RWS 100 Unit 4
San Diego State University
Instructor: Susan Lee Duba
Fall 2015
Unit 3 Wrap-up and
Unit 4
Monday, November 16
Paper 3 Reflection
Thus far this semester, you have written accounts of
arguments, analyses of rhetorical strategies and appeals, and
evaluation of all elements of argument.
Looking back on the last paper, what is something you wish
you had done differently? How might you approach the last
paper with this in mind (for example, what do you plan to do
to ensure this doesn’t happen again)?
Unit 4 Timeline
Week 13
Nov 16-20: Intro to Unit 4, Prompt review
Week 14
Nov 23: Preparing for Paper 4
Nov 25 & 27: HOLIDAY – No Class
Week 15
Nov 30, Dec 2: Begin drafting Paper 4
Dec 4: Peer Review (Date may change)
Week 16
Dec 7 & 8: Possible Conferences (TBD)
Dec 9: Last Day of Class
Finals Week
Dec 14: Meet at 10:30 in regular room
Final draft due online before 10:30 (bring hard copies of
previous drafts and peer review materials to class for credit)
(no hard copy of the final paper; no comments, just the grade)
Unit 4 Introduction
Paper Four
• Provide an analysis and evaluation of an argument
• Do research
• Writing on the topic and extending or complicating the
arguments of others so you may contribute to the
conversation.
Help Me design Paper 4
You’ll need to explore how these other texts respond to
the primary text you choose (like you did with Boyd), but
you get to argue on the topic this time, contributing to
the conversation and not just writing about it.
If given the choice, from our three texts (Carr, Boyd, and
Thompson), which text would you like to write about for
paper 4?
• If it is not unanimous, see next slide for your
homework
• If everyone wants to work with the same text (Carr),
then skip the next slide and go to the last slide for your
homework
Homework for Wed
If we can’t choose just one text, your homework is as follows:
1. Choose the text you want as your first text– Carr, Boyd, or
Thompson
2. Consider the claims and points from that text that you
want to write about (think about what you might have to
argue on this subject, based on what the text does)
3. Typed statement explaining (briefly) your choice of text
and the key points you plan to focus on (seriously, just use
key terms or topics) (This statement (or the alternate) due
in class Wed).
Homework alternate
If we choose to go with Carr as our primary text, your
homework is as follows:
1. Consider the claims and points from Carr that you
want to write about (think about what you might have
to argue on this subject, based on what the text does)
2. Typed statement explaining (briefly) the key points
you plan to focus on (seriously, just use key terms or
topics) (This statement due in class Wed).
Paper 4 Prompt
Wednesday November 18
• Review Prompt
Paper 4
Friday, November 20
Research Questions
• Begin your research with the primary text
• What topics raised in this text are interesting to you? (hint-you’ve
already done this part as HW before)
• Develop keywords from these topics (see the handouts from
library day) to begin searching for sources
• Develop research questions
• Phrase questions as open ended (can’t be answered with yes/no)
• Don’t phrase question like you’re “fishing” for a particular answer (in
other words, don’t just try to prove your thesis yet)
Sample research questions:
Let’s compare:
How do teens relate to social media? – open ended, invites
multiple answers
Do teens like social media? – closed question, only two answers
In what ways are people expanding their knowledge through the
Internet? – open ended
Can people learn more by using the Internet? - closed
How to Research
Where to search:
• Google scholar
• SDSU Database
What kinds of sources can you choose?
• Journal article (can be scholarly)
• Book (can be scholarly – look for a University Press)
• Magazine article
• Newspaper article
• Blog post
They Say/I say
Structure
Introduction – Should explain your topic, and the significance
or it, and finally your stance; Can include your primary text and
explain how you’re using it. See that part of this partial intro
below (this is the project statement and thesis part):
“I’ll be drawing on Thompson’s explanation of public thinking
to consider how blogs have contributed to society. Specifically, I
want to examine this notion of the Internet being a space of
exploration and sharing of ideas. Similar to Thompson, I
consider the digital world a vast place of possibility, and I offer
an extension of his claim that the Internet is benefiting society
for the better. Specifically, I argue that blogs offer a unique space
in which people can voice opinion, share experiences, and even
effect social change.”
• Next, lay out what others have said on your issue
• Here, you’ll focus on the primary text, explaining this.
• in more detail, spending the most time on the part of the
argument that you’re connecting to your argument
• Your topic sentences – your claims
• Paragraphs – structure around supporting your claims
with evidence from your research (the example partial
intro – have a source with a blog, perhaps)
Homework for Mon 11/23
• Submit a Discussion Board post of your research
question(s) (not more than three) that will inform your
research and a possible thesis statement if you have
one.
• If you have a question about a possible source you’re
vetting, you can include that.
• Remember, the Annotated Bib is due the Monday we
come back after Thanksgiving Break.
