Critical Evaluation Essay Technology, Language & Writing

English 108 Spring 2015

Lexicon Assignment Sheet

A lexicon is a vocabulary or stock of terms used in a particular profession, subject, or branch of knowledge. In this class, you will be asked to develop your own lexicon with terms and vocabulary specific to academic writing. A list of at least ten (10) new vocabulary words must be used in and accompany each of your three major Writing Projects, with your full Lexicon due at the end of the semester.

Each entry in your lexicon must include:

1. The term (i.e., vocabulary word)

2. The most common definitions or meanings of the term in an academic setting

3. Variations of the term, if available

4. An example of the term being used in academic writing (i.e., a quotation in which the term is being used appropriately, taken from class readings or other academic materials)

5. The full MLA citation for each quotation.

To get you started, a good list of academic terms can be found here: http://www.esldesk.com/vocabulary/academic

During the semester, we will also create and add to a list of terms as a class, which can be found on Google Drive:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zQ0Cr3Oqg2FS977zDqVJg8PKjh074p0rYVo1ZZbwTFE/edit?usp=sharing

Sample Lexicon entry:

Argument: a statement backed by evidence; a reason or set of reasons given with the aim of persuading others that an action or idea is the one they should choose or support; a matter of finding, through a process of rational inquiry, the best solution to a problem or issue.

Variations: Argue, argumentation, argumentative

Example: “Think about the conversations that we’ve had in class. We’ve identified arguments of the heart, arguments based on character, on value, and on logic. Where do you see these arguments in the text you’ve chosen? Consider how they work in the text to inform, to move the audience to action, to think differently, to consider other perspectives, etc.” (29).

Singh-Corcoran, Nathalie. “Composition as a Write of Passage.” Writing Spaces: Readings of Writing, vol. 2 (2011): 24-36. Web. 12 Jan. 2015.