Article Critique on Jackie, Kwame, Abe, or Anne due by Wednesday night at 6pm (must have TYPED rough draft that you show corrections on). You MAY NOT choose your own person. You may not use Valeen since I gave you a sample where I used her.
Work Cited Page:
Author's Last Name, first name. Article (in quotes). Web Magazine (in italics). Date created. Web. Date accessed. URL (I require this for my entries EVEN THOUGH Purdue Owl doesn't want it there). These are double spaced. Hit enter at the end of each line to tab in line 2,3, etc.
See info you got in class. See how to write article critiques PPT and Word Document.
See my sample essay on Jackie Robinson for what this looks like in real life.
Anne Frank paper will be returned to you.
Kwame James redo will be returned to you.
Redos of Lincoln are due.
Journal 7 for Monday!
My Writing Lab!!
Monday, July 18, 2011
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Anne Frank essay due by Monday night at 6pm (must have TYPED rough draft that you show corrections on).
Work Cited Page:
Author's Last Name, first name. Article (in quotes). Web Magazine (in italics). Date created. Web. Date accessed. URL (I require this for my entries EVEN THOUGH Purdue Owl doesn't want it there). These are double spaced. Hit enter at the end of each line to tab in line 2,3, etc.
See Kevin's sample essay on Jackie Robinson for what this looks like in real life.
Valeen Schnurr article for Monday at 6am (quiz is on Angel).
Abraham Lincoln paper will be returned to you.
Journal 6!
My Writing Lab!!
Work Cited Page:
Author's Last Name, first name. Article (in quotes). Web Magazine (in italics). Date created. Web. Date accessed. URL (I require this for my entries EVEN THOUGH Purdue Owl doesn't want it there). These are double spaced. Hit enter at the end of each line to tab in line 2,3, etc.
See Kevin's sample essay on Jackie Robinson for what this looks like in real life.
Valeen Schnurr article for Monday at 6am (quiz is on Angel).
Abraham Lincoln paper will be returned to you.
Journal 6!
My Writing Lab!!
Monday, July 11, 2011
Abraham Lincoln essay due by Wednesday night at 6pm (must have TYPED rough draft that you show corrections on).
Work Cited Page:
Author's Last Name, first name. Article (in quotes). Web Magazine (in italics). Date created. Web. Date accessed. URL (I require this for my entries EVEN THOUGH Purdue Owl doesn't want it there). These are double spaced. Hit enter at the end of each line to tab in line 2,3, etc.
See Kevin's sample essay on Jackie Robinson for what this looks like in real life.
Anne Frank article for Wednesday at 6am (quiz is on Angel).
Kwame James paper will be returned to you.
Journal 5!
My Writing Lab!!
Work Cited Page:
Author's Last Name, first name. Article (in quotes). Web Magazine (in italics). Date created. Web. Date accessed. URL (I require this for my entries EVEN THOUGH Purdue Owl doesn't want it there). These are double spaced. Hit enter at the end of each line to tab in line 2,3, etc.
See Kevin's sample essay on Jackie Robinson for what this looks like in real life.
Anne Frank article for Wednesday at 6am (quiz is on Angel).
Kwame James paper will be returned to you.
Journal 5!
My Writing Lab!!
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Kwame James essay due by Monday night at 6pm (must have TYPED rough draft that you show corrections on).
Work Cited Page:
Author's Last Name, first name. Article (in quotes). Web Magazine (in italics). Date created. Web. Date accessed. URL (I require this for my entries EVEN THOUGH Purdue Owl doesn't want it there). These are double spaced. Hit enter at the end of each line to tab in line 2,3, etc.
See Kevin's sample essay on Jackie Robinson for what this looks like in real life.
Abraham Lincoln article (this 1 - not the side bar 1) for Monday at 6am (quiz is on Angel).
Redos of hero 5 paragraph paper will be returned to you.
Journal 4!
My Writing Lab!!
Enjoy goofy sci-fi / monster movies in Phoenixville at Blobfest!!
The water lillies are in full bloom at Longwood Gardens also. They're INCREDIBLE.
Have a good 1 - I will be in West Virginia and out of touch from Friday at 3pm until Monday morning at 9am.
Work Cited Page:
Author's Last Name, first name. Article (in quotes). Web Magazine (in italics). Date created. Web. Date accessed. URL (I require this for my entries EVEN THOUGH Purdue Owl doesn't want it there). These are double spaced. Hit enter at the end of each line to tab in line 2,3, etc.
See Kevin's sample essay on Jackie Robinson for what this looks like in real life.
Abraham Lincoln article (this 1 - not the side bar 1) for Monday at 6am (quiz is on Angel).
Redos of hero 5 paragraph paper will be returned to you.
Journal 4!
My Writing Lab!!
Enjoy goofy sci-fi / monster movies in Phoenixville at Blobfest!!
The water lillies are in full bloom at Longwood Gardens also. They're INCREDIBLE.
Have a good 1 - I will be in West Virginia and out of touch from Friday at 3pm until Monday morning at 9am.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Kwame James quiz by Wednesday morning at 6am.
Redos of hero 5 paragraph paper by Wednesday start of class.
Journal 3!
My Writing Lab!!
Enjoy the time off and the picnics and the family and the friends and the fireworks!!!
Come back refreshed and ready for the stretch run!!!!
Redos of hero 5 paragraph paper by Wednesday start of class.
Journal 3!
My Writing Lab!!
Enjoy the time off and the picnics and the family and the friends and the fireworks!!!
Come back refreshed and ready for the stretch run!!!!
Monday, June 27, 2011
We are going to learn how to do outlining.
While I KNOW that you should see this place that we are doing, I have chosen to do this place more for its repetitive nature (everything is a canyon) and for its spellings that are in Navajo and Hebrew.
Really!! Yep - it's meant to confuse you!! It's important that I do this in practice - it will keep you from getting mixed up in reality.
To do the outline, we will watch a video of the national parks of the Colorado Plateau (if you were not in class, the video is in the library - you must watch it there).
The thesis is the Roman numberal (I).
Each place (1 national park, 1 national monument, and 1 other place) is a capital letter (since it is the forecast). These have sufficient subdivisions (at least 3 regular numbers that are listed in order of importance) under it with at least 2 descriptive details (lower case letters).
You will have your places arranged like this (according to the sample outline set up paper):
I. Other Places
A. Ricketts Glen State Park
1. Waterfalls
a. Harrison Wright
b. B. Reynolds
c. Ganoga
2. Trails
a. Waterfall Trail
b. Bulldozer Trail
c. Hemlock trail
3. Other pursuits
a. Fishing on Lake Jean
b. Snowmobiling
c. Picnics
d. Camping
While I can't show tabbing here, these must be tabbed appropriately (each different type of division - capital letters, lower case letters, and regular numbers) are tabbed over 1 additional tab from where the last level went to.
I have a lot of additional video of these places here. By virtue of being alive and in college in 2011, you know how to search these places out on youtube and google. You can find other video for all kinds of places. I recommend seeing as many of these places as you can.
I also have pictures of these places here.
A good website with lots of info on the Colorado Plateau is here.
If I could take great pictures instead of just really good ones, I would be hosting this website.
Both video and pictures include Zion National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, Arches National Park, Mesa Verde National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, Waterholes Canyon, the Wave, Antelope Canyon, Ute Mountain Tribal Park, In the Desert Solitaire (a reference to Edward Abbey's incredible book entitled Desert Solitaire), Clear Creek Canyon, and Paria Canyon. Not all of these are on the video, but not all of these are meant for casual hikers.
I KNOW WHICH PLACES ARE IN MY VIDEO AND WHICH ARE ON THE WEB. SINCE WE ARE ONLY CORRECTING AN OUTLINE, WE DON'T NEED TO GO OUTSIDE OF THE IMAGES AND IDEAS WE HAVE WATCHED. WE MAY NEED TO CHECK SPELLING OR FACTS, BUT AS A WHOLE, WE DON'T NEED TO GET SUPER IN DEPTH.
My journeys to the Wave and my finally making it into this geographic wonder are the most influential journeys I have been on since graduating from RACC and Alvernia College to become a teacher. From not getting to this destination on 3 different occasions, the 4th time became a defining moment in my life.
Here, it is.
My 3 videos of my trip to the Wave (story to follow).
While I KNOW that you should see this place that we are doing, I have chosen to do this place more for its repetitive nature (everything is a canyon) and for its spellings that are in Navajo and Hebrew.
Really!! Yep - it's meant to confuse you!! It's important that I do this in practice - it will keep you from getting mixed up in reality.
To do the outline, we will watch a video of the national parks of the Colorado Plateau (if you were not in class, the video is in the library - you must watch it there).
The thesis is the Roman numberal (I).Each place (1 national park, 1 national monument, and 1 other place) is a capital letter (since it is the forecast). These have sufficient subdivisions (at least 3 regular numbers that are listed in order of importance) under it with at least 2 descriptive details (lower case letters).
You will have your places arranged like this (according to the sample outline set up paper):
I. Other Places
A. Ricketts Glen State Park
1. Waterfalls
a. Harrison Wright
b. B. Reynolds
c. Ganoga
2. Trails
a. Waterfall Trail
b. Bulldozer Trail
c. Hemlock trail
3. Other pursuits
a. Fishing on Lake Jean
b. Snowmobiling
c. Picnics
d. Camping
While I can't show tabbing here, these must be tabbed appropriately (each different type of division - capital letters, lower case letters, and regular numbers) are tabbed over 1 additional tab from where the last level went to.
