English 101 Spring 2019: February 2019

Monday, February 18, 2019

Elements of a thesis statement

    •    It must be ARGUABLE.
This means it presents an opinion, an argument, or an illustration of a view or experience.  It is not a mere statement of fact.

    •    It must ADDRESS the TOPIC.
While this element seems obvious too, writers often get going and one thought leads to another and another and the topic gets left behind. Re-read the prompt several times to make sure you haven’t gone off topic beyond the parameters of the assignment.

    •    It must be SPECIFIC enough to be covered in the paper.
What is the length of the assignment: two pages? ten pages? The length determines how broad or narrow the scope of your thesis will be. Adjust accordingly.

    •    It must MAKE SENSE.

This is the catch-all element that asks you to re-consider your wording, syntax, diction, and grammar. Make changes as you see fit.

How to format an outline

Complete this form to create your outline for your essay

Tentative title for your essay: ________________________________

I. Introduction/hook
Tell your reader what you’re writing about
Thesis statement: ______________________________________________________________

Your thesis statement should be a complete sentence that provides direction for the essay. Note: The thesis statement need not be the first sentence of your essay, but it should be part of your introductory paragraph.

II. Supporting point 1: _____________________________________________________

Try to express your point in a complete sentence that can serve as a topic sentence for the paragraph.
List specifics and details that you plan to use to develop your point.
A.    _______________________________________________________
B.    _______________________________________________________
C.   _______________________________________________________
D.   _______________________________________________________

III. Supporting point 2: _____________________________________________________

A.    _______________________________________________________
B.    _______________________________________________________
C.   _______________________________________________________
D.   _______________________________________________________

IV. Supporting point 3: _____________________________________________________

A.    _______________________________________________________
B.    _______________________________________________________
C.   _______________________________________________________
D.   _______________________________________________________

(Add more supporting points if necessary.)

Example Rhetorical Essay

Shaheriar Malik

Mr. Tompkins

English 100 

2nd November 2016

United We Rise, Together We Fall

The article “Our Gas Guzzlers, Their Lives” is about a country in Africa named Burundi, and how the climate change is affecting it. This article is mainly aimed at the people in well-established countries who have it better off. Nicholas Kristof, the author, wants the readers to be convinced that global warming is real, serious, and not a matter to be ignored. To achieve this goal, he uses the three rhetorical appeals: ethos, logos, and pathos in such a way that the reader is, both, convinced, and sympathizes with the text.

The author starts off with a hook to gain the readers’ attention and intrigue them. He uses strong adjectives and interviews different people to make it even more convincing, and states facts on strong grounds. He also adds a touch of sympathy, or pathos, in the article. He doesn’t only use the three rhetorical appeals, but shapes the sentences, and the entire article in such a way that it’s comfortable to read, and easy to understand.

Kristof arranges the words, and uses them in a way that makes the reader feel bad about the situation. This is where he brings in ‘pathos’. He tells us that Burundi is the poorest country in the world with an annual average income of $100 per individual. It is also stated that one of every five children die before the age of five, and that the average life expectancy is 45 years. Not only does he state facts but also quotes other people, like scientists, officials, locals. He even tells us his own opinion about it, and says that global warming affects the whole world, not only a part of it. “Against that grim backdrop, changing weather patterns in recent years have already caused crop failures – and when crops fail here, people starve [P4 GGTL]” he says. The last sentence of the last paragraph states “The cost of our environmental irresponsibility will be measured in thousands of children dying of hunger, malaria and war” which is the author’s own opinion but it also plays a part in pathos.

The author also uses facts and figures, or ‘logos’ in his article. Kristof says that Lake Tanganyika’s shoreline has retreated 50 feet in the last four years, and ships can no longer reach the port, and Lake Victoria is losing half an inch of water every day. The reason these facts are believable is because he quotes credible people like scientists, and people who live or work there. As mentioned in the previous paragraph, he states facts like the average life expectancy, the average income of an individual, etc.

