Small Writing Assignment need help

UWP 011, Winter 2016 Assignments 3

Overviews and Comments (O&C), weeks 1-8

O&C: Description

For each O&C, write:

x A 150-200 word objective overview of the article. Include its main point(s), and write this entirely in your own words (no quoting). Use a signal phrase that refers to the article in each sentence; this will help you develop or hone a habit of always attributing information or ideas to the source they come from.

x A 150-200 word subjective commentary to the article in which you share your personal reactions to or thoughts about any aspect of the article. Write this entirely in your own words (no quoting).

Use the following headings to separate the sections:

x Overview (# words)

x Comment (# words)

For “# words,” include the number of words in that section.

O&C: Rationale

Writing Overviews and Commentaries will help you practice:

x Identifying main ideas in articles

x Shifting between two stances toward a text: An objective stance in which you simply report what the article says, and a subjective stance in which you offer personal reactions.

x Attributing each source’s ideas to that source

x Writing concisely and clearly

The O&Cs will also help us (the teaching team) identify who needs help with the readings, and make sure that you get credit for doing the readings.

O&C: Evaluation Criteria

Over all Clarity The writing throughout is clear and unambiguous.

Attributions It is clear at all points which ideas are yours and whom other ideas are from.

Professionalism The document heading includes your name and the date. The file is named according the file naming conventions described in the syllabus.

UWP 011, Winter 2016 Assignments 4

The O&C is written and formatted according to instructions (i.e., with a heading and word count for each section).

Overview Objectivity The overview is completely objective.

Accuracy The overview includes the article’s main points/ideas.

Originality The overview is in your own word (no quoting).

Length The overview is 150-200 words

Comment Focus The comment is your reactions or thoughts about the article.

Originality The comment is in your own words (no quoting).

Length The comment is 150-200 words.

UWP 011, Winter 2016 Assignments 5

Analyses & Plans (A&P), weeks 1-8

A&P: Description

The A&P has two parts. For the analysis, consider the article using ONLY the current theoretical lens and, based on that lens:

x Make an overall claim about how good a job the article does.

x Make a claim about one STRENGTH the article has, offer supporting evidence from the article, and explain how the evidence supports the claim.

x Make a claim about one WEAKNESS the article has, offer supporting evidence from the article, and explain how the evidence supports the claim.

For the plan:

x Describe how the writer could improve the piece to overcome that weakness.

x Find and cite an outside (not from UWP 11) source the writer could use in doing so, and explain how the information or ideas from that source would overcome the article’s weakness.

x Include an “ASPECT” evaluation of the outside source.

Please use the provided template provided on SmartSite (SmartSite > Resources > Handouts > A&P_Template_For_Students.docx). Remember to change the file name, following the file naming conventions described in the syllabus:

YourLastName-YourFirstName_ProjectTitle_mm-dd.doc

A&P: Rationale

Writing Analyses & Plans will help you practice:

x Making a claim and supporting it with evidence

x Explaining how the evidence supports the claim

x Finding and evaluating relevant sources

x Attributing each source’s ideas to that source and citing sources

x Writing concisely and clearly

A&P: Evaluation Criteria

Overall Clarity Writing throughout is clear and unambiguous

Professionalism File is named according the file naming conventions described in the syllabus

UWP 011, Winter 2016 Assignments 6

Document is formatted according to instructions

Analysis Claims Has a clear claim about one strength the article has based on the theoretical lens Has a clear claim about one weakness the article has based on the theoretical lens

Support Supports each claim with evidence from the article Explains how the evidence supports each claim Includes in-text citations for the article

Plan Claim Makes a claim about how to improve the article.

Support Supports the claim with evidence from an outside source you found Explains how the evidence supports the claim Includes in-text citations for the outside source

Citation Give a full citation for the source using a standard academic citation format (MLA, APA, CBE, etc.)

ASPECT Includes a completed ASPECT table for the source

UWP 011, Winter 2016 Assignments 7

Terminology Quizzes, weeks 1-10

Terminology Quizzes: Description

Twelve times during the quarter you will be asked to define a term. This may be during lecture, and it may be during a discussion.

The quiz format will be simple:

x You will be given two of the terms from a running list of terms.

x You will be asked to define one of them in your own words.

The terms will be explained during lectures, and each lecture’s slides will end with a list of terms from that day.

You are welcome to discuss definitions with the professor, TAs, and each other. You are welcome to ask about terms on the SmartSite chat.

Terminology Quizzes: Rationale

These quizzes are intended to help you stay up to date with the technical vocabulary we use in UWP 11.

Terminology Quizzes: Evaluation Criteria

Each quiz is worth ½ point, and the lowest two quiz grades will be dropped.

They will be evaluated on accuracy of how the term is used in UWP 11.

Many fields (academic and non-academic) use the same words to mean different things, so it is important to understand how a given term is being used in a given context. Thus, if you are asked to define rhetoric, we will not be looking for a dictionary definition of rhetoric, or even the definition you may have learned in a previous writing course, but for what is meant by “rhetoric” in the context of UWP 011.

UWP 011, Winter 2016 Assignments 8

OCAP, weeks 8-9

Choose one article from The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2015, and two lenses.

Write a combined Overview, Comment, Analysis, and Plan (OCAP).

Use at least five new outside sources, and submit the ASPECT form for each with your OCAP.