I have a lot of additional video of these places here. By virtue of being alive and in college in 2011, you know how to search these places out on youtube and google. You can find other video for all kinds of places. I recommend seeing as many of these places as you can.
I also have pictures of these places here.
A good website with lots of info on the Colorado Plateau is here.
If I could take great pictures instead of just really good ones, I would be hosting this website.
Both video and pictures include Zion National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, Arches National Park, Mesa Verde National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, Waterholes Canyon, the Wave, Antelope Canyon, Ute Mountain Tribal Park, In the Desert Solitaire (a reference to Edward Abbey's incredible book entitled Desert Solitaire), Clear Creek Canyon, and Paria Canyon. Not all of these are on the video, but not all of these are meant for casual hikers.
I KNOW WHICH PLACES ARE IN MY VIDEO AND WHICH ARE ON THE WEB. SINCE WE ARE ONLY CORRECTING AN OUTLINE, WE DON'T NEED TO GO OUTSIDE OF THE IMAGES AND IDEAS WE HAVE WATCHED. WE MAY NEED TO CHECK SPELLING OR FACTS, BUT AS A WHOLE, WE DON'T NEED TO GET SUPER IN DEPTH.
My journeys to the Wave and my finally making it into this geographic wonder are the most influential journeys I have been on since graduating from RACC and Alvernia College to become a teacher. From not getting to this destination on 3 different occasions, the 4th time became a defining moment in my life.
Here, it is.
My 3 videos of my trip to the Wave (story to follow).
Monday, June 20, 2011
Week 2 deadlines
Jackie Robinson article and quiz to be read and quizzed by Monday June 27th in the morning at 6am.
On Wednesday June 22 at 5pm, I will screen the Jackie Robinson sections of Ken Burns Baseball. It's not mandatory, but if you want to see the article brought to life, come to the classroom at 5pm.
Week 2 journal (smart students will finish all journals ASAP) by Monday June 27th AT THE START OF CLASS (6PM).
Keep working on grammar.
Keep working on My Writing Lab (smart students won't procrastinate on this because they know those students who do will be marked for not passing).
Hero 5 paragraph essay + typed rough draft by Monday June 27th in the morning at 6am. The rough draft must be edited and significantly different than the final draft. You must mark them clearly as to which is the final and which is the rough draft. This is due the minute class starts (6pm). If you're late, you don't get a redo. This can be handed in up to 1 week late for credit. After that, you will fail the class for not handing it in as you haven't met the standards of the class and there will be no way you can catch up on classwork with this being a summer class. You will be advised to drop the class immediately.
If you have questions, please send them ASAP.
On Wednesday June 22 at 5pm, I will screen the Jackie Robinson sections of Ken Burns Baseball. It's not mandatory, but if you want to see the article brought to life, come to the classroom at 5pm.
Week 2 journal (smart students will finish all journals ASAP) by Monday June 27th AT THE START OF CLASS (6PM).
Keep working on grammar.
Keep working on My Writing Lab (smart students won't procrastinate on this because they know those students who do will be marked for not passing).
Hero 5 paragraph essay + typed rough draft by Monday June 27th in the morning at 6am. The rough draft must be edited and significantly different than the final draft. You must mark them clearly as to which is the final and which is the rough draft. This is due the minute class starts (6pm). If you're late, you don't get a redo. This can be handed in up to 1 week late for credit. After that, you will fail the class for not handing it in as you haven't met the standards of the class and there will be no way you can catch up on classwork with this being a summer class. You will be advised to drop the class immediately.
If you have questions, please send them ASAP.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Links for class
http://www.adanglassworld.org/Coppermine/ - your teacher's travel pictures.
http://www.onlymypride.blogspot.com/ - your teacher's COM121 website - links to many useful things on the sidebar.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Welcome to COM051!!
If you are reading this, then you are completing the homework, which was to see the class site on the web that would be this for help and information.
All you have to do is send me ALL OF THE INFORMATION FROM THE APPROPRIATELY MARKED SPOT in an e-mail with YOUR NAME BEHIND the appropriate places before the next class (NO NAME BEHIND EACH PART, NO CREDIT - BE SURE TO READ EVERYTHING), and I will give you 10 points. For another 10 bonus points, you will have a question that you will need to answer and provide a URL of where you found it at the end.
For those students that are interested in my favorite books, they are here. I definitely recommend all of those and many other books. Ask me if you have any questions on them.
CUT AND PASTE FROM HERE FOR ASSIGNMENT CREDIT
MUST BE E-MAILED.
1. All students should talk to the people who they care about and those people that care for them and discuss what the commitment of college means. Just because you're an adult doesn't mean that people shouldn't be putting your good grades on the refrigerator or giving you a pat on the back for doing well. Just because teachers don't always do this doesn't mean that we don't care, but you do need to impress people. Did you do this? ___________
2. Going to college means jumping through hoops. Plan to get 3 names for your resume during your experience here. These names aren't "friends." They're professionals with letters in front of and behind their names. You don't need an A to have a reference, but you do have to impress people by doing your best. This doesn't mean kissing a teacher's butt, either. Just do your best and let people help you to success. Really. Are you prepared to do this? _________
3. Going to college means taking care of yourself. Eat healthy, get enough sleep, do fun things, balance your schedule, go to the FREE gym that is on campus, set goals, and get rid of the negative influences in your life. On top of this, use the facilities at this school to make the decision to be great. Are you doing what this and your College Success Strategies and College Study Skills tell you? _________
4. I have found that two things in my life will ALWAYS give me problems: 1) thinking I know something and 2) doing things solely for the $. In this, I pass this advice on to you: 1) "don't think - it can only hurt the ball club" (BULL DURHAM) - know or find out, and 2) do things that you're good at and dedicated to because they make you happy. Just because a job can earn you a lot of $ doesn't mean that you would be good at it or have the abilities to do it. You can see advisers to find out a career or major for you. You can access a lot of things here, and by all means, you should do them. If you want to do something, give it your all, and with that, you should try your hardest (especially if you don't like a class and it's needed to complete your major), but if you find that a major isn't for you, then you should seek out something that is. Are you willing to dedicate yourself to a pursuit that you can excel at and make a difference at? __________
5. In this class, you will write lots of papers. These are not artworks. They're not the ink and paper forms of living beings. They are simply papers. You're paying to learn to do something well that you obviously need to learn. I needed to learn to write as a student, and you now need to learn to write as a student. A critique of your paper is just that - a critique of your paper. It's not a statement that you're a horrible person. My job is to improve your writing. If I don't tell you what can be better, you'll just be the same now as you were then. That doesn't work in my books. Also, writing papers about things that we're so committed to and thinking that every word is a work of art or an expression of love or sadness for some person or event keeps us from realizing that some things need to alter or be removed to have a successful paper. This is something that we learn in all the things that we do. Are you prepared to learn from criticism not being critical about you - it's not the same and to make the changes that you need to be great at college and in life? ________________
6. Have you accessed Angel Online, which is where I house many handouts? Whether you use this or not to look at assignments, you have been assigned to use it and are responsible for what is contained within this site. You will be held responsible accordingly. __________________
7. Now that you're sending me your e-mail, are you prepared to continually see this site for homework, to contact me for help, to use peer help systems, to keep up with current events, to read often and for fun, and to faithfully keep up with your work for the 10 weeks of this class? _______________
All you have to do is send me ALL OF THE INFORMATION FROM THE APPROPRIATELY MARKED SPOT in an e-mail with YOUR NAME BEHIND the appropriate places before the next class (NO NAME BEHIND EACH PART, NO CREDIT - BE SURE TO READ EVERYTHING), and I will give you 10 points. For another 10 bonus points, you will have a question that you will need to answer and provide a URL of where you found it at the end.
For those students that are interested in my favorite books, they are here. I definitely recommend all of those and many other books. Ask me if you have any questions on them.
CUT AND PASTE FROM HERE FOR ASSIGNMENT CREDIT
MUST BE E-MAILED.
