English 401: 52
First-Year Writing
Fall 2013
Instructor Molly Hall
Time: Tuesday & Thursday 3:40-5:00
Room: Murkland 201
Office: Hamilton Smith 301
Email: mvk26@wildcats.unh.edu
Office Hours: Wednesday 11:45-12:45,
Thursday 2-3, and by appointment.
URL: blackboard.unh.edu
Phone: 2-1313 (if dialed on campus)
862-1313 (off campus)
Course Description
The ability to articulate ideas, communicate thoughts, and share concerns is vital to
participation in communal, academic, and civic discussions. Whenever a person engages in
such discussions, he or she must possess those literacy skills (the skills to read, write, and think
critically) that enable him or her to share observations and ideas, voice questions and concerns,
and articulate positions and arguments. In English 401 this semester, you will practice your
literacy skills so that you, too, are able to communicate your ideas to an audience.
You already, of course, possess those literacy skills that enable you to enter into conversations.
Every day you communicate your ideas to various audiences: you are always speaking,
listening, reading, and writing to friends, family, community members, classmates, teachers,
and work colleagues. Thus, the idea behind this course is not something new. What this course
will give you, though, is the opportunity to build on those literacy skills that you already have
so that you might improve your ability to communicate your ideas and concerns in a variety of
settings and situations.
The course will be divided into three units, each of which will involve the writing of a different
kind of major essay. For each essay, the approach, style, structure, and content will be
determined by your audience and purpose. To strengthen your persuasive skills, you will be
required to do online and library research for your second essay.
Frequent short papers in response to assigned readings will help you prepare for each major
essay, as will the multiple drafts of each paper you will write. Workshops and instructor
conferences will give you many opportunities to closely analyze your own writing and thus
learn ways to enhance it.
Course Objectives
By the end of this course, you should be able to:


Demonstrate your ability to write in a variety of personal, academic, and civic genres;
Use various invention strategies to identify suitable topics for writing projects and to
explore, develop, and organize your ideas, information, and arguments;






Analyze and understand the rhetorical situation, including the purpose, writer
positioning, audience, and genre;
Use various online and library resources to identify and choose appropriate material for
your research and writing;
Evaluate and incorporate information from external sources (both library and webbased) into your own writing and document sources appropriately;
Develop texts that use grammatical, stylistic, and genre conventions that are appropriate
for college-level writing;
Summarize, analyze, and respond to texts written by other writers, including your
peers;
Revise, edit, and proofread your own texts for maximum effectiveness.
Required Texts
The following books are required and will be available at Durham Book Exchange (36 Main St.;
868-1297) and the UNH Bookstore (MUB; 862-2140).
Kirszner, Laurie and Stephen Mandell. Practical Argument: A Text and Anthology, Second Edition.
Boston: Bedford St. Martin’s, 2013. Print.
Ballenger, Bruce. Selected Readings from The Curious Researcher and The Curious Writer. Pearson,
2013. Print.
University of New Hampshire Composition Program. Transitions. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s,
2013. Print.
A Writing Notebook.
Course Requirements
You will be expected to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
attend all class meetings and conferences (see attendance policy, below);
arrive in class on time and well prepared;
thoroughly read and reread all assigned texts;
provide evidence of that close reading in reading responses and on classroom quizzes*;
participate actively and constructively in class discussions;
participate in in-class writing exercises;
participate in draft workshops and group work (a draft for workshop must be a
complete draft: it has a beginning, middle, and end and is ready to share);
compose and submit out-of-class exercises and reading responses;
conduct various types of research in the library and on the Web;
draft and revise three essays of various lengths and purposes;
submit all work on time (on the hour/day it is due; see Late Policy).
Individual Conferences/Office Hours
We will meet in my office for conferences to discuss your writing on a regular basis, but you
may stop by my office during open office hours as well. During our regular visits (three to five
meetings), I will meet with you individually or in small groups. These scheduled meetings are
mandatory. If you cannot attend a scheduled meeting, please email me at least two hours before
our planned time. If you miss a meeting without emailing first, I will count it as one of your
three class absences.
Assignments
Your major assignments for the course are as follows:

Analysis Essay (20%), in which you’ll closely examine one author’s position in a debate,
evaluating the quality of his/her arguments in order to determine whether that author is
successful or unsuccessful in persuading a target audience. Your objective is to gauge the
effectiveness of his/her techniques without revealing your own opinion on the debate. To
fully understand that effectiveness, you will need to utilize and incorporate one to two
additional sources on the same debate.

Researched Essay (20%), in which you’ll inquire into a specific research question and then
write to persuade your audience that your view on this question is informed and supported.
In developing this paper, you’ll need to research the topic thoroughly, using a number of
sources. On the basis of these sources, you can develop your own position on the topic, as
well as an understanding of the other positions. In writing the paper, your task will be to
present your own position as strongly as you can while also addressing, and trying to
refute, conflicting arguments. Using ethical, logical, and/or emotional appeals, you will try
to convince your audience to share your position. Your goal will be to get your audience
either to adopt your view or, at the very least, to treat your view with greater understanding
and respect.

Personal Essay (20%), in which you’ll reflect on an experience that has influenced your
development as a reader/writer/scholar/person, your understanding of your community
and your place in it, or your views/attitude toward others or the world around you. Your
task is to write an essay about when, where, why, and how this change(s) occurred. In your
essay, you’ll want to clarify to your audience why this experience was significant. To make
your change understandable and credible to your readers, you’ll need to show and possibly
explain what you were like BEFORE and AFTER the experience.
The other components that will compose your final grade are as follows:

Homework and Quizzes (15%), including responses to and summaries of the readings,
drafts of each final essay, and writing and research exercises to help you improve your
skills.

