ENC 1102, Freshman Composition II — Online!

Assignment 15, The Last Post

Due Date: December 15, 2009

Goal

• To sample short stories, poems, and creative nonfiction related to the topic of insight

Your Grade for This Assignment

• You will take an objective reading quiz available from Tuesday, December 8, through Tuesday, December 15, in WebCT.
• This quiz counts as your final exam.

Directions for Assignment 15

Step 1

In Portable Literature: Reading, Reacting, Writing, review the following six pieces:

• "Gryphon," p. 142
• "The Things They Carried," p. 277
• "Everyday Use," p. 312
• "Cathedral," p. 320
• "Musée des Beaux-Arts," p. 639
• "Those Winter Sundays," p. 647

And review these two stories from The New York Times:

• "The Many Errors in Thinking About Mistakes"
• "A Signal in the Sky Said: Marry Her"

Step 2

Take your quiz, which will be available from Tuesday, December 8, through Tuesday, December 15, in WebCT. This last reading quiz is your final exam. Keep these important things in mind:

• The quiz will be available in "Assessments" in the lefthand sidebar of WebCT Home Page for our course.
• The quiz will evaluate your understanding of the readings above.
• You will have the full 2.5-hour final exam period to take this 25-item quiz. As always, do the reading before you begin the quiz.
• If you miss the quiz, you earn a zero. No exceptions. If you are worried that an unforeseen emergency might interfere, then complete the quiz on the first day it is available, not the last.
• If you encounter a problem with WebCT, call the helpline immediately at 407-582-5600. Then send me an email with the exact time WebCT went down. I will try to resolve a problem only if you have followed these instructions.

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me through Atlas.

Assignment 14

Due Date: December 8, 2009

Goals

• To filter a literary experience through your own values
• To enter the last academic, online debate

Your Grade for This Assignment

• You will participate in an online discussion available until Tuesday, December 8, 2009.

Directions for Assignment 14

Step 1

Review the short stories, poems, and creative nonfiction from Assignment 13.

Step 2

Choose one piece from Assignment 13 and answer this question: What person, real or fictional, would you like to meet? Which of you would benefit the most from the meeting?

Step 3

Prepare your post. Shoot for 200 - 250 words. I will use this score sheet to evaluate your work.

Remember that this online discussion is academic. Feel free to disagree with your colleagues—in fact, disagreement will make the discussion more fun—but be sure to do so in a polite manner. Avoid using words that you do not hear on prime-time network television. Otherwise, your grade for this discussion will be penalized heavily.

Draft your answer in a word processing program [where you can check spelling and word count], save the document, and then cut and paste your post into the online form below.

Be sure to include evidence that you have in fact read the work that you are using. Offer specific examples of the person's actions that best support your thesis. Include quotations with proper parenthetical references. Your handbook illustrates the correct format in section 16d, "Integrating Source Material into Your Writing," pp. 219 - 222.

Spelling and sentence correctness count. So proofread what you have written before you hit the "Post" button. Identify yourself with your first name and last initial so that you cannot be googled.

Do not repeat insights that your colleagues have already made. If you agree with someone, provide as evidence a different example from the story when you compose your post!

Step 4

To answer the question, click the "Comments" link at the bottom of this post. In the "Name" field, type your first name and last initial. Leave the "Email Address" and "URL" fields blank. Paste your answer in the "Comments" box and click "Post." You will be asked to validate your comment by typing a random list of letters and numbers.

Step 6

In addition, you must respond to one of your colleagues in the class. In a shorter post [75 - 150 words], agree or disagree with what another student has said. Be sure that your contribution brings new insight to the discussion. Follow all of the posting directions above.

Step 7

The burden will be on you to prove that your work was submitted on time. As additional security, send your saved drafts to me in an Atlas email by the due date. If we discover that your post did not go through at the website, this email is the only proof I will accept that you contributed to the discussion. 

This online discussion will close on Tuesday, December 8, 2009. I will accept no late posts.

Email me through Atlas if you have any questions.

Assignment 13

Due Dates: Preparation for the Final Exam [due by December 15, 2009]

Goal

• To sample short stories, poems, and creative nonfiction related to the topic of insight

Your Grade for This Assignment

• In the coming weeks, you will take the last reading quiz/final exam [Assignment 15] on the literature from this post.

Directions for Assignment 13

In Portable Literature: Reading, Reacting, Writing, read the following six pieces:

• "Gryphon," p. 142
• "The Things They Carried," p. 277 
• "Everyday Use," p. 312
• "Cathedral," p. 320
• "Musée des Beaux-Arts," p. 639
• "Those Winter Sundays," p. 647

And these two articles from The New York Times:

• "The Many Errors in Thinking About Mistakes"
• "A Signal in the Sky Said: Marry Her"

For this group of readings, your only concern will be the last discussion and the last reading quiz/final exam. You will not write an essay. 

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me through Atlas.

Assignment 12

Due Date: November 24, 2009

Goal

• To write a short, documented essay using course readings as research

Your Grade for This Assignment

• You must submit a third 750 - 1000 word documented essay using MLA format by Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Directions for Assignment 12

Step 1

Literature offers us the chance to live vicariously and benefit from the hard-learned lessons of the characters we encounter. Based on your reading for Assignment 10, answer these questions: Do the characters pay too high a price for the lessons they learn from their circumstances and choices? What do their responses show you about them? Have you yourself ever paid too high a price for a life lesson? Craft a thesis statement that will guide the argument in your paper.

