Major Writing Project

· Submission Instructions:  Submit this assignment as a Word document.  DO NOT USE PAGES.  Titanium cannot read Pages.  If you use Pages, you could end up with a zero on this assignment.  If you do not have access to Microsoft Word, then convert your Pages document to a PDF.

· General Instructions:  Write an argument in which you summarize Kevin Kelly's essay "Better than Human" and respond to his essay with your own "I say."  Note that quoting (giving evidence) is a key element in this paper.  Your paper should include the following parts.

· Introduction: Your first paragraph should introduce the writer, state the title of the essay and give a brief summary statement about Kelly's essay.  When introducing the writer, make sure you include basic information -- a sentence -- about Kelly.  To find out basic information about Kelly, see the biographical information about him on the first page of his essay.  Note that Kevin Kelly identifies as a man.  Your introduction should conclude with your thesis: a summary of your "I say" in relation to your "They Say." 

· “They Say”:  Write an extended summary of Kevin Kelly’s essay, “Better than Human.”  This paragraph should give a more developed summary of Kelly's essay, making sure that you inhabit the worldview of the author (play the “believing game”).  Make sure you use strong signal verbs and that you use quotes correctly and appropriately.  Remember, you need evidence (key quote) for every major claim you make about your author.  Your introduction and your  "they say" sections should together be about 1.5 pages.

· “I Say”:  Write your response to the arguments made in Kevin Kelly’s essay, “Better than Human.”  You can use additional essays as support for your ideas, or you can include your own ideas.   Regardless of how you do it, this section ("I say") should put forward your own argument in response to Kelly.  In other words, you should not just say "I agree" with Kelly, or "I disagree" with Kelly, but rather you should develop your own reasons for agreement, disagreement, or mixture of agreement and disagreement.  Make sure you use a direct, no-nonsense formula to signal agreement/disagreement/combination.  And make sure you use quotes correctly and appropriately.  Remember: you need evidence (quote) for every major claim you make about an author.  Your "I say" and your concluding paragraph (see below) should together be about 1.5 pages.

· Your paper should end with a short concluding paragraph that includes your "return sentence" and a re-statement of your thesis (do not simply repeat your thesis word-for-word).  Your "I say" and your concluding paragraph should together be about 1.5 pages.

· This week you will not only edit your "They Say" (you should go back to your draft from last week, framing quotes properly and developing your summary), but you will also finish this assignment by adding a response (the “I Say”) to Kelly’s essay.  Make sure you’ve added your opinion by using one of the templates in Chapter 4.  

· Before you start writing, make sure you read the "grading guide" (below) to see what I'm looking for in this paper.  Note especially the emphasis on quoting (it's also the second word in the subtitle of MWP 1).  

· Both the "They Say" part and the "I Say" part should be included together in your submission in one MS Word document.

· Your complete submission ("They Say" and "I Say") should be 3 full pages.

· Click on the link below and follow the directions to attach your Word document.  Make sure you include the proper heading at the top of your paper.  Please double-space and use either MLA or APA style (choose the style that your discipline uses).  

Note on Bibliographic Information:  In effect, Kelly's essay is a work within an anthology, and you therefore cite his essay using that format.  However, because I gave you Kelly's essay (and others) as a PDF, you might not have that information.  I will therefore give you the citation information below in both MLA style and APA style.  Make sure you review formatting (ruined by Titanium below).  If you happen to cite another essay in your paper (i.e., one of the PDFs available on Titanium), you can use the same information as below, but you'll just take out the information specific to Kelly and replace it with the other author and essay.

MLA:

Kelly, Kevin. "Better than Human:  Why Robots Will - and Must - Take Our Jobs." "They Say / I Say": The Moves that Matter in Academic Writing. New York:  W.W. Norton & Co., 2018. Print.

APA:

Kelly, Kevin. "Better than Human:  Why Robots Will - and Must - Take Our Jobs."  "They Say / I Say": The Moves that Matter in Academic Writing.  New York:  W.W. Norton & Co.