OCAP will be evaluated using these criteria:

Completeness The OCAP is complete, meaning:

x It uses two lenses

x It uses at least five sources in addition to the article being analyzed.

x It uses those sources to make a research-based argument for how your selected article could be improved according to those lenses.

Development The OCAP:

x Makes clear, specific claims and subclaims.

x Uses the rhetorical vocabulary from this course whenever appropriate.

x Convincingly argues that the article has weaknesses according to the lenses you chose.

x Explains how the article it could be more improved according to those lenses. Suggestions are specific, relevant, and supported by research.

x Explains how each piece of evidence supports a given point, and how each suggestion would improve the article.

x Explains how conclusions follow from the claims or suggestions and evidence.

Sources Choice

x Each of the five sources is appropriate for use in a scholarly paper.

x Each of the five sources meets the “ASPECT” criteria for this topic.

Citations & Attributions

x Each of the five sources is cited both in the text and in a works cited section using an academic citation format (such as MLA, APA, CBE, etc.).

x It is clear at all points which ideas are yours and whom other ideas are

UWP 011, Winter 2016 Assignments 9

from.

Readability The writing is well organized and the pieces are connected together:

x Each paragraph addresses one main point.

x Topic are sentences easy to identify.

x Ideas follow each other logically, with the connections between ideas explained.

The writing is clear and unambiguous throughout.

Professionalism The document header includes your name, the date, and the title of the article you are writing about.

The file is named according the file naming conventions described in the syllabus.

UWP 011, Winter 2016 Assignments 10

Closing Impression, Week 10

This assignment description will be given during week 10. It will ask you to write approximately 500 words, and it will not require outside sources.

UWP 011, Winter 2016 Assignments 11

Final Reflection, Exam Week

Write a letter of at least 600 words reflecting on what you learned this quarter.

First, please fill in the following, providing specific information and examples:

� I used to think ______ [elaborate]. � But now I think ________ [elaborate].

Next, please answer the following questions:

� How do two of the lenses apply to some other part of your life (other classes, books or articles you have read, your work, your hobbies, or other interests)? Be specific and provide examples (even hypothetical ones).

� What did you learn from this class that surprised you? Why did it surprise you? � What are you still left wondering? What else would you like to have learned

about?

To answer these questions, you should draw on class discussions and lecture materials about the various lenses and other concepts.

The final reflection will be graded on completeness, clarity, and professionalism, as defined throughout this document.

UWP 011, Winter 2016 Assignments 12

Appendix A: Overall Grading Standards

Written work will be evaluated for each criterion as “Good,” “Mostly Good,” “Needs Some Work” or “Need Work” for each criterion.

The overall grade for each assignment will be a combination of the criteria, such that:

• “A” work is Good for all criteria. • “B” work is Mostly Good or Good for all criteria. • “C” work is Mostly Good for most criteria but Needs Some Work in a few. • “D” work Needs Work for at least half of the criteria.

Plus and minus grades will be used.

Grades are not divided with points per category. “A” work must be “Good” in all areas. Attention to detail matters.

Late work may be marked down one full letter grade for each calendar day it is late.

We do not curve grades.

UWP 011, Winter 2016 Assignments 13

Appendix B: Calendar of All Assignment Due Dates

What When Where Grade %

Opening Impression 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 07

Upload to SmartSite Assignments

2

O&C 1 on Yong, draft The start of your discussion section on Friday, January 8

Bring to discussion --

O&C-01 on Yong 3:00 p.m. on Monday, January 11 Upload to SmartSite Assignments

2

O&C-02 on Margulis & Case 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 12 Upload to SmartSite Assignments

2

O&C-03 on Steingraber 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 14 Upload to SmartSite Assignments

2

A&P-01 on Cold & Hot 1 in Yong (draft)

The start of your discussion section on Friday, January 15

Bring to discussion --

A&P-01 on Cold & Hot 1 Yong 3:00 p.m. on Monday, January 18 Upload to SmartSite Assignments

10

O&C-04 on Kintisch 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 19 Upload to SmartSite Assignments

2

O&C-05 on Mnookin 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 21 Upload to SmartSite Assignments

2

A&P-02 on Background & Definitions in Specter

3:00 p.m. on Monday, January 25 Upload to SmartSite Assignments

10

O&C-06 on Freedman 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 26 Upload to SmartSite Assignments

2

O&C-07 on Maxmen 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 28 Upload to SmartSite Assignments

2

UWP 011, Winter 2016 Assignments 14

A&P-03 on Study in Schweizter

3:00 p.m. on Monday, February 1 Upload to SmartSite Assignments

10

O&C-08 on Goodell 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 2 Upload to SmartSite Assignments

2

O&C-09 on Jarvis 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 4 Upload to SmartSite Assignments

2

AP-04 on Cold & Hot 2 in Boyle

3:00 p.m. on Monday, February 8 Upload to SmartSite Assignments

10

O&C-10 on Yeoman 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 9 Upload to SmartSite Assignments

2

O&C-11 on Nijhuis 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 11

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2

A&P-05 on Expertise in Yeoman

3:00 p.m. on Monday, February 15

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10

O&C-12 on Hamilton 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 16 Upload to SmartSite Assignments

2

O&C-13 on Keith 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 18

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2

A&P-06 on Epideictic in Context in Jacobsen

3:00 p.m. on Monday, February 22

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10

OCAP 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 3 Upload to SmartSite Assignments

15

Concluding Impression 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 10 Upload to SmartSite Assignments

2

Reflection 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, March 15 Upload to SmartSite Assignments

2