3T

Chapter 2: Autobiography

Climax- the high point of a story.

Dramatic arc- includes the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution in the form of an “arc”. Each story may have different amounts of space for each element and some may eliminate elements.

Biography- an account of someone’s life written by someone else.

Autobiography- an account of someone’s life written by that same person.

Dominant impression- comprised of comparisons in the form of a simile or metaphor which add suggestive images to contribute to this overall impression. Also, adding description and narration give readers a memorable image of a person.

Hyperbole- exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally

                Ex. I have a million things to do, he is as skinny as a toothpick.

Speaker tags- used to identify the speaker.

                Ex. He said, I blurted, announced my friend.

Autobiographical significance- trying to convey the meaning and importance in your life of the event or person you’ve chosen to write about.

Participles- verb forms ending in –ing (being, longing, grasping, drinking) or –ed,-d, -en, -n, or –t ( baked, found, driven, torn sent).

Reading for Information:

•        Summarizing the main idea
•         Highlighting key concepts or terms
•      Seeking specific content to study for an exam
•        Being able to summarize the story/text in a sentence or paragraph

Reading for Critical Reading:
        Asking questions of the author and story/text

            o   Ex. Why are they writing this?

•          Comment

o   Voice your opinion on the happenings of the story & why you feel this way

•         Analyze meaning

o   What do these events mean? How do they fit into the bigger picture/whole story?

•         Being able to create a well-thought out response to the text

Thesis Practice

            1.    My commute to SCSU adds one hour each way onto my daily school schedule.

This is not considered an acceptable thesis statement in that it is just stating their personal problem. Simply stating that the commute is adds an hour to their day does not specify a unique argument and does not include why or how. This statement can also be looked at as an announcement of their topic.

2. Students who must commute a long way to school are at a disadvantage compared to those who live nearby.

From a high school perspective, I would have thought this was an acceptable thesis statement, but I now realize that it does not have the “because” factor attached to it. It does not state why these students are at a disadvantage, is it because of traffic? Is it because of the long drive, gas prices, etc? The statement has a strong argument in that not many people would disagree, but it just needs that extra “because”.

3. In this paper, I will discuss why living on campus is the best option for college students.

This statement is a perfect example of how not to formulate a thesis. It is announcing the topic and makes for a boring thesis and introduction. Taking “In this paper” out would still create a weak thesis because the topic is very broad and does not state why living on campus is the best option for college students. The statement has a good argument because they will need to prove why they think this way in that some people may think living on campus is not the best option.

4. Schools should do more to encourage students to live on campus.

What do schools need to do to accomplish this? Why “should” they do this? This sentence needs more detail and particulars to make it more informative. Using the word “should” in thesis statements, as we discussed in class, may not be the best word choice and sounds more of an individual opinion. Words like must or need to can replace the word should.

5. Alcohol and drug use are major problems among college students.

This thesis is more specific than some of the others as it says alcohol and drugs are major problems among students but it also does not include why. Perhaps it hinders their studies? Gets them in legal trouble? Campus rules broken? It could also be looked at as an obvious problem and fact that not too many people would disagree with.

6. Colleges have a lot of rules regarding drug and alcohol use.

To add to this thesis, they could put why colleges have a lot of rules such as underage drinking. Also, what comprises “a lot”? Adding a more specific amount can reduce different perceptions of what a lot is.

7. Resident halls must take steps to enforce the rules regarding alcohol use in order to ensure the safety of their residents.

This seems as though it is a well written thesis and argument. It is something that must be proven and able to be proven, clear, it provides why they must take these steps and is not an announcement of topic.

8. The New York Times has shown that underage drinking directly relates to lowered GPAs for college students, and therefore colleges should not allow this type of behavior on their campuses.

This thesis seems to already have been proven and therefore might not be the best to argue. It has a credible source but it is a fact that is not disagreeable and is obvious.

9. My essay will prove how detrimental underage drinking is for college students.
Never use “my essay will prove/is about.” It is not an effective way to add the thesis into a paper and is simply an announcement of the topic.

B. Now write two good thesis statements, one on the topic of commuting vs. living on campus, one on the topic of drugs or alcohol and college students.

• It is necessary for students to reside on campus to ensure the full college experience including independence, social aspects, and academics.
• Alcohol consumption on college campuses significantly harms health, academics, and relationships of college students that are intensely disturbing our society and character of various college campuses.