1. All students should talk to the people who they care about and those people that care for them and discuss what the commitment of college means. Just because you're an adult doesn't mean that people shouldn't be putting your good grades on the refrigerator or giving you a pat on the back for doing well. Just because teachers don't always do this doesn't mean that we don't care, but you do need to impress people. Did you do this? ___________
2. Going to college means jumping through hoops. Plan to get 3 names for your resume during your experience here. These names aren't "friends." They're professionals with letters in front of and behind their names. You don't need an A to have a reference, but you do have to impress people by doing your best. This doesn't mean kissing a teacher's butt, either. Just do your best and let people help you to success. Really. Are you prepared to do this? _________
3. Going to college means taking care of yourself. Eat healthy, get enough sleep, do fun things, balance your schedule, go to the FREE gym that is on campus, set goals, and get rid of the negative influences in your life. On top of this, use the facilities at this school to make the decision to be great. Are you doing what this and your College Success Strategies and College Study Skills tell you? _________
4. I have found that two things in my life will ALWAYS give me problems: 1) thinking I know something and 2) doing things solely for the $. In this, I pass this advice on to you: 1) "don't think - it can only hurt the ball club" (BULL DURHAM) - know or find out, and 2) do things that you're good at and dedicated to because they make you happy. Just because a job can earn you a lot of $ doesn't mean that you would be good at it or have the abilities to do it. You can see advisers to find out a career or major for you. You can access a lot of things here, and by all means, you should do them. If you want to do something, give it your all, and with that, you should try your hardest (especially if you don't like a class and it's needed to complete your major), but if you find that a major isn't for you, then you should seek out something that is. Are you willing to dedicate yourself to a pursuit that you can excel at and make a difference at? __________
5. In this class, you will write lots of papers. These are not artworks. They're not the ink and paper forms of living beings. They are simply papers. You're paying to learn to do something well that you obviously need to learn. I needed to learn to write as a student, and you now need to learn to write as a student. A critique of your paper is just that - a critique of your paper. It's not a statement that you're a horrible person. My job is to improve your writing. If I don't tell you what can be better, you'll just be the same now as you were then. That doesn't work in my books. Also, writing papers about things that we're so committed to and thinking that every word is a work of art or an expression of love or sadness for some person or event keeps us from realizing that some things need to alter or be removed to have a successful paper. This is something that we learn in all the things that we do. Are you prepared to learn from criticism not being critical about you - it's not the same and to make the changes that you need to be great at college and in life? ________________
6. Have you accessed Angel Online, which is where I house many handouts? Whether you use this or not to look at assignments, you have been assigned to use it and are responsible for what is contained within this site. You will be held responsible accordingly. __________________
7. Now that you're sending me your e-mail, are you prepared to continually see this site for homework, to contact me for help, to use peer help systems, to keep up with current events, to read often and for fun, and to faithfully keep up with your work for the 10 weeks of this class? _______________
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Assignments for week 1
1. Death of an Innocent (read and online quiz) by Monday morning at 6am.
2. Issues in Your Paper (read and online quiz) by Monday morning at 6am.
3. Journal rules (read and online quiz) by Monday morning at 6am.
4. First week journal (online drop box) by Monday morning at 6am.
5. Go to the link on Survey Monkey and take my survey ASAP (after the other things on this list).
6. Go to Angel Online - sign in and e-mail me from there.
7. Get set up on My Writing Lab and take the ENTIRE warm up test by Monday morning at 6am.
ANY QUESTIONS? Consult your Sid Stocker handout and / or contact me IMMEDIATELY.
Summer classes are too short to not know what you're doing or to not do things.
2. Issues in Your Paper (read and online quiz) by Monday morning at 6am.
3. Journal rules (read and online quiz) by Monday morning at 6am.
4. First week journal (online drop box) by Monday morning at 6am.
5. Go to the link on Survey Monkey and take my survey ASAP (after the other things on this list).
6. Go to Angel Online - sign in and e-mail me from there.
7. Get set up on My Writing Lab and take the ENTIRE warm up test by Monday morning at 6am.
ANY QUESTIONS? Consult your Sid Stocker handout and / or contact me IMMEDIATELY.
Summer classes are too short to not know what you're doing or to not do things.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Final stuff for the class.
Don't forget - I need what you know, what you want to know, an outline, notes, and a rough draft with your paper.
This is worth 50 points.
Everything gets turned in tomorrow.
If you want to know the answers to any questions, please let me know ASAP. I'll be answering until 10pm tonight.
Get the grade that you want and deserve!
This is worth 50 points.
Everything gets turned in tomorrow.
If you want to know the answers to any questions, please let me know ASAP. I'll be answering until 10pm tonight.
Get the grade that you want and deserve!
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Week 6-8 Schedule
July 21 - July 28 – MLA and essay writing skills
July 29 – Review of grammar by letting you go online and finish the www.mywritinglab.com post test (or time in class to work on completing lessons from said website).
August 2 – Grammar Test of everything that you learned along the way from me and from www.mywritinglab.com .
August 3 – In class time to ask me whatever questions you have about your final essay, which is due tomorrow at the beginning of class.
August 4 - Final exam that leaves you finished with COM051. Since you have worked hard, you get to enjoy the rest of the year without any more papers or anything like that to worry about. Congratulations! You’re through with your first semester and you have achieved success. I am very proud of you. If you don’t have a final essay, you will automatically fail this class. Don’t let this happen.
July 29 – Review of grammar by letting you go online and finish the www.mywritinglab.com post test (or time in class to work on completing lessons from said website).
August 2 – Grammar Test of everything that you learned along the way from me and from www.mywritinglab.com .
August 3 – In class time to ask me whatever questions you have about your final essay, which is due tomorrow at the beginning of class.
August 4 - Final exam that leaves you finished with COM051. Since you have worked hard, you get to enjoy the rest of the year without any more papers or anything like that to worry about. Congratulations! You’re through with your first semester and you have achieved success. I am very proud of you. If you don’t have a final essay, you will automatically fail this class. Don’t let this happen.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Mid Term on Monday - DIRECTIONS
You have an article. You need to read chapters 5+6.If you don't have it or you can't read it, then you have several options.
1) Go on Angel in the 7 articles section of materials and get the word file.
2) Go to Borders or Barnes and Nobles and read chapters 5+6. You don't have to buy it; you can just sit there and read it.
2) Go to Borders or Barnes and Nobles and read chapters 5+6. You don't have to buy it; you can just sit there and read it.
When you're done, you will take ONE 3x5 NOTECARD MAX on the information that you will need to do an article critique on the author's reason for writing this article. You are not writing a biography, but you will need details. As I said in class, one sentence sums up the whole article.
Directions are located on the how to do article critiques ppt. (last 3 slides),which is also in the 7 articles section.
You will have 1 class to do this. It must be done in class on Monday.
Question? Contact me ASAP.
Homework for Monday:
1) midterm
3) journals
4) Stephen Hawking essay is due
5) any redo papers that you need to do and that you have gotten permission to do (no permission, no redo - REALLY).
and for Tuesday...
6) the Anne Frank quiz on Angel. This was originally due Monday, but it is now pushed back until Tuesday.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Week 4+5 Schedule
July 6 - Collect the Kwame James essay. We discuss the Valeen Schnurr article and go over the quiz. If you want to do a summary of this story, then you will turn it in Wednesday. No grammar fun today, we’ll be discussing pre-writing and outlines. The assignment for 6am on July 7th is to access the Stephen Hawking quiz online. You will read the article and then answer the questions. This is worth 10 points. http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2008/mar/02/stephen.hawking
July 7- Collect the Valeen Schnurr essay. We discuss the Stephen Hawking article and go over the quiz. If you want to do a summary of this story, then you will turn it in Monday. The rest of the class is doing the in-class National Parks Outline assignment, which is due on July 12th.
July 8 – Today is the in class midterm assignment. You will write a 5-paragraph essay in class based on an article that I will have given you previous to this. You will be allowed to test under the same conditions that you would take the final exam. That’s it. You’ll be exhausted when it’s done, so I’ll send you home to regroup for the next week. The assignment for 6am on July 12th is to access the Anne Frank quiz online. You will read the article and then answer the questions. This is worth 10 points. http://ngadventure.typepad.com/blog/deep-survival-lessons-from-anne-frank.html
July 12 - Collect the Stephen Hawking essay. We discuss the Anne Frank article and go over the quiz. If you want to do a summary of this story, then you will turn it in Wednesday July 14th. When class is all but over, I will go over the midterm. You will then be allowed to individually ask me whatever questions that you have. You will be given a complete assessment of where you stand in class so that you can make up your mind about whether to stay in class or withdraw (should you want the option). I can’t make you withdraw, but I can tell you the reality of where you stand in being able to pass the pass the class.
July 13 – We will work on grammar today after we go over your National Parks Outline assignment. The assignment for 6am on July 14th is to access the Doris Voitier quiz online. You will read the article and then answer the questions. This is worth 10 points.
http://reason.com/archives/2007/08/31/myths-of-hurricane-katrina
July 14 – Collect the Anne Frank Essay. Today, we will do the Civil War note taking assignment (the Cornell Method). This will take the entire class (just about). We discuss the Doris Voitier article and go over the quiz. If you want to do a summary of this story, then you will turn it in Thursday.
July 15 – Collect the Doris Voitier Essay. Assign essay of your choice as an article critique. Begin going over the rules of writing article critiques. This is due on Tuesday July 20th.
July 19 – Questions on rules of article critique writing. Begin to go over how to do MLA research writing – you must have a hero to write an article about by this day.
July 20 – Collect the Article Critique Essay on your choice of the 7 articles that we did together. MLA research writing will be today and every day up to the end.
July 21 - July 28 – MLA and essay writing skills
July 7- Collect the Valeen Schnurr essay. We discuss the Stephen Hawking article and go over the quiz. If you want to do a summary of this story, then you will turn it in Monday. The rest of the class is doing the in-class National Parks Outline assignment, which is due on July 12th.
