English Weblog DUE MONDAY

English112

Weblog 4

A microtheme is a short (250-500) word essay in which you simply state your thesis (rather than leading up to it), and defend it with two or three succinct paragraphs. Rather than an exercise in general writing techniques, this assignment asks you to focus only on persuasive techniques. There are a few different types of microthemes. You will be writing a thesis-support microtheme, in which you will practice framing a particular type of evidence.

After reading chapter 5, you are now aware that there are many different types of evidence, and one must handle each type differently. You also, hopefully, noted the strengths and possible drawbacks of using each type of evidence. When you compose your research essay later in the semester, you will be using a variety of types of evidence. For this assignment, however, I am asking that you practice framing only one type of evidence.

Directions: For this weblog assignment, I am asking you to write a microtheme in which you must only use personal experience, interviews, or data from a brief survey in order to defend your claim. Reread the guidelines in chapter 5 about how to frame this type of evidence.

Step 1: Choose a topic about which you will write. You may choose one of these topics, argue the complete opposite of one of these topics, manipulate one of these topics, or generate your own topic. Be sure, however, you do not choose a topic for which you will have to conduct research other than the above in order to support.

1. An employee’s use of social networking sites both in and out of work can cause him or her to be overlooked for promotions and/or fired in some cases.

2. A child’s open access to the internet without monitoring can cause him or her great harm.

3. If children are not involved in sports or activities during their preteen and teenage years, they will be more likely to engage in self destructive behavior.

4. Any claim of your choice that can be supported with personal experience, interviews, or data from a brief survey.

Step 2: Use a prewriting technique to generate the personal evidence (or possible interview/survey questions) you will use to support your claim.

Step 3: If you choose to conduct a survey or a brief interview, do so at this point.

Step 4: Write a brief outline for how you will organize your microtheme.

Step 5: Draft your microtheme. Since this type of essay insists upon brevity, please follow the following three-part structure for your microtheme, which differs from an extended essay:

First, you will present your thesis or the question you want to answer.

Second, you provide specific evidence.

Third, you will relate the evidence back to the thesis and(or) show how the evidence answers the question.

Step 6: Revise your assignment for written expression and mechanics.

Step 7: Post your blog.