2R

“To change ourselves effectively, we first had to change our perceptions.” 
― Stephen R. Covey,

                An alarm wakes tired eyes. It is time to get ready for school, fill the mind with new knowledge, feed the body, and then lay back on the pillow only to do it all over again tomorrow. This may sound familiar to a lot of college students as we get very accustomed to our schedules. Often times we are stuck in this auto pilot mode from day to day but what we fail to realize is that going outside of this “set schedule” or habit can be worth so much more. If you have attended public schooling, you know all too well how to set up your paper, what you thought was an effective and efficient way, the five paragraph essay. This auto pilot turns on for most students when writing a paper as it is the go-to method. It has been drilled into our heads repeatedly, but this week opened my eyes to why this isn’t the best method to use when formulating a college paper.

                From this, I’ve noticed I need to focus more on commenting on evidence to support my main ideas and points and also change the process in which I approach a piece of writing. Instead of making my outline to mirror a five paragraph essay, I will do it in such a way that it is still organized but straying away from that structure. Furthermore, I definitely need to work on building a strong thesis. The activity in class showed me that my thesis skills for college may not be up to par. I liked how we outlined exactly what to do and what not to do when tackling the thesis statement. Before doing this, I was under the impression that my thesis, which was simply a fact, was correct, but it turned out to be a good example of what not to do. More practice is to come and I am confident that I will be able to accomplish these tasks proficiently throughout the course. I am ready to turn off auto pilot and develop my own course in writing!

2T

·     Topic- a matter dealt with in a text, discourse, or conversation; a subject.

Thesis- a statement or theory that is put forward as a premise to be maintained or proved.

Contrast- showing differences to reader or to use the opposing side.

Idea generation- thinking process or brainstorming

Drafting- multiple drafts which may require idea changing, strengthening an argument, or reworking the way it is organized.

Purposes for Writing-

·       -  Provide information             -Defend an argument or position                

·        - Communicate                        -Express emotion

·         -Teach something                 -Tell a story           

·         -Record information             -Invitation/letters

·         -Describe something            -Write as a way of thinking

·         -Conclude and expose         -Compare/contrast

        

·       

Activity 6

Activity 6

Dear friend,

                Going through high school may seem like it has no effect on your future, and you may just be going through the motions at this point but from experience, it is crucial to start developing the strongest foundation possible in order to be successful in college. In college, your professors will assume you have already obtained the “academic habits of mind”, according to a survey recently taken. These academic habits of mind include curiosity, rhetorical sensitivity, critical analysis, and civility. Of course it would be ideal to build up all of these before getting into college, but I feel the most important habits would be critical analysis and curiosity.

                Critical analysis is defined as, “the willingness to subject your ideas and those of others to critical analysis and to assess evidence- facts, events, text- accurately and fairly; including sources that support both your positions and opposing positions.” In other words, critical analysis involves looking for specifics beyond the surface meanings and exploring various points of views. Furthermore, it asks to essentially ask questions of self and also of the author. This habit of mind is important while writing in that strong writing uses the opposing points of view to support and build up the point of view you are trying to get across. In reading, there will always be meanings that you can get by reading for information, but by reading for analysis, you will be able to find implicit meaning and in the end be able to join the academic conversation. By starting this in high school, it will be easier to know what to look for while reading the plenty of material you will be assigned, and knowing how to create an intelligent, college-level piece of writing.

                To get the most out of your college experience, it is imperative to be curious and always ask questions. Not only this, but to pay attention to others questions and answer them logically and willingly will push you to engage in class and learn things you might not be able to by just reading a text book. The ability to listen to what others have to say and their thought process, may open many new ideas and avenues in your thinking. With this, no question is a stupid question to ask, but asking effective, inquiry questions may be better to start an academic conversation. Questions that have more than just yes or no answers and questions which will encourage others to ask some of their own have proved to me to work the best. Throughout my first semester of college, I feel I was just testing the waters and somewhat holding back, but I am now aware of just how powerful being curious and constantly involved can be.

                Keep in mind these habits which will push you to be successful and will reward you in your college endeavors. Remember the sky is the limit!

