Moving on (in the middle)

 
 
M 2-Mar      Essay 1 workshop
(Read/review notes)

— Note: Post one question or specific topic for discussion in thread below.

Read: (over weekend)
         Text for analysis; resources: notes; sections in Gardner; Purdue OWL pages (see below).

 
 
W 4-Mar                   Due: Essay 1
(on e-learning)

Extra Credit: (optional)          Process Memo (see below)
 
 

scene from Good Bye Lenin!

 

 
Practical Essay Resources:

 
Assignment Description

 
Document format example: Hink Essay 1.rtf
         — MLA document formatting

 
Notes for analysis.

 
Notes on composition.

 
Gardner – Writing about Literature:

“Active Reading” (4-10)
“The Writing Process” (16-27; 31-3) – esp. re: Thesis, Organization, Revision; Intro/Concl.
* “Writing About Literature” & “Quotations” (34-41)
“Explication” (44)
* Chp 4. “Writing about Stories” (57-60; examples follow)
or Chp. 5 “Writing about Poems” (82-8)
** Using material: quoting, citing, MLA format (116-28)

 

 
Purdue OWL

*Writing About Fiction: “Close Reading & Pitfalls” and “Thesis”
Writing About Poetry
“Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing”

MLA Style
         — Formatting Quotations
         — In-text Citation
         — Works Cited page

“Outline” (Writing Process section)
Revision (Grammar and Mechanics section)
Writing Concisely (Revision)
Appropriate Language (Academic Writing section)

 
 
 
Extra Credit (optional): Process Memo

1-page min/max (“cover sheet)” included with essay, describing:
– interpretive process
– composition process (particularly revision)

Variable credit by quality/extent of reflection/insights, not length (0-2 points).
Typically 2 single-spaced paragraphs, 1-page (max). Formal ORG/structure not necessary.
And not simply a narrative description, but reflective — precisely (and concisely) pointing out specific insights about both stages, (interpretive process and composition). Concise phrasing is key: leave out repeated or unnecessary points, (i.e. every element should be significant).

Tip: seemingly two simple options for ORG (not a major issue, but suggesting structure):
by stages, (respective p’graphs about text interpretation and essay composition);
or integrated, describing key insights about your essay, (with comp. in relation to interp., or vice versa perhaps).