another divisive topic is same-sex marriage. Some people are hopeful that legalized same-sex marriage will soon be a reality across the U.S. Others oppose the idea of same-sex marriage for various reasons. The question: Should same-sex marriage be legalized in the U.S.? Why or why not?
• A third topic of debate is physician-assisted suicide (PAS). Proponents believe that terminally ill patients should have the right to make end-of-life decisions. Opponents often argue that assisted suicide is an aspect of suicide and therefore should not be legalized. What is your position? Should physician-assisted suicide be legalized in the U.S. (and particularly in California)? Why or why not?

Assignment for 10/12

• Assignment for Friday, 10/12 (to be completed before class):
• Reread and re-annotate these texts: Kaveny's "Dignity & the End of Life" and Hendin's "Suicide, Assisted Suicide, and Mental Illness." Bring these printouts to class.
• In the Webliography's "Physician-Assisted Suicide" section, print out, read and annotate these texts: Kaminer's "When Congress Plays Doctor" and Golden's "Why Progressives Should Oppose the Legalization of Assisted Suicide." Bring these printouts to class.
• Note: Kaminer's text is a challenging read. Do your best with it.
• In TSIS, read and annotate Ch. 7 (pp. 92-100). Bring to class three discussion points.
• In TSIS, read and annotate Ch. 8 (pp. 105-118). Bring to class three discussion points.
• Go back over the readings for Friday (Kaveny's, Hendin's, Kaminer's and Golden's texts). Indicate where you find connecting devices in these texts (i.e., transitions, pointing words, key terms).

Assignment for 10/5 (Work on This Assignment Immediately)

Note: On 10/5, meet at 8 a.m. in Drescher 203 (the computer lab).

• Assignment for Friday, 10/5 (to be completed before class):
• Go to OneLook (http://www.onelook.com/). Type in euthanasia. Explore the dictionary results (on the left). Study several definitions. Next, type in and explore the term assisted suicide.
• Click on this link to read more on euthanasia and assisted suicide. How do they differ?
• In Doc Sharing's "Physician-Assisted Suicide" section, print out, read and annotate these four texts: Kaveny's "Dignity & the End of Life," Huttmann's "A Crime of Compassion," Siegel's "Treating the Pain by Ending a Life" and Hendin's "Suicide, Assisted Suicide, and Mental Illness."
• For each reading, note in the margins where you find the Logos, Ethos and Pathos appeals at play.
• In TSIS, read and annotate Ch. 6 (pp. 78-90). Bring to class three discussion points.
• Do Ex. 1 (pp. 90-91) in your notebook. This exercise asks you to develop an additional paragraph for Schlosser's passage. In your paragraph, add an objection to Schlosser's argument (a naysayer), and then respond to that objection as Schlosser would.

Assignments for 9/28 and 9/29

Note: One typical assignment for readings is to prepare three discussion points (questions and comments about the readings). If you do not read, annotate and/or write down discussion points, then you will not be prepared for our class discussions. If I call on you (asking about your discussion points) and you have nothing to contribute, then you will lose participation points.

• Assignment for Friday, 9/28 (to be completed before class):
• Read and annotate the "Cluster Argument" packet, pp. 1-12 (including the first-page overview, Michael Alvear's, David Frum's and Jonathan Rauch's essays). Define all of the unknown terms in the "Vocabulary" sections (pp. 5, 8 and 12). Prepare discussion points for each essay.
• In TSIS, read and annotate Ch. 4-5 (pp. 55-75). Prepare three discussion points for each chapter.

• Assignment for Saturday, 9/29 (due by 11:59 p.m.):
• Submit Essay 1, Draft 2 (E1D2) to the eCompanion Dropbox. Title your file E1D2 only: please don't write your name; write only E1D2. Be sure that the file has one of the following extensions: .doc, .docx, .rtf or .odt.