I will happily read your thesis statement if I receive it in an Atlas email by Tuesday, November 17.

Step 2

Draft your paper, keeping these things in mind:

• Use at least two pieces from Assignment 10 to build your argument. You cannot use the same piece that you wrote for the third discussion in Assignment 11, and one of the pieces must be a short story or poem from Portable Literature.
• Include direct quotations with parenthetical references, just as you were instructed to do for the last two discussions and essays.
• Your own experience about a life lesson can constitute no more than 33 percent of the essay. Tell a vivid, specific story.
• You must include a works cited page with entries for all of your sources. See the directions in Assignment 04 and any comments I made on your first two essays.

Step 3

This essay, like your other two, must have MLA-style page numbering. In the top right corner of every page, beginning on page 1, include your last name and the page number. See pp. 360 - 365 of The Wadsworth Handbook for a sample. Remember that the works cited page is the last page of the essay and must have a page number as well.

Step 4 [Optional]

If you would would like advice about your rough draft, try one of these two resources:

• The Writing Center [West Campus]
• Communications Student Support Center [Winter Park]

You can also arrange a tutor. Please note that editing your papers [finding and fixing sentence errors, etc.] is your responsibility alone.

Step 5

Carefully proofread your work. Here are some common errors you can avoid:

• If you question the spelling or meaning of a word, LOOK IT UP!
• Don't use inappropriate abbreviations. Use and, not &; with, not w/; apartment, not apt.
• Don't use you [or any other second-person pronoun] unless you are directly addressing your reader.
• Remember that you are writing a formal college essay, not a text message to a friend. Choose words and phrasing accordingly.

Step 6

Produce the final draft of your essay [a minimum of 750 words]. Follow these format guidelines:

• In the top left corner of the first page provide the following information:

Your name

Professor Simmons

ENC 1102

Date

• Double space the essay. Do NOT add extra space between the paragraphs.
• Have a one-inch margin on all four sides of the page.
• Use a 12-point font.

Be sure that your essay meets the requirements on this score sheet.

Email your work from Atlas. Remember to submit the essay as an email attachment, not in the actual email. In addition, the documents must be in rich text or Word formats. The file extension will be .rtf, .doc., or docx. If you do not know how to save in these formats, be sure to visit a campus computer lab to get instructions. I will not evaluate your essay in any other formats.

To avoid late penalties, I must receive your work by 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, November 24, 2009.

Step 7

The burden will be on you to prove that your work arrived on time. So follow these guidelines:

• Be sure that you check the box in your Atlas email that says, "Save a copy to the 'sent' folder."
• Confirm that the email is indeed in your sent folder.
• Make sure that you see the paperclip icon that indicates the attachment went through.
• After you send a research paper via Atlas, you will get a response from me that says that I have received your work. If you do not receive this receipt within 48 hours, contact me from Atlas immediately.

If you have any questions, email me from Atlas.

Assignment 11

Due Date: November 17, 2009

Goals

• To filter a literary experience through your own values
• To enter a third academic, online debate

Your Grade for This Assignment

• You will participate in an online discussion available until Tuesday, November 17, 2009.

Directions for Assignment 11

Step 1

Review the short stories, poems, and creative nonfiction from Assignment 10.

Step 2

Choose one piece from Assignment 10 and answer this question: Do you agree or disagree with the actions taken by a main character? What specific values do you have that influence your answer to the first question?

Step 3

Prepare your post. Shoot for 200 - 250 words. I will use this score sheet to evaluate your work.

Remember that this online discussion is academic. Feel free to disagree with your colleagues—in fact, disagreement will make the discussion more fun—but be sure to do so in a polite manner. Avoid using words that you do not hear on prime-time network television. Otherwise, your grade for this discussion will be penalized heavily.

Draft your answer in a word processing program [where you can check spelling and word count], save the document, and then cut and paste your post into the online form below.

Be sure to include evidence that you have in fact read the work that you are using. Offer specific examples of the person's actions that best support your thesis. Include quotations with proper parenthetical references. Your handbook illustrates the correct format in section 16d, "Integrating Source Material into Your Writing," pp. 219 - 222.

Spelling and sentence correctness count. So proofread what you have written before you hit the "Post" button. Identify yourself with your first name and last initial so that you cannot be googled.

Do not repeat insights that your colleagues have already made. If you agree with someone, provide as evidence a different example from the story when you compose your post!

Step 4

To answer the question, click the "Comments" link at the bottom of this post. In the "Name" field, type your first name and last initial. Leave the "Email Address" and "URL" fields blank. Paste your answer in the "Comments" box and click "Post." You will be asked to validate your comment by typing a random list of letters and numbers.

Step 6

In addition, you must respond to one of your colleagues in the class. In a shorter post [75 - 150 words], explain why your values match or clash with those of a classmate. Be sure that your contribution brings new insight to the discussion. Follow all of the posting directions above.

Step 7

The burden will be on you to prove that your work was submitted on time. As additional security, send your saved drafts to me in an Atlas email by the due date. If we discover that your post did not go through at the website, this email is the only proof I will accept that you contributed to the discussion. 

This online discussion will close on Tuesday, November 17, 2009. I will accept no late posts.

Email me through Atlas if you have any questions.