Class Presentation (5%), during unit two, five minutes presenting your research thus far on
your researched/persuasive essay.

Annotated bibliography (10%), consisting of summaries and evaluations of sources for your
researched/persuasive essay.

Participation (10%).
Class Policies
Grading Breakdown. The homework will be graded as follows:
+

-
All components are addressed and assignment is thoughtful, with evidence of your having
done the reading when required (=100 points).
Some elements are missing or problematic. Assignment is mainly on target (=85 points).
Major parts are missing/the assignment is insufficient but worth some credit (=70 points).
You will receive a letter grade (along with my written feedback) for each of the major
assignments. The grade for each essay will be assigned as follows:

A = Excellent. Your essay has a clear purpose and is well organized; it is original and
focused, with fully developed ideas and/or very effective use of research. The paper
demonstrates your full understanding of the assignment prompt and meets or exceeds all
requirements. The style is effective. The strengths of the paper outweigh any weaknesses.

B = Very Good. Your essay has a relatively clear purpose and is organized logically. It is
somewhat original and relatively focused. Your ideas are developed for the most part,
and/or your use of research is effective. The paper demonstrates your understanding of the
assignment prompt and meets or exceeds all requirements. The style is effective for the most
part. The strengths of the paper outweigh the weaknesses.

C = Average. Your essay has a discernable purpose, and its organization generally makes
sense. The style is somewhat effective. While the paper is not as original or focused as it
could be, it demonstrates your understanding of several of the key points of the assignment
and meets most, if not all, of the essay requirements.

D = Marginal. A clear purpose may be present in your paper, but the writing is not well
organized, original, or focused. The style of the paper is ineffective. The essay demonstrates
an understanding of only some of the key points of the assignment and meets very few of
the requirements. Overall, the essay’s weaknesses exceed its strengths.