July 8 – Today is the in class midterm assignment. You will write a 5-paragraph essay in class based on an article that I will have given you previous to this. You will be allowed to test under the same conditions that you would take the final exam. That’s it. You’ll be exhausted when it’s done, so I’ll send you home to regroup for the next week. The assignment for 6am on July 12th is to access the Anne Frank quiz online. You will read the article and then answer the questions. This is worth 10 points. http://ngadventure.typepad.com/blog/deep-survival-lessons-from-anne-frank.html
July 12 - Collect the Stephen Hawking essay. We discuss the Anne Frank article and go over the quiz. If you want to do a summary of this story, then you will turn it in Wednesday July 14th. When class is all but over, I will go over the midterm. You will then be allowed to individually ask me whatever questions that you have. You will be given a complete assessment of where you stand in class so that you can make up your mind about whether to stay in class or withdraw (should you want the option). I can’t make you withdraw, but I can tell you the reality of where you stand in being able to pass the pass the class.
July 13 – We will work on grammar today after we go over your National Parks Outline assignment. The assignment for 6am on July 14th is to access the Doris Voitier quiz online. You will read the article and then answer the questions. This is worth 10 points.
http://reason.com/archives/2007/08/31/myths-of-hurricane-katrina
July 14 – Collect the Anne Frank Essay. Today, we will do the Civil War note taking assignment (the Cornell Method). This will take the entire class (just about). We discuss the Doris Voitier article and go over the quiz. If you want to do a summary of this story, then you will turn it in Thursday.
July 15 – Collect the Doris Voitier Essay. Assign essay of your choice as an article critique. Begin going over the rules of writing article critiques. This is due on Tuesday July 20th.
July 19 – Questions on rules of article critique writing. Begin to go over how to do MLA research writing – you must have a hero to write an article about by this day.
July 20 – Collect the Article Critique Essay on your choice of the 7 articles that we did together. MLA research writing will be today and every day up to the end.
July 21 - July 28 – MLA and essay writing skills
Friday, June 18, 2010
Week 2+3 Schedule
June 21 - We discuss the Jackie Robinson article and go over the quiz. Since YOU HAVE to do a summary of this story (you can choose which 4 heroes you want to do from the next 6 choices, but you must do Jackie Robinson), you will turn it in Thursday. We will discuss how to turn these notes into an essay.
June 22 – Introduction to grammar.
June 23 – Report directly to the library. You will be getting your library tour on this day. You need to know how to use all of these resources ASAP. You will need them for every class that you take, but you will also need them for your final paper. The first papers that you do WILL NOT HAVE ANY outside references, but you may need to look up information to understand the things that you are reading about. For that, it’s better to do this sooner than later.
June 24 – First, we will collect the Jackie Robinson essay. The assignment for 6am on June 28th is to access the Adam Bender quiz online. You will read the article and then answer the questions. This is worth 10 points. http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/e60/news/story?id=3695819 We will finish the class doing a continuation of grammar.
June 28 – We discuss the Adam Bender article and go over the quiz. If you want to do a summary of this story, then you will turn it in Wednesday. We will spend the majority of this class doing a complete discussion of grammar. We will conclude with going over your essays since I DON’T EVER begin class by giving back your essays. This detracts from the learning process, and I need you focused on learning instead of your grade from an assignment past.
June 29 – Lots of grammar fun.
June 30 – Collect the Adam Bender essay. The assignment for 6am on July 1st is to access the Kwame James quiz online. You will read the article and then answer the questions. This is worth 10 points. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writers/the_bonus/08/15/kwame/index.html Still more grammar fun.
July 1 – We discuss the Kwame James article and go over the quiz. If you want to do a summary of this story, then you will turn it in Tuesday. Today’s agenda? Yep – grammar fun. The assignment for 6am on July 6th is to access the Valeen Schnurr quiz online. You will read the article and then answer the questions. This is worth 10 points. http://www.salon.com/news/feature/1999/09/30/bernall/
June 22 – Introduction to grammar.
June 23 – Report directly to the library. You will be getting your library tour on this day. You need to know how to use all of these resources ASAP. You will need them for every class that you take, but you will also need them for your final paper. The first papers that you do WILL NOT HAVE ANY outside references, but you may need to look up information to understand the things that you are reading about. For that, it’s better to do this sooner than later.
June 24 – First, we will collect the Jackie Robinson essay. The assignment for 6am on June 28th is to access the Adam Bender quiz online. You will read the article and then answer the questions. This is worth 10 points. http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/e60/news/story?id=3695819 We will finish the class doing a continuation of grammar.
June 28 – We discuss the Adam Bender article and go over the quiz. If you want to do a summary of this story, then you will turn it in Wednesday. We will spend the majority of this class doing a complete discussion of grammar. We will conclude with going over your essays since I DON’T EVER begin class by giving back your essays. This detracts from the learning process, and I need you focused on learning instead of your grade from an assignment past.
June 29 – Lots of grammar fun.
June 30 – Collect the Adam Bender essay. The assignment for 6am on July 1st is to access the Kwame James quiz online. You will read the article and then answer the questions. This is worth 10 points. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writers/the_bonus/08/15/kwame/index.html Still more grammar fun.
July 1 – We discuss the Kwame James article and go over the quiz. If you want to do a summary of this story, then you will turn it in Tuesday. Today’s agenda? Yep – grammar fun. The assignment for 6am on July 6th is to access the Valeen Schnurr quiz online. You will read the article and then answer the questions. This is worth 10 points. http://www.salon.com/news/feature/1999/09/30/bernall/
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Week 1 Schedule
Basics of College Writing Summer Schedule
Week 1 of class – I meet you! We go over the Bad Letter handout and I explain to you why you need to do well in English (If I can’t tell you this, then the class has no foundation). I tell you to access Angel Online so that you can see the Can You Pass My Class handout with all assignments and rationales on it, the philosophy of education paper (optional), the RACC rules for students (as does every other teacher that you have), and the journals paper (not optional). You will read through the entire journals handout (not optional). I explain to you the syllabus and you will read the To My Students letter (you will sign off on having read this), the Plagiarism explanations, and the Sid Stocker Memorial Assignment Book Page (to be honest, everything you need to prepare yourself for the first week stretch is listed on there). Here you get the link and handout to get into the Angel site for access to my class. Since this class was MARKED AS WEB-ENHANCED, YOU MUST BE ABLE TO GET INTO THIS VERY IMPORTANT INTERNET LOCATION. Not having a computer is not an excuse. If it is, you may want to switch to a class that isn’t web-enhanced since you pay a technology fee to the school, AND you are now accountable to being able to access my items. Thus, you can use RACC’s computers if necessary (they’re not just for Facebook). I also tell you that you should get a USB drive to store all of my attachments on (trees don’t have to die for ALL of the handouts that I give to you (and I give you a lot of handouts and PowerPoints to help improve your chances of success)). We go over the introduction to this class Power Point (also available on Angel, which I’m reiterating you must visit). From there, you must send me an e-mail (the only one that you’ll ever send from the Angel site) to prove that you were there and read the RACC Rules for Students), and you will watch the introduction to my class video. I also assign you to go online and see the class website (www.onlymypride.blogspot.com) and then you send me something from the first entry so that I know that you know where the website is and so that I know what your RACC e-mail is (by your final class of the week – no personal e-mails – just RACC e-mail via SCHOOL POLICY).
I give you the assignment to read Death of an Innocent and take notes for an in-class quiz on Wednesday. (http://outside.away.com/outside/features/1993/1993_into_the_wild_1.html ) On Wednesday, you take the Death of an Innocent quiz. If you aren’t prepared, you lose your first points because I don’t do makeup tests for any reason EVER (since there are extra points built into the system). If you are prepared, you can inflate your grade since I have bonus points on this test. I’m just saying that you might want to read. On Thursday, we go over the Death of an Innocent quiz and watch a bonus features video from the movie.
For the 2nd class of the week, you go online and print out the Right Word handout and the Issues in Your Paper handout. By the end of the week, we will go over this. I CONTINUE TO STRESS the idea of completing your journals early. If you do them, you get full credit. If you procrastinate, you may lose out on “free points” or you will find yourself bogged down when essays are due. I warn you that while you are very smart and capable, equally smart and capable students have failed this class because they procrastinated doing their journals (and other assignments). This goes DOUBLE for www.mywritinglab.com .
On that note, for the final class of the week, you will be set up on www.mywritinglab.com . This is worth points to your final grade. You must be processed in by Thursday AND you must be done with the practice tests by the beginning of class on Monday. These are not short and simple things. Take the time to do it right. If you do, there will be less work to complete later. Really.
We discuss the concept of journals as a whole. We discuss appropriate college writing.
We take a grammar test so that I can see what you know and to see how you improve by the end of the semester. While it does not count towards your final grade, it can be worth points to you if you are the high grade in the room. Otherwise, it is solely for my “learning” purposes and to see how much you improve by first unit’s end. Thus, I can focus on teaching you things that are important to your learning.
That more than covers everything that we will have time for. What we don’t do, we will continue with next week.
I tell you to go online and start looking over the Karate Kid Method of Learning Grammar handout since we begin grammar next week. You will have the choice to print this out and bring it to class or to take your own notes. It’s up to you. I suggest printing it out since I know what makes people pass and fail this class.
If you feel like you have extra time (you probably won’t since the summer term is rushed), you can always look at stuff like the Image Handout and 15 Rules for Class and Life if you want to figure yourself out and learn how to be better at school and life. They’re not required, but they’re there to help you (if not now, then maybe later).