Assignment 10

Due Date: November 10, 2009

Goal

• To sample short stories, poems, and creative nonfiction related to the topic of consequence

Your Grade for This Assignment

• You will take an objective reading quiz available from Tuesday, November 3, through November 10, in WebCT.
• In the coming weeks, you will also participate in an online discussion [Assignment 11] and write a documented essay using the literature from this post as research [Assignment 12].

Directions for Assignment 10

Step 1

In Portable Literature: Reading, Reacting, Writing, read the following six pieces:

• "Happy Endings," p. 394
• "The Story of an Hour," p. 106
• "The Cask of Amontillado," p. 219
• "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" p. 427
• "Why I Went to College," p. 606
• "Richard Cory," p. 718

In addition, read this piece of creative nonfiction from The New York Times:

• "My Dropout Boyfriend Kept Dropping In"

And finally, read this essay from The New Yorker:

• "Letting Go"

Step 2

Take your quiz, which will be available from Tuesday, November 3, through Tuesday, November 10, in WebCT. Keep these important things in mind:

• The quiz will be available in "Assessments" in the lefthand sidebar of the WebCT Home Page for our course.
• The quiz will evaluate your understanding of the readings above.
• You will have only 30 minutes to take this 25-item quiz. So do the reading before you begin the quiz.
• If you miss the quiz, you earn a zero. No exceptions. If you are worried that an unforeseen emergency might interfere, then complete the quiz on the first day it is available, not the last.
• If you encounter a problem with WebCT, call the helpline immediately at 407-582-5600. Then send me an email with the exact time WebCT went down. I will try to resolve a problem only if you have followed these instructions.

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me through Atlas.

Assignment 09

Due Date: November 3, 2009

Goal

• To write a short, documented essay using course readings as research

Your Grade for This Assignment

• You must submit a second 750 - 1000 word documented essay using MLA format by Tuesday, November 3, 2009.

Directions for Assignment 09

Step 1

Literature mirrors everyday life. When we read, we watch characters behave in both noble and reprehensible ways. Their actions and choices are often like our own. Based on your reading for Assignment 06, answer these questions: Do characters shoulder or dodge their obligations? What do their choices say about them? Have you yourself accepted or avoided obligations in a similar fashion? Craft a thesis statement that will guide the argument in your paper.

I will happily read your thesis statement if I receive it in an Atlas email by Tuesday, October 27.

Step 2

Draft your paper, keeping these things in mind:

• Use at least two pieces from Assignment 06 to build your argument. You cannot use the same piece that you used for the discussion in Assignment 07, and one of the pieces must be a short story or poem from Portable Literature.
• Include direct quotations with parenthetical references, just as you were instructed to do for the last two discussions and the first essay.
• Your own experience about an obligation that you accepted or dodged can constitute no more than 33 percent of the essay. Tell a specific, vivid story.
• You must include a works cited page with entries for all of your sources. See the directions in Assignment 04 and any comments I made on your first essay.

Step 3

An MLA-style essay must have page numbering. In the top right corner of every page, beginning on page 1, include your last name and the page number. See pp. 360 - 365 of The Wadsworth Handbook for a sample. Remember that the works cited page is the last page of the essay and must have a page number as well.

In addition, your essay must have a title. See pp. 67 - 68 of The Wadsworth Handbook for good advice on titling your essay.

Step 4 [Optional]

If you would would like advice about your rough draft, try one of these two resources:

• The Writing Center [West Campus]
• Communications Student Support Center [Winter Park]

You can also arrange a tutor. Please note that editing your papers [finding and fixing sentence errors, etc.] is your responsibility alone.

Step 5

Carefully proofread your work. Here are some common errors you can avoid:

• If you question the spelling or meaning of a word, LOOK IT UP!
• Don't use inappropriate abbreviations. Use and, not &; with, not w/; apartment, not apt.
• Don't use you [or any other second-person pronoun] unless you are directly addressing your reader.
• Remember that you are writing a formal college essay, not a text message to a friend. Choose words and phrasing accordingly.

Step 6

Produce the final draft of your essay [a minimum of 750 words]. Follow these format guidelines:

• In the top left corner of the first page provide the following information:

Your name

Professor Simmons

ENC 1102

Date

• Double space the essay. Do NOT add extra space between the paragraphs.
• Have a one-inch margin on all four sides of the page.
• Use a 12-point font.

Be sure that your essay meets the requirements on this score sheet.

Email your work from Atlas. Remember to submit the essay as an email attachment, not in the actual email. In addition, the documents must be in rich text or Word formats. The file extension will be .rtf, .doc., or docx. If you do not know how to save in these formats, be sure to visit a campus computer lab to get instructions. I will not evaluate your essay in any other formats.

To avoid late penalties, I must receive your work by 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, November 3, 2009.

Step 7

The burden will be on you to prove that your work arrived on time. So follow these guidelines:

• Be sure that you check the box in your Atlas email that says, "Save a copy to the 'sent' folder."
• Confirm that the email is indeed in your sent folder.
• Make sure that you see the paperclip icon that indicates the attachment went through.
• After you send a research paper via Atlas, you will get a response from me that says that I have received your work. If you do not receive this receipt within 48 hours, contact me from Atlas immediately.

If you have any questions, email me from Atlas.

Assignment 08

Due Date: October 27, 2009

Goal

• To revise your research essays for style

Your Grade for This Assignment

• You are responsible for all of the information in this post while writing your next research paper [Assignment 9, coming next week]. All future work must also follow the directions in this post.
• In addition, you will take an objective, 10-item quiz on this material in WebCT. The quiz will be available from Tuesday, October 20, to Tuesday, October 27.