F = Failure. Your essay contains many errors. It is difficult to read and vague. Your essay
lacks a purpose and does not meet the paper requirements.
Late Policy. Your homework assignments will not be accepted late. Emailing assignments is only
acceptable if illness causes you to miss class; students who miss class due to illness must still
bring in a written copy the day they return (this is the only exception to the lateness policy—I
will accept a homework assignment the next class if I received an emailed version from a sick
student by class time on the day it was due). You will receive one free homework pass over the
course of the semester to either replace your worst score or make up for an assignment you
missed. Since computer breakdowns and printer issues are not sufficient excuses for lateness,
you would be wise to save your pass in case of problems instead of skipping an assignment. For
information on the computer labs on this campus, check out the following site:
http://clusters.unh.edu/.
Late essays and the final version of the annotated bibliography will normally be docked one
letter grade per day unless you get my approval for an extension before the due date.
Remember that passing the course requires timely completion of all of the assignments, long
and short, in-class and out-of-class.
Final Course Grade. Your final grade will be adjusted for your attendance and participation
(see policies below). If you have any questions about a grade, please see me in office hours, and
I will be happy to discuss your grade with you.
Attendance Policy. All sections of English 401 follow the same attendance policy. Each student
is allowed to miss up to three meetings (classes or conferences) for whatever reason: no
distinction will be made between excused or unexcused absences. Don’t waste these three
absences; save them for times you really need them. Each additional absence beyond the three
deductibles will lower your final grade by one grade (For example, if you earned a B but missed
four classes, you’d get a B-; if you missed five classes, you’d get a C+). Missing a scheduled
conference or more than 50% of a class meeting also counts as an absence. Exceptions to this
policy will not be made unless extenuating circumstances can be documented.
It is your responsibility to get the assignments, class notes, and course changes from a classmate
if you do miss a class. It is also your responsibility to keep track of and complete the missing
work. In-class work cannot be made up. If you miss class on the day a written assignment is
due, make arrangements to send it along with a classmate.
It is my responsibility to inform you if and when I will be late or unable to attend a class. In
normal circumstances, I will inform you in advance by e-mail and/or on Blackboard. If I
haven’t notified you in advance and I am not in class, please send someone to check with the
English Office in Hamilton Smith 113. I may have left a last-minute message there.
If you think a winter storm might have caused a delay or cancellation, you can check the UNH
website or the storm information line: 603-862-0000. To receive UNH alerts to your email
and/or cell phone, go to https://alert.unh.edu/index.php?CCheck=1. In the event that class is
cancelled, you are expected to complete all readings and assignments for the following meeting unless you
receive notification from me stating otherwise.
Participation. You will be asked to make formal and informal presentations of your work
(primarily as a member of a group) in class. Although these assignments will not be given a
letter grade, they will count as evidence of your active participation in the course.
In addition, this course requires a number of drafts for each essay; thoughtful and thorough
commentary on your peers’ work is expected of you, just as it is expected of them.
Whereas in high school you may have found yourself sitting silently in a class, in this course thoughtful
participation in discussions is a vital part of your work. In fact, the value of class meetings will largely be
determined by the conversation you and your classmates create each day. Your participation in this
dialogue is expected and will be considered when I assign your final grade.
Cell Phones. Cell phones should be silenced or off during class and should be out of hand and
sight.
Academic Honesty Policy. In order to make the most out of this course, you are expected to
present your own original work. Any attempt at plagiarism or misrepresentation will result in a
failing grade for the project and, in some cases, for the entire course. The University of New
Hampshire Student Rights, Rules and Responsibility defines misrepresentation and plagiarism as
follows:
Plagiarism. The unattributed use of the ideas, evidence, or words of another person, or
the conveying of the false impression that the arguments and writing in a paper are the
student's own. Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to the following:
1. the acquisition by purchase or otherwise of a part or the whole of a piece of work
which is represented as the student's own;
2. the representation of the ideas, data, or writing of another person as the student's own
work, even though some wording, methods of citation, or arrangement of evidence,
ideas, or arguments have been altered;
3. concealment of the true sources of information, ideas, or argument in any piece of
work. (09.3)
Misrepresentation. Submitting work originally submitted for one course to satisfy the
requirements of another course, without prior consent of the current instructor (it is
assumed that the current instructor expects the work to be original). (09.4)
To avoid plagiarism, be sure to acknowledge the source, using the conventions of an
appropriate academic documentation style (such as MLA and APA) as specified by your
instructor. For more information about plagiarism and how to avoid it, see Practical
Argument and Transitions. Please note that we will be using MLA style for this course.
Confidentiality. In a personal essay (your last major assignment for the course), students often
write about sensitive experiences, and since these experiences can lead to strong writing, I
encourage you to do so if you wish. My responses and your classmates’ will cover your writing,
not your life, and I ask all students to respect the confidentiality of these pieces. However, if you
mention subjects in your writing that may be harmful to yourself or another person or you
mention crimes conducted by yourself or others on this campus, your revelations may have to
be reported to university authorities. Please consider carefully what you feel comfortable
sharing.
Services
Robert J. Connors Writing Center. The Writing Center is an invaluable resource for all kinds of
writers at UNH. The Writing Center is not only for those who feel they “need help” with their
writing. Although you will definitely “get help” at the Writing Center, you should see it as a
place to share ideas, work through concepts, and fine-tune your writing. The center also now
helps with oral presentations. Please visit the Writing Center by appointment or by dropping in
(www.unh.edu/writing; 862-3272; located on the 3rd or ground floor of the Dimond Library to
the right of the reference desk in the back). In addition, the Online Writing Lab (OWL), an
extension of the Connors Writing Center, allows students to work with one of our
consultants over the Internet at http://owl.unh.edu.
Disability Services for Students. If you are a student with a documented disability who will
require accommodations in this course, please register with Disability Services for Students for
assistance in developing a plan to address your academic needs. I will be unable to make any
accommodations without a letter from Disability Services (201 Smith Hall; 2-2607).
Additional Services. Center for Academic Resources (201 Smith Hall; 2-3698). IT Service Desk
(2-4242). IT Support Center (Dimond Library, Level 3). Sexual Harassment and Rape Prevention
Program (SHARPP) (24-hour Crisis Line: 603-862-SAFE). Counseling Center (862-2090; Smith
Hall, 3rd Floor, 3 Garrison Ave). Military & Veterans Services (862-0355; Stoke Hall;
unh.veterans@unh.edu).
Class Schedule for Unit 1
(The schedule for unit two will be handed out on Tuesday 9/24 and unit three on Wednesday
11/6).
Important Dates:
DATES
Mon., Nov. 11th
EVENT
Veteran’s Day
SCHEDULE CHANGES
Tuesday, Nov. 12th Classes follow Monday
Schedule, No Class Tuesday.
Thurs., Nov. 28-Friday, Nov. 29th
Thanksgiving
No Class Thursday.
August 27th, 1st day of this class; Dec 5th last day of this class.
All assignments on the schedule are due by the START of class ON the day listed unless otherwise
indicated.
DATE
Week 1
T 8-27
R 8-29
TOPICS UNDER
DISCUSSION
