Assignments for EWRT 211

M-F Section 6, Winter 2011

Essay #1 Assignment

                                Make sure your points answer  the topic question.

                          Compose focused, cohesive paragraphs.

                           Choose words and phrases that create pictures in the readers'

                           minds or use action.

                          Substitute strong verbs for “to be” or “to have” verbs.

Mechanics:         Eliminate sentence fragments, run-ons and comma splices.

                             Eliminate misspellings of sound-alike words.

Strong thesis statements:

make a point/state a position/argumentative.    

directly address the topic.

are not too broad or too narrow.

use specific wording.

            are insightful , not trite or conventional

·          2. Thesis/Outline/Draft of Essay #2 (Working--see assignment below)—two copies:  one for me and one for you.

Read in Rules of Thumb:

·         “How to Work on a 2^nd Draft”

·         “How to Make Papers Longer”

·         “Consistent Pronouns”

·         “I vs. Me and She vs. Her”

·         “Vague Pronouns”

·         “Paragraphs—Long and Short”

·         “Trimming Wordiness”

·         “Finding an Organization for Your Thesis”

Listen: to podcasts on assignment sheet

Find: website or podcast related to the Essay #2 topic you chose and email it to me by Jan. 27 along with a title and a short description of the content.

Email: the URL, title and a short description of the content to me by Jan. 27.

Essay Topics on Work

Final version is due  on Feb. 4 in M-F class and Feb. 3 in T/Th class

      1.  Do you think that work is necessary for good mental health?  If people did not need to work for money (if they already had the material things they needed) could  they be happy and well adjusted and not work?  Support your position by giving examples from your own life, from history, from current events and at least one of the readings.  

      2.  What influences people’s decisions about jobs and careers?  What factors do you think are most important for people to consider when choosing their jobs or careers?  Why are these the most important?  What factors should not be important?  Can a person be influenced by factors they don’t recognize or control? 

      3.      Should people be prevented by law from working when they are too young or too old?  If so, what is too you or too old to work?  Why?  Why might such laws be good for the individuals or for the society?

      4.      What makes an activity “work” rather than play?  When you do something you love for a job, is it different from doing that activity for fun?  What makes the difference?  What would be the advantages of doing something you love for a living?  What would the drawbacks be?

      5.      Klass celebrates ambition, but she admits that some people see ambition in negative terms.  What might be the negative side of ambition?  Write an essay that criticizes ambition or that celebrates lack of ambition. 

Schedule of Due Dates for Reading and Writing Assignments

Subject to adjustment as class progresses

Essay #1 Assignment

                                Make sure your points answer  the topic question.

                          Compose focused, cohesive paragraphs.

                           Choose words and phrases that create pictures in the readers'

                           minds or use action.

                          Substitute strong verbs for “to be” or “to have” verbs.

Mechanics:         Eliminate sentence fragments, run-ons and comma splices.

                             Eliminate misspellings of sound-alike words.

Strong thesis statements:

make a point/state a position/argumentative.    

directly address the topic.

are not too broad or too narrow.

use specific wording.

            are insightful , not trite or conventional

·           2.  Thesis/outline/draft of Essay #2 (Working--see assignment

                  below)—one    copy for me and one for you.

            3.  Both books: College Culture, Student Success and Rules of Thumb

Read in Rules of Thumb:

·         “How to Work on a 2^nd Draft”

·         “How to Make Papers Longer”

·         “Consistent Pronouns”

·         “I vs. Me and She vs. Her”

·         “Vague Pronouns”

·         “Paragraphs—Long and Short”

·         “Trimming Wordiness”

·         “Finding an Organization for Your Thesis”

Listen: to podcasts on assignment sheet

Find: website or podcast related to the Essay #2 topic you chose

Email: the URL, title and a brief description of content to me by Jan. 27

Essay Topics on Work

Final version is due  on Feb. 4 in M-F class and Feb. 3 in T/Th class

      1.  Do you think that work is necessary for good mental health?  If people did not need to work for money (if they already had the material things they needed) could  they be happy and well adjusted and not work?  Support your position by giving examples from your own life, from history, from current events and at least one of the readings.  

      2.  What influences people’s decisions about jobs and careers?  What factors do you think are most important for people to consider when choosing their jobs or careers?  Why are these the most important?  What factors should not be important?  Can a person be influenced by factors they don’t recognize or control? 

      3.      Should people be prevented by law from working when they are too young or too old?  If so, what is too you or too old to work?  Why?  Why might such laws be good for the individuals or for the society?

      4.      What makes an activity “work” rather than play?  When you do something you love for a job, is it different from doing that activity for fun?  What makes the difference?  What would be the advantages of doing something you love for a living?  What would the drawbacks be?

      5.      Klass celebrates ambition, but she admits that some people see ambition in negative terms.  What might be the negative side of ambition?  Write an essay that criticizes ambition or that celebrates lack of ambition.