Directions for Assignment 08

This post is intended to help you polish your essays for maximum points.

Step 1

In Portable Literature: Reading, Reacting, Writing, read “Revising and Editing an Essay," on pp. 15 - 22. Then, in The Wadsworth Handbook, read "Checklist: Editing Your Essay" and "Proofreading," pp. 69 - 71.

Step 2

In addition, try this PowerPoint presentation on clipping unnecessary words/adding better detail.

Step 3

Realize that faulty style is a series of missed opportunities. Pay attention to your sentences. As you write your next essay, consider the following:

Kill as many adverbs as you can. The presence of adverbs means that you’ve chosen the wrong verb. For example, “the man walked slowly” is grammatically correct but flat. “The man strolled” suggests that the slow walk is a deliberate choice while “the man limped” indicates that the slow walk is involuntary. Search your document for words ending in ly; as the words come up, use a thesaurus to select more vibrant verbs. Remember to choose verbs for accuracy, not for an SAT audition.

Avoid expletive constructions. These are not curse words; these are sentences that begin “there is/was” or “there are/were.” Instead of “There were three girls outside the grocery store,” try “In walk three girls in nothing but bathing suits.” It worked for Updike. Expletive constructions are boring. Cutting them indicates that you write with better control.

Avoid wordiness and pretentious language. Simple, declarative sentences that express your opinion are more impressive than overwritten, ostentatious sentences full of overblown language. Keep it simple!

Step 4

Copyblogger gives advice to professional writers—people who earn money from their work. Copyblogger gives the same advice you hear from teachers. Check out these posts:

• Just Say No to These Three Enemies of Clear and Direct Writing
• How to Lose 30 Pounds of Word Flab Overnight
• Two Techniques That Help You Embrace Brevity
• Five Easy Steps to Edit Your Own Work

Step 5

Take the required quiz in WebCT, available from Tuesday, October 20, through Tuesday, October 27, and show off your newfound polish! Keep these important things in mind:

• The quiz will be available in "Assessments" in the left-hand sidebar of the WebCT Home Page for our course.
• The quiz will evaluate your understanding of the readings above.
• You will have 1 hour to take this 10-item quiz. Use your handbook/readings to find the right answers.
• If you miss the quiz, you earn a zero. No exceptions. If you are worried that an unforeseen emergency might interfere, then complete the quiz on the first day it is available, not the last.
• If you encounter a problem with WebCT, call the helpline immediately at 407-582-5600. Then send me an email with the exact time WebCT went down. I will try to resolve a problem only if you have followed these instructions.

Email me through Atlas if you have any questions.

Assignment 07

Due Date: October 20, 2009

Goals

• To evaluate the change in behavior that signifies a person's growth
• To enter a second academic, online debate

Your Grade for This Assignment

• You will participate in an online discussion available until Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Directions for Assignment 7

Step 1

Review the short stories, poems, and creative nonfiction from Assignment 06.

Step 2

Choose one piece from Assignment 06 and answer this question: How does a main character change/grow/develop as a result of his or her experience? Illustrate the growth or speculate on why the character fails to change.

Step 3

Prepare your post. Shoot for 200 - 250 words. I will use this score sheet to evaluate your work. Review your first score sheet and note where corrections, if necessary, are required in your second post.

Remember that this online discussion is academic. Feel free to disagree with your colleagues—in fact, disagreement will make the discussion more fun—but be sure to do so in a polite manner. Avoid using words that you do not hear on prime-time network television. Otherwise, your grade for this discussion will be penalized heavily.

Draft your answer in a word processing program [where you can check spelling and word count], save the document, and then cut and paste your work into the online form below.

Be sure to include evidence that you have in fact read the work that you are using. Offer specific examples of the person's behavior that best support your thesis about change. Include quotations with proper parenthetical references. Your handbook illustrates the correct format in section 16d, "Integrating Source Material into Your Writing," pp. 219 - 222.

Spelling and sentence correctness count. So proofread what you have written before you hit the "Post" button. Identify yourself with your first name and last initial so that you cannot be googled.

Do not repeat insights that your colleagues have already made. If you agree with someone, provide as evidence a different example from the story when you compose your post!

Step 4

To answer the question, click the "Comments" link at the bottom of this post. In the "Name" field, type your first name and last initial. Leave the "Email Address" and "URL" fields blank. Paste your answer in the "Comments" box and click "Post." You will be asked to validate your comment by typing a random list of letters and numbers.

Step 5

In addition, you must respond to one of your colleagues in the class. In a shorter post [75 - 150 words], explain how a fellow classmate, in your opinion, accurately or inaccurately documented change/growth/development. Be sure that your contribution brings new insight to the discussion. Follow all of the posting directions above.

Step 6

The burden will be on you to prove that your work was submitted on time. As additional security, send your saved drafts to me in an Atlas email by the due date. If we discover that your post did not go through at the website, this email is the only proof I will accept that you contributed to the discussion. 

This online discussion will close on Tuesday, October 20, 2009. I will accept no late posts.

Email me through Atlas if you have any questions.

Assignment 06

Due Date: October 13, 2009

Goal

• To sample short stories, poems, and creative nonfiction related to the topic of obligation

Your Grade for This Assignment

• You will take an objective reading quiz available from Tuesday, October 6, through Tuesday, October 13, in WebCT.
• In the coming weeks, you will also participate in an online discussion [Assignment 07] and write a documented essay using the literature from this post as research [Assignment 09].