Introduction
READING DUE
WRITING DUE
What Is Argument?
What Is Analysis?
Practical Argument:
“An Introduction to
RP #1
(See description of RPs below.)
(Step 1)
Week 2
T 9-3
Selecting a Good
Source for Analysis
(Steps 1-2)
R 9-5
Rhetorical Analysis
(Steps 1-4)
Week 3
T 9-10
Analysis (Steps 1-4)
R 9-12
Close Analysis (Step
4)
Week 4
T 9-17
Classes canceled for
conferences; meet me
in my office with your
paper and questions
on it (Steps 5- 7).
Argument,” 3-17;
Chapter 2, “Thinking
and Reading
Critically,” 53-73.
Practical Argument:
Chapter 8, “Finding
and Evaluating
Sources,” 275-283;
Chapter 16,
“Argument by
Analogy,” 570-584.
Practical Argument:
Chapter 4, “Writing a
Rhetorical Analysis,”
89-102; King, “Letter
from Birmingham
Jail,” 799-813.
Blackboard Readings:
“A Call for Unity.”
Practical Argument:
Chapter 5,
“Understanding
Logic and
Recognizing
Fallacies,” 129-30;
137-148. Transitions:
Fraatz, “Reduce
Foreign Oil
Dependence: At
What Cost?”
Transitions: Badger,
“Malcolm Gladwell’s
‘Small Change,” 3-8;
Practical Argument:
Holton, “Going
Green,” 267-272.
Practical Argument:
Chapter 9,
“Summarizing,
Paraphrasing, Quoting,
& Synthesizing
RP #2
1. Blackboard Group Intro posting
(post short passage about yourself on
File Exchange).
2. RP #3
RP #4
RP #5
1. First Draft of Essay 1 (3-8pp), with
at least one additional source
integrated.
2. Post a .doc/.rtf version to your
Blackboard group by class time under
Sources,” 313-327.
R 9-18
Reconsidering Your
Structure (Step 6)
and Expanding
Your Paper;
Integrating Quotes
Blackboard: Purdue
OWL: “Transitions”
and “Transitional
Devices.” Practical
Argument: Chapter
10, “Documenting
Sources: MLA,” 329349.
Week 5
T 9-24
Quote Workshop;
Transitions and
Fluidity; Style and
Grammar
Introduction:
Inquiry/Persuasive
Research
Blackboard: Purdue
OWL: Grammar,
Punctuation and
Mechanics sections
R 9-26
File Exchange. (You will receive no credit
for pages files, since many students have
trouble opening them.)
1. Peer letters posted to Blackboard
group site by class time (no credit if
late—2 homework assignments)
(See description of peer letters below.)
Bring in notes on what you wrote.
2. Second draft with quotes included
and citations (for your source, the extra
source, and any others you’ve cited).
1. Third Draft of Essay
2. RP #6
Essay 1 due.
Over the course of the semester, you will write and revise three major essays. In addition to
these writing projects, you will also compose response papers (RPs) that will prepare you for
these major essays, help you to reflect on course readings, enable you to focus on particular
aspects/styles/techniques of writing, and give you the opportunity to consider/reconsider the
world around you. RPs are one-page, single-spaced, typed (in Times or a similar font)
responses to prompts unless otherwise noted. Include the headings in the RPs if included (i.e., Part
I, etc.).
RP #1: Part I: Summarize different sides of the media violence debate and reasons for each person’s
position on it in Chapter 2, referring to the pieces by Jones & Leo and the short passages on pp. 68-70.
(Feel free to also note anything you think they’ve left out of the debate.) Part II: Do Exercise 2.8, p. 73.
(This RP should run full length—i.e., a typed page single spaced.)
RP #2: Part I: Summarize sides of the debate over paying college athletes, along with reasons why a
person would be on one side or the other. Part II: Choose which of these essays you’d want to analyze,
and explain why (This RP should run at least half length.)
RP #3: Part I: Identify the casebook (i.e., collection of articles on a debate in Practical Argument)
you’ve selected for your first major essay (see Essay 1 description, Step 1 for your options). Summarize
some of the major arguments (i.e., you don’t have to refer to individual articles—for example, you could
read some articles about capital punishment and then conclude that the sides are arguing (among other
things) about whether it deters crime). Part II: Which emotional, ethical, and logical appeals that Carson
or Baldwin uses work the best in convincing the audience (a bulleted list is fine)? (This RP should run at
least half length.)
RP #4: Part I: Choose a single essay you’re considering focusing on for Essay 1 within your chosen
Practical Argument casebook. Why this one? Part II: Notice Fraatz’s references to various fallacies.
Based on your reading about fallacies for today, which seemed to be Fraatz’s best point about the author’s
use of a fallacy? (This RP will run very short.)
RP #5: Part I: See Step 4 of your essay description. Write a bulleted list of which of these criteria
Badger covers in his essay. Part II: Create a chart, identifying which of the criteria in Step 4 the essay
you’ve chosen to analyze for Essay 1 meets. If you find you don’t have much to say, you may want to
select a different essay in the same casebook. (This RP should run full length.)
Peer Letters: Answer the following questions for each of the two pieces you’re reviewing and post your
responses in your Blackboard Group under File Exchange:
1. What aspect of the draft needs the most work? Be specific. (Give examples to show what you
mean.)
2. Are there any parts that show your classmate’s stance on the issue? Indicate them if so.
3. How well is the required additional source integrated? If there isn’t one, where might another
source benefit this paper? (i.e., to explain what’s left out of the argument, for example).
4. You will need to examine the essay your classmate analyzed. What else should your classmate
address that he/she hasn’t?
5. What is your classmate’s thesis? (i.e., statement about this essay’s persuasiveness)? How
convincing do you find his/her thesis (i.e., he/she has convinced you he/she is right about the
piece’s persuasiveness)?
6. How well has your classmate supported his/her thesis with examples from the essay and from the
other source/s? Give examples.
7. Any suggestions for organizing the paper?
8. What are the greatest strengths and weaknesses of your classmate’s essay?
9. Do you have any additional advice that would help this classmate do well on his/her paper? Share
it here if so.
RP #6: Part I: Check out the Mechanics, Punctuation, and Grammar sections from Purdue University’s
OWL (Blackboard link) addressing an issue you find problematic, such as comma splices, fragments, etc.
After reading the section (click on a handout), cite specific examples or explanations that address what
you find confusing. Part II: Include examples from your own writing (for this or other classes) when you
make this mistake, and based on Purdue’s OWL, explain why it’s grammatically incorrect to make it.
(This RP should be at least half the usual length.)
Two-Day Schedule: Unit 2
ENGL 401 Schedule: Weeks 6-12 (subject to change)
Tentative Course schedule and assignments: As always, this writing intensive class will ebb and flow, and
it may be necessary to make changes to the daily schedule. Please be forewarned and flexible.
PA= Practical Argument; T= Transitions; CR = Curious Researcher; BB= reading posted on Blackboard.
**All assignments on the schedule are due by the START of class ON the day listed unless
otherwise noted. **
Date
Week 6
T
10-1
Topics Under
Discussion
Introduction to
Researched Writing
Essay #2 Assignment
Reading due
Writing due
Read:
 RP #7: Write a 400 word response
on “Research Experiences”: Discuss
your experiences with researched
papers in the past. What was most
rewarding/useful (and/or) what
was
frustrating/uninteresting/painful?
Describe the process of researching
and writing in detail. You may also
contrast a school-based research
assignment with a research project
(finding a new snowboard) that you
undertook on your own.
CR, “The First Week” (pp. 127)
CR, Appendix C
“Understanding Research
Assignments”( pp. 351-358)
What makes a good
Research topic?
(Questions, questions,
questions)
TH
10-3
Library VisitMeet at our regular time
in Dimond Library Room
421
Week Seven
Inquiry, not just Topics
T
10-8
Narrowing the Subject/
Writing Research
Questions
Research
Kinds of Sources/
Developing search terms
 Complete Ex. 1 (on pp. 3-4, CR)
 Generate a list of questions that
you’d like to explore for Essay #2.
 Explore Practical Argument
Casebooks for ideas for research
questions.
Reread:
CR, pp. 1-18.
Read:
pp. 20 – 23, pp. 23-27.
Come to class with two possible
research questions/topics. Briefly write
about why you chose this topic (3-5
sentences), then spend 10 minutes
brainstorming a list of questions about
your topic. Try to see your topic in as
many ways as possible. Bring all these
materials to class.
TH
10-10
Developing a Research
Proposal.
Doing Research and
Reading for Research
(Searches, Notetaking
techniques, Research
Logs, etc.)
Read:
McClure’s “Googlepedia”
(Handout)

