Grammar Test

As an in-class exercise, please take out both portfolio papers.

In an attempt to help you recognize your own sentences that are not grammatically correct, you will be reading your own essay OUT of ORDER.  By this I mean you will start at the end of your essay and read each sentence-- the last sentence first, then the second to last one, then the one before that.  Read each sentence by itself OUT LOUD.

Test each for grammar-- where is the complete sentence???

Make corrections where you need to.

Post a reply to this post, discussing the value of this exercise-- did it seem to work for you?

Sentence Scaffolding

I'd like you to create your own sentences based on the following sentence structures: try a sentence with an appositive; one that uses a participle or two (it could start the sentence as in this example, or go anywhere else in the sentence you like); and then a sentence with an absolute and a particple or an appositive (the last example starts with a participle and finishes with an absolute).

Teenagers— those young, wild rebels— often wear clothes their parents dislike.

Partying with friends and studying long hours, I soon realized college life would be a series of shocks.

Wearing his superman outfit, Sean rushed outside with his new double-barreled water gun, finger pulling mercilessly on the trigger.




Once you've posted your three sentences, you should go back to the portfolio paper you're working on-- keep these structures in mind (they can help you start sentences when you're stumped, or even combine sentences that seem unnecessary).

Short Essay #4

In a page of text, reflect on yourself as a writer.  Try remembering your first memory of writing.  You could use parts of your freewrite from class if you think they're worthy.
How do you feel about writing?
What are your strengths in writing?
What writing are you most comfortable with?
What is most difficult?  Weaknesses?

How has your writing changed as a result of your work in this course?  What do you still have to work on in your writing?

This should be in MLA format (think of a good title), be around 250 words (a whole page of text), and is due Monday, July 11.  Be prepared with an electronic and paper copy.

Commas can be tricky

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/exercises/3/5/15

Writer's Reflection

A reflection is looking back on something-- in the portfolio you're asked to reflect on yourself as a writer.

For this discussion, reflect on your first memories of writing. Describe this memory.

Continue your reflection: consider how your view of yourself as a writer developed since-- through school, through personal correspondence, and even social media.

Sentence Combining + Eliminating Wordiness

In the following exercise it asks you to explain why the structures are incorrect-- I prefer you fix them.  You'll need to either eliminate words, add words, or even use different punctuation.  Treat it like a sentence combining activity, as you practice eliminating wordiness.

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/exercises/5/18/38

I attended Morris Junior High— a bad experience.

____ 2. The scene was filled with beauty-- the sun sending its brilliant rays to the earth and the leaves of various shades of red, yellow, and brown moving slowly in the wind.

____C 3. He talked for fifty minutes without taking his eyes off his notes; like other teachers in that department, he did not encourage students' questions.

____ 4. Within each group, there were a wide range of features to choose from, but was difficult to distinguish between them.

__C__ 5. A few of the less serious fellows would go into a bar for a steak dinner and a few glasses of beer. After this meal, they were ready for anything.

____ 6. It can be really embarrassing to be so emotional. Especially when you are on your first date, you should be in control.

____ 7. although it is a value judgment and in circumstances not a true premise, The magazine has a reputation for having a sophisticated, prestigious, and elite group of readers.

____ 8. In the seventh grade every young boy goes out for football, to prove to himself and his parents that he is a man.

____ 9. She opened the door and let us into her home, not realizing at the time that we would never enter that door in her home again.

____10. As Christmas grows near, I find myself looking back into my childhood days at fun-filled times of snowball fights— thinking about this makes me happy.

____11. Making up his mind quickly, Jim ordered two dozen red roses for his wife, Hoping she would accept his apology.

____12. They were all having a good time— until one of Joe's oldest and best friends had a little too much to drink.

____13. Although it only attained a speed of about twelve miles an hour, my old rowboat with its three-horsepower motor seemed like a high-speed job to me.

____14. With my brother standing by my side, I reached for the pot handle; but I tilted the pot way too much, causing the boiling water to spill.