The answer to the question “Why should I believe this?” is that he actually went there and shares his own experience. And not only that, he quotes credible people: scientists, officials including the president of Uganda, locals, etc. Some of these people live there and go through the harsh conditions every day. The author interviewed them and shares their opinions in his article. All of this comes under ‘ethos’. He quotes Mr. Ehrhart, “It’s at the least disastrous and quite possibly catastrophic. Life was difficult, but with climate change it turns deadly. That’s what hits the alarm bells for an organization like Care,” he added. “How can we ever achieve our mission in this situation?”

The article would’ve been dull and boring if not played around with. The author doesn’t leave the facts and quotes left separately, but mixes the three appeals. He brings in sympathy to logos and ethos, and gives his own opinion about the situation. All by shaping the sentences to make the reader feel bad, and agree with him. The facts like the shrinking of lakes, average income, life expectancy, death rate sound very sad because of how they are expressed, and how they are arranged. The author also mixes ethos and pathos by quoting others sharing their opinions about the climate change, and positioning them in a way that it looks convincing. All three rhetorical appeals are also mixed together when he quotes the panel “Projected reductions in yield in some countries could be as much as 50 percent by 2020, and crop net revenues could fall as much as 90 percent”, where there are facts in a quote which bring in sympathy.

The whole article is perfectly organized and arranged as it makes the reader agree to his argument and feel bad about it. The reader might share this article with others, so they can try and make a difference. The author slipped in his opinions in some parts, quoted credible people, stated facts to support his argument, and brought emotions in this article and did a very good job at it. Although there is a quote from a fisherman that says that even the hippos are unhappy, which brings in a bit of humor and makes the reader not take the matter seriously. Other than that, it was all well rounded.

Words Cited (this would be on a separate page)

Kristof, Nicholas. “Our Gas Guzzlers, Their Lives.” The New York Times, 28 June 2007

Thursday, February 14, 2019

Argumentative essays

Breaking down an argumentative essay

This is a clear, to the point powerpoint of how to write - and how to break down - an argumentative essay.

Evaluating Arguments

Toulmin’s Model of Arguments

Stephen Toulmin, a 20^th century British philosopher, developed a model for evaluating arguments. This is a simplified version of his model.

The three major elements of Toulmin’s argument model are:

Claim – the statement, position, or idea that the author wants the reader to accept.

Example: The sales and operation of most SUVs should be banned.

Your claim should be a complete sentence that expresses an arguable (not a factual) statement.

Reason – the reasoning or logical connection between the evidence and the claim. The reason explains why, according to the argument, the claim is true.

Example: SUVs contribute to global warming.

Remember: Your reason should be an idea, not a specific piece of evidence. You can think of the reason as a generalization of the evidence.

Evidence / data – the facts, examples, authoritative opinions, statistics, etc. that the author presents to support the claim

Example: Studies show that SUVs emit significant levels of greenhouse gases.

Test your claim, reason, and evidence by inserting them in the following questions and answers.

What is the author’s argument?

Answer: Claim because Reason.

Answer: The sales and operation of most SUVs should be banned because SUVs contribute to global warming.

Your claim should specifically and precisely express the author’s main argument, and your reason should make sense as a “because” clause to your claim.

How do we know?

Answer: Evidence

Answer: Studies show that SUVs emit significant levels of greenhouse gases.

Your evidence should make sense as the answer to the question, “How do we know?”

Aristotle’s categories for basic appeals in arguments:

Emotional appeals (also known as pathos) play to the reader’s feelings and values.

Example: In an argument for health care reform, the writer presents a story about one family suffering under the current system that evokes the reader’s sympathy and sense of fairness.

Ethical appeals (also known as ethos) seek to establish the credibility of the writer as trustworthy.

Example: The writer cites a source that the reader trusts; the writer gives the reader a sense that complete facts are being presented and/or all sides of an issue are being treated fairly.

