English 0950 - Education Essay 2

English 0950 / Spring 2008 / Essay #2

Writing Assignment:

One skill that you will need to succeed in college is the ability to "have a conversation" with a text. These papers are sometimes called "response essays," "reaction essays," or "summary-response essays." In our second essay, you will show that you understand what the text says -- by including a summary -- and then wrestle with a few of the main ideas in the text.

This does not mean that you have to agree with everything the text says, but you need to explain the author’s points fairly (consider that he or she is looking over your shoulder -- would he or she agree with your summary?) and then agree or disagree with a few of them (the author's points).

This assignment is more difficult than Essay #1, but, like the first essay, in order to argue with -- or have a conversation with -- the text, you will need to describe some of your experiences with education.

By "agreeing" with an author's point, you need to do more than simply summarize, paraphrase, or repeat what the author says about that point. For example, you need to "extend it" -- that is, you need to go beyond where the writer went with the point: offer new evidence that supports it, or offer another line of reasoning that the author didn't consider. Or, you need to "apply it" -- that is, you need to use the author's point to explain something in your own experience, in someone else's experience, or in what you are observing around you.

Further, by "disagreeing" with an author's point, you need to do more than simply state that you disagree. You need to articulate the basis for your disagreement and explain your reasoning; you also need to offer evidence, from your own experiences and/or observations, to support your disagreement. Remember: tell and show.

For this essay, we will read three (3) writers, and you will eventually choose one (1) writer to focus on for your paper:

Patti See, "Outside In"
Davina Ruth Begaye Two Bears, "I Walk in Beauty"
Jennifer Crichton, "'Who Shall I Be?' The Allure of a Fresh Start"

Agree or disagree with one author on two or more of their main points. As I've said earlier, you can use examples from your own life -- or the lives of people you know or see around you -- and you can use examples from the other reading selections that we have read in this class to write this essay; just be sure to cite your source and explain how it relates to the author’s argument.

For citing your sources, it is most common to refer to the author by full name the first time you mention him or her; thereafter, you can refer to him or her by last name (but never by first name only). Also, it is common to include a reference to the title of the work you are writing about. In addition, you do need to include page numbers in parentheses (from the anthology, Higher Learning) after a summary, paraphrase, or quotation.

Basic Organization:

Introduction paragraph
Summary paragraph
Body paragraphs (2 or more)
Conclusion paragraph

Process and Due Dates:

We will, together, go through the entire writing process for this essay, and you will be expected to demonstrate significant prewriting (e.g., brainstorming, etc.) and revision. Please see the course schedule for the due dates for the drafts. When you submit your final draft, you will put it in a folder containing all your prewriting, your working drafts (in order), and your peer review notes. The final draft must have noticeable improvements over the first draft, and it must be at least 2 FULL pages long but no more than 3 pages long.

What You Will Be Graded On:

In initial drafts, I will be looking for a clear and accurate summary of the author's essay and for you to bring specific experiences into your essay to agree and disagree with the author's points. In the final draft, you should also be clearly articulating the author's points with which you are agreeing and disagreeing. I will be looking for interesting interpretations, thoughtful presentation and development, a consistent focus, and an on-going relationship between examples and main idea. The items below are common elements or criteria for evaluating an academic essay:

An interesting introduction which includes a thesis statement -- and possibly a "forecast" statement -- to provide a focus (and a direction) for the essay.
A paragraph which provides an accurate, brief, and clear summary of the author's central idea and main points.
At least two body paragraphs, each one focused on one main idea (expressed in a topic sentence), and each one developed and supported with adequate and relevant "evidence" (facts, examples, details, explanations, etc.).
A clear and logical structure (organization) with clear and smooth transitions from paragraph to paragraph (and even within paragraphs).
A satisfying conclusion that at least restates the main idea and sums up the paper, but perhaps even gets the readers to keep thinking about the paper after they put it down.
Clear and correct sentences (grammar) and proper use of punctuation, spelling, and mechanics.
Correct paper format in MLA style -- as described in class and in LBB on pages 41-43 and 521-530.

Any questions?