____15. The small, one-story houses are all the same size and style, with no difference except the color.

____16. He acted as if he were  a friend of mine like he was when we first joined the soccer team— together we had learned a lot.

Portfolio Assignment

English 1010

Summer 2016

Final Portfolio

As stated on the syllabus and throughout the course, your “final” for this course is a portfolio of your writings. The portfolio consists of the following: Final drafts for the Narrative, the Rhetorical Analysis, and Proposal Letter. A significant revision of TWO of your Major Essays.  These will be called your “Portfolio Papers.” Include a significant revision draft of this paper. A reflective letter that explains your progress in the course and your revision process for the portfolio paper.

1. Final Drafts

Because this is the course final, the portfolio will be revisiting the body of your work over the course of the entire semester. This gives you a chance to show how you have progressed, and what issues remain. Include all final drafts of the three major papers– submit the versions with my comments.

2. Significant Revision: Portfolio Papers

For this portfolio, select TWO of the papers you have written for this course and substantially revise them. What to do:

• Carefully respond to my comments. Note my marginal and end-comments on your first and final drafts and revise accordingly.
• Perform your own original revisions. As this is a final, you are expected to display the entirety of the knowledge you’ve learned in class. This means that you’ll need to employ all the writing strategies we have discussed in the course. No matter which paper you choose – even if you choose to revise the last one– there will be many issues you’ll need to address that I did NOT comment on when grading your paper. Your portfolio papers are an example of your best work.
• Get outside commentary from peers or the Writing Center. As this paper must be absolutely polished, outside perspective is important. Make sure the paper meet “Assignment Expectations” on the syllabus.
• Include a significant draft of this essay.  This is another way of showing your growth as a writer.  This will be the draft that shows the most dramatic revision and reworking.  It should be the draft that got written on by you and your peers.  It is the draft that shows the leap the essay went through to create this “portfolio paper” copy.

3. Reflective Letter

Your reflective letter is a formal letter that discusses your progress as a writer and reader in this course. A successful reflection will integrate a number of different elements:

• Explain your strengths and weaknesses as a writer. What have you worked on? What needs work, and how will you address these issues in the future? Comment on how your perspective on critical thinking, reading, and writing has changed as a result of the class. Note how your work reflects these changes.
• Explain your choice for the Portfolio Papers and what you did to improve them. Be specific.
• Your letter is an argument: make claims and provide evidence from your own writings. This means making specific references to your papers. Remember that I already know what I said, so don’t quote me extensively– I’m interested in hearing ideas in your voice, even if my ideas influenced you.
• Your letter should be critical, rigorous, convincing, honest, and polished.
• Use letter format. Your letter must be single-spaced and around 500 words. Stay under 1,000 words.

This letter is important. If done well, it can go a long way to compensate for a bad paper.

BE NEAT! Presentation matters! Organize your portfolio and submit it in some sort of folder. ***NOT a three-ring binder!*** Your portfolio must be submitted in-person on the last day of class.    NO late portfolios will be accepted.

Which papers should I choose for the Portfolio Paper?

Choose the paper you are most sincerely interested in working on, as writing that you care about tends to be better writing! You do not need to choose the paper that you think is the worst (especially since the portfolio grade will not “replace” your prior grade). Think about the “issues” you have as a writer, and select the paper where you can most productively and successfully address those issues.

How do I do original revision?

You’ll find that when looking at your older papers, there are now things you’d clearly need or want to do differently. This is a good start, but be methodical too– go through all the handouts to refresh your memory of what it is you’ve learned. Give yourself time to revise (don’t try to do it all in one day!). Finally, the readings are a great resource– go back and reread passages for key terms!

Should I really talk about my weaknesses in my reflection?

Yes! Being a writer is a lifelong process, and it is important to know what is left unconquered. That said, for your reflective letter, focus on the course– obviously I have not taught speech writing or literary analysis. Focus on what you have left to master in the sort of critical and argumentative writing we have done in the course.