Logical appeals (also known as logos) use reasoning and logic to make their points.

Example: The writer makes strong logical connections between steps of her argument, such as clearly explaining how a cause produces a particular effect. The writer supports her claim with convincing factual evidence.

Tuesday, February 12, 2019

Essay 1 – Rhetorical Analysis

“To analyze an argument rhetorically means to examine closely how it is composed and what makes it an effective or ineffective piece of persuasion. A rhetorical analysis identifies the text under scrutiny, summarizes its main ideas, presents some key points about the text’s rhetorical strategies for persuading its audience, and elaborates on these points.” -- Ramage, Bean, and Johnson in Writing Arguments

]

Write a rhetorical analysis essay of 4-5 pages on one of the articles listed below from The New York Times (search nytimes.com or use links on course site):

· “Instead of Jail, Court Fines Cut to Fit the Wallet” by Tina Rosenberg

· “Gender Based Toy Marketing Returns” by Elizabeth Sweet

Your essay should explain the argument presented in the article and evaluate its effectiveness in persuading its audience of its central claim and reasons. Your essay should identify at the outset the audience at which the piece is aimed, its argumentative purpose, and its central argument. Once you have identified these concerns, evaluate the rhetorical effectiveness of the given text. A rhetorical analysis examines 1) the writer’s use of the three rhetorical appeals (ethos, pathos, and logos); 2) the arrangement and style of the piece; 3) the context (kairos) of the piece

To earn a passing grade, your essay should include:

1. A title!

An introduction that identifies your article and sets up your argument about the article.
A thesis that evaluates the effectiveness of the article based on the author’s use of rhetorical appeals (ethos, pathos, logos), style, and context.
Effectively organized paragraphs with strong topic sentences and transitions.
Examples from the article (summaries and paraphrases in your own words and sentence structure, as well as some brief, correctly integrated direct quotations).

6. A conclusion that provides closure to the essay and considers the implications of the argument.

7. Consistent, correct use of MLA style, including

Proper MLA in-text citations for all paraphrases and direct quotations from the article (see pp. 384-7) and
A Works Cited page in correct MLA format (which does NOT count towards your page minimum) since you will be quoting from your article (see pp. 387-96). Your only source will be your article. No other research is allowed.

8. Adherence to the conventions of standard written English.

Prewriting:

Choose an article and read it over carefully a few times.
Freewrite about your response to the argument made in the article. What is the argument? Did the author convince you of the argument? Why or why not? Be specific.
Freewrite or brainstorm responses to each of the following questions:

a. How does the author present her- or himself as credible (ethos)? Does this strategy work? Why or why not?

b. Does the author use any emotional appeals (pathos)? Are such appeals effective? Why or why not?

c. Does the author use sound reasoning (logos) to present the argument? Be specific.

d. Is the style and organization of the text effective? Why or why not?

e. What does the author do to frame the context (kairos) of the piece? Could more have been done? How so?

4. List 4 quotes you might use in your essay, and explain how each one relates to your assessment of the author’s use of ethos, pathos, logos, or kairos.

5. Write a possible thesis for your essay.

Saturday, February 9, 2019

Reading presentation: Non-fiction

Sign-up and make a note of the article titles and presentation dates that you sign up for below.

You will be presenting your analysis in class along with two to five of your classmates. The class will be counting on you to be on top of the article you are covering, so please be prepared!

To receive credit, you must participate in the presentation of your analysis. You will be graded primarily on your written analysis (breakdown of scoring below), but outstanding presentations will be rewarded.

Read the article that you will be analyzing carefully. If possible, read it twice. On your first reading, just try to identify the main idea(s) and get a feel for the writer’s approach and the flow of the piece. On your second reading, go over the text more carefully; notice how the writer constructs his or her argument. You will probably want to mark up your text and/or take notes.

