For your final blog post, please reflect upon everything you have learned in English 101 and 102 this year. What skills have you learned? What skills have you developed and improved in? What was the most challenging part of these courses? What was the most rewarding and enjoyable?
For your sixth blog post, please write a short paragraph describing the question you want to research and you working hypothesis. This paragraph will form the basis of your research proposal.
Students will have a chance to earn some extra credit next week. On Tuesday, March 22nd, SHU is hosting the 10th annual Chiodini/Fontana Lecture Series on Ethics. This year the lecture is called “Picking Cotton: a Story of Injustive and Redemption.” In 1984, Jennifer Thompson was a 22-year-old college student who was raped after a man broke into her apartment. After a composite sketch, line-up identification and trial, Thompson’s testimony and memory led to a life sentence for Cotton.
Years later, after DNA testing was conducted, it was revealed Cotton was not her rapist. After spending 11 years in prison as an innocent man, he was released. Devastated that her actions led to the imprisonment of an innocent man, Thompson reached out to Cotton to apologize, and in an act of true generosity, he forgave her.
Their unlikely friendship and bond became the basis for the best-selling book, “Picking Cotton.” Today, Thompson and Cotton travel the country speaking out in favor of DNA testing and working to protect the wrongfully convicted by sharing their personal stories of hope and redemption.
You can see more information and register for the event HERE.
If you attend the lecture and write a blog post about it you will receive extra credit. Your blog post should be 250-500 words and should discuss the lecture and what you learned from it. If you complete this you will receive for TWO extra blog posts. These extra posts can be used to replace posts you may have missed; if you haven’t missed any posts the points will be added to your grade as extra points.
For your fifth blog post, please consider this conundrum: while many of the essays we have read are widely hailed as important historical documents, you may not agree with the arguments presented in all of them. I, for one, strongly disagree with many of Henry David Thoreau’s assertions and the basis of Ronald Reagan’s endorsement of Barry Goldwater. But, they are significant figures whose ideas have been deeply influential and it only weakens my argument to ignore theirs. So, how can I use them as sources in my essay? How do I incorporate them into my argument?
By Friday you will have read four essays which seek to “change the world.” Though they have stark differences, “Letter From Birmingham Jail,” “Why Don’t We Complain,” “The Declaration of Independence,” and “The Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions” all seek to influence people’s thoughts and actions.
The question for you, then, is: how you would used these four sources in your essay? What ideas, examples, or quotations can you use in presenting your own strategies for improving the world? In your fourth blog post I want you to consider these questions and present ONE way you could use EACH essay. That is, for each essay, tell us how you could use it in support of your argument.
For your third blog post I’d like you to start generating ideas for your multiple-source essay. In that essay you will identify a problem in a community of which you are a part and present a solution for it. For your third blog post I’d like you to identify a possible community and problem to work with. You don’t need to think about a solution yet. Please write a short paragraph explaining the following in detail:
Remember to keep the following parameters in minds as your write:
Remember, this post is due by 5:00 PM on Friday, February 11.
For your second blog post please write a paragraph in which you identify the essay we have read that you have enjoyed the most. Of our readings, which was the most interesting, entertaining, or eye-opening? Why was it your favorite? Was it the style of writing, the subject matter, the argument, or a combination of those things?
The reason for writing a post like this is that it will help you develop ideas for your critique. The ideas you explore in this blog post can be folded into or for the basis of your critique.
For your first blog post I would like you to introduce yourself as a writer and reader. In 100-150 words please tell us about what you like to read, what you like to write and, if applicable, any writing projects you are especially proud of. Some of you may not be excited about reading and writing. If this is the case feel free to discuss the reasons why you feel this way.
During the first week of class we will discuss strategies for summarizing academic texts. Please check out this handout for some ideas and guidelines: http://www.scribd.com/doc/46739929
This is the course website for English 102, Winter 2011, with Dr. Barbee at Siena Heights University. This site includes detailed information about class expectations and assignments as well as links to resources and printable syllabi and assignment sheets. Please take a look around! I’m excited to meet all of you during the first week of class.
English 102 