May 30

First, we did a writing into the day about voice.  (See slide 38 on the PowerPoint.)

Then, we went over MLA formatting.  You need the following:

• Double space (make sure to check the box that says “Don’t add spacing between paragraphs of the same styles”).
• Times New Roman 12 pt font
• 1 inch margins (Note: Versions of MS Word that are newer than 2003 will default to 1 X 1.25 inch margins.  You need to go in an change it.)
• In the top margin of the page on the right, you need your last name and page number.  The header should be Times New Roman 12 pt font as well.
• At the top of the page on the right (not in the margin), you need a heading with the following information:
• Your name
• Instructor’s name (Megan Keaton)
• Course (ENG 111-08)
• The date the draft is due
• The date should be written with the day first, then month, then year.  (4 June 2013)
• Make sure to change the date on each draft
• The heading needs to be double-spaced.
• After the heading, hit enter once and write the title in the center.  The title should be Times New Roman 12 pt font.  It should not be bolded, italicized or underlined.
• After the title, hit enter once and begin writing the paper.

Your first page should look like this:

 Paragraph taken from http://grammar.about.com/od/developingparagraphs/a/confessionsslob.htm

Then, we talked about the two sentences we wrote about at the end of yesterday’s class.  (See slide on the PowerPoint). 

• Second one is better because it’s more like more speech pattern.
• The first one circles around the same word.  It’s too repetitive.
• The first one is one long sentence.  The second is more broken up.
• In the first one, they were trying very hard.
• It sounds like someone normal wrote it and then changed all the words with a thesaurus.
• In the first sentence, it sounds like you need a medical degree.

Next, we did independent writing answering the questions on slide on the PowerPoint.  We also discussed these questions in small group.  Then, we got back into whole group:

• It has to be grammatically correct.
• If your going to use a big word, make sure it make sense.
• Don’t write something you wouldn’t say?  You can smart it up a little, but if you want people to read it, you can smart it up too much.
• You want to be expressive and knowledgeable
• No fragments, no misspellings, etc.
• It needs to be interesting.
• It shouldn’t be too simplistic.  It needs more than “See Spot Run.”
• For academic writing, it needs to be a professional subject.  It can’t be too personalized.
• For smart or good writing, that depends on the reader.
• Are smart, good and academic all the same thing?
• With smart, it needs to be informational.  If it’s professional, you are writing to the teacher.
• You can say smart things with simple words.
• Know what words you’re using. Know what they mean before you use them.
• Don’t just use a thesaurus without looking up the definition of the word you’re going to use.
• I tend to write the same word over and over again.
• If you try to sound too smart, the reader won’t understand it anyway.

How do you find a balance between using a higher level of vocabulary in your writing and sounding too much like the first sentence (slide 39 of the PowerPoint).

• It depends what kind of writer you are.  It depends on your voice.  It depends on how your knowledge is with your vocabulary.
• It depends on your audience.
• Tell the reader what they want to hear.  It doesn’t matter what it’s about.
• You want to have color to the picture you’re painting, but if you mix too many colors, you just get brown.
• You figure out vocabulary to use is based on your audience.  It’s like public speaking.  Consider your audience.
• When doctor’s write, only doctors can understand it.  You should be understandable to your audience.
• It is easiest to replace very simple words, but you don’t want to replace everything.

To begin thinking about audience, we wrote down three names of people in our lives that exist in different circles.  For example, someone might have written the name of their best friend, the name of a parent and the name of their boss.  Megan told a story that ended in a person needing to be bailed out of jail and in need of clothing.  The class had to write text message to each of the three people explaining that they need to be picked up from jail, given money and brought clothing. We briefly discussed the questions on slide 42 of the PowerPoint.  People mostly agreed that the writing changed based on how they wanted the reader to perceive him/her or how the reader would react (e.g. cry for 45 minutes).  For individual writing, we answered the questions on slide 43 of the PowerPoint. 

Finally, we looked at an effective example of a daybook reflection post and talked about why it is effective.  This example is on Moodle.

Homework:

• Read “Responding – Really Responding – to Other Students’ Writing” (on Moodle)
• Post a daybook reflection to your blog before Monday’s class
• Start drafting your Definition Essay
• Bring handout (on Moodle) on Monday

May 29

First, we completed the writing into the day about “rules” for a thesis (see PowerPoint slide 31).

Together, we created a class list of “rules” on the board.

• Written in bold
• Complete sentence
• Implied or suggested
• Must state the purpose
• To be considered as you read
• States your opinion
• Clearly defined
• It should be your main theme
• It should be general
• It goes in your introduction
• It should be more specific
• Stated at the beginning and end
• Argumentative
• It should be a residual message
• Open to interpretation
• It should grab your attention
• It should have your topic
• It should be the first or last end sentence in your introduction paragraph
• It should not be used when you are describing a story or describing a procedure
• It shouldn’t be redundant
• It should make you think
• It gets restated at the end depending on how long the paper is

Does a thesis always have to be used in academic writing?

• Yes because I don’t consider certain kinds of papers.  It’s not academic unless it’s argumentative. 
• There is always a main point.
• But it doesn’t necessarily need to be clearly presented or restated.
• No, because it depends on the writing.

We got into four small groups and scanned through the first 5-6 pages of a professional article.  Each group was assigned one article.  As the groups read through the articles, they paid attention to when the authors did or did not use first, second and third person.  We tried to figure out when authors choose to use first, second and third person and for what reasons.  In whole group, we had the following discussion:

They show you whose perspective they are trying to talk about.

When they use first person, it’s talking about their own opinions.

They use third person to use as support (using a name)

It was more general to use first person.

They would say that they thought (first person) and then reference to type into what they were thinking (third person).

Second person was only used when they were speaking in dialogue.

Then, we discussed questions on

You can’t use you because it doesn’t sound as professional.

It’s not supposed to conversational.

Teachers have said that there are better ways to say things.

It taught us to use different vocabulary.

You don’t point out what someone is doing wrong in a debate.  You need to talk about your own emotions.  “You” is not a friendly word.  Second person sounds like I am telling you what to think and disrespectful.

“You” is directive.

Why do professionals get to use second person but students don’t?

They are talking to a general audience as opposed to one or two people (like in school).

They don’t have teachers.

“You” is usually in a dialogue.

It makes it feel more personalized.

It has to do with credibility.  They are professionals and we are not.

They know how to use it better.

They have experience to back up what they are saying.  Students don’t.

We read the sentence on slide 34 and took one minute to rewrite it in our own words.  We did the same with the sentence on slide 35.  Then, for writing out of the day, we answered this question:

Both sentences mean the same thing.  For academic writing, which one is better and why?

We will continue this conversation tomorrow.

Homework:

Read "Finding Your Voice" by Anne Lamott (on Moodle).