CR, “Notetaking,” pp. 103112
If there is time:
Field-Based Research
(Interview, Surveys)
Week Eight
T
10-15
TH
10-17
Group Conference DayCLASS IS CANCELLED
TODAY.
Instead, meet me in my
office (301) during the
conference time you
signed up for (TH 10/10
or M 10/14).
Plagiarism
Summary/
Paraphrasing
Annotated
Bibliographies- What are
they?
Complete a strong, persuasive
draft of your “Research
Proposal,” using guidelines in Ex.
5 on p. 23-24 in CR, Chapter 2.
The proposal should include
headings for: a list of search
terms (and alternatives) and a list
of two potential databases for
your search.
Final Drafts of Research Proposals
are due on Discussion Board by
Friday (10-11) at 4pm.

Read:
CR, “Living Sources,” pp. 62-78
Bring your Research Proposal,
potential sources, and questions to
this meeting.
Reread:
CR, pp. 31-58 to help with
your library research.
Read:
CR, Chapter Three, Week Three,
(pp. 79-96.)
Student Sample of Annotated
Bibliography (Handout/BB)
Section on Annotated
Bibliographies at the Purdue
OWL. See links for samples, as
well.
http://owl.english.purdue.
edu/owl/resource/614/01
/
Complete a double-entry journal (see
CR pp.105-106) on the sample
Annotated Bibliography.
Week 9
T
10-22
Using sources/
Putting your voice into
Conversation with the
Experts
Read:
CR, 151 -162;
CR, Appendix A, MLA format and
Citation Style.
 Complete two Research logs for
two of your library-based sources;
bring to conferences next week.
 Annotated Bibliography due.
Getting to the Draft/
Finding an Angle in…
TH
10-24
Getting to the Draft (Part
II)
Writer’s Workshop
Read:
CR “The Fourth Week,
Getting to the Draft” (pp.
121-151)
Complete a 3-5 minute oral
presentation (including a power
point presentation) on your
research and argument.
Week 10
T
10-29
IN CLASS Individual
Conference Day/ Group
Conferencing OUTSIDE
OF CLASS
Conferences/Research Day. Use
this time to fill in the gaps in
your research and writing.
Meet with me for the group
conference time you signed up
for. These will be held at the
Dimond library. We will meet in
the lobby.
Complete a 4-5 page draft of your
researched essay. Bring a copy of
your Draft to CLASS and to
CONFERENCE.
TH
10-31
Revision strategies
Read:
CR, The Fifth Week, “Revision is
RE-seeing” (pp. 163-172)
Work on your draft based on
feedback, and bring in next draft of
Researched Essay (clean copy, single
sided double-spaced).
Cut-and-paste revision
(If we have time)
Week 11
T
11-5
Peer Revision
Presentation Visit from
the Connors Writing
Center
Student Sample
Researched Essay
Grammar and Style
Workshop
Read:
CR, “Revising for Language,” (pp.
180-193)
Van Der Heijdan, “The Hidden
Truths of Bottled Water”
(Transitions)
 RP #8: Write a 400-word
response evaluating and
discussing one of the student
research essays in Transitions.
Donegan, “Unions are Important
Allies for Women” (Transitions)
TH
11-7
Writer’s workshop
Continue to Work on your final draft
of your Researched Essay.
Cutting Clutter
Bring in three copies of your almost
final draft of your researched Essay.
Grammar Workshop
Week 12
T
11-12
NO CLASS
TH
11-14
Because of Veteran’s
day, there are no classes
at UNH on Monday.
To be fair to MW and MWF
classes who already missed a
class for Labor day, Monday
classes will be held on Tuesday.
This means OUR TUESDAY CLASS IS
CANCELLED.
The Promise and Power
of the Personal Essay
Review Researched Essay
Assignment sheet to be sure that
you have completed all
requirements for the essay.
RESEARCHED ESSAY DUE.
How the Personal
Connects to the
Academic Writing
Essay #3: The Personal
Essay assigned.
Be sure to complete all the
requirements, including your
paper trail, the cover letter, the
Works Cited page.
Researched Essay (Essay #2)
This assignment is designed to allow you to discover information about a topic and
a researchable question that interests you. Your research question will guide your
inquiry. This essay assignment will bring together many of the writing skills that
we have been working on this semester, such as writing with voice, evaluating
others’ argument, evaluating sources, informing our writing with research,
developing a clear thesis, paying attention to audience, and expressing a logical
progression of thoughts. The essay counts for 20% of your final grade, and it should
be representative of the skills you are developing this semester. In addition, the
Presentation will count for 5 % of your grade, and the Annotated Bibliography will
count for 10% of your final grade, and will include summaries and evaluations of
sources for your researched essay.
REQUIREMENTS
Paper Format: The essay should be 7-8 pages in length (not including Works Cited page),
double-spaced, with one-inch margins, in font size 12, using Times New Roman. Use MLA
format.
Title: You will need a title for your essay that peaks your reader’s interest and leads your
reader into your topic. A separate title page is not necessary.
Source Requirements:
You will need a minimum of five (5) sources. All sources need to be evaluated for reliability
and academic soundness. Of these sources:

Only one source can be from the Internet (meaning, published solely on the Internet. For
example, electronic databases such as EBSCOhost are journals, not Internet sources.)