Directions for Assignment 06

Step 1

In Portable Literature: Reading, Reacting, Writing, read the following seven pieces:

• "Hills Like White Elephants," p. 78
• "Girl," p. 90 
• "A Worn Path," p. 360
• "The Lottery," p. 304
• "We Real Cool," p. 525
• "My Papa's Waltz," p. 647
• "Dulce et Decorum Est," p. 664 

In addition, read these two stories from The New York Times:

• "Would Our Two New Lives Include a Third?"
• "Disassembling My Childhood" 

Step 2

Take your quiz, which will be available from Tuesday, October 6, through Tuesday, October 13, in WebCT. Keep these important things in mind:

• The quiz will be available in "Assessments" in the lefthand sidebar of the WebCT Home Page for our course.
• The quiz will evaluate your understanding of the readings above.
• You will have only 30 minutes to take this 25-item quiz. So do the reading before you begin the quiz.
• If you miss the quiz, you earn a zero. No exceptions. If you are worried that an unforeseen emergency might interfere, then complete the quiz on the first day it is available, not the last.
• If you encounter a problem with WebCT, call the helpline immediately at 407-582-5600. Then send me an email with the exact time WebCT went down. I will try to resolve a problem only if you have followed these instructions. 

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me through Atlas.

Assignment 05

Due Date: October 6, 2009

Goal

• To write a short, documented essay using course readings as research

Your Grade for This Assignment

• You must submit a 750 - 1000 word documented essay using MLA format by Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Directions for Assignment 05

Step 1

Literature helps us broaden our understanding of human experience. Using the literature from Assignment 02, answer these two questions: Why do some people accept the call to adventure while other folks do not? Does your own life confirm or contradict the choices that people make in literature? Craft a thesis statement that will guide the argument in your paper.

I will happily read your thesis statement if I receive it in an Atlas email by Tuesday, September 29.

Step 2

Draft your paper, keeping these things in mind:

• Use at least two pieces from Assignment 02 to build your argument. You cannot use the same piece that you used for the discussion in Assignment 03, and one of the pieces must be a short story or poem from Portable Literature.
• Include direct quotations with parenthetical references, just as you were instructed to do for the first discussion.
• Your own adventure that you accepted or refused can constitute no more than 33 percent of the essay. Tell a specific, vivid story.
• You must include a works cited page with entries for all of your sources. See the directions in Assignment 04.

Step 3

An MLA-style essay must have page numbering. In the top right corner of every page, beginning on page 1, include your last name and the page number. See pp. 360 - 365 of The Wadsworth Handbook for a sample. Remember that the works cited page is the last page of the essay and must have a page number as well.

In addition, your essay must have a title. See pp. 67 - 68 of The Wadsworth Handbook for good advice on titling your essay.

Step 4 [Optional]

If you would like advice about your rough draft, try one of these two resources:

• The Writing Center [West Campus]
• Communications Student Support Center [Winter Park]

You can also arrange a tutor. Please note that editing your papers [finding and fixing sentence errors, etc.] is your responsibility alone.

Step 5

Carefully proofread your work. Here are some common errors you can avoid:

• If you question the spelling or meaning of a word, LOOK IT UP!
• Don't use inappropriate abbreviations. Use and, not &; with, not w/; apartment, not apt.
• Don't use you [or any other second-person pronoun] unless you are directly addressing your reader.
• Remember that you are writing a formal college essay, not a text message to a friend. Choose words and phrasing accordingly.

Step 6

Produce the final draft of your essay [a minimum of 750 words]. Follow these format guidelines:

• In the top left corner of the first page provide the following information:

Your name

Professor Simmons

ENC 1102

Date

• Double space the essay. Do NOT add extra space between the paragraphs.
• Have a one-inch margin on all four sides of the page.
• Use a 12-point font.

Be sure that your essay meets the requirements on this score sheet.

Email your work from Atlas. Remember to submit the essay as an email attachment, not in the actual email. In addition, the documents must be in rich text or Word formats. The file extension will be .rtf, .doc., or docx. If you do not know how to save in these formats, be sure to visit a campus computer lab to get instructions. I will not evaluate your essay in any other formats.

To avoid late penalties, I must receive your work by 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, October 6, 2009.

Step 7

The burden will be on you to prove that your work arrived on time. So follow these guidelines:

• Be sure that you check the box in your Atlas email that says, "Save a copy to the 'sent' folder."
• Confirm that the email is indeed in your sent folder.
• Make sure that you see the paperclip icon that indicates the attachment went through.
• After you send a research paper via Atlas, you will get a response from me that says that I have received your work. If you do not receive this receipt within 48 hours, contact me from Atlas immediately.

If you have any questions, email me from Atlas.

Assignment 04

Due Date: Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Goals

• To avoid plagiarism
• To create correct works cited pages for future essays 
• To integrate quotations as support for your arguments

Your Grade for This Assignment

• You are responsible for all of the information in this post while writing your first research paper [Assignment 5, coming next week]. All future essays must also follow the directions in this post.
• In addition, you will take an objective, 10-item quiz on this material in WebCT. The quiz will be available from Tuesday, September 22, to Tuesday, September 29.