The assignment for 6am on June 21st is to access the Jackie Robinson quiz online. You will read the article and then answer the questions. This is worth 10 points.
http://205.188.238.109/time/time100/heroes/profile/robinson01.html
ASAP, I want you to take the opinion quiz on Survey Monkey Dot Com. Your name is not attached to it, so don’t worry about being “connected” to your opinions. We will use the data from this at a later date. http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/VMFLLNX This may take a while. Give yourself some time to make it happen (30 minutes).
Week 1 of class – I meet you! We go over the Bad Letter handout and I explain to you why you need to do well in English (If I can’t tell you this, then the class has no foundation). I tell you to access Angel Online so that you can see the Can You Pass My Class handout with all assignments and rationales on it, the philosophy of education paper (optional), the RACC rules for students (as does every other teacher that you have), and the journals paper (not optional). You will read through the entire journals handout (not optional). I explain to you the syllabus and you will read the To My Students letter (you will sign off on having read this), the Plagiarism explanations, and the Sid Stocker Memorial Assignment Book Page (to be honest, everything you need to prepare yourself for the first week stretch is listed on there). Here you get the link and handout to get into the Angel site for access to my class. Since this class was MARKED AS WEB-ENHANCED, YOU MUST BE ABLE TO GET INTO THIS VERY IMPORTANT INTERNET LOCATION. Not having a computer is not an excuse. If it is, you may want to switch to a class that isn’t web-enhanced since you pay a technology fee to the school, AND you are now accountable to being able to access my items. Thus, you can use RACC’s computers if necessary (they’re not just for Facebook). I also tell you that you should get a USB drive to store all of my attachments on (trees don’t have to die for ALL of the handouts that I give to you (and I give you a lot of handouts and PowerPoints to help improve your chances of success)). We go over the introduction to this class Power Point (also available on Angel, which I’m reiterating you must visit). From there, you must send me an e-mail (the only one that you’ll ever send from the Angel site) to prove that you were there and read the RACC Rules for Students), and you will watch the introduction to my class video. I also assign you to go online and see the class website (www.onlymypride.blogspot.com) and then you send me something from the first entry so that I know that you know where the website is and so that I know what your RACC e-mail is (by your final class of the week – no personal e-mails – just RACC e-mail via SCHOOL POLICY).
I give you the assignment to read Death of an Innocent and take notes for an in-class quiz on Wednesday. (http://outside.away.com/outside/features/1993/1993_into_the_wild_1.html ) On Wednesday, you take the Death of an Innocent quiz. If you aren’t prepared, you lose your first points because I don’t do makeup tests for any reason EVER (since there are extra points built into the system). If you are prepared, you can inflate your grade since I have bonus points on this test. I’m just saying that you might want to read. On Thursday, we go over the Death of an Innocent quiz and watch a bonus features video from the movie.
For the 2nd class of the week, you go online and print out the Right Word handout and the Issues in Your Paper handout. By the end of the week, we will go over this. I CONTINUE TO STRESS the idea of completing your journals early. If you do them, you get full credit. If you procrastinate, you may lose out on “free points” or you will find yourself bogged down when essays are due. I warn you that while you are very smart and capable, equally smart and capable students have failed this class because they procrastinated doing their journals (and other assignments). This goes DOUBLE for www.mywritinglab.com .
On that note, for the final class of the week, you will be set up on www.mywritinglab.com . This is worth points to your final grade. You must be processed in by Thursday AND you must be done with the practice tests by the beginning of class on Monday. These are not short and simple things. Take the time to do it right. If you do, there will be less work to complete later. Really.
We discuss the concept of journals as a whole. We discuss appropriate college writing.
We take a grammar test so that I can see what you know and to see how you improve by the end of the semester. While it does not count towards your final grade, it can be worth points to you if you are the high grade in the room. Otherwise, it is solely for my “learning” purposes and to see how much you improve by first unit’s end. Thus, I can focus on teaching you things that are important to your learning.
That more than covers everything that we will have time for. What we don’t do, we will continue with next week.
I tell you to go online and start looking over the Karate Kid Method of Learning Grammar handout since we begin grammar next week. You will have the choice to print this out and bring it to class or to take your own notes. It’s up to you. I suggest printing it out since I know what makes people pass and fail this class.
If you feel like you have extra time (you probably won’t since the summer term is rushed), you can always look at stuff like the Image Handout and 15 Rules for Class and Life if you want to figure yourself out and learn how to be better at school and life. They’re not required, but they’re there to help you (if not now, then maybe later).
The assignment for 6am on June 21st is to access the Jackie Robinson quiz online. You will read the article and then answer the questions. This is worth 10 points.
http://205.188.238.109/time/time100/heroes/profile/robinson01.html
ASAP, I want you to take the opinion quiz on Survey Monkey Dot Com. Your name is not attached to it, so don’t worry about being “connected” to your opinions. We will use the data from this at a later date. http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/VMFLLNX This may take a while. Give yourself some time to make it happen (30 minutes).
Friday, May 14, 2010
Someone who impresses me.
Blindness no barrier to degree for Alvernia University student
Grad school ahead for Luis Fontanez Jr. after graduation from Alvernia University with psychology degree
By Greta Cuyler
Luis M. Fontanez Jr. of Muhlenberg Township will graduate from Alvernia University on Saturday.
Seven years after Luis M. Fontanez Jr. went completely blind, he's set to graduate magna cum laude from Alvernia University on Saturday.
It's been a tough but triumphant road for Luis, 26.
The son of Anna E. and Luis M. Fontanez Sr. of Muhlenberg Township, Luis was 4 years old when he lost vision in his left eye to congenital glaucoma.
And as a junior at Reading High School in the fall of 2000, he was hit in the right eye during an impromptu game of dodgeball.
A few months later he was diagnosed with a detached retina, likely caused by a miniscule tear when the ball hit his eye.
Despite six surgeries over nearly two years, doctors could not save Luis' sight.
"The vision loss was very rapid," Luis said. "Every day I woke up I was able to see less and less. It was as if the lights were being turned out one light bulb at a time."
Luis said he summoned inner strength when he lost his sight completely at age 19.
"I decided there was only one way for a blind, Hispanic man to make his way in life," he said. "And it wasn't sitting in my room feeling sorry for myself. It was going to be going to college and studying and doing something with my life."
Luis earned an associate degree in liberal arts from Reading Area Community College in 2006 and enrolled at Alvernia in 2008.
He earned a nearly straight-A average and will graduate with a bachelor's degree in psychology and a minor in history. Luis plans to attend graduate school and become a school counselor.
Before he lost his sight, Luis earned his high school diploma from Reading High in June 2002.
He got a mobility cane in January 2003, a month after his 19th birthday. Two months after that, he started classes at RACC.
A mobility specialist from the state Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services helped him get a feel for the layout of both the RACC and Alvernia campuses through guided tours, but Luis learned to expertly navigate on his own through trial and error, he said.
With accommodations provided under the Americans with Disabilities Act, Luis says he's been like any other college student.
He learns course material by attending class and tape-recording lectures. He listens to textbooks on compact disc. He uses a laptop computer that reads aloud each letter as he types. Test questions are read to him and he either responds orally or by typing on his laptop.
"Any blind student can be successful here as long as you're willing to work hard enough and have the drive and determination to be a successful college student," Luis said.
Grad school ahead for Luis Fontanez Jr. after graduation from Alvernia University with psychology degree
By Greta Cuyler
Luis M. Fontanez Jr. of Muhlenberg Township will graduate from Alvernia University on Saturday.
Seven years after Luis M. Fontanez Jr. went completely blind, he's set to graduate magna cum laude from Alvernia University on Saturday.
It's been a tough but triumphant road for Luis, 26.
The son of Anna E. and Luis M. Fontanez Sr. of Muhlenberg Township, Luis was 4 years old when he lost vision in his left eye to congenital glaucoma.
And as a junior at Reading High School in the fall of 2000, he was hit in the right eye during an impromptu game of dodgeball.
A few months later he was diagnosed with a detached retina, likely caused by a miniscule tear when the ball hit his eye.
Despite six surgeries over nearly two years, doctors could not save Luis' sight.
"The vision loss was very rapid," Luis said. "Every day I woke up I was able to see less and less. It was as if the lights were being turned out one light bulb at a time."
Luis said he summoned inner strength when he lost his sight completely at age 19.
"I decided there was only one way for a blind, Hispanic man to make his way in life," he said. "And it wasn't sitting in my room feeling sorry for myself. It was going to be going to college and studying and doing something with my life."
Luis earned an associate degree in liberal arts from Reading Area Community College in 2006 and enrolled at Alvernia in 2008.
He earned a nearly straight-A average and will graduate with a bachelor's degree in psychology and a minor in history. Luis plans to attend graduate school and become a school counselor.
Before he lost his sight, Luis earned his high school diploma from Reading High in June 2002.
He got a mobility cane in January 2003, a month after his 19th birthday. Two months after that, he started classes at RACC.
A mobility specialist from the state Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services helped him get a feel for the layout of both the RACC and Alvernia campuses through guided tours, but Luis learned to expertly navigate on his own through trial and error, he said.
With accommodations provided under the Americans with Disabilities Act, Luis says he's been like any other college student.
He learns course material by attending class and tape-recording lectures. He listens to textbooks on compact disc. He uses a laptop computer that reads aloud each letter as he types. Test questions are read to him and he either responds orally or by typing on his laptop.