Writing Paper 4
Monday, November 23
Quick Write
What were the most appealing aspects of the texts we
read this semester? You can include your argument about
the topic you are writing about or simply comment on
the texts themselves.
How is your research coming along? Are you having
difficulties? Has research become easier or more difficult
for this assignment?
Today
Writing the Introduction
Writing the plan/outline for paper
When you finish each of these (can be same page), come up
and get my initial on them. They go with the other materials
due the last day of class. Don’t forget to put today’s date on it.
Writing the Intro
• Based on your knowledge of the primary text you’ve
chosen to work with, write your introduction.
• Remember that you can choose to include the primary
text in the intro or the next paragraph, which serves as
the place where you go into more detail with your
project and how you connect to the primary text.
• If you do this, the “intro” still requires a thesis and all the other
requirements. The more detailed project statement can restate
the thesis in more detail/other wording but is different because
it focuses on the primary text AND how you’re responding to it.
Topic Sentence Plan
Once you complete your introduction, write a plan/outline for your paper. You
can start with your topic sentences – make a claim about the topic you’ve chosen.
These might change if you change your overall argument after doing research.
For example, the plan may look like this (notice the Body 1 has a two-part topic
sentence and Body 2 has only one):
1. Into/Connection to primary source paragraph: Thesis: Our dependence on
reading things online has a negative impact on society’s reading
comprehension.
2. Body 1: Our ability to read books and longer academic articles has been
negatively affected by our dependence on social media. Specifically, users of
social media like Twitter are more likely to lose interest if a text is longer than
what is normally found online.
3. Body 2: The growing interest in blogs has a negative impact on our overall
reading comprehension rate. (this paragraph can bring in the counter
argument, which could be that blogs has a positive impact on society in other
ways)
Homework for Mon 11/30
Annotated Bibliography (see prompt for instructions) due by
11am to Discussion Board (forum will be available by
Sunday).
Come to class after break ready to work. Your rough draft (at
least three FULL pages, including Works Cited and ALL
required sources) is due Friday, Dec. 4th.
Remember, you can get extra credit for up to FOUR visits to
the Writing Center (5 points per visit). Go to the website to
register and make an appointment (sdsu.mywconline.com)
Unit 4
Monday, November 30
Quick Write
• What are you arguing in your paper? (your thesis)
• Have you completed your research for the paper?
Introducing Sources
to Set up Your Argument
Some things to remember:
• Introduce each source with all the required information the
FIRST TIME you mention the source in your paper.
• You may use a “literature review” section to give an overview of
what your primary text and others have said (maybe they’re in
agreement) and then the next section you can present your
argument with a source(s) that agrees with you.
• See Chapter 14 (“‘Analyze This’: Writing in the Social Sciences”)
for help with blending an argument with the work of others on
the same topic.
What to Argue?
What if you agree AND disagree with an argument?
• Pick one and stick with it.
Making an argument does not require you agree with the
argument you’re making.
Likewise, disagreeing with an argument does not mean you can’t
see the value in it, or think that it’s a strong argument.
Choose the topic and your stance based on what you can argue
well and thoroughly.
Homework for Wed
12/2
Bring to class your complete and polished introduction
and at least one body paragraph, typed and printed,
double spaced). Introduction must include your thesis,
not a placeholder.
Unit 4
Wednesday, December 2
Today
• Turn in your intro/body paragraphs.
• Write for 10 minutes on any part of your paper
• Review the prompt
• Read your peer’s introduction and provide feedback
• Read your peer’s comments and make the changes to the
paragraph now in class. Prepare notes to yourself if you won’t
have time to complete this work in class.
• Sign up for a conference before you leave today or email me to
let me know the times don’t work for you.
Homework for Fri 12/4
• Typed and printed hard copy of your rough draft, which MUST
have:
• at least three FULL pages
• Works Cited page with ALL required sources (you should have all
sources chosen by this point and a plan for using them all, even if
you haven’t written every body paragraph)
• Attach a typed note about feedback that:
1. Indicates which body paragraph you consider your strongest and
which is weaker (and say why for both – justify your choice).
2. Asks a question to guide your partner to what you feel you need the
most help with in writing the introduction.
Peer Review of Paper 4
Friday, December 4
Peer Review Instructions
• Write YOUR name on the peer review sheet as the
author
• Exchange your paper and the worksheet with someone,
preferably someone new
• Write YOUR name on the top of the review sheet as
the REVIEWER. Please don’t forget this – this is how
you get credit.
Unit 4
Monday, December 7
Last Day and WPA
Wednesday, December 9
Evaluations
The WPA exam
What’s next?
RWS 200 – Rhetoric of Written Argument in Context
Your Final
• Our final exam day is December 14 at 10:30am.
• Come to class with a pen and paper. Failure to bring all
materials will result in a zero for the assignment.