Hi. I'm gone this period, but here is some advice for you as you complete your rough drafts.

1. Look at my updated sample essay about "My Way." I added a conclusion and some more comments that should help you understand this style of writing.

2. Refer to your notes about the "claim" and how to write one. I put my overhead for these notes on the Notes page, too, if you missed that day.

The biggest issue for this style of writing is to make sure that you are not writing a mere summary of the program, but are actually analyzing it. Make sure that you move from the support/summary type language into a more thematic or tone-based discussion of that support, like you can see happening in my sample essay.

One way to move from support into discussion is to "re-name" the supporting examples ("These tender rituals . . .") and then move into a claim with a strong verb and some inference. Avoid saying thins like "This shows . . .."

What should you be inferring here? It is up to you--no wrong answers, really. Just try to be specific and make sure the themes/messages/tone toward the theme of the show is actually supported by the examples you give.

Comp Blogs: Extra Credit

Our Composition blogs will be moving to an extra-credit