Writing 90 Assignment Page
For the Week of October 17-24, 2008

I.    JOURNALING

Journaling topic/theme to work on this week: Relationships (see http://www.marthabianco.com/WR90/Journaling.html for general instructions for journaling).

It's inevitable.  School can destroy relationships, whether with boyfriend/girlfriend, spouse, partner, parents, kids, friends, boss, or coworkers.  The problem often isn't just the stress of school, but also the fact that the other people in your life don't understand what you're doing.  They might be jealous of the time you're investing or just plain confused about why you have to do certain things.  Then, of course, there are those situations where you're moving forward in your life, but perhaps your significant other is not.  

This, too, is perfectly normal. But, you may find that writing about it helps you figure out ways to deal with this delicate situation.  So, this week, just let your thoughts free flow from your heart and mind to your pencil (or pen).  As you have done a couple of times before, focus on cause and effect and explaining things.  This week's journaling is meant to give you further practice with a certain type of writing:  cause-and-effect writing and explanatory.  I would also like to to describe your feelings as much as you can (which will give you practice with a third kind of writing, decriptive).

Please remember to write at least one full page per day, at least four days a week. Each day, write about this week's theme ("Relationships"), but feel free to write about any additional topic(s) that cross your mind. You can even use your journaling time to complain about this class! (Hey, you gotta get it all out, right?)

II.    EXERCISES

Remember:  Because this class meets only one day a week, you have the responsibility of working on the class material on a steady, day-by-day basis.  Otherwise, you will find yourself unable to retain and apply the material we go through in class.  You will also be very likely to find yourself cramming one or two days before class, with not enough time to get everything done.  As in the past, I am providing suggested guidelines for when you should work on various portions of your homework.  If you follow my suggestions, you should find the homework process less painful and your ability to learn, retain, any apply much enhanced.  You will find that you probably need to devote approximately two hours per day to homework for this class (remember, you should do an average of 9-12 hours of homework for a 3-credit class).  My homework suggestion times are highlighted in blue and total 10 hours of studying over the upcoming week. Make modifications to suit your own personal and work schedule.  Contact me if you'd like assistance.  Good luck!

A.    Plagiarism

This week you are to once again read and summarize a piece about the topic of plagiarism. The purpose of this assignment is (1) to continue to help you focus on what you're reading (by outlining) and to really grasp the subject matter (plagiarism), (2) to practice your outline-writing skills (including citations!), and (3) to provide me with tangible proof that you did the reading.

1.    This week's plagiarism assignment:

A.    Skim and scan: Ronald B. Standler, "Plagiarism in Colleges in USA," at http://www.rbs2.com/plag.htm. This is a very long piece, but I want you to practice using your skim-and-scan techniques.  This piece also follows the style of a formal essay -- with an introduction and topic/thesis statement, supporting paragraphs, and conclusion.  We will be moving toward this style of writing very soon, so this is a good opportunity to see it "in action."  Suggested study time:  30 minutes total skimming and scanning, on Saturday or Sunday.

B.    Write an outline-style summary of this essay as a means of practicing organized note-taking.  Handwrite or type, single or double spaced (doesn't matter).  Suggested study time: 30 min. writing/typing no more than a 2-page outline on Sat. or Sun.

C.    Due in your pocket folder at the beginning of class, Friday, Oct. 24.

B.    Grammar, Punctuation, and Spelling

1.    This week's textbook assignment:

A.   Ch. 6 Grammar Review (sentence fragments):
    1. READ pp. 93-107
    2. DO Ex. 11, working either directly in the book (tear out the pages to turn in), on a photocopied version from your book, or rewrite the sentences on a piece of paper.  
    3. Suggested study time:  Two 45-min sessions: M and T

B.    Ch. 11 Punctuation Review:

      1. READ p. 220 on the semicolon
      2. DO Ex. 8 (Ch. 11), by either writing directly in the book and tearing out the sheets or photocopying the pages and writing on the photocopy.
        • TURN IN your answers to Ex. 8, due Fri., Oct. 24, beginning of class, in your pocket folder.
      3. Suggested study time:  two 30-min sessions: Sat & Sun.