"Any blind student can be successful here as long as you're willing to work hard enough and have the drive and determination to be a successful college student," Luis said.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
First and foremost, I am looking forward to helping all of you tomorrow. I TRULY WANT YOU TO DO WELL AND TO PASS THIS CLASS. If I can't help you tomorrow, contact me early for help during the week. I know that time will fill up quickly, so make sure if you can't be there that you get an appointment early. I WILL NOT HELP WITH ESSAY REVISIONS VIA E-MAIL, BUT I WILL ANSWER QUESTIONS THAT DON'T PERTAIN TO PROOFREADING YOUR ACTUAL ESSAY.
Second, no matter what the weather is, I will be there. I promise. I'll be there from 10-9 with exception of 1-130 and 5-530. I have to eat some time. The store closes at 9 and I will have been out of my house from about 9am. Thus, I'm leaving PROMPTLY at 9. At some point in my life, I need to spend time with my wife.
For those who don't know the process, I take appointments when I'm there. You can't ask in advance, so you just show up and hope that nobody is there at that time or prepare yourself to wait. In help sessions past, I've had so many people there that it could be a wait that is over 1 hour. You may want to bring something to do. In sessions past, lots of people have been there at the opening and many have been there after I ate. It all depends. I tend to give 15-20 minutes per person depending on what people need. Sometimes, I take longer. Sometimes, not so much. It all depends.
The best time for a guaranteed time is right after lunch. You may not get seen right away, but you won't get shut out. I expect lots of people early and if lots of people show up late, I WON'T GUARANTEE that you will get seen. For example, if I have 8 people waiting at 7, and you show up at 730, you're out of luck. Once I fill up for the day with 20 minutes between appointments, you're going to have to figure something out before Thursday (COM051) or Friday (COM121). At the most, I have had nearly 30 people from 4 classes show up. This semester, I'm averaging 15-20 people per day. The last session is always the busiest session.
The day your essays are due, there won't be any help since you won't be able to finish it anyway. Remember, your essays are due that day. The reason my standards are so firm as to when things are due is that is what your future boss will expect. In that, I'm training you to be able to be persistent and depenadble when it comes to doing what you need to do. That gets you consideration that many people don't have. In the end, that's what counts.
I am only correcting MLA (COM051) and APA (COM121). I WILL NOT look at grammar. At this point, you should have that on your own. I also WILL NOT look at a computer screen to correct your essay. I'm not a laptop guy, so make sure I have a printout to look at. Bring printed URLs so that I can see what you have as far as research. This will allow me to make sure your essay is cited properly as well. If you don't have a Works Cited / References page, I can't do ANYTHING for you. I need to see the sources that you're claiming credit for having used in this essay.
Bring your pre-writing. I want to see how you organized what you did as well. An outline is everything.
For Com121, students who intend to A out (A on the first essay, 85 or above on the 2nd essay and all other work done and able to complete everything with an A average) need to be helped prior to the final, or you will be taking ALL of the final.
For Com051 students, you have to take the final as per division standards. If time permits (NOBODY is behind you in line), I will be able to help with preparing for this. Don't count on that.
All of my classes are tough. I won't deny that, but you've worked long and hard to make sure that you get to the next level. I teach you in the way that I know will give you the greatest chance for success in the future. Don't give up now. Work hard, and it will be over in about 11 short days. If you're here, you have a fighting chance for a solid grade. Don't give up on you now. Just because the old man isn't smiling and patting you on the back with giddy smiles of how awesome you are doesn't mean that he doesn't feel those things about you. Really.
Second, no matter what the weather is, I will be there. I promise. I'll be there from 10-9 with exception of 1-130 and 5-530. I have to eat some time. The store closes at 9 and I will have been out of my house from about 9am. Thus, I'm leaving PROMPTLY at 9. At some point in my life, I need to spend time with my wife.
For those who don't know the process, I take appointments when I'm there. You can't ask in advance, so you just show up and hope that nobody is there at that time or prepare yourself to wait. In help sessions past, I've had so many people there that it could be a wait that is over 1 hour. You may want to bring something to do. In sessions past, lots of people have been there at the opening and many have been there after I ate. It all depends. I tend to give 15-20 minutes per person depending on what people need. Sometimes, I take longer. Sometimes, not so much. It all depends.
The best time for a guaranteed time is right after lunch. You may not get seen right away, but you won't get shut out. I expect lots of people early and if lots of people show up late, I WON'T GUARANTEE that you will get seen. For example, if I have 8 people waiting at 7, and you show up at 730, you're out of luck. Once I fill up for the day with 20 minutes between appointments, you're going to have to figure something out before Thursday (COM051) or Friday (COM121). At the most, I have had nearly 30 people from 4 classes show up. This semester, I'm averaging 15-20 people per day. The last session is always the busiest session.
The day your essays are due, there won't be any help since you won't be able to finish it anyway. Remember, your essays are due that day. The reason my standards are so firm as to when things are due is that is what your future boss will expect. In that, I'm training you to be able to be persistent and depenadble when it comes to doing what you need to do. That gets you consideration that many people don't have. In the end, that's what counts.
I am only correcting MLA (COM051) and APA (COM121). I WILL NOT look at grammar. At this point, you should have that on your own. I also WILL NOT look at a computer screen to correct your essay. I'm not a laptop guy, so make sure I have a printout to look at. Bring printed URLs so that I can see what you have as far as research. This will allow me to make sure your essay is cited properly as well. If you don't have a Works Cited / References page, I can't do ANYTHING for you. I need to see the sources that you're claiming credit for having used in this essay.
Bring your pre-writing. I want to see how you organized what you did as well. An outline is everything.
For Com121, students who intend to A out (A on the first essay, 85 or above on the 2nd essay and all other work done and able to complete everything with an A average) need to be helped prior to the final, or you will be taking ALL of the final.
For Com051 students, you have to take the final as per division standards. If time permits (NOBODY is behind you in line), I will be able to help with preparing for this. Don't count on that.
All of my classes are tough. I won't deny that, but you've worked long and hard to make sure that you get to the next level. I teach you in the way that I know will give you the greatest chance for success in the future. Don't give up now. Work hard, and it will be over in about 11 short days. If you're here, you have a fighting chance for a solid grade. Don't give up on you now. Just because the old man isn't smiling and patting you on the back with giddy smiles of how awesome you are doesn't mean that he doesn't feel those things about you. Really.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
mla rules and guidance
Researching the MLA paper - SQ3R is your friend. Really.
SURVEY What do you know about the topic?
QUESTION What do you need to know about the topic to complete the paper?
RULE #2: “YOU HAVE MY PERMISSION TO BE LAZY”
Remember, this means that you are not writing a book. You are writing about a single defined aspect of this topic. This has nothing to do with procrastination or a half-hearted attempt at writing a paper. That stuff is anathema.
READ Now find your research material and create either an acceptable amount of handwritten research.
WHAT ARE SOME GOOD WEBSITES TO USE?
Sites that end in .edu or .gov are as absolute and perfect as they come. If your site is a .org, that means it could be good (if you know the organization), but it might be not so good if it belongs to people who are just looking to push their bizarre nature onto other people (http://www.rael.org/)
Also, for most research papers, you should be careful that you don’t use sites that are commercial (for instance, sell steroids). There are many sites like this online. Stick with the above the boards stuff.
MLA DOCUMENTATION All research (except common knowledge) is cited. Your paper is cited in MLA. While APA is also a way to cite, it’s not what we’re doing here. Don’t ask me what CMS is. I’ve never used. You most likely won’t either.
You can get directions in your Worsmith or you can go to the Owl at Purdue MLA cite.
You are required to have at least 6 sources. Two of these sources must be from the Internet. One must be in print (magazine, book, etc.). Two of these will be your original sources. After that, you can use whatever you want. You may use more than 6 sources. You will have 2 primary sources (Main sources of information) and the rest will be secondary sources (1 to a few pieces of information that back up the claims of your primary source).
BOOK ONE AUTHOR
Gorman, Elizabeth. Prairie Women. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1986. Print
CLASS NOTES
Smith, John. "Beowulf: Archetypal Hero." English 102 Class. Vestavia Hills High School, Vestavia Hills, AL. March 28, 2003.
MAGAZINE
Cannon, Angie. "Just Saying No to Tests." U.S. News & World Report. Oct. 1999: 34. Print.
INTERVIEW
Whitehurst, Daniel, former mayor of Fresno. Personal interview. 5 Mar. 2003.
THE LIBRARY HAS INFORMATION FOR HOW TO CITE GALE NET AND EBSCO HOST – I don’t require their use, but if you use them, know how.
WEBSITES
Last Name, First Name. Title. Date Created. Web. Date Accessed. URL.
While there are a million little ways that you may cite websites, this way will work for the purpose of this class. NOTE: You will not always have a date created (if you don’t have day, month, and year, you also don’t have a date), and you won’t always have an author, but you will have the other 3. Improvise accordingly.
RECITE This is where you take your notes. You can underline handouts or printouts. You can copy notes (whatever it takes to get to your required amount of stuff). Just find the info.
REVIEW Organize and outline. Reassess your thesis and go back to the library or computer to research some more. Make sure you understand what you are researching. Just because you have the material doesn’t mean that it makes sense. Ask me!!
OH YEAH Send all of your URLs so that I can check their validity.