Directions for Assignment 04

Part 1 — Avoiding Plagiarism

Step 1

"I didn't know that you considered that plagiarism!" is an unacceptable excuse in this class. In your Wadsworth Handbook, read Chapter 17, "Avoiding Plagiarism," pp. 224 - 230.

Step 2

Then read this extended definition of plagiarism:

• Is It Plagiarism Yet?

Finally, visit Plagiarism.org and read these three sections:

• Types of Plagiarism
• Plagiarism and the Internet
• Did You Know?

Step 3

The essays you write will use a combination of summary, paraphrase, and direct quotations, so you should know these terms. In The Wadsworth Handbook, read Chapter 16, "Summarizing, Paraphrasing, Quoting, and Synthesizing Sources," pp. 213 -223. 

Part 2 — Creating Correct Works Cited Pages

Step 1

Go to p. 365 of The Wadsworth Handbook, where you will find a sample works cited page. Observe its format—everything from the page numbering in the top right to the spacing and indentions of the entries.

Make this note about italics and underlining: Italics and underlining mean the exact same thing. The handbook uses underlining; I, however, prefer italic type because it is the choice of professional writers. Since both styles mean the exact same thing, you can use one or the other. Just be consistent on the works cited page and in the body of your essay.

Step 2

If you summarize/paraphrase/quote from stories or poems in Portable Literature: Reading, Reacting, Writing, you will need one or more entries on your works cited page. To set up your entry/entries, follow number 15, "A Short Story, Play, or Poem in an Anthology," on p. 249 of The Wadsworth Handbook.

Step 3

If you summarize/paraphrase/quote from The New Yorker, you will need a works cited page entry for it. Follow number 58, "An Article in a Magazine," on p. 259 of The Wadsworth Handbook.

Step 4

If you summarize/paraphrase/quote from The New York Times, you will need a works cited page entry for it. Follow number 59, "An Article in a Newspaper," on p. 259 of The Wadsworth Handbook.

Step 5

If you summarize/paraphrase/quote from Read Print, follow this sample:

Joyce, James. “Eveline.” Read Print. 26 May 2009 http://www.readprint.com/work-880/James-Joyce.

Step 6

The physical format of a works cited page is very important. Review the sample on p. 365 of The Wadsworth Handbook. Heed these directions:

• Alphabetize the entries by the first word.
• Double space the entire page—but do NOT add extra spacing between entries.
• If an entry is more than one line [and most of them will be], all lines after the first are indented five spaces.
• Title the page Works Cited [no quotation marks, no underlining].
• The works cited page is the last page of the essay.

Part 3 — Integrating Direct Quotations as Support for Your Arguments

Step 1

As you write each body paragraph for your papers, insert at least one quotation from your research. Read this unacceptable paragraph:

Timing is everything in an adventure. A person must be in exactly the right place at the right time. Otherwise, he might miss out on the rewards of leaving his comfort zone for new experiences out in the great unknown.

Now read this version with evidence of research. Notice that the evidence lends credibility to what the student is saying:

Timing is everything in an adventure, as Phil learned in "Sleepy Time Gal." This gifted musician had written a wonderful song, one that "everyone waited for" when he played piano at the roadhouse (Gildner 86). If Phil had taken the patrons' advice, he could have sold the song in Bay City and used the money to attend college with the pretty German girl. Instead of pursuing this adventure, Phil trusts that the girl will stay true and marry him when she finishes her education, but she meets another man while she is away and marries him in Phil's place. When Phil learns this news, he sells the song for "twenty-five dollars," far less than what it is worth, and the song goes on to sell "many millions of records," benefiting the record company, not poor Phil (Gildner 87). Because Phil did not visit Bay City when he was happy in love and able to negotiate appropriate compensation for the music, he missed the financial rewards that would have allowed him to continue his adventure with the pretty German girl. His broken heart made him part with the song at a cheap price, which kept him a blue-collar worker employed in low-income jobs.

Your job is to provide the same kind of credibility by inserting summaries, paraphrases, and at least one direct quotation into each body paragraph of your essay. Feel free to use more than one quotation per paragraph—as long as no more than 20 percent of your work is direct quotations.

Step 2

Set up direct quotations correctly:

• Quotations cannot "hang" in your essay; you must integrate them with words of your own. View the sample student paragraph above.
• Begin with an identifying tag which introduces the quotation. Here are some common identifying tags:
  • According to __________, ...
  • __________ claims, ... [or explains, says, warns, notes, believes, thinks, etc.]
  • One reason [or explanation, belief, piece of evidence, etc.] is that ...
• If the identifying tag mentions the author, identify him/her with a full name the first time. If the author appears in your paper again, use his/her last name only.
• Follow the identifying tag with a quotation of no more than three typed lines. Longer quotations are boring and make you look lazy. Indented quotations are not allowed in the essays that you write for this class.

Step 3

Include parenthetical references when necessary.

For works from Portable Literature: Reading, Reacting, Writing:

• If you use the author in the identifying tag, include the page number only.
• If you do not mention the author in the identifying tag, use the author's last name and the page number.
• The period that ends the entire sentence follows the in-text citation.

Author identified in the identifying tag:

Gary Gildner describes the woman Phil eventually marries as "big and loud and nothing like the other one" (87).

No author in the identifying tag:

The woman Phil eventually marries is "big and loud and nothing like the other one" (Gildner 87).

