Day 6: Review Thesis Statements and Strengthening Arguments

What you will learn:

• How to generate different kinds of evidence/persuasive strategies to support an argument (e.g. statistics, anecdotes, answering the opposition, citing authorities, appealing to emotion) and analyze their varying strengths and appropriateness for academic writing 
• How to strengthen the arguments in their writing by incorporating at least three different types of aforementioned evidence 

Class Today:
1. Introduction to Diagnostic Analysis and Portfolio
2. More on Writer's Help
3. Review Thesis Statements

• Copy and paste your thesis statement in a word document.
• Switch seats- is the thesis statement: specific, debatable, and a good preview?

4. Strengthening Arguments

• Powerpoint
• Class Activity

Class Materials:

• Strengthening Arguments Powerpoint
• Class Activity (Possible Answers)
• Writer's Help Checkpoint Sheet

Next Class: Review Strengthening Arguments and Coherence

Homework:
1. Write a reflection discussing your writing experiences. The guidelines are here. Save the file as NetIDReflection.doc and submit your response to Compass. This is due by Wednesday, February 4th by Midnight. Please keep in mind that this assignment is worth 2.5% of your grade.

2. Rewrite the thesis statement from your diagnostic. Save the rewritten thesis statement as NetIDThesisRewrite in your box folder. I will give you feedback and upload it to box by Friday.

3. Read the rubrics for our major class assignments on the far right side of the course website.

4. The first draft of your diagnostic rewrite is due February 9th. This rewrite only requires a thesis statement and a rewrite of the three body paragraphs. Please upload the assignment to compass and save it as 115_Diagnostic_Revision_NetID_1.doc. For instance, mine would be 115_Diagnostic_Revision_Kbecker4_1.

5.  Pick a Writer's Help topic to present in this spreadsheet. Choose by Wednesday.

6.  Begin work on Writer's Help exercises. You need to turn in the checkpoint sheet by March 20th, but you may turn it in earlier!

Day 5: Thesis Statements and Writer's Help

Today You Will Learn:
1. Identify the Purpose of Thesis Statements
2. Predict the content of a paper based on the thesis statement

Class Today:
1. Last class, answers.
2. Introduction to Writer's Help

• Go to the Writer's Help website
• Let's search for 'Thesis statements'
• Table of Contents vs. Index
• Do an exercise on Thesis Statements in class
• Scorecard

3. Thesis Statements

• I will give you this handout. With a partner answer the questions.
• With the same partner, work on this second handout
• (If time) In this shared google document, share your opinion about Ipads and other electronic devices.

Materials:
Thesis Statements Handout 1  

• Answers

Thesis Statements Handout 2

• Answers

Next Class: Review Thesis Statements, Strengthening Arguments

Homework:
1. Make sure you have created a Box folder called ESL115C1netId and shared it with me!
2. Pick a Writer's Help topic to present in this spreadsheet. Choose by Monday.

Day 4- Audience & Purpose

Today you will learn:

The difference and relationship between audience and purpose

Identify explicit and implicit audience and purpose markers in written discourse (e.g. content, vocabulary, and structure) and how these collectively impact tone. 

Class Today:

1. Course Policy Quiz! I will give you a paper handout. 
2. In this google doc, briefly write what you think the audience and purpose was in the article given on Monday. How and why do you know? (3 minutes) 
3. You will get a situation card. It will have a purpose and an audience. With a partner, think of a way (written or spoken) to persuade your audience. (15 minutes)
4. In same groups, discuss possible answers for the Audiences & Purposes Chart. (15 minutes)
5. Now, read the passages and do the Audiences & Purposes Analysis (15 minutes)

Materials:

• Audience & Purposes Chart
• Possible Answers
• Audience & Purpose Analysis
• Possible Answers

Next Class: Writer's Help and Thesis Statements

Homework:

For Friday-
1. Read these academic paragraphs and be prepared to discuss the questions at the end.

If you haven't already...

1.Please purchase Writer's Help. We will use the online book in our next class. Instructions on how to purchase the book are here.

2. Please fill out the Contact Information Form

3. Create a folder in Box called ESL115NetID.

Day 3- Cross Cultural Communication

Today You Will Learn:
-How culture and writing style can be influenced by language

Class Today:
-Quiz on syllabus and course policies (5 minutes) If you added the course late, you will not take the quiz, but you MUST pick a time to take the make up diagnostic, here.
-Announcements: Diagnostic Analysis Portfolio, Diagnostic Revision assignments, Box (5 minutes)
-Warm-Up Discussion (on powerpoint) (15 minutes)
-Powerpoint: Communication and Writing Styles Around the World (10 minutes)
-Next, I will give you a card. With a different partner, read the card. Then compare the writer's culture with your own. (15 minutes)


Next Class: Audience & Purpose, Reflection, Writer's Help

Homework:
1. Write a reflection discussing your writing experiences. The guidelines are here. Save the file as and submit your response to Compass. This is due by Monday, February 2nd by Midnight.

2. Purchase Writer's Help, Instructions on how to purchase the textbook are here. The textbook is completely online and can be purchased either at the bookstore or via the internet.

3. Create a folder in Box entitled ESL115NetID and share it with me.

4. Read Alibaba's Founder by Issie Lapowsky and be prepared to answer the discussion questions.

5. Read How to Write an Academic E-mail. Be sure to send me an e-mail as stated in the document. This is also part of your participation grade.

Day 2- In Class Diagnostic

Class Today:
In-Class Diagnostic
Today is the In Class diagnostic.
No: Phone, internet, or talking.  Please only use a blank word document. Save the file as
NetIdInClassDiagnostic.doc and upload to our compass website in the folder titled Unit 1: Diagnostic Analysis> In-Class Diagnostic

Next Class: The communication model and cross-cultural communication

Course Materials:
1.  Copy of Lost in Translation

Homework:
Please do by class on Monday-

1. Read Lost in Translation by Boroditsky. I will give you a copy in class. Be prepared to discuss the article.
2. Study the course handout and class introduction prezi we did in class on Wednesday. There will be a quiz on Monday. This quiz is part of your participation grade.
3. Read How to Write an Academic E-mail. Be sure to send me an e-mail as stated in the document. This is also part of your participation grade.

If you added this class late please do the following:
1.) Purchase Writer's Help. Remember, Writer's Help exercises are worth 5% of your overall grade.
2.) Fill out the Contact Information Form.

Day 1- Introduction the course and each other

Class Today:
1.) Introduction to the Class

• Course Introduction Prezi
• Course Policies Handout

2.) Introduction to Course Materials

• Blogspot
• Compass
• Google docs
• Writer's Help
• Box
• E-mail

2.) Introduction to Each Other

• I will put you in groups of 2-3 to people. You will interview and then introduce the person you interviewed to the class. 

Course Materials:
1.) Course Introduction Prezi
2.) Course Policies Handout

Next Class: In-class Diagnostic

Homework:
Please do by class on Friday.
1.) Purchase Writer's Help. This document gives you information on how to purchase the book. Remember, Writer's Help exercises are worth 5% of your overall grade.
2.) Fill out the Contact Information Form.