Assignments for Tuesday, 1 February 2011

• Finish plagiarism worksheet
• Read LBH, chapter 9
• Finish prewriting for first essay
• Come to class prepared to discuss your planned essay

First essay topics

Choose one of the following topics for a 500-word essay due Thursday, 3 February 2011. You don't necessarily have to agree with the topic you choose; just write the essay as if you do. Your target audience is your teacher and fellow classmates in ENGL 1020.

1. Studying persuasive writing is a waste of time, and it should not be a required course for graduation at MSCC.
2. Persuasive writing is the most valuable course a Motlow State student can take (Don't assume I prefer you choose this one. While this one is closer to my view, reading an essay on #1 would be much more fun).
3. The so-called Tea Party movement is the most significant grassroots movement in American politics this century.
4. The so-called Tea Party movement is dangerous and un-American.
5. Religion is a highly personal matter, and discussing religion in public is inappropriate.
6. Humans are religious beings, and efforts to cleanse religion from public life are not only futile, but dangerous.
7. Fluency in Lithuanian should be a graduation requirement for all students at Motlow State (Yes, this one is goofy, but if you're creative it could also be fun).

Come to class Tuesday with at least a topic, main idea, and rough outline. If you want to do more, up to and including writing a rough draft, please don't hesitate, but it's not required. We'll spend a few minutes in groups discussing your main idea and how you plan to support and develop it. For this essay you don't need any sources or works cited, but you certainly may cite sources if you want to do so and are comfortable in documenting them.

I'll go over the mechanics of the paper on Tuesday, but for those of you who are interested, here's a little early guidance:

• 500 words
• Typed, double-spaced
• 12-point standard font (Times New-Roman, Arial, or other sans-serif font)
• No cover page

Happy prewriting!

Assignments for Thursday, January 27, 2011

Vocabulary (Remember: it helps to learn word meanings before doing the readings).
affirm
begrudging
divination
dogma
formidable
inherent
legitimation
martial
predisposition
recidivism
skepticism
subtle

Readings
"Really Bad Ideas: The Tyranny of Science"
"Social Harmony" Note: Please be careful in printing this essay--the web page prints out as about 60 pages.

What makes a good persuasive essay

Here are a few points to consider in evaluating a persuasive essay (yours or someone else's):

1. Is the main idea stated clearly?
   
2. Does the writer take a firm, clear stand on a debatable issue?
3. Does the writer employ adequate evidence to support that stand?
4. Does the writer consider his or her audience?
5. Are main arguments based on logic but employ emotion effectively?
6. Does the argument take into account and refute counter-arguments?
7. Does the writer offer or call for solutions?
   

This post is one worth coming back to throughout the semester.

Assignments for Tuesday, January 25, 2011

We missed the first day of class for snow, so we've got some catching up to do. Your assignment for Tuesday is therefore a little longer than usual.

• Learn all vocabulary on Patterns, page 579 (vocabulary projects 1). Remember: it helps to learn these words before reading the Declaration of Independence.
• Read Patterns, pp. 547-78
• Read “Excitement Deprives Children of Happiness”
• Tuesday's quiz will include plagiarism readings from this week.