For an article from The New York Times, The New Yorker, or Read Print:

• If you use the author in the identifying tag, no parenthetical reference is necessary.
• If you do not mention the author in the identifying tag, use the author's last name.
• The period that ends the entire sentence follows the in-text citation.

Author identified in the identifying tag:

Charles McGrath, a reporter for The New York Times, considers Harding's dance video "an almost perfect piece of Internet art."

No author in identifying tag:

The New York Times considers Harding's dance video "an almost perfect piece of Internet art" (McGrath).

Part 4 — Taking Your Quiz 

Take your quiz, which will be available from Tuesday, September 22, through Tuesday, September 29, in WebCT. Keep these important things in mind:

• The quiz will be available in "Assessments" in the left-hand sidebar of the WebCT Home Page for our course.
• The quiz will evaluate your understanding of the readings above.
• You will have only 1 hour to take this 10-item quiz. Use your handbook/readings to find the right answers.
• If you miss the quiz, you earn a zero. No exceptions. If you are worried that an unforeseen emergency might interfere, then complete the quiz on the first day it is available, not the last.
• If you encounter a problem with WebCT, call the helpline immediately at 407-582-5600. Then send me an email with the exact time WebCT went down. I will try to resolve a problem only if you have followed these instructions.

As you produce your essays, do not hesitate to contact me if you have questions about the documentation.

Assignment 03

Due Date: September 22, 2009

Goals

• To evaluate characterization
• To enter an academic, online debate

Your Grade for This Assignment

• You will participate in an online discussion available until Tuesday, September 22, 2009.

Directions for Assignment 3

Step 1

Review the short stories, poems, and articles from Assignment 02.

Step 2

Choose one piece from Assignment 02 and answer this question: What adjective best describes a person from the reading?

Step 3

Prepare your post. Write 200 - 250 words. I will use this score sheet to evaluate your work.

Remember that this online discussion is academic. Feel free to disagree with your colleagues—in fact, disagreement will make the discussion more fun—but be sure to do so in a polite manner. Avoid using words that you do not hear on prime-time network television. Otherwise, your grade for this discussion will be penalized heavily.

Draft your answer in a word processing program [where you can check spelling and word count], save the document, and then cut and paste the answer into the online form linked at the bottom of this post.

Be sure to include evidence that you have in fact read the work that you are using. Offer specific examples of the person's behavior that best support your adjective. Include quotations with proper parenthetical references. Your handbook illustrates the correct format in section 16d, "Integrating Source Material into Your Writing," pp. 219 - 222.

Spelling and sentence correctness count. So proofread what you have written before you hit the "Post" button. Identify yourself with your first name and last initial so that you cannot be googled.

Do not repeat insights that your colleagues have already made. If you agree with someone, provide as evidence a different example from the story when you compose your post!

Step 4

Notice that this excellent sample from Abigail C. follows all of the above advice:

I believe that Phoenix Jackson from Eudora Welty’s "A Worn Path" can best be described as dedicated to her grandson. This characteristic is evident even from the first sentences of the story. Welty sets Phoenix’s journey in "December – a bright frozen day in the early morning" (319). Only a woman truly concerned for her grandson would risk her health to brave the extreme weather just for his medicine. Single-mindedly focused on her task, Phoenix "looked straight ahead" and boldly commanded the creatures in her path to keep "out of [her] way" (Welty 319). As she continues on to the town, Phoenix faces other obstacles in the form of a ditch, an unfamiliar man, and even her own untied shoelaces (Welty 320-321). Yet she faces them all with a courage that causes the reader to wonder at her motivation long before it is revealed. Welty hints that Phoenix may not be completely aware of her surroundings and that her grandson may not even be alive (324). However, his condition is almost irrelevant; whether or not he is living, Phoenix’s love and commitment to him remain intense and active. She demonstrates that the dedication of the heart can overcome the limitations of body and mind.

Step 5

To answer the question, click the "Comments" link at the bottom of this post. In the "Name" field, type your first name and last initial. Leave the "Email Address" and "URL" fields blank. Paste your answer in the "Comments" box and click "Post." You will be asked to validate your comment by typing a random list of letters and numbers.

Step 6

In addition, you must respond to one of your colleagues in the class. In a shorter post [75 - 150 words], explain how a fellow classmate, in your opinion, got the adjective right or wrong. Be sure that your contribution brings new insight to the discussion. Follow all of the posting directions above.

Step 7

The burden will be on you to prove that your work was submitted on time. As additional security, send your saved drafts to me in an Atlas email by the due date. If we discover that your post did not go through at the website, this email is the only proof I will accept that you contributed to the discussion. 

This online discussion will close on Tuesday, September 22, 2009. I will accept no late posts.

Email me through Atlas if you have any questions.

Assignment 02

Due Date: September 15, 2009

Goal

• To sample short stories, poems, and news stories related to the topic of adventure

Your Grade for This Assignment

• You will take an objective reading quiz available from Tuesday, September 8, through Tuesday, September 15, in WebCT.
• In the coming weeks, you will also participate in an online discussion [Assignment 03] and write a documented essay using the readings from this post as research [Assignment 05].

