Welcome to De Anza!
Agenda
• In-class Writing
• Workshops Tomorrow
• Homework: Continue writing your first
draft.
• Catching Up
In-class Writing
• Everyone belongs in this class
• Grades are beside your name. You should expect similar
feedback, but in more detail, for the remaining essays.
• The grades do not count. You received full credit for the
essay.
In-class Writing
• The diagnostic essay is closest to the argumentative
essay. You are currently writing a personal narrative,
and after you write your argumentative essay you will
write an analytical essay.
• Some general points:
– If you go through the process of drafting and revising
according to feedback that I give you your grade will
most likely be an A or a B.
– Many introductions were weak. Your introduction
should end with your thesis and should lead directly to
the points you will develop in your essay. You should
not refer to the totality of human history and time. You
should also limit the geographical scope of your
argument.
In-class Writing
• If you refer to groups that you do not belong to, you
should imagine the point of view of the groups that you
refer to. In other words, you should be very careful when
you write about groups that you do not belong to. Your
grade will fall if you argue based on stereotypes. On the
other hand, you hold some authority when you write
about groups that you do belong to or that you are close
to. Still, it is possible that even if you belong to a group
you accept false stereotypes about that group. It is even
more possible that you accept false stereotypes if you
base your views of a whole group on one or two friends
that you have who belong to that group.
Outlines
• Exchange your outline with at least one other person.
Write your name on the outline or outlines that you read.
You will turn your outline in with your first draft.
• If you have not yet done your journal or have not
received feedback see me now.
Workshopping
• Tomorrow we will do writing workshops on your first draft.
• You do not need to print the draft if you have a laptop that
someone else can read from. In other words, your draft
should be available either on paper or on a laptop that
you provide.
• Write your name on the drafts that you read, or write your
name on a piece of paper along with your comments.
• When you turn in your final draft you should also turn in
your first draft.
Workshopping
• Your final draft will be evaluated according to ideas and
development, organization, and language use.
• Ideas and Development
– The writer is the main character of a story told by the
essay.
– The story is not just about the writer, but also about
social relationships.
– The problem is not just a personal problem of the
writer, but a problem that others share.
– The essay gestures towards social changes that can
solve the problem or make the problem less severe.
Workshopping
• Your final draft will be evaluated according to ideas and
development, organization, and language use.
• Organization
– Appropriate paragraph breaks
– Flow: transitions, topic sentences, paragraphs stay on
topic
– Introduction that leads directly to the body of the essay
and orients the reader
– Conclusion that gives a sense of completeness and
also a sense of direction
Workshopping
• Your final draft will be evaluated according to ideas and
development, organization, and language use.
• Language Use
– Do not workshop for grammar and mechanics.
– If you want, you can give some help with usage. In
general, you want to use words in a way that would be
accepted by native speakers of US English.
Homework
• Keep your outline, and turn it in with your first draft.
• Bring the first draft of your personal narrative to class
tomorrow or Friday.
• I advise you to write your introduction after you have
written the body of your essay.