English 0950 - Spring 2008

English 0950 / Spring 2008 / Essay #3

Essay #2 was a summary-response essay, which is also sometimes called a single-source essay, or even a “response” or “reaction” paper. In writing that essay, you blended your own ideas with ideas from one source to create a new essay. In a sense, you were "synthesizing" your own ideas with the ideas from another writer.

"Synthesis" means "to bring together" or "to combine separate elements to form a coherent whole." Therefore, a synthesis essay is a paper or report that pulls together related ideas. In one sense, a synthesis is similar to a summary in that both papers require careful reading and accurate reporting. However, writing a synthesis is often more difficult than writing a summary because a synthesis requires that you:

read a number of sources
identify the related ideas, and then
explain how those ideas are related.

Sometimes several sources on the same topic will discuss very different points yet reach the same conclusion, and your synthesis will need to reflect that. Sometimes related sources will discuss the same points but reach quite different conclusions. Sometimes sources will simply repeat ideas that you have already read in other sources. And sometimes sources will be on the same general topic but will discuss different points and reach different conclusions. In each case, your synthesis needs to reflect what you've discovered in your reading selections.

As I said in class for the summary-response essay, a key skill you will need to succeed in college is the ability to have a "conversation" with one or more texts. Often, a professor will assign one or more texts -- or a "research paper" -- and ask you to read them and then to "respond." In one sense, each text is a "voice" in the conversation. If you are new to a conversation, you normally "listen" to what others have to say for a while before starting to speak. This is what we've been doing for, really, the entire semester as we've read the various selections from Higher Learning -- on some level, we've been listening to a conversation among other writers about a variety of topics and issues related to college.

In this essay, even though you are required to use at least three (3) outside sources, I definitely want you to add your own ideas, opinions, and feelings to the conversation. And remember, you do not need to agree with everything these writers have to say. In fact, it might be more interesting if you pick some points you agree with and some points you disagree with. But, you need to explain these other points carefully and fairly (consider that these writers are looking over your shoulder -- would they agree with how you've presented their ideas?)

When I grade your paper, I will especially look for:

a clear focus on a central idea (the thesis, the common thread) that unites your paper and covers all its parts (the main ideas and the evidence and explanations used to support and develop them)
accurate quotes, paraphrases, and summaries from outside sources integrated into your paragraphs
clear and accurate in-text citations and a list of works cited to show where outside information is coming from
experimentation with at least one writerly move or trick that you have not tried previously. This could be a stylistic move like rhyming, or a rhetorical move like parallelism

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, I may ask you to 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 4 pages long.

More About Grading:

I will be looking for interesting interpretations, thoughtful presentation and development, a consistent focus, an on-going relationship between examples and main idea, and a pleasing style. 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.
At least 3-4 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" (quotations, paraphrases, summaries, facts, examples, details, explanations, etc.).
Clear and accurate signal phrases and parenthetical citations, in MLA style, each time you introduce an outside source into your writing.
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.
A Works Cited page with accurate bibliographical citations in MLA style.
Correct paper format in MLA style -- as described in class and in LBB on pages 41-43 and 521-530.

A papers:

Excellent, interesting, original main idea about what connects several readings. Appropriate examples and quotations that are clearly linked to the main idea and reflected on in ways that may not have been obvious to readers. Writing that expresses a new idea in a unique way. Uses all of the required length to add important material to the paper.

B papers:

Good, strong, clear main idea. Appropriate examples well described and connected to the main idea. Writing that expresses an idea in a way that the reader can follow but that may have some flat spots.

C papers:

OK main idea, maybe obvious to most people. Some combination of examples and generalities. Some drifting of focus.

D papers:

No real main idea, just a general focus on education. Writing that is very hard to follow.

Any questions?