Directions for Assignment 02

Step 1

In Portable Literature: Reading, Reacting, Writing, read the following four pieces:

• "Kansas," p. 109
• "A&P," p. 131
• "The Unknown Citizen," p. 504
• "Sadie & Maude," p. 573

In addition, read this James Joyce short story at Read Print:

• "Eveline"

Then read these two articles from The New York Times and watch the YouTube video:

• "For Bronx School's Dancers, the Moves Are Irish"
• "A Private Dance? Four Million Web Fans Say No."
• "Where the Hell Is Matt? (2008)" [video of Matt dancing]

And finally, read this piece from The New Yorker:

• "A Dip in the Cold"

Step 2

Take your quiz, which will be available from Tuesday, September 8, through Tuesday, September 15, in WebCT. Keep these important things in mind:

• The quiz will be available in "Assessments" in the lefthand sidebar of the WebCT Home Page for our course.
• The quiz will evaluate your understanding of the readings above.
• You will have only 30 minutes to take this 25-item quiz. So do the reading before you begin the quiz.
• If you miss the quiz, you earn a zero. No exceptions. If you are worried that an unforeseen emergency might interfere, then complete the quiz on the first day it is available, not the last.
• If you encounter a problem with WebCT, call the helpline immediately at 407-582-5600. Then send me an email with the exact time WebCT went down. I will try to resolve a problem only if you have followed these instructions.

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me through Atlas.

Assignment 01

Due Date: Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Goals

• To acquire the software to use the course website and complete assignments
• To understand the procedures and policies for this online course
• To obtain the handouts necessary for success in the course
• To write a professional email
• To take an orientation quiz

Your Grade for This Assignment

• You must compose a professional email as proof that you have "attended" the first class; otherwise, you will be withdrawn as a "no show."
• You must take the orientation quiz in WebCT for up to 10 bonus points that you can count toward a future assignment.
• You must complete both of these assignments by 11:59 p.m., Tuesday, September 8.

Directions for Assignment 01

Step 1

This course requires Adobe Reader on your computer. This software is free, quick to download, and easy to install. This software is required; you will need it to view comments that I make on your graded assignments. If you cannot get Adobe Reader to work on your home computer, then you must come to campus and use a machine at the college.

Go to the Adobe website and download the free reader if you need it.

This class will also require that you view PowerPoint presentations. To download these presentations, you will need either the program itself or the free viewer. If you cannot get PowerPoint or the viewer to work on your home computer, then you must come to campus and use a machine at Valencia.

Go to the Microsoft website and download the free viewer if you need it.

Typing your assignments in WordPad, Notepad, or Text Edit is a bad idea as you won't have the necessary formatting options. If you cannot afford Word or WordPerfect, then you might try OpenOffice, which provides a free group of programs equivalent to Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Visit OpenOffice.org if you are interested.

Step 2

To understand the policies and procedures for the course, carefully read the syllabus. Pay special attention to "Attendance and Deadlines," "Atlas Policy," and "Grades."

Read the syllabus for ENC 1102 Online, Fall 2009.

Step 3

You will need two handouts to help you understand the comments on your papers and your standing in the course. Download and print both of these:

• Grading Symbols
• Grade Worksheet

Step 4

We have a professional relationship, so email to me has different standards than the notes you send to family and friends. Visit Orange Crate Art, a college professor's blog, and read the post titled "How to E-mail a Professor." Abide by the guidelines that Michael Leddy has outlined in this post in all future email.

Step 5

Once you have all of the software and handouts, tell me in an Atlas email what you have done to succeed in this course. When you compose this email, demonstrate what you have learned from "How to E-mail a Professor."

If I do not receive this email by Tuesday, September 8, I will withdraw you as a "no show."

Step 6

In addition to the email that you must write, take the orientation quiz in WebCT. This 10-item quiz is required. You will earn one point of bonus for every correct answer. To take a quiz in WebCT, follow these directions:

• Have both required textbooks and the syllabus at hand before you begin the quiz.
• Log into WebCT: http://online.valenciacc.edu/
• Click on our class—ENC 1102.
• Click on Assessments in the left sidebar.
• Click on Orientation Quiz. You will have 30 minutes to take the quiz. Keep an eye on the timer at the right. If you let the 30 minutes elapse before you have finished, your choices will not count.
• Click Save and View Next after you have finalized your choice for each question. The check mark that appears at the right means that you have answered the item, not that you have gotten it correct.
• Click Finish at the end of the quiz.
• You have only one attempt at this quiz, so be sure to follow all of these directions.
• If you encounter a problem with WebCT, call the helpline immediately at 407-582-5600. Then send me an email with the exact time WebCT went down. I will try to resolve a problem only if you have followed these instructions. 
• You must complete this quiz by 11:59 p.m., Tuesday, September 8. Otherwise, I will withdraw you as a "no show."

Your score will be available after the due date has elapsed.

Tomorrow I will post the first graded assignment.

Welcome to ENC 1102 Online!

The website for ENC 1102 Online is a blog. Blogs have certain characteristics, such as frequent posts [like this one] on a main page, the newest post at the top, the rest in reverse chronological order. Most blogs have at least one sidebar that contains links to important information and archives of old posts.

Writers use blogs to keep online journals, organize collections of photos, or share their interests in movies, sports, or politics. Blogs are becoming incredibly popular, so familiarizing yourself with their style will help you successfully navigate this growing web format.

This course does not use WebCT except for assessments. So bookmark this page in your web browser! I will make the first assignment on Monday, August 31, the first day of fall classes; future posts will appear every Tuesday, starting Tuesday, September 2. You will have at least one new assignment per week, so check the blog regularly.

Below are the two required textbooks for this class. They are available for purchase at the Valencia Bookstore or online.

 

If you have any questions, email me from Atlas.