Assignments for 9/23 and 9/24

• Assignment for Sunday, 9/23 (due by 11:59 p.m.):
• In eCompanion, find and click on "Threaded Discussion: Gun Violence." Read the instructions; then click on your course section in "Topics." Respond to at least one of my discussion prompts and to at least one of your classmates' postings.
• Assignment for Monday, 9/24 (due by 11:59 p.m.):
• In eCompanion, post a Journal entry based on the published text that you found and brought to class. (If you didn't do that assignment, find an online text now to use for this Journal entry.) Title your post JE4: Responding to a Source.
• For this entry, introduce your source (that is, the text/article you found online). Use your summarizing skills. Next, make a claim about some aspect of the source (that is, state your thesis). Then support your claim with reasoning and evidence. Use one quote from the source. Use two signal verbs from the list in TSIS (pp. 39-40); bold those signal verbs. This entry should be at least two well-developed paragraphs.
• Get a Head Start on E1D2:
• Review the feedback your classmate gave you for E1D1. Begin revising Essay 1 based on that feedback and on your own ideas. You will continue to develop your essay after receiving my comments. E1D2 (a three-page minimum) will be due on Saturday, 9/29, by 11:59 p.m., so it would be wise to dig into the second draft now.

Essay 1 - Instructions and Writing Prompts

For Essay 1, you will write a narrative essay that follows one of the below writing prompts. The requirement for this first draft is two full pages. Name the file E1D1 (for Essay 1, Draft 1), and place it in the eCompanion Dropbox for E1D1.  

As with all other essays in our class, Essay 1 must be MLA-formatted, double-spaced and written in Times New Roman, 12-point font. It must also have one of these file extensions: .doc, .docx, .rtf or .odt.

Writing Prompts:

• In Amy Tan's narrative essay "Fish Cheeks," the writer describes a time when she was ashamed of her culture and ethnicity. Write a narrative essay (modeled after Tan's) about a time when you were ashamed of being different. What was the cause of your shame? Has your perspective changed since that experience?
• In Sarah Vowell's narrative essay "Shooting Dad," the writer presents her father's views and interests as antithetical to her own. In the end, Vowell realizes that she and her father are more alike than she'd thought. Write a narrative essay (modeled after Vowell's) about your trying/difficult relationship with a friend or family member. How did the two of you eventually find common ground? What did you learn about yourself from this relationship?

Assignments for 9/14, 9/18 and 9/21

• Assignment for Friday, 9/14 (to be completed before class):
• Do some Internet research on Sarah Vowell (for your own edification). 
• Read and annotate "Shooting Dad." Bring to class three discussion points.
• In TSIS, read and annotate Ch. 1 (pp. 19-28). Bring to class three discussion points.
• Do Ex. 1 (pp. 28-29) in your notebook. Choose three arguments to develop. This exercise asks you to develop the missing "they say" portions of the arguments.
• In TSIS, read and annotate Zinczenko's "Don't Blame the Eater" (pp. 195-97). Bring to class three discussion points.
• Consider these questions:
• How does Zinczenko's essay exemplify the ideas presented in the Introduction?
• What writing moves does Zinczenko use?
• Assignment for Tuesday, 9/18 (due by 11:59 p.m.):
• Submit Essay 1, Draft 1 (E1D1) to the eCompanion Dropbox. (Specific assignment instructions to follow). Follow basic MLA format. Be sure that the file has one of the following extensions: .doc, .docx, .rtf or .odt.
• Assignment for Friday, 9/21 (to be completed before class):
• Print out a copy of E1D1. Bring the printout to class for peer review. (Do not wait till Friday, right before class, to print out your draft.)
• Go to the eCompanion Webliography; find the "Gun Violence" section. Read Cillizza's and Palmer's articles; watch Stein's video. Take notes on these texts (for class discussion).
• Print out the article "After Aurora" (also available via the Webliography, in the "Gun Violence" section). Read and annotate this text. Bring the printout to class, along with three discussion points.
• Print out the entire "Same-Sex Marriage" argument casebook (twelve pages), located in Doc Sharing. Bring the printout to class.
• In TSIS, read and annotate Ch. 2-3 (pp. 30-50). Bring to class three discussion points for each chapter.
• Do Ex. 1 (p. 50). Print out and bring to class a published text. In your notebook, write responses to the exercise questions.