To prepare your written analysis:

Identify the author’s name and the title of the article. Answer the following questions. Put your answers in outline form (see sample analysis on the reverse side of this sheet).

1. What is the central claim (or thesis) of the selection? Your answer should be a complete sentence in your own words (not a quote!). Be as specific as possible, but remember that your claim should cover the whole article.

2. Is the central claim expressed explicitly or implicitly? The claim is explicit if the writer spells out what it is. The claim is implicit if the writer only implies the claim but does not state it outright.

3. What reasons link the evidence to the claim? In other words, why does the evidence support the claim? Reasons may be presented explicitly or implied.

4. What evidence does the writer present to support his or her claim? Specify and categorize the evidence (e.g. examples, personal experiences, analogy, authoritative opinion, facts, statistical data, cause-effect reasoning, results of scientific experiments, comparison, interviews, etc. – see sample on back).

5. Comment briefly on the persuasiveness of the article by answering one or more of the following questions.

· Is the argument convincing? Does it rely on emotional, ethical, and/or logical appeals?

· How do the style, organization, and/or tone contribute or detract from the persuasiveness of the argument?

· What is your personal reaction to the article?

6. Write a discussion question to ask the class about the article. The best questions will stimulate interesting discussion about the issues raised in the article. You may also ask questions that “test” your classmates’ recall and understanding of the article.

7. While you read, you will come across words you do not know. Choose two words and look up their dictionary definitions, and the context in which they are used in the article or essay you read. Report them to the class along with the rest of your report.

Tuesday, February 5, 2019

Reading Presentation: Fiction

Reading Analysis Guide for fiction

On the day that you present in front of the class you must also write your response to the questions below and hand in your answers. You must hand in your answers on the day you signed up for.

Guidelines for Reading Analysis Presentation

Sign-up on the presentation on the board at the end of class or during a break. Make a note of the chapters and presentation date that you sign up for.

You will be presenting your analysis in class along with other classmates. The class will be counting on you to be on top of the article you are covering, so please be prepared!

You will be graded primarily on your written analysis (breakdown of scoring below), but outstanding presentations will be rewarded.

Read the chapters or section that you will be analyzing carefully. On your first reading, just try to identify the main idea(s) and get a feel for the writer’s approach and the flow of the chapter. On your second reading, go over the text more carefully; notice how the writer creates characters and tells the story.

To prepare your written analysis:

Identify the author’s name and the title of the chapter(s) you are covering

1. What is the central theme of your chapters? Your answer should be a complete sentence in your own words (not a quote!). Be as specific as possible, but remember that the theme of a book refers to the overall concerns of the author. Don't confuse this with the plot, which is what happens chapter to chapter as the book moves ahead.

2. There are several parts to question two. What are the concerns of the characters in the chapter(s) you have read? This book is a work of fiction, but do you think the events in the book could happen in real life? Do you think the way the characters act is believable? If so, does it make the book less effective?

3. Is the central theme expressed explicitly or implicitly? The claim is explicit if the writer spells out what it is. The claim is implicit if the writer only implies the claim but does not state it outright.

4. Did the events and actions in your chapter(s) surprise you or change your mind about the characters in the book?

5. What is the tone - the feel - of the chapter(s) you read?

6. What things in the story give the most insight into human nature?

7. Does the writer leave the opinions and feelings to the readers? If so, why? Is this approach effective?

8. Make up a question to ask the class about your chapter.

The Essentials: Syllabus

English 101 - College Reading and Composition I

Course Syllabus

Instructor: Tommy Amano-Tompkins Term: Spring 2019

Section: Section #20071 (Tues-Thurs 6:45 pm-8:10 pm; lab. 8:10-9:20 pm

Location: NEA 103

Office hours: Tues: 6 pm

Email: amanott@lahc.edu

Course Web site: www.eng101sp19.blogspot.com/

English 101 is a course in critical reading and prose writing designed to refine the student’s skills in thinking logically, reading carefully, and writing effectively. Stress is placed on the organization and composition of objective expository essays, including the research paper.

