I have left it up to each student to decide whether he or she needs to do any work on the Current Issues Project over winter break. Important due dates are as follows:
*Rough draft WITH works cited page due Friday, January 8th.
*Revised draft due Thursday, January 14.
*Final products due Wednesday, January 20. (This was originally due Tuesday 1/19, but I moved it due to MLK holiday.)
Today’s lesson was on thesis statements and how to write them using parallel structure. The information we discussed in class today can be found at the following two links:
THESIS STATEMENTS
PARALLEL STRUCTURE
Try this online quiz on recognizing parallel structures and see how you do!
Please read the sample persuasive pieces below:
“Should Smoking Be Banned in Public Restaurants?”
Persuasive Letter: Year-Round Schooling
Both of these examples were modified from student writing samples provided by Write Source at http://www.thewritesource.com/studentmodels/.
To see these pieces with the key elements highlighted (thesis statement, transitions, logos, pathos, conclusion, etc.), open the “labeled” versions below:
Today was all about RESEARCH. Remember, at this point the goal is to become a “mini expert” on your topic.
Remember:
*EVALUATE your sources! Are they valid?
*Use advanced search techniques (Boolean operators).
*Bookmark helpful sites on ikeepbookmarks.com.
*Take notes in ‘fact fragments’ and/or remember to put quotation marks around notes you intend to quote directly in your paper.
… this is what you missed!
Warm up: Is this plagiarism?
Whiteboard activity: Fact Fragment Frenzy (view the demo, then try a few!)
Today we talked a bit about research questions. Good research questions drive good research. Poorly formulated research questions may not generate enough information or may lead to dead-ends. Click HERE to read about formulating research questions (and to see some examples).
Right now, your focus should be on becoming a “mini-expert” in your topic. You won’t be ready to take notes for persuasive evidence until you actually have an opinion on your topic… and you may not have an opinion on your topic until you’ve done more general research.
Read THIS article and takes notes on the key points from the article on THIS graphic organizer! (If you cannot download the graphic organizer, you can take notes on your own notebook paper. Take notes on the key points from each section: Search Engines; Getting Started; Keywords; Use of Phrases; Punctuation & Capitalization; and Boolean Basics.)
How do you know a useful website when you see one? Brainstorm your answers to “What makes a Web page useful for research?” and write your ideas on this graphic organizer!
Download and print THIS checklist to critically evaluate THIS website!
Visit THIS website and read to answer THESE questions!
Click HERE to view the rules for the AMAZING RACE you’ll be competing in tomorrow and Friday!
Choosing a topic is one of the most important steps in writing a persuasive paper. A topic can make or break your paper. If your topic is too big, it can be difficult to write about it without writing an entire book. If your topic is too narrow, you may be able to write only a single paragraph about it. The most important test, however, is if you are actually interested in your topic. Remember, it is going to take some time to write a persuasive paper. You will be living with your topic for a while, so you had better like it.
1. To choose a topic, begin by writing down some broad topics you are interested in from the list of current issues related to The House of the Scorpion.
Example: distance learning (online learning)
2. Now narrow your topic to something more specific that you might write about.
Example: earning a university degree online
3. Finally, come up with a declaration about your topic. (This is your POSITION STATEMENT– your OPINION.)
Example: Degrees that are earned through courses taken online are not as valid as degrees earned through classes attended on a university campus.
4. Give your declaration the “Topic Test” below:
1) Am I interested in this topic?
2) Is this topic based on my opinion? (Remember, a persuasive paper must present an opinion. Otherwise it is just a report.)
3) Do I believe strongly in the opinion I will be writing about?
4) Do I want to learn more about this topic?
5) Is this topic too broad?
6) Is this topic too narrow?
7) Will you be able to find enough material? (You must be able to find supporting evidence in a variety of places. Be sure you can come up with at least three places, off the top of your head, where you are likely to be able to find information on your topic.)
You need to have your topic and declaration prepared BY MONDAY, DECEMBER 7.
(The directions on this blog were taken from a handout given to students in class on Monday, November 30. The handout came from pages 38-39 of Twisting Arms: Teaching Students to Write to Persuade by Dawn DiPrince, Cottonwood Press.)