Assignments for 9/8, 9/9 and 9/10

• Assignment for Saturday, 9/8 (due by 11:59 p.m.):
• Upload the Practice Essay in the eCompanion Dropbox. (Most of you already completed this assignment in class.)
• Assignment for Sunday, 9/9 (due by 11:59 p.m.):
• In the eCompanion Journal, post Ex. 1 (from pp. 14-15 in TSIS). This exercise asks you to use Emily Poe's paragraph as a model and to replace Poe's topic, vegetarianism, with your own topic. Title this post JE2: TSIS Introduction, Ex. 1.
• Assignment for Monday, 9/10 (due by 11:59 p.m.):
• Do Internet research on Amy Tan (to familiarize yourself with this writer).
• Read Amy Tan's essay "Fish Cheeks." Annotate the reading, and write down three discussion points for class.
• In the eCompanion Journal, post an entry titled JE3: On Being Different. For this entry, follow the journal writing prompt ("Suggestions for Writing," #1) at the end of the "Fish Cheeks" reading: "Think of an occasion when, for whatever reason, you were ashamed of being different. How did you react? Did you try to hide your difference in order to fit in, or did you reveal or celebrate your uniqueness?" For this entry, write at least three full paragraphs.
• Note: The type of writing you do here will be narration (telling a story). To enhance your story, consider using descriptive techniques, as Tan does (especially in the third paragraph of "Fish Cheeks"). You might use visual details and dialogue to bring your story to life.

Visual Help with the Threaded Discussion Assignment

1. Go to eCompanion.
2. Click on "Weeks 1-4."
3. Click on "Threaded Discussion: Ueland." Read the overview.
4. Under Topics, select "Discussion Prompts (for the Friday class)." Read those discussion prompts.
5. Click on "Respond." Write your response to one, or all, of the discussion prompts.
6. After other students have responded to my discussion prompts, respond to one of those students' comments, as well.

Click on the images below to enlarge them.

Assignments for 9/1, 9/2 and 9/7

• Assignment for Saturday, 9/1 (due by 11:59 p.m.):
• Read Brenda Ueland's essay "Everybody Is Original, Talented and Has Something Important to Say." Annotate the reading and look up unknown terms.
• By no later than 11:59 p.m., post at least two responses in the Ueland threaded discussion (in eCompanion): one response to me; another response to a classmate's post. You may ask questions or make comments. Be sure that your responses are meaningful, respectful and well-formatted (i.e., not written as tweets or text messages).
• Assignment for Sunday, 9/2 (due by 11:59 p.m.):
•  Post an entry in the eCompanion Journal. Title this post JE1: My Experience with Writing. For this entry, write at least three full paragraphs on your experiences with and feelings about writing. (To break for a new paragraph, hit the Enter button twice.)
• Some ideas to consider: 
• What are your feelings about writing? Do you like writing? If not, why not? Be specific. 
• What kinds of writing assignments have you done in past classes? Which assignment was your favorite, and which one was your least favorite? Explain why.
• How can writing benefit you in "the real world"? Do you have a career goal? If so, is writing important for that career?
• What do you find most challenging about writing? How can you overcome this challenge?
• In her essay, Brenda Ueland presents her thoughts on writing. Can you relate with any of the points that Ueland makes? 
• In what areas of writing do you hope to improve on during this semester?
• Assignment for Friday, 9/7 (to be completed before class):
• Read Anne Lamott's essay "Shitty First Drafts." Annotate the reading, look up unknown terms, and write down three discussion points for class.
• In "They Say / I Say" (TSIS), read the Introduction (1-14). Annotate the reading, look up unknown terms, and write down three discussion points for class. 
• Do Ex. 1 (14-15) in your notebook.

Assignment for 8/31

Hi, class:

Here is our English 21A blog, where you will find important class information—on homework, reading and essay assignments, library trips, etc.

For this class, you will need to stay on task, especially because we meet only once a week. In fact, it's a wise idea to keep ahead of the game—that means completing the assignments right away, not waiting until the night before they are due.

Here are the first tasks to do. Take care of these tasks today (Friday, 8/31), after our class ends. You will have other assignments for this weekend (those instructions are in the next post), so do these first tasks now.

• Purchase all required class items mentioned in the syllabus. Bring those items to class on Friday.
• Flash drive
• Notebook
• Three-ring binder
• Four large blue books
• Go to Doc Sharing on our eCompanion page. Download and print out all four readings in the "Starters" section (Ueland, Lamott, Tan, Vowell). Bring all four printouts to class on Friday.