MWP 1 Grading Guide:

· Introduction (10 points):

· Includes basic information about the author as well as the full title of his essay; includes a brief summary statement about Kelly's essay; includes a clear thesis statement (summary of your "I say" in relation to your "They Say").

· Balance (20 points): Summary balances what author is saying with writer’s own focus (p. 31)

· Summary does not agree or disagree with author; summary inhabits the world-view of the author (“believing game”) (p. 31) and does not fall into “closest cliché syndrome” (p. 33) – Summary is organized: no listing or inventory of author’s points (p. 35)

· Summary verbs (10 points): Summary uses sophisticated signal verbs to summarize author’s point.

· Uses at least one conventional way to introduce a “they say” idea (pp. 23-28) -- Does not overuse bland formulas like “she says” or “they believe” (p. 39) -- Uses vivid and precise (appropriate) signal verbs (p. 40-41)

· Quotations (20 points): Uses quotes correctly and appropriately

· Quotes used to present "proof of evidence" (p. 43) in summary of author's argument -- Quotes should not be “orphans” (p. 44) -- Quotes should be framed appropriately (“quotation sandwich”) (p. 47) -- Quotes should be Introduced with appropriate verb or introductory phrase (p. 47) -- Indicates page number of quote

· Clearly agrees, disagrees, or combination of agrees and disagrees (20 points)

· Generally uses a direct, no-nonsense formula to signal agreement/disagreement/combination. Disagrees [Gives clear reasons for disagreement; Uses templates for disagreement (p. 58)] OR Agrees with a difference [Uses templates for agreement (p. 60); Indicates that agreement with one author means disagreement with others (pp. 61-62)] OR Agrees and disagrees simultaneously [Makes it clear that this is a conscious decision (to both disagree and agree); Uses templates on pp. 63-64]

· Conclusion:  “I say” clearly links up with “They say” (10 points)

· Includes at least one “return sentence” in the conclusion to remind reader of what “they say” (pp. 27-28); includes a clear restatement of thesis or “I say”

· Editing and tone (10 points)

· No editing errors (spelling, grammar, punctuation) and uses proper tone (formal)

Introduction Includes basic information about the author as well as the full title of his essay; includes a brief summary statement about Kelly's essay; includes a clear thesis statement (summary of your "I say" in relation to your "They Say"). Maximum score 10

Balance: Summary balances what author is saying with writer’s own focus (p. 31) Summary does not agree or disagree with author; summary inhabits the world-view of the author (“believing game”) (p. 31) and does not fall into “closest cliché syndrome” (p. 33) – Summary is organized: no listing or inventory of author’s points (p. 35) Maximum score 20

Summary verbs: Summary uses sophisticated signal verbs to summarize author’s points Uses at least one conventional way to introduce a “they say” idea (pp. 23-28) -- Does not overuse bland formulas like “she says” or “they believe” (p. 39) -- Uses vivid and precise (appropriate) signal verbs (p. 40-41) Maximum score 10

Quotations: Uses quotes correctly and appropriately Quotes used to present "proof of evidence" (p. 43) in summary of author's argument -- Quotes should not be “orphans” (p. 44) -- Quotes should be framed appropriately (“quotation sandwich”) (p. 47) -- Quotes should be Introduced with appropriate verb or introductory phrase (p. 47) -- Indicates page number of quote Maximum score 20

Clearly agrees, disagrees, or combination of agrees and disagrees Generally uses a direct, no-nonsense formula to signal agreement/disagreement/combination. Disagrees [Gives clear reasons for disagreement; Uses templates for disagreement (p. 58)] OR Agrees with a difference [Uses templates for agreement (p. 60); Indicates that agreement with one author means disagreement with others (pp. 61-62)] OR Agrees and disagrees simultaneously [Makes it clear that this is a conscious decision (to both disagree and agree); Uses templates on pp. 63-64] Maximum score 20

Conclusion: “I say” clearly links up with “They say” Includes at least one “return sentence” in the conclusion to remind reader of what “they say” (pp. 27-28); includes a clear restatement of thesis or “I say” Maximum score 10

Editing and tone No editing errors (spelling, grammar, punctuation) and uses proper tone (formal) Maximum score 10