It’s become cliché to say this, but last spring seems like many years ago. We’ve had nearly a year of pandemic, and on January 6 we witnessed a group of Americans committing treason at the capital. We’re living some interesting history my friends. I think it’s also a cliché, but I’m going to say it […]
Welcome to the Spring 2021 Semester! Read More »
At this point, you may be wondering why I chose an “Elevator Pitch” as your final exam project. You have read the announcement and the assignment sheet, haven’t you? You’ve scheduled your presentation, right? Good. Why did I choose this project as the final? I have a few reasons. My traditional assignment for
The “Elevator Pitch” Pitch Read More »
At the beginning of a semester, I often tell students in my face to face classes that, “It will be November (or April) before you know it.” And here we are. We’re a week away from Thanksgiving Break and you’re finishing the initial draft of your final Writing Project. The old saying goes, “Time flies
Approaching the End Read More »
In WP Three, you’re making an argument, not analyzing one. Your paper should have a clear thesis statement. Sometimes, students are intimidated by this requirement, but it’s not difficult. A “thesis statement” is simply a sentence that briefly describes the purpose of your paper. Since WP Three requires you to make a recommendation, a sentence
The Thesis, The Three Appeals, and You Read More »
After you’ve spent time working on refining your problem, you’ll start considering the solution to your problem. In fact, your “solution” may actually be several solutions instead of just one. That’s acceptable, and sometimes, it’s even necessary. Most problems have complex origins and require complex solutions. Be wary of anyone who says that they have
Solution Suggestions Read More »
You’re choosing topics this week for your recommendation paper. Why write a recommendation paper? We’ve spent the first half of the paper discussing rhetoric and exploring how writers craft arguments for specific audiences. Writing Project Three gives you the opportunity to write your own argument for a specific audience. When you’re suggesting that people make
Recommendations for a Recommendation Read More »
You’re exploring topics and writing a proposal argument this week. This assignment requires a two-part argument. The first part is describing the problem. However, you’re not just describing the problem; you’re making an argument that the problem is serious, serious enough to solve. This is an important distinction as you must consider who can solve
We’re at the semester’s midpoint now. First, congratulations to all of you who are still here. Online courses are challenging, even if students have chosen that method, and many of you are taking online courses because that’s the only option. So give yourself a pat on the back for completing half of the course work.
Writing Project Two requires you to use scholarly sources in some way. If you’re in 101, you’ll be comparing a scholarly source to a popular source with the goal of identifying the strengths and weaknesses of both source types. If you’re in 102, you’ll be making an argument that you support with scholarly sources. Why
Lions, Tigers, and Scholarly Sources, Oh My! Read More »
My grandparents’ generation could remember where they were when they heard about the Pearl Harbor attacks. For my parents’ the defining tragedy was Kennedy’s assassination. My generation’s shocking tragedy is the September 11th attacks. On that morning, I was sick with some devilish flu, in a Nyquil daze. Even for people not engulfed in a
Remembering 9/11: The Falling Man Read More »