Student Learning Outcomes:

Students who successfully complete English 101 should be able to

*Apply critical reading/thinking/writing skills analyzing and writing, both in and out-of-class essays, about various freshman composition level readings including essays and the novel

*Demonstrate the ability to follow academic conventions by formatting expository essays, including page-layout, parenthetical citations and Works Cited entries, in the current standard MLA format.

*Write freshman-level essays that follow the various stages of essay writing, including pre-writing, thesis development, illustration and support of the thesis using concrete, specific evidence/examples, editing, proofreading and which are free of most errors in syntax, grammar, punctuation, diction, and spelling.

*Demonstrate understanding of effective college-level argumentation by producing logically supported arguments and by recognizing and avoiding common logical fallacies.

*Produce a research paper, which utilizes the various elements of research production, such as designing a research plan, compiling research notes, producing an outline, developing a draft, producing a finished paper that utilizes at least five sources and has a complete MLA-formatted Works Cited page.

ADA Statement:

Students with disabilities, whether physical, learning, or psychological, who believe that they may need accommodations in this class, are encouraged to contact Special Programs & Services as soon as possible to ensure that such accommodations are implemented in a timely manner. Their phone number is 310-233-4620, and they are located in Cafeteria 108.

Required Texts: (available at the campus bookstore)

Patterns for College Writing: A Rhetorical Reader and Guide (12^tthEdition) by Laurie G. Kirszner and Stephen Mandell BRING A FLASH DRIVE TO CLASS!

City of Thieves, by David Benioff

I Love Yous Are for White People, by Lac Su

You will also need to purchase two blue exam books for in-class essays.

You will need a small, bound notebook for your writing journal.

Bring your books, a notebook (or notebook paper), your journal, and a pen to every class meeting. To complete some assignments, you will need access to the Internet and to a computer word processor.

Students who succeed in English 101 usually choose to: Read carefully!

· Make a serious commitment to succeeding in this class.

· Come to class on time and prepared.

· Get the required texts as soon as possible.

· Do all the assignments, including readings, and keep up with the class schedule.

· Participate in class discussions and activities.

· Refrain from using their cell phones during class.

· Let me know immediately if they experience a problem with the class or if other areas of their lives seriously interfere with their ability to do their class work.

· Seek out all legitimate help with their course work, if they need it, including the Writing Lab, Special Programs & Services, campus librarians, their textbooks, and me.

· Maintain academic integrity by doing his or her own work. They do not plagiarize; they do not cheat. (See box on plagiarism on next page.)

· Treat their classmates and instructor with respect and consideration.

· Recognize that real learning is difficult – it involves making mistakes and taking risks.

If you are not willing to make these choices, you are not likely to succeed in this class!

I will be happy to meet with you to discuss your work in this course. I encourage you to visit me during office hours, but if that is not convenient for you, we can make an appointment to meet at another time.

Plagiarism can mean copying, word for word, all or part of something someone else has written and turning it in with your name on it. Plagiarism also includes using your own words to express someone else’s ideas without crediting the source of those ideas.

Plagiarism is a very serious form of academic misconduct. It’s both lying and stealing, and it’s a waste of time for students and teachers. College and departmental policy on plagiarism will be strictly enforced: Any student caught plagiarizing will automatically receive a zero for that assignment, with no possibility of making it up, and may be subject to a formal reprimand and/or suspension.

Cite your sources! Please retain all notes and drafts of your papers until grading for the course is completed.

Attendance/Tardiness

Attendance in class is mandatory. This is the college policy. If a student is absent for more than the hours than a class meets per week, or if there is irregular attendance or a pattern of absences, the instructor has sufficient cause to drop a student from the class. For example, if a course meets 3 hours a week, then a student is allowed a maximum of 3 absences. Students who enter the class after the official starting time will be marked for ½ an absence for that particular day.

