English Class

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Introduction

These resources will help you learn how to write a thesis statement for a specific audience and writing situation, determine the purpose of a text, and articulate the core idea of a text.

Required Resources

Click the link(s) to complete the assigned readings within Macmillan Achieve:

Textbook: How to Write Anything, Chapter 9 Note: Click on each link to access the sections in the chapter:

This chapter explores the various aspects of the genre of evaluations, which is the genre you will be writing in for your project and other assignments in this course. It explains how it is defined, how to choose a topic, imagining your audience, gathering materials, organizing ideas, and choosing style and design. As you read, consider the following:

How can you establish and defend criteria when writing an evaluation?
Which types of topics should you evaluate?
How can you organize an evaluation to examine differences through comparing and contrasting?

Textbook: How to Write Anything, Chapter 24 When you create a thesis statement, you create a structure for the ideas in your writing. That structure helps your reader know what ideas to expect. To create a thesis statement, you use two concepts: your central claim and your support for that claim. You can think of your central claim as what you believe to be true about the topic you are exploring. This claim is arguable rather than a fact, which means it requires evidence and support in order to make other people believe it with you. This chapter explores various pieces of advice on how to put a thesis together. It may help you learn how to write a thesis statement, which will help you complete this week’s assignments and your project. As you read, consider the following:

Why is it important to write a declarative sentence and not a question?
When should a thesis be introduced?
Why is it important to consider your audience and purpose when writing a thesis?

Textbook: How to Write Anything, Drafting Introductions This section explores the purposes of introductions and how to write effective, interesting introductions. It may help you learn how to write an introduction, which will help you complete this week’s assignments and your project. As you read, consider the following:

What are the four purposes of an introductory paragraph?
Why is it important to determine what background information would be helpful for the audience?
What are various methods to draw the reader in?

Video: Write About Ideas From Reading (1:54) This video explores writing about ideas from readings. It may help you complete this week’s assignments. As you watch, consider the following questions:

How does a writer start a conversation between themselves and an imagined audience?
How do you write about ideas from a course reading?
Why are the writer’s words quoted?

Video: The Writing Process (2:55) This video from Academic Support explains the steps of the writing process. It will help you complete this week’s assignments and your project. As you watch, consider the following:

What are the steps of the writing process?
What are some elements of the prewriting stage?
What is the difference between revising and editing?

APA and MLA Resources

Library Resource: APA Style Guide This webpage from the Shapiro Library will be a great resource as you cite the sources you are using throughout this course.

Library Resource: MLA Style Guide This webpage from the Shapiro Library will be a great resource as you cite the sources you are using throughout this course.

Additional Support (Optional)

Video: Introduction to Audience and Writing Situations (2:40) This video explores audience and writing situations. It may help you complete this week’s assignments. As you watch, consider the following:

How can you apply the foundation of the writing situation to your own preliminary introduction?
What elements work together to create the writing situation?
How does the audience drive the writing situation in your writing?

Click the link(s) to complete the assigned readings within Macmillan Achieve:

Textbook: How to Write Anything, Chapter 33 This chapter explains the practice of inclusive writing, including how to write in a way that respects the reader. It also provides guidance on how to avoid stereotypes in writing, how to handle pronouns appropriately, and how to write in a way that is respectful of different individuals and groups. It may help you complete current and future assignments within and beyond this course. As you read, consider the following:

Why is it important to practice inclusive writing?
How can you adapt your writing to avoid using different kinds of stereotypes?
How can you treat all people with respect in your writing?

Textbook: How to Write Anything, Chapter 7 Note: Click on each link to access the sections in the chapter:

This chapter explores the various aspects of the genre of explanations, which is a genre that future courses may focus on. It explains how the genre of explanations is defined, how to choose a topic, imagining your audience, gathering materials, organizing ideas, and choosing style and design. As you read, consider the following:

What types of questions do explanations answer?
What are the two types of audiences that explanations are typically written for?
How can you use appropriate supporting material to illustrate your ideas?

Textbook: How to Write Anything, Chapter 8 Note: Click on each link to access the sections in the chapter:

This chapter explores the various aspects of the genre of arguments, which is a genre that future courses may focus on. It explains how the genre of arguments is defined, how to choose a topic, imagining your audience, gathering materials, organizing ideas, and choosing style and design. As you read, consider the following:

Why is it important to understand opposing claims and points of view when writing an argument?
How can you use a claim and assumptions to form an argument?
In which order should you present reasons and supporting evidence when crafting an argument?