C.    Ch. 12 Spelling Review:

      1. Nothing specific from Ch. 12 this week, other than for you to become familiar with your word processor, so you know how to do (or what to ask about) the things we covered in class to make your work comply with the writing guidelines at http://www.marthabianco.com/WR90/WG.pdf:
        • 1" margins all around
        • 12-point Times New Roman font
        • double spaced, with a 1/2-inch margin at the beginning of new paragraphs
        • header with class info, your name, due date, page number, and assignment title,
        • spell- and grammar-checked and then proofread by a human being
      2. Suggested study time:  half an hour over the weekend.

2.    This week's on-line assignment:

A.    Go to http://college.cengage.com/devenglish/brandon/sentences_paragraphs/5e/resources.html (Note: there is an underscore _ between "sentences" and "paragraphs," not a blank space.)

    1. Click on the "Navigate by Chapter" pull-down menu in the upper left.
    2. Select Chapter 15, then "ACE the Test."
    3. Do Quiz 1 (Note: Remember, these are called "quizzes," but they are really just online exercises.)
      • When you are finished with the quiz, click on View/Save Progress 
      • Then click on Email.  
      • E-mail me the results by filling out the pop-up form:
        • Class/Course Name:  WR90
        • Your Name
        • Your E-mail
        • My Name (Dr. Bianco)
        • My E-mail: biancom@q7.com
    4. If you don't feel you did very well, please go on to Quiz 2 and send the results of that to me, as well.
    5. Quiz 1 (and Quiz 2, if necessary) are due by the end of the day on Wednesday, Oct. 22
    6. Suggested study time:  1/2 hour on Monday.

3.    Quiz:

Oh, I am so sorry, but there will once again be no mini-quiz next week (we really need to finish studying fragments, comma splices, and run-ons before we try a quiz, don't you think?).

WRITING

It's really important to spread the work in this section (Writing) out over almost a whole week.  By Wednesday, you should be preparing your final version, leaving time on Thursday for the final proofreading and printing.  It should be ready to turn in by Thursday morning so if anything goes wrong (computer crashes, printer falls into a time warp), you have practically a whole day to remedy your problem.

1.    This week's textbook assignment Two 45-min. sessions on Sat. & Sun.

   Ch. 16 The Writing Process: Stage 3 (writing/revising/editing):

2.    Your turn to write Four 1-hour sessions on M, T, W, and Th (Thurs. for last-min. proofing, only).

Do (1.) or (2.), below

      1. READ
        2. "The King of Klutziness," by Joel Bailey, on p. 325

        • WRITE a 300-word descriptive paragraph about your learning to do something specific on the job.

          In what way(s) did you or someone else perform badly, perhaps ridiculously? Many of these events occur on the first day of employment.*

          Explain why the performance was bad; provide examples; and provide details to flesh out your position.

          Engage in a prewriting activity, make an outline, and then type your essay, using the writing guidelines at http://www.marthabianco.com/WR90/WG.pdf and grading rubric at http://www.marthabianco.com/WR90/rubric.pdf.

        • TURN IN a copy of the grading rubric, your prewriting, and your outline (neither of these has to be typed), along with your revised, edited, and typed final paragraph, in your pocket folder at the beginning of class, Friday, Oct. 24.

        OR

      2. REFER TO John Updike's "A & P," on p. 319

        • WRITE a 300-word descriptive paragraph in which you briefly imagine Sammy's future.

          Will he grow up to be an individualist, a reformer? Or will he resemble Stokesie or Lengel?*

          Explain your position; provide examples, quoting from Updike as necessary; and provide details to flesh out your position.

          Engage in a prewriting activity, make an outline, and then type your paragraph, using the writing guidelines at http://www.marthabianco.com/WR90/WG.pdf and grading rubric at http://www.marthabianco.com/WR90/rubric.pdf.

        • TURN IN a copy of the grading rubric, your prewriting, and your outline (neither of these has to be typed), along with your revised, edited, and typed final paragraph, in your pocket folder at the beginning of class, Friday, Oct. 24.
*Writing prompts come from Brandon and Brandon, Sentences, Paragraphs, and Beyond, 2008, p. 331.

Good Luck, and be sure to write me if you have any questions or need help.
Please stay tuned to your e-mail for chat times!
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