There are a lot of things to do, BUT you are off for 12 days. This means that we have to keep you fresh with this. To stop doing this for all of that time would mean that we have to start from scratch all over again. That can't and won't happen with time requirements. I WANT YOU TO DO WELL BECAUSE I AM COMMITTED TO YOU BEING THE STUDENT THAT I KNOW THAT YOU CAN BE, so I have asked that you go into Materials in Angel Online and asked you to look at and download some things.

A) Research process SQ3R
B) COM051 researching
C) Making Statistics Say Something more exciting
D) Making Statistics Say Something - Remedial
E) new and fixed ppt for pre-writing

You were given 2 handouts xeroxed together.

A) Everything that is and needs to be for this paper
B) Issues in your paper

When you download these, the timer will stop. Then, you need to click on the link and download it. If you have Office 2007, you can view these. If you don't, you need to come to the library and view them there.

Handout A was added this term because I was disheartened by so many students not getting research. Thus, I have tried to make everything as straight forward as possible. Too many things can and do go wrong with these essays. Thus, we must focus on attention to detail and checklist type scenarios. By giving you "this fighting chance," I see you having a better chance of getting a good grade - instead of what happened to too many other students through the years. Some of you might think that this is me being difficult, but the reality is that it bothers me when students don't get it, so I constantly try to add things that will help students "get it." If I didn't care, I wouldn't be adding all of this extra asssistance stuff for you. Really.

Handout B has always existed in some form or another. While I want you to read this and understand it for a pop quiz on Tuesday (as well as PowerPoint B), I DO NOT WANT YOU to read #22 and #23. They go with a PowerPoint entitled The Meaning of words . As these deal with academic freedom and removing bias from speech, I want to clarify these issues. There will be nothing on them in the quiz.

To be honest, the quiz will be simple things (length, acceptable sites, required sites, things to do, things to not do). I just want to see that we're all on the same page and that you know what you have to do. I simply want to see that you're working on this and the only way to do this is a quiz. If I didn't have to give a quiz, I wouldn't (nobody likes to do extra work), but my job is making sure you understand this stuff.

In PowerPoint D, you will encounter a lot of stats and quotes. You will take 4 statistics and 1 quote and say what they mean - not what they are.

For example, if we look at US oil imports,

http://www.gravmag.com/imports.shtml

you can see who the US gets most of its imports from.

Just listing it is what. I want that, but I REALLY WANT YOU TO TELL ME WHY.

Telling me if it's a good thing or bad thing and why that is are the things that I'm looking for.

For example, are the countries we get oil from hostile to us? Could things happen to the oil along the way? Start thinking big picture stuff.

The quote must be incorporated, expressed for understanding, and truly flow within the paragraph. This isn't easy, but it's the backbone of all good writing skills when it comes to writing research papers. Trust me; I help seniors at college that can't do this. I want to make you shine in a way that says you're better than the others (and I know that you have the ability to be great). That's why I push you.

I am available to help you on Monday from 730-845 in room B311. I'll be there from 10-1145 as well. However, when Tuesday comes, I won't be available until the following Monday at the same times.

December 6th from 10-9 is the last Barnes and Nobles Day. There is no grammar help there; I am only assisting on MLA. Please come for help if possible or make other arrangements for at school help.

Now, I definitely want your first paragraphs on Tuesday. However, you can impress me with outlines, URLs (I need to approve these anyway), and started essays and pre-writing steps (such as what you know, what you want to know, and notes).

Remember - more isn't better on the URLs. You need the 2 original articles. You need 2 URLs. However, you don't need a lot more URLs than that. Besides, most of them say the same thing over and over again. You also need 1 print source and 1 other source (can be a print or web source or even a non-fiction dvd).

The Aron Ralston video will be available for in library watching on Monday.

For those of you doing Clemente or Robinson, you can get the Ken Burns baseball videos (for Jackie - the 40's and 50's - for Clemente the 60's). You can use www.youtube.com as well. If it shows you the guy or gal in a positive way, use it as a web source!

Don't forget to finish your journals and www.mywritinglab.com ASAP.

I think this clarifies all things.

If not, please ask.

You pay to have access to me.

Please ask away.

After 4 today (Saturday), I will be available from 4-8 tomorrow night (Sunday) and then again Monday until 8 (via e-mail).

Stuff to do for the Break

First and foremost, if you want to practice the final exam, you can read this article.
Write a 6-paragraph essay to MY STANDARDS (the ones that will bring success in college) based on the author's intention. All things need to be where I have told you all along. There is no use of I, we, you, our, us, etc. in this paper.

++++

Second, go on Angel online and get the following materials:
Research Process SQ3R
COM051 Researching
Prewriting
Making Statistics Say Something More Exciting
Making Statistics Say Something Remedial

The first 4 will be gone over in class and reread for clarity and understanding. You don't get these by hearing them once. You must read and reread them to understand this process. This class isn't easy. You have to work for this.

The 4th is your homework.

You will need to look through that and incorporate statistics and quotes.
You will need to paraphrase quotes.

All of the statistics come from this site.

You will need to take 4 statistics and 1 quote and make them your own.
You will learn how to do this in Making Statistics Say Something More Exciting.

The original version of this PowerPoint is available if you still need help, but is not required.

All statistics must be paraphrased IN YOUR OWN WORDS.
The quote must be incorporated and flow within the concepts that it expresses.

These will be due the Tuesday you come back from vacation.

Doing these assignments well will give you some of the abilities that you need to pass this class.

Really.

++++

In addition, you were given 2 sets of requirements for essay writing. Read and understand them both thoroughly. I may pop quiz you on Tuesday (meaning, I'm going to pop quiz you and you will have to know - there are no open notes for this test).

The PowerPoint entitled The Meaning of Words will help you understand #22&23 of Issues in Your Paper version 4.

Fill out the outline paper. Fill out the Requirements for the Research Paper paper. Create a first paragraph. From here on out, things are really intense.

We don't have much time left. You need to take the time that you have off to work ahead.

You can't create a research essay on the spot.
Really.

I want you to do well.

Stick with the plan, and good things can come.

What a difference 14 years makes.

On November 17, 1995 (at 1040am), I was getting out of the Air Force. What were you doing with your life?

The point is not to say that the Air Force was or is the answer (or isn't for that matter), but it's just interesting to think that the lives we are living become so rapidly different so quickly and all the things that we think are so important one day change.

For that matter, the things we work to become continue to define us in the now and one day we wake up and we're completely different people.

I'm just saying.