One can be field research-based (such as an interview or short survey).

At least two of the sources must be from academic books/journals/academic databases.

One source must be an academic book from the library catalog (edited collection, solo
authored, or e-book).
Please note: If you choose to use more than five sources, you may exceed any of the above
source requirements. For example, if you have seven sources, you might have one field-research
based source, two academic books/journals, and four Internet sources.
Citation Requirements: Make sure that all summaries, paraphrases, and quotes drawn from
these sources are integrated into the text of your essay. Use MLA format to cite all your sources,
both in your essay and on the Works Cited page.
Note: Not all disciplines use the MLA format of documentation. When you write a research paper for other classes, be sure to
check with your syllabus or your professor regarding the proper citation format for other papers.
The Writing Center: Those of you who decided to use the writing center will have their grade bumped
up one unit (i.e. from A- to A or from C to C+). The researched essay is a good opportunity to explore the
writing center. You should strive to set up appointment and meet with a writing consultant from the
Connors Writing Center to work on this research essay. Be aware that the Writing Center often gets very
busy this time of the semester. Do not wait until the last moment to make this appointment.
STEP 1: RESEARCH PROPOSAL (AND YOUR RESEARCH QUESTION)
The proposal should be 1-2 pages (single-spaced) in length and it should explain why you are
interested in this subject. For information on writing proposals, see Ballenger’s exercise 5 in
Chapter 3 to help you write your initial draft.
You may choose any question/angle of inquiry/position you want for your research paper, but
to eliminate your need for researching background information on a particular issue and to give
you a head start on research in general, your topics will all be derived from the following
Practical Argument casebooks and at issue sections imbedded in regular chapters (if you really
want to use a different topic that you feel passionate about, you can make a case for this to me
and I will consider approving it. However, if you choose a non-Practical Argument debate to
weigh in on, you will be required to do more research and the 5 required sources become at least
9):
Women in the Workplace: The Idea of the Glass Ceiling (Chapter 25)
Eating Meat/Questions about Sustainability/Questions about Local Food Sources (Chapter
23)
Should Controversial Sports Mascots Be Replaced? (Chapter 19)
Do the Benefits of Bottled Water Outweigh the Costs? (Chapter 21)
Is It Ethical to Buy Counterfeit Designer Merchandise? (Chapter 4)
Your purpose in the final draft is to persuade me (and other members of the class) that this is a
strong research topic, guided by good, researchable questions. The Proposal should use
subheadings and include the following:






A persuasive discussion of why you’re interested in this research question, including
any personal connections
Your research questions
Your plan for completing the field-based research component, if you choose to
include it.
A list of key search terms that you’ve already discovered (and alternative search
terms), as well as a list of 2 possible library databases that will be useful for this
project,
Your overall game plan/time line for completing the essay, including how you will
structure your time. (This is for you, as much as for us. As you plan, take into
account given you current schedule and other commitments. Plan ahead.),
A list of 3-4 possible library-based and/or other academic sources, properly cited in
MLA format.
Your proposal must be approved by me.
STEP 2: ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY
Your annotated bibliography will help you prepare to write Essay #2. You will research
and write about AT LEAST 5 sources in addition to those found in the Practical
Argument book. Compiling this annotated bibliography will help you select an
audience, know which methods are effective for you to employ, and find backing for
your position. It will also help you to practice summarizing and evaluating sources.
WHERE TO LOOK:
In order to understand context, back up your position, or counter your opposition/the
audience’s views, go to:



The Opposing Viewpoints database.
Radio news broadcasts and news shows, like those found on programs like Talk of the
Nation, Science Fridays, NH’s Laura Knoy Show, etc. on National Public Radio
(NPR.org; nhpr.org).
Web sites representing different perspectives:
http://www.csudh.edu/dearhabermas/leftright.htm.
To support your research and argument, consider sources and evidence that include the
following:

Statistical sources—not just those directly related to those in your debate, but those that
dovetail with it. For example, if you’re arguing for drilling, you might consider current
gas prices at the pump.