IN PARAGRAPH CITATIONS You must cite everything. Every fact, every name, number, bit of information or external opinion about the topic has to come from somewhere (except common knowledge stuff). This is 1 of the reasons that we do topics that I choose. Ever since I had a student know everything about Jeff Gordon and think that he didn’t have to cite his facts, I realized that it’s best to have students research teacher-acceptable topics.
As a result, this paper is here to help you.
QUOTES It is very important to understand your information in your own words. Some information can only come across in sentences written a certain way (“John Daniel. Glass Jr. was born on August 26, 1971”). It’s not plagiarism to take this information and use it the only way it really can be written. Most information (99.9999999999999%) must be put into your own words. In some instances (Comp and Lit papers), it becomes necessary to take big hunks of sentences and use them word for word in a book or really long paper.
YOU WILL NOT DO THIS IN THIS PAPER. THE LONGEST QUOTE YOU MAY USE IS A SINGLE SENTENCE, AND YOU MUST INCORPORATE IT INTO THE PAPER. IN THIS, WHILE YOU ARE “TECHNICALLY CORRECT” IN BEING ALLOWED TO USE IT, YOU MAY NOT USE IT. YOU MUST PARAPHRASE IT IN YOUR OWN WORDS. IF YOU DO THIS, I WILL CONSIDER YOUR PAPER SHORT DUE TO HEAVILY BORROWING FROM THE WORKS OF OTHER PEOPLE AND I WILL DEDUCT SENTENCE SENSE POINTS AS WELL FOR YOU NOT UNDERSTANDING YOUR RESEARCH. NO EXCEPTIONS.
FOR EXAMPLE (the quote is in black): Steroids have created a variety of new injuries. While the athletes pay the price, there is a different person who is doing the collecting: Dr. James Andrews, wonder surgeon to sports injuries. Noted sports columnist A. Cynic summarized Andrews multi-million dollar business by stating, “Andrews owes his homes, cars, and vacations to the fact that sports stars aren’t smart enough to realize when they aren’t exercising, but are tearing muscle off of the bones.” (Cynic)
THE ABOVE IS GOOD (incorporated).
THE BELOW IS BAD (no flow and should have been paraphrased).
Sports injuries are bad. They affect many players and teams. This year, they affected the Yankees. Carl Pavano is a perfect example of a bad sports injury. “The Pavano news is bad. He had been throwing on the side, and got up on the mound on Sunday, but though the team kept saying he was getting better, he didn't seem so optimistic. He is going to see Dr. James Andrews in Alabama and may, in fact, need Tommy John surgery, which would finish him for this season and probably next season, too, possibly ending is career.” (Amore)
PRINT SOURCES
(Author’s last name Page # (IF AVAILABLE))
(If no Author or you use the author multiple times, then switch to first important word of the title underlined or in quotes appropriately Page #)
NOTE: there is no comma between these items and there is no word “page”, “p.,” “para” or “paragraph” either.
If the paraphrase includes where the source is from (“In his book Now I Can Die in Peace, Bill Simmons expresses how Boston….”), then you can just use the page number. INTERNET SOURCES
(Author’s last name (IF AVAILABLE))
(First important word of title underlined or quoted appropriately (OTHERWISE))
WHEN IN DOUBT, SEE ME!! DON’T ASSUME!!!!!
IF YOU ASSUME OR DEVIATE FROM THESE RULES, THEN YOUR BAD GRADE IS YOUR FAULT. I DON’T CARE IF WE ARE USING CHANGES SINCE THE NEW WORDSMITH CAME OUT; YOU PAID GOOD MONEY FOR THIS BOOK, SO WE’RE USING ITS RULES. IF YOU ARE USING RULES FROM BEFORE IT WAS PUBLISHED, THEN IT IS ALSO ON YOU. I DON’T MAKE EXCEPTIONS FOR BEING GIVEN MISINFORMATION FROM OUTSIDE SOURCES.
SURVEY What do you know about the topic?
QUESTION What do you need to know about the topic to complete the paper?
RULE #2: “YOU HAVE MY PERMISSION TO BE LAZY”
Remember, this means that you are not writing a book. You are writing about a single defined aspect of this topic. This has nothing to do with procrastination or a half-hearted attempt at writing a paper. That stuff is anathema.
READ Now find your research material and create either an acceptable amount of handwritten research.
WHAT ARE SOME GOOD WEBSITES TO USE?
Sites that end in .edu or .gov are as absolute and perfect as they come. If your site is a .org, that means it could be good (if you know the organization), but it might be not so good if it belongs to people who are just looking to push their bizarre nature onto other people (http://www.rael.org/)
Also, for most research papers, you should be careful that you don’t use sites that are commercial (for instance, sell steroids). There are many sites like this online. Stick with the above the boards stuff.
MLA DOCUMENTATION All research (except common knowledge) is cited. Your paper is cited in MLA. While APA is also a way to cite, it’s not what we’re doing here. Don’t ask me what CMS is. I’ve never used. You most likely won’t either.
You can get directions in your Worsmith or you can go to the Owl at Purdue MLA cite.
You are required to have at least 6 sources. Two of these sources must be from the Internet. One must be in print (magazine, book, etc.). Two of these will be your original sources. After that, you can use whatever you want. You may use more than 6 sources. You will have 2 primary sources (Main sources of information) and the rest will be secondary sources (1 to a few pieces of information that back up the claims of your primary source).
BOOK ONE AUTHOR
Gorman, Elizabeth. Prairie Women. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1986. Print
CLASS NOTES
Smith, John. "Beowulf: Archetypal Hero." English 102 Class. Vestavia Hills High School, Vestavia Hills, AL. March 28, 2003.
MAGAZINE
Cannon, Angie. "Just Saying No to Tests." U.S. News & World Report. Oct. 1999: 34. Print.
INTERVIEW
Whitehurst, Daniel, former mayor of Fresno. Personal interview. 5 Mar. 2003.
THE LIBRARY HAS INFORMATION FOR HOW TO CITE GALE NET AND EBSCO HOST – I don’t require their use, but if you use them, know how.
WEBSITES
Last Name, First Name. Title. Date Created. Web. Date Accessed. URL.
While there are a million little ways that you may cite websites, this way will work for the purpose of this class. NOTE: You will not always have a date created (if you don’t have day, month, and year, you also don’t have a date), and you won’t always have an author, but you will have the other 3. Improvise accordingly.
RECITE This is where you take your notes. You can underline handouts or printouts. You can copy notes (whatever it takes to get to your required amount of stuff). Just find the info.
REVIEW Organize and outline. Reassess your thesis and go back to the library or computer to research some more. Make sure you understand what you are researching. Just because you have the material doesn’t mean that it makes sense. Ask me!!
OH YEAH Send all of your URLs so that I can check their validity.
IN PARAGRAPH CITATIONS You must cite everything. Every fact, every name, number, bit of information or external opinion about the topic has to come from somewhere (except common knowledge stuff). This is 1 of the reasons that we do topics that I choose. Ever since I had a student know everything about Jeff Gordon and think that he didn’t have to cite his facts, I realized that it’s best to have students research teacher-acceptable topics.
As a result, this paper is here to help you.
QUOTES It is very important to understand your information in your own words. Some information can only come across in sentences written a certain way (“John Daniel. Glass Jr. was born on August 26, 1971”). It’s not plagiarism to take this information and use it the only way it really can be written. Most information (99.9999999999999%) must be put into your own words. In some instances (Comp and Lit papers), it becomes necessary to take big hunks of sentences and use them word for word in a book or really long paper.
YOU WILL NOT DO THIS IN THIS PAPER. THE LONGEST QUOTE YOU MAY USE IS A SINGLE SENTENCE, AND YOU MUST INCORPORATE IT INTO THE PAPER. IN THIS, WHILE YOU ARE “TECHNICALLY CORRECT” IN BEING ALLOWED TO USE IT, YOU MAY NOT USE IT. YOU MUST PARAPHRASE IT IN YOUR OWN WORDS. IF YOU DO THIS, I WILL CONSIDER YOUR PAPER SHORT DUE TO HEAVILY BORROWING FROM THE WORKS OF OTHER PEOPLE AND I WILL DEDUCT SENTENCE SENSE POINTS AS WELL FOR YOU NOT UNDERSTANDING YOUR RESEARCH. NO EXCEPTIONS.
FOR EXAMPLE (the quote is in black): Steroids have created a variety of new injuries. While the athletes pay the price, there is a different person who is doing the collecting: Dr. James Andrews, wonder surgeon to sports injuries. Noted sports columnist A. Cynic summarized Andrews multi-million dollar business by stating, “Andrews owes his homes, cars, and vacations to the fact that sports stars aren’t smart enough to realize when they aren’t exercising, but are tearing muscle off of the bones.” (Cynic)
THE ABOVE IS GOOD (incorporated).
THE BELOW IS BAD (no flow and should have been paraphrased).
Sports injuries are bad. They affect many players and teams. This year, they affected the Yankees. Carl Pavano is a perfect example of a bad sports injury. “The Pavano news is bad. He had been throwing on the side, and got up on the mound on Sunday, but though the team kept saying he was getting better, he didn't seem so optimistic. He is going to see Dr. James Andrews in Alabama and may, in fact, need Tommy John surgery, which would finish him for this season and probably next season, too, possibly ending is career.” (Amore)
PRINT SOURCES
(Author’s last name Page # (IF AVAILABLE))
(If no Author or you use the author multiple times, then switch to first important word of the title underlined or in quotes appropriately Page #)
NOTE: there is no comma between these items and there is no word “page”, “p.,” “para” or “paragraph” either.
