Assink
Fall 2010
English 1302: Unit 4 (Problem Solving and Arguing) Assignments
Texts: The Prentice Hall Guide for College Writers (PH); Patterns; The Writer’s Harbrace Handbook (HH)
The work listed under each date should be prepared BEFORE you come to class on that date. Everything we
work on in Unit 4 is designed to help you prepare to write Essay 4, which is a problem-solution essay.
Friday 10/29: Introduction to Problem Solving
Read: PH pp. 386-391; 403-407 (Tannen, “The Argument Culture”)
Monday 11/1: Problem Solving
Read: “A Modest Proposal,” by Jonathan Swift (posted on Blackboard)
Patterns pp. 81-86: “The Ethics of Euthanasia,” by Lawrence J. Schneiderman
Write: Complete the “Identifying a Problem” worksheet (posted on Blackboard). Bring TWO copies of your
typed responses to class.
Wednesday 11/3: Kinds of Claims and Providing Evidence
Read: PH pp. 440-450; HH pp. 160-169
“Letter from Birmingham Jail,” by Martin Luther King, Jr. (posted on Blackboard)
Write: Complete the “Proposing a Solution” worksheet (posted on Blackboard). Bring TWO copies of your
typed responses to class.
Friday 11/5: Arguments
Read: PH pp. 481-484: “Why You Can’t Cite Wikipedia in My Class,” by Neil L. Waters
PH pp. 484-486: “Professors Should Embrace Wikipedia,” by Mark Wilson
Write: Write a one-page response to these essays in which you analyze the arguments of Waters and Wilson.
Identify the types of claims and the appeals to the audience. Which essay do you find more persuasive and why?
Monday 11/8: Counterarguments
Read: PH pp. 464-467: “You Have No Friends,” by Farhad Manjoo
PH pp. 467-469: “. . . And Why I Hate It,” by Sarah Kliff
Write: Type a detailed outline of your essay. Make sure that you are addressing all of the essay requirements
numbered 1 through 8 on your Essay 4 Assignment Sheet.
Wednesday 11/10: Logical Fallacies
Read: PH pp. 502-504; HH pp. 177-183
Write: Find an example of a logical fallacy (look at advertisements, news articles, websites, etc.). Write a
paragraph in which you explain why this example is a logical fallacy. Describe what effect this fallacy has on the
reader or viewer.
Friday 11/12: Style and Effective Writing
Read: Excerpts from On Writing Well, by William Zinsser (posted on Blackboard)
Write: Bring at least one page of your rough draft of Essay 4 to class today.
Assink
Fall 2010
Monday 11/15: Peer Review
Write: Bring one copy of your complete rough draft of Essay 4 to class for peer review.
Wednesday 11/17: Essay 4 Due
Be sure to turn in all process work (your two worksheets, outline, peer review draft with worksheets) and your
graded Essays 1-3 along with your final draft.
Unit Grade
Daily Work: 20%
______ Worksheet #1 (11/1)
______ Worksheet #2 (11/3)
______ Response (11/5)
______ Outline (11/8)
______ Logical fallacy exercise (11/10)
______ Partial draft (11/12)
______ Peer review (11/15)
______ Participation in class discussions
Essay: 80%