Studies—particularly those from peer-reviewed journals/reliable books.
Quotes from authorities your audience would trust—political (especially if on their side
of the debate), historical, governmental, etc. Look at King’s “Letter from Birmingham
Jail” for examples.
Stories/anecdotes from interviews you conduct or from reputable articles, books,
documentaries, radio or television news broadcasts, etc.
Analogies/counter-examples—Consider other controversies that could be compared
to/serve as analogies for yours. If you’re suggesting your audience change strategies,
which group’s approach—whether part of their debate/not—might you recommend?
QUALITY OF THE SOURCES:
Wikipedia—or any other general encyclopedia—can NOT be considered one of the
sources in your bibliography. You can look at it initially for background. I would see if
any of their citations can help you.
For each source in your annotated bibliography, consider these factors, among others,
to assess its quality:
Learn to put your sources to the CRAAP test:
• “Currency: The timeliness of the information.”
• “Relevance: The importance of the information for your needs.”
• “Authority: The source of the information.”
• “Accuracy: The reliability, truthfulness, and correctness of the
informational content.”
• “Purpose: The reason the information exists.”
For specific questions to pose of your sources to evaluate each
of these, visit the website for the developers of the CRAAP
test at http://www.csuchico.edu/lins/handouts/evalsites.html (Meriam Library).
Keep in mind that “being in the database” or “in the library” is not enough of a reason
to consider a source credible. Ensure that you are basing your decision to use the source
on more than one standard.
Of the five+ sources in your annotated bibliography, at least one source must either be
print-based (i.e., a book) or a documentary/radio show. You might consider a possible
interview as well. (Of course, you may have additional or different sources by the time you
finish your papers.)
FORMAT OF THE ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY:
For a complete list of MLA citations, see PA Chapter 10, “Documenting Sources: MLA.”
In each annotation you should:
(1) Cite the text of your choice in perfect MLA format.
(2) Summarize the text.
(3) Evaluate the credibilityof the text.
(4) Explain how you will use the source in your paper.
For an example and description of an annotated bibliography, see examples on Purdue
Owl at: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/614/03/
Final helpful point: Consider how the research you choose will be effective (or won’t be
effective) for the audience that you are trying to reach in your final researched paper:
To determine your audience, you might look closely at the web sites of stakeholders in
the conversation, including:
 A public interest group you find online involved in the debate
 A political figure invested in this debate
 An author who has written on the debate
 An official who is a decision maker in this debate
 Another group/person who could be considered a stakeholder
Step 3: Getting to the Draft, Revision, and Key Dates in the Timeline:
10/3—Library Visit
10/8—Choose Topic and Research Question
10/11—Research Proposal Due
10/10—Day One of Research Conferences
10/14—Day Two of Research Conferences
10/22—Annotated Bibliography Due
10/24—Oral and PowerPoint Presentations
10/29—First Draft of Research Essay Due/Essay Conferences
11/7—Second Draft of Research Essay Due
11/14—Research Essay Due (Final Draft)
STEP 4: HANDING IN THE FINAL RESEARCHED ESSAY
DUE ON NOVEMBER 14, 2013.
When you hand in your final draft of your researched essay in a two-pocket folder and
include the following:

A reflective cover letter, reflecting on the path you took to write this essay. In this
reflection, tell me what happened between each draft, points of frustration and how you
moved through them, moments of discovery, and how they affected the essay, and relevant
feedback from your workgroup. I want to hear everything that I can’t see by looking at the
final draft. This letter should be at least three-paragraphs (single-spaced) in length.

A clean, proofread professional-looking copy of your final draft.

The paper trail, showing all the relevant steps you took in researching and revising this
essay and all the feedback you received on the way (include important free-writes, writing
exercises, research notes, and significant drafts that demonstrate your research process and
writing process).
EVALUATION METHOD
Your essay will be graded on both your final product and your research process, using the
following criteria.
Final Draft Criteria (75% of final grade):

Central Theme and Content: Central theme is well defined and carried out throughout the
essay. Content is clear, focused, and synthesized.

Organization: Organization enhances and showcases the central theme. Ideas are ordered
so that they build upon one another and transitions between sentences and paragraphs are
smooth.

Sense of Audience: Audience is clearly defined (either implicitly or explicitly). An
awareness of audience is carried throughout the essay, as indicated by the defining of
unfamiliar terms, anticipation of the reader’s questions, and sensitivity to all potential
members of the audience.

Stylistic Choices: Specific and accurate words are used to convey intended meaning.
Language is varied and cliches are avoided. A variety of sentences lengths and
constructions are used to add emphasis.

MLA Format: Correct formatting is used throughout the essay, including the heading, page
numbers, in-text citations, and Works Cited page.

Research: Source requirements are met. Sources are reliable and academically sound.
Research is smoothly incorporated into the texts and works to strengthen the central theme.

Presentation: Essay is professionally presented in terms of relevant title, grammatically
clear sentences, consistent verb tenses and correct punctuation and spelling.
Process Criteria (25% of Total Grade for Essay 2):

Reflective Cover letter: Letter describes and reflects on what happened between each draft,
points of frustration and how you moved through them and how they affected the essay,
and relevant feedback from your workgroup. Letter contextualizes pieces included in the
paper trail and is at least one full page in length.

Paper Trail: The paper trail shows all the relevant steps you took in researching and
revising this essay. All the feedback you received during the drafting process is included.
All freewrites, writing exercises, research notes, and significant drafts that demonstrate
either your research or writing process) is included. All pieces are clearly labeled and
organized.