If a student is absent from the first and/or second class meeting of the semester, then he or she will be dropped, because there are people who want to enroll. If you miss three classes during the semester, you will be dropped from the class.

Electronic Communication Devices Policy

According to Communications Division policy, electronic communication devices must remain off during class time. Exceptions may be considered by faculty consultation (i.e. family emergency). A first offense may result in the student being suspended from the class for one meeting. Repeated offenses may result in up to a 2-day suspension from the class pending a conference with the Vice President of Student Services.

Grading:

Your final grade in this class will be computed as follows.

Essays (2) 20%

Outlines/drafts etc 10%

Research Paper 20%

Reading Analysis Presentations (5) 20%

Journal 10%

Midterm 5%

Final 5%

Quizzes 5%

Participation 5%

Total 100%

A = 90% B = 80% C = 70% D = 60% F = 50%

English 107 is a UC-CSU transferable course, so rigorous academic standards must be applied to grading your work. All assignments are required. In-class work, such as reading analysis presentations and quizzes, cannot be made up.

Missing assignments can significantly impact your grade and prevent you from passing the course. For example, if you fail to turn in one essay and one Reading Analysis Presentation, you will need to complete every other assignment with an 88%.

No late assignments will be accepted, unless an extension has been arranged with the instructor in advance.

Quizzes will be given at the beginning of the class session; students who are absent or arrive late may not make up quizzes, even if they have really good excuses. There will be other quizzes during the semester at random intervals.

Reading Analysis Presentation assignments: You are required to present your analysis of one of the assigned readings every few weeks for the duration of the class. There will be a sign-up sheet for each set of readings; in some cases, you may be assigned to analyze a specific reading. You must do your analysis on the reading you signed up for (or were assigned) – you may not switch to another reading without clearing it with your instructor before the class. Your written analysis is due the day you present to the class, and you will present your findings to the class during our discussion of the reading. Late reading analyses will not be accepted. Guidelines for the reading analyses will be distributed separately.

Essays (including Research Paper) must be typed and formatted according to MLA (Modern Language Association) guidelines. For guidance, see the MLA Formatting and Style Guide at the Web site of the Purdue Online Writing Lab (http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/ - link available on the course site). Papers must be written using Microsoft Word or Pages software. They must be submitted by email, unless another arrangement has been made. Late papers will receive an automatic 10% point deduction and will not be accepted later than one week after the original due date. The research paper will not be accepted late!

Turnitin.com: To verify the originality of writing submitted for this class, all essays must be uploaded to Turnitin.com. Turnitin.com will generate an originality report for the instructor identifying any borrowed material in student essays (borrowed material includes correctly documented quotes, as well as plagiarized material). In order to receive full credit, students must upload their essays to Turnitin.com before class on the day the assignment is due. No essay will be graded until it is uploaded to Turnitin.com. Go to Turnitin.com to create a student profile. Use the following information to upload your essay:

Class ID: 20361419 Enrollment password: v1k4nkvd

Revising: You may revise one or both of the two take-home essays (not the research paper) and resubmit your work for a new grade. To improve your grade, you will need to do more than correct grammatical errors and reword or reorder a few phrases. Revision means a new vision; it means looking at your work with fresh eyes and reconsidering the content, focus, and organization of your essay. It may involve rethinking, as well as rewriting. You are strongly advised to consult with your instructor and/or the Writing Lab before you begin revising. Revised essays are due within one week of receiving your original essay back and must be accompanied by your original essay. Please do not revise and resubmit essays that receive a score of 90% or higher.

Los Angeles Harbor College Mission Statement

Los Angeles Harbor College promotes access and student success through associate and transfer degrees, certificates, economic and workforce development, and basic skills instruction. Our educational programs and support services meet the needs of diverse communities as measured by campus institutional learning outcomes.

Contact information for a few reliable classmates

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