Day 28: Peer Perception and End of the Semester Reflection

We did it! Everyone made it to the last day of class! We didn't lose a single member of our class! Woohoo! 

Ok, enough celebrating for now. We still have a few items of business left on the agenda before the semester ends. Once again, here is the link to the assignment description. If you haven't already, please be sure to read it! The assignment rubric can be found here. Finally, we'll be having individual conferences to discuss your papers next Monday - Wednesday. Here's the sign-up doc. 

Today we'll be doing a peer review of the second collection of body paragraphs for your IRPs (Solution #2: Description, Critique and Improvement). After that, we'll take some time to reflect on the journey we've almost completed and try and get some perspective on how far we've come during our time this semester. 

An outline of today's class can be found below

Peer Perception and Reflection

I. Brainstorming: IRP Requirements 

Consider the following questions about the IRP: what kind of paper is the IRP? How many pages should it be? What kind of reference page will it include, annotated or normal? How will your references be organized? What's the minimum amount of references that you need to include? How many paragraphs will the final essay be? How many sources should be cited in each body body paragraph? Should it include a title page? Where will you submit the final paper? What will happen if there is any suspected plagiarism? 

Do you have any other questions? Now's the time to ask! 

II: Peer Perception (Warm-Up)

Let's take a look at this short clip from the movie "Along Came Polly". As you are watching, after watching we'll discuss the questions on the handout. 

III. Peer Perception 

First, you'll be put into groups of three and asked to sit together. I will begin this section of the class by going around and checking to make sure everyone has their three body paragraphs for Solution #2. Anyone who does not will be marked absent. After you are in your groups, you will be asked to fill out this worksheet for one of your partners papers. Once you finish the worksheet, you can save it to their desktop with the file, "IRP_D2Comments_YourName". Then they can move it to their Dropbox. 

Once you finish, in the same groups, have a short discussion on the following questions: 

           -What did everyone in your group do well in their drafts?

           -What kinds of things could you improve on?

           -What advice would you give to some writing a similar paper? 

           -What kinds of things are still left to be done for each of you before
            submitting the final paper? 

Once you've had a chance to talk, we'll share some of your answers as a class. 

IV. Final Reflection

Based on the prompt you received, write a short reflective essay on what you've learned over the course of the semester. The essay should be between 350-500 words (or about 12-15 sentences). You will not be graded on grammar. Instead, you'll be graded on the amount of effort you put in. 

Housekeeping Details

-First Draft of Your IRP Due by Your Conference

Please print out and bring a completed first draft with you to your conference. Also, think of specific questions you would like to address during our meeting. 

-Final Draft of the IRP Due Next Friday (12/13) by 11:55 pm at SafeAssign

Day 27: Writing Effective Introductions

Today we begin our last full week of ESL 115C. Our class will revolve around a discussion of the characteristics of effective introductions for problem/solution research papers. Here is the schedule for our final week of classes:

4.5 (12/3)   Writing Effective Conclusions
4.6 (12/5)   Formatting/Peer Perception 
4.7 (12/9, 12/10, 12/11)  Individual Conferences (Mandatory)

On Thursday, there will be a sign-up sheet for individual conference times. These times will be during my usual office hours and during our normal class meeting time. Additional times will be made available to accommodate anyone who cannot make it to the blocks I've scheduled. Since I'll be canceling class next Tuesday, attendance at these conferences is mandatory. If you miss your conference, you will receive two absences. While attendance has not be an issue for anyone so far this semester, some of you have reached the maximum number of absences, so I urge everyone to attend their conference.

Once again, here are the requirements for the final IRP problem/solution research paper.

An outline of today's class can be found below:

Writing Effective Conclusions for Problem/Solution Research Papers

I. Brainstorming 
Let's begin by reviewing the characteristics of effective conclusions. What information should a conclusion include? Does this depend on the type of paper you've written? How so? What are some common features of all effective conclusions?

Before we begin our discussion of introductions, let's take a look at this short video clip. Do you feel that "Just Joe" provided a good self-introduction? Why or why not?

Now, discuss these questions about introductions with a partner. Once you've discussed the answers for a few minutes, update the doc with your group's perspective(s).

II. Identifying the Common Features of Effective Introductions 
Now, with a partner, take a look at this exercise that asks you to identify the common features shared by two example introductions. Following the directions, work your way through the three steps. Once, you've finished, we'll compare our answers as a class.

III. Compare and Contrast: Introductions and Conclusions
This graphic visualizer offers a nice summation of the different issues we've discussed pertaining to the creation of effective introductions and conclusions. Keep this information in mind as you begin to write your own.  

IV. Practice: Writing an Effective Introduction
This link takes you back to the rough outline that we created for our demo topic, the raising cost of college tuition at U.S. universities. Using the information from the outline and applying the techniques and strategies we've discussed about how to write effective introductions, take a few minutes and write an introduction for this paper. Once you've finished, you can share you work here.

V. ICES Evaluations
Here is your chance to evaluate me. Please place the completed evaluation forms back in the manila envelope and drop the folder into the campus mailbox in the South entryway to the FLB. The pencils should be returned to my office (FLB 4106).

Housekeeping Details and Homework for Thursday (12/5/13)
-If you haven't already, make sure your body paragraphs for Solution #2 (description, critique and improvement) are in your Dropbox folders. We will be using them for a peer review on Thursday. Anyone without these paragraphs will be marked absent for the day.

-Finish the first draft of your final essay by the Monday, December 9th. Upload it to the 'IRP' folder in your Dropbox.

-If you'd like to come in and talk about your essay this week, send me an email and let me know when you'd like to stop. Please bring specific questions and remember that I am unable to edit papers for you!