Revision Process: Significant changes are made between drafts which can include
significant shifts of focus, perspective, target audience, or structure. Feedback is considered
when making revision choices.
Unit 3: The Personal Essay: Schedule
TH 11/14
The Promise and
Power of the Personal
Essay
Sign up for conferences.
How the Personal
Connects to the
Academic Writing
Work on essay revisions.
Bring in hard copy of your
essay, whatever stage of
drafting it is at.
Essay #3: The Personal
Essay assigned.
Week 13
TU 11/19
Essays Showing
Transformations &
Realizations; Narrative
vs. Reflection
Review Researched Essay
Assignment sheet to be sure that
you have completed all
requirements for the essay.
Curious Researcher, “Writing
the Personal Essay,” 200-208;
217-223.
Transitions: Harmon,
“Perennials.”
1. RESEARCHED ESSAY DUE.
Be sure to complete all the
requirements, including your
paper trail, the cover letter, the
Works Cited page, and the Where
to Go From Here” reflection.
2. Bring in an object that represents
a possible essay idea.
3. RP #9.
Handout: Dillard, “The
Chase.”
TH 11/21
CLASS CANCELLED
FOR CONFERENCES
Curious Researcher, 225-235.
First Draft of Essay 1 (all parts of
story included; 2.5 pages or more)—
BRING A HARD COPY TO YOUR
CONFERENCE.
Week 14
Developing Your
Transitions: McNutt, “Divine
RP # 10
TU 11/26
TH 11/28
Week 15
TU 12/3
TH 12/5
Theme; Pacing:
Description, Reflection,
and Dialogue
CLASS CANCELLED
FOR
THANKSGIVING
Workshop;
Reconsidering Your
Structure
EVALUTION FORMS
Grammar/Local
Revisions.
Intervention.”
Revisit Harmon, “Perennials.”
Work on your drafts.
Curious Researcher, “More than
One Way to Tell a Story,” 231232.
Work on your drafts.
. Work on your draft.
RP # 11.
(This RP will be submitted
online only, on Blackboard).
Second Draft of Essay 3 (4 or more
pages). Bring in a paper copy for
class.
Bring a paper copy of your essay to
class.
***FINAL DRAFT OF ESSAY 3 IS DUE THURSDAY DECEMBER 12 at
1:00 pm IN MY OFFICE Hamilton Smith 301***
*Schedule is not final. Readings and minor assignments may change. Assignments are due on the day they appear
on the schedule.
**More than the required page limit for a workshop is always encouraged—the more progress you’ve made on your
draft, the better.
Response Papers:
RP #9: Part I: After looking at your essay assignment, identify the three stages of Harmon in terms of her change
(i.e., who is she before, during, and after). Part II: What’s effective about Harmon’s characterization of her
grandparents? What different ways does she characterize them? Part III: Draw a storyboard of three important
scenes/images from the story you want to write for Essay 3. Explain it in a sentence/two afterward. (RP will be full
length with drawing).
RP #10: Part I: Imitate the inner thoughts of “Divine Intervention” in the last section, reflecting on something that
occurs in your essay. Be sure to reflect within a scene (i.e., as it happens—so during a game, a conversation, etc.,
what are you thinking?). Part II: Compare and contrast something that occurs in your story. Part III: Include a
passage of dialogue, as McNutt does in “Divine Intervention.” Part IV: Use an object/facial expression or gesture of
a character to bring a memory/background information into your story, as Harmon does with the sink in
“Perennials” (p. 103). Part V. Anything else you’d take from the readings? (This RP will run long.)
RP # 11: How is your essay structured? Is it more like Julia or Judith’s story? How might you mimic Judith’s
format? (This RP will be submitted online only, on Blackboard).
Essay #3: Personal Essay
Description:
In your final essay, you will reflect on an experience that influenced your development as a
reader/writer/scholar/person, your understanding of your community and your place in it, or your views/attitude
toward others or the world around you. Your task is to write an essay about when, where, why, and how this
change(s) occurred. While your essay will contain narrative elements, it doesn’t need to be in chronological order.
In your essay, you’ll want to clarify to your audience why this experience was significant. What happened is not
enough. Readers will want to know how this experience happened and why it was important to you. To make your
change understandable and credible to your readers, you’ll need to show and possibly explain what you were like
BEFORE and AFTER the experience. Keep in mind that we often have more perspective on events that happened in
the past than those that just occurred. College will likely be too fresh, but it’s possible high school is too, so consider
earlier experiences as well.
Here are some questions that may help you begin thinking about possible topics for your essay:
•Was there a moment you became aware of the consequences of your gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation,
class, or nationality?
•Was there a teacher who affected your attitude toward reading, writing, or other intellectual fields?
•Did an experience conflict with your community’s views that made you question those views?
•Did a speech, news report, movie, book, song, or article make you look at a debate, your culture, or your views
differently?
•Did your first semester at a new school expose you to people/views/pressures unlike those you had experienced
before?
•Did an encounter with a stranger/acquaintance/group ever alter your behavior/view of others?
•Did you have an experience you thought would/should change you—but didn’t?
•Was there a difference between your reaction to an experience and what you thought it should have been?
•Is there a moment from your past that you remember—and don’t know why?
Keep in mind that you may not discover the significance of the experience until you begin to write, so don’t just
choose among traumatic or exciting events. Often the best essays are about seemingly inconsequential moments that
had meaning for the writer. Remember too that what you initially think was significant about the event may not be
what you find ultimately important. Let writing and revision help you parse out the meaning of your experience.
Don’t forget that a significant event in your life could lead to multiple stories—and for the purposes of this essay,
you only want to tell one of them.
For this essay, you will write for an audience of peers sympathetic to but not knowledgeable about your experience.
You’ll want to employ the narrative devices that make a story engaging, ensuring that you make this essay
interesting to more than just those who know you. Determine the structure most effective for telling your story,
provide effective details, explain concepts/moments that might be foreign to your audience, develop your scenes,
and, most of all, clarify why this experience was significant to your development, understanding, or view of the
world around you. Your style for this essay will be less formal than for your other two essays; you can use humor if
appropriate for the subject matter and audience.
Format:
Your essays should be typed, printed in dark ink, and double spaced, with one-inch margins. Place your name, the
date, and my name in the upper left-hand hand corner of the first page. Double space, and then center your title,
which should be neither underlined nor quoted. Double space again and begin typing your essay, numbering all the
pages. Fasten the pages with a staple.
In a simple file folder, include the following:
•Your final essay, which should be 5-6 pages (only go over by a paragraph/two)
•The afterthought (one to three paragraphs)—on a separate page or a few spaces after the end of the essay—
reflecting on the changes you’ve made from draft to draft and discussing the process of writing your essay (why you
made the decisions you did, which peer advice you followed and did not and why, what worked and didn’t as you
revised, etc.)
•Rough drafts
•Workshop worksheets (by your classmates about your work)