Sincerely,

Stephanie 

1R

“Everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you're climbing it.” 
― Andy Rooney

                Throughout high school, I was always exposed to heavy amounts of reading and writing and even though I may have not enjoyed it in the moment, I truly believe it has made me strong in these areas. Writing, I feel, has always come pretty easily to me whether I am given a topic or have to come up with a topic on my own. It was reinforced and polished immensely in the Rhetoric class we were required to take senior year of high school and this first semester of college. I have written in a variety of styles and think I do a decent job showing evidence of all sides of an argument. My favorite style or things to write would probably be persuasive essays, writing about my life or experiences, or topics I can really relate to. Another strength of my writing would be my critical analysis or being able to go in depth and provide details to back up my arguments or main points. As with anything, my writing has considerable room for improvement such as a broader vocabulary and also being able to organize my ideas more efficiently. Another downfall is that I often times sell myself short and lack confidence when writing even though I have proven myself wrong on many occasions. With this, I find myself not motivated to start my writing assignments, but once I actually start them, I really enjoy putting all of my thoughts down. I would love to find ways this semester to help me avoid this! Furthermore, even though last semester’s blog writing really pushed me to be creative and I became better at it, this semester I would like additional practice to improve on making my writing more creative and interesting so that the reader will stay engaged. This semester, each paper I write, I want to push myself to edit and revise it a few more times than I usually do to ensure I produce the best work I am able to. In high school, the longest pieces I wrote were a six page psychology research paper and an eight page short story in Rhetoric class.

                I have always heard that college would be an abundance of reading and that a good chunk of learning comes from reading. This definitely scared me at first because I wasn’t really a fan of reading. I know I can read well and understand most material but I think the issue is if I am not interested in what I am reading, I tend to have a difficult time focusing and taking in what I need to. As with my writing, I feel that last semester was a big period of growth for me because I told myself that I wanted to buckle down and really concentrate on getting all of my reading done, not just some of it. It definitely gave me a positive outcome in that I could follow along in class and be more engaged and in the long run came out with all A’s. Favorites for reading would include material that I can connect with and I am big into crime books as they generally do not have “boring” parts in them. This semester, I hope to be able to further grow my reading skills and more specifically, be better at reading for detail and analyzing deeper or hidden meanings.           

Activity 1

Activity 1

1.       Ever since I can remember, school has always been the place for me to gain confidence and motivation. I have always possessed the curiosity in learning and was left always wanting to further my knowledge. For instance, I can perfectly remember coming home from pre-school and asked whoever was home to read a book to me. My reading skills developed early because of this and was the starting point to my motivation. Throughout middle school, high school, and especially my first semester of college, I have been interested in really seeing how far I can push myself and therefore determine my capabilities. The positive feedback and results I have gotten have really helped to shape my academic habits and continuously increase expectations for myself.  

2.       Approaching high school and college, I would initially ask, “what were the best ways for me to achieve success?” and also, “how can apply the strategies and knowledge I already have obtained into my future learning?” So far, I have developed pretty good study habits in college and I am sure they stem from the strong foundation created in high school. Another question I frequently ask is, “what are my strengths and weaknesses?” and from this determine how I will attack the weaknesses so that I do my best to not hinder my learning.

3.       As with anything, questions will become more in depth and specific as you learn more about something. When I first began ballet in kindergarten, my questions would sound more like, “Where do I stand? How do I place my feet?” and as I grew older, I would question specific techniques and ways to improve a certain action, such as a pirouette. I have a strong background in English and writing, but this course will reiterate what is expected in college writing and ways to improve what I already know. Before class this week, my question was, “What are the academic habits of mind?”, and after class I now would question how I am going to utilize these habits in my writing from now on.

4.       My favorite way of finding out questions to my answers would be to ask different people. I like to see what different perspectives each individual has to offer, and also how professors go about answering my questions. Through this, I have developed the habit of civility because I now understand that everyone has different backgrounds and different perspectives so it has definitely been beneficial. I would consider myself an aural and visual learner and therefore this helps me get the most out of answering the questions I have.  Other questions, however, require to just use materials provided such as reading a text book or practicing what I have learned.

5.       As I mentioned before, I have always been a curious learner so each time I figure out an answer to a question, I want to push ahead and find connections between all of the things I have learned. The inquiry class I took last semester definitely helped me to really pinpoint what questions I should be asking and what makes a good question, especially when completing college level work. Also in this class, we were required to read various articles and I found myself reading and then looking up other articles or videos pertaining to them and was my further research. 

1T

·         

     Curiosity- inquiry, desire to ask thoughtful questions and respond/react to others ideas

·         Rhetorical sensitivity- to understand the writing situation, reasons for writing, and the different conventions. This considers the audience and purpose and affects the tone, style, format, and standards.

o   Ex. Writing to convince parents to go on vacation vs. writing to convince a friend to come on vacation

·         Explicit- outright, on the surface. Ex-reading for information

·         Implicit- implied or deeper meanings. Ex- reading for analysis

·         Discipline’s discourse- the terminology and concepts characteristic of the discipline

o   Ex.- psychology terms or chemical formulas

·         Conventions- ways of organizing material and using sources or the expectations of that genre