If the paraphrase includes where the source is from (“In his book Now I Can Die in Peace, Bill Simmons expresses how Boston….”), then you can just use the page number. INTERNET SOURCES
(Author’s last name (IF AVAILABLE))
(First important word of title underlined or quoted appropriately (OTHERWISE))
WHEN IN DOUBT, SEE ME!! DON’T ASSUME!!!!!
IF YOU ASSUME OR DEVIATE FROM THESE RULES, THEN YOUR BAD GRADE IS YOUR FAULT. I DON’T CARE IF WE ARE USING CHANGES SINCE THE NEW WORDSMITH CAME OUT; YOU PAID GOOD MONEY FOR THIS BOOK, SO WE’RE USING ITS RULES. IF YOU ARE USING RULES FROM BEFORE IT WAS PUBLISHED, THEN IT IS ALSO ON YOU. I DON’T MAKE EXCEPTIONS FOR BEING GIVEN MISINFORMATION FROM OUTSIDE SOURCES.
Works Cited Help
If you have a paragraph such as this one:
Throughout the past 12 years, the New York Yankees have gone through many changes. Perhaps the most significant of which was signing Joe Torre to be their manager after the botched 1995 playoffs run. (Olney 8) Then again, it can also be argued that taking Jeter as the 6th pick in the 1992 MLB Amateur draft was the most successful contribution to the Yankees playoff run. (Olney 38) Since Jeter was the only member of the 1998 championship Yankees, it was clear to see that his leadership led the team to greatness. (Yankees) Nevertheless, by 2007, the Yankees were clearly a team without a centralized ideal of what it meant to be a Yankee. (Yankees) Nevertheless, the same core identities that made Posada, Rivera, Jeter, and Martinez real Yankees in 1999 will continue to show in the youth of Chamberlain, Cano, Kennedy, Cabrera, and Hughes. (Olney)
You will find that there are several issues with the paragraph.
One, the first 2 Buster Olney citations (both made up for the purpose of this post) are from the same book. You would not need Olney before Olney 38 since you have Olney 8. It is automatically assumed that you are citing from Olney if you have 2 citations in a row. However, with the last citation being from Buster Olney's website, you would have to revert all of these back to the first important word of the title.
On the Works Cited page, you would also have --- for the author's name (in this case Olney) in the 2nd citation (but make sure he's there in the first!).
You would also not have 2 (Yankees) citations in a row. It would be obvious that all things up to the 2nd (Yankees) would be from that citation.
All of these rules are to save space and ink and cost (really!!).
Keep in mind, the only time you need a citation is if you're taking someone's opinion or factual information.
If you establish a fact such as THROUGHOUT HISTORY, A CERTAIN TYPE OF PLAYER PLAYED FOR THE YANKEES. THESE WERE ALWAYS CLEANCUT PLAYERS THAT WORKED HARD FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE TEAM. PLAYERS SUCH AS REGGIE JACKSON, WHO FOR AS GOOD AS HE WAS ENDED UP CAST OFF FOR HIS SELFISHNESS AND EGO, REPRESENT THOSE PLAYERS WHO COULD HAVE BEEN YANKEES BUT DIDN'T LIVE UP TO THE CENTRAL IDEA OF TEAM.
THEN... you could create your own opinions about such drains on the Yankees as Johnny Damon, Bobby Abreau, Jason Giambi, Roger Clemens, Kevin Brown, and Alex Rodriguez. You would be free to talk about big salaries and love of individual stats over championships. You would also be able to talk about Damon being more about his long hair and idiot personality in Boston days than his throwing arm. You could also talk about the white collar attitude that helped Giambi and his tattoos and long hair succeed in Oakland (a place where steroids were part of the daily routine, or so it seems) and how he lost his powers (like Sampson), when he was forced to shave and cut his hair.
If you went back and talked about the history of Don Mattingly being told to cut his hair (a situation parodied in the Simpsons baseball episode), then you would need to quote where you got that info.
Another problem students usually have with citations is that they cite every line. Every line doesn't have to be cited - only if it is a fact or someone else's opinion. If the whole thing is paraphrased from the same website (Gammons) for example, you could have one Gammons at the end and get away with it.
You can only have one page from a book (Caple 8). You can't say (Caple 8, 14, 39). You also can't have (Caple 8) (Gammons) back to back. Label each site's exact quote location. If they both say the same thing ("If Dave Winfield was Mr. May, then surely, Alex Rodriguez is Mr. April") then choose one guy's quote and end it there.
If you remember reading something in a book, say Bill Simmons' Now I Can Die in Peace, and you don't know what page, search it out with Google. If you know someone else doing the topic, fall back to their knowledge or mine. Usually, a solid Google search will help you find anything. If you're obviously quoting from Simmons and you don't have a page, it would technically be plagiarism. Sometimes, we forget citations - that's a dumb learning mistake. However, when we forget to label multiple citations, that becomes a problem of laziness and plagiarism.
When in doubt, find a new citation.
Any more questions, please contact me.
Don't even think about putting URLs in the citations. See the previous MLA handout for more details!!!
Throughout the past 12 years, the New York Yankees have gone through many changes. Perhaps the most significant of which was signing Joe Torre to be their manager after the botched 1995 playoffs run. (Olney 8) Then again, it can also be argued that taking Jeter as the 6th pick in the 1992 MLB Amateur draft was the most successful contribution to the Yankees playoff run. (Olney 38) Since Jeter was the only member of the 1998 championship Yankees, it was clear to see that his leadership led the team to greatness. (Yankees) Nevertheless, by 2007, the Yankees were clearly a team without a centralized ideal of what it meant to be a Yankee. (Yankees) Nevertheless, the same core identities that made Posada, Rivera, Jeter, and Martinez real Yankees in 1999 will continue to show in the youth of Chamberlain, Cano, Kennedy, Cabrera, and Hughes. (Olney)
You will find that there are several issues with the paragraph.
One, the first 2 Buster Olney citations (both made up for the purpose of this post) are from the same book. You would not need Olney before Olney 38 since you have Olney 8. It is automatically assumed that you are citing from Olney if you have 2 citations in a row. However, with the last citation being from Buster Olney's website, you would have to revert all of these back to the first important word of the title.
On the Works Cited page, you would also have --- for the author's name (in this case Olney) in the 2nd citation (but make sure he's there in the first!).
You would also not have 2 (Yankees) citations in a row. It would be obvious that all things up to the 2nd (Yankees) would be from that citation.
All of these rules are to save space and ink and cost (really!!).
Keep in mind, the only time you need a citation is if you're taking someone's opinion or factual information.
If you establish a fact such as THROUGHOUT HISTORY, A CERTAIN TYPE OF PLAYER PLAYED FOR THE YANKEES. THESE WERE ALWAYS CLEANCUT PLAYERS THAT WORKED HARD FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE TEAM. PLAYERS SUCH AS REGGIE JACKSON, WHO FOR AS GOOD AS HE WAS ENDED UP CAST OFF FOR HIS SELFISHNESS AND EGO, REPRESENT THOSE PLAYERS WHO COULD HAVE BEEN YANKEES BUT DIDN'T LIVE UP TO THE CENTRAL IDEA OF TEAM.
THEN... you could create your own opinions about such drains on the Yankees as Johnny Damon, Bobby Abreau, Jason Giambi, Roger Clemens, Kevin Brown, and Alex Rodriguez. You would be free to talk about big salaries and love of individual stats over championships. You would also be able to talk about Damon being more about his long hair and idiot personality in Boston days than his throwing arm. You could also talk about the white collar attitude that helped Giambi and his tattoos and long hair succeed in Oakland (a place where steroids were part of the daily routine, or so it seems) and how he lost his powers (like Sampson), when he was forced to shave and cut his hair.
If you went back and talked about the history of Don Mattingly being told to cut his hair (a situation parodied in the Simpsons baseball episode), then you would need to quote where you got that info.
Another problem students usually have with citations is that they cite every line. Every line doesn't have to be cited - only if it is a fact or someone else's opinion. If the whole thing is paraphrased from the same website (Gammons) for example, you could have one Gammons at the end and get away with it.
You can only have one page from a book (Caple 8). You can't say (Caple 8, 14, 39). You also can't have (Caple 8) (Gammons) back to back. Label each site's exact quote location. If they both say the same thing ("If Dave Winfield was Mr. May, then surely, Alex Rodriguez is Mr. April") then choose one guy's quote and end it there.
If you remember reading something in a book, say Bill Simmons' Now I Can Die in Peace, and you don't know what page, search it out with Google. If you know someone else doing the topic, fall back to their knowledge or mine. Usually, a solid Google search will help you find anything. If you're obviously quoting from Simmons and you don't have a page, it would technically be plagiarism. Sometimes, we forget citations - that's a dumb learning mistake. However, when we forget to label multiple citations, that becomes a problem of laziness and plagiarism.
When in doubt, find a new citation.
Any more questions, please contact me.
Don't even think about putting URLs in the citations. See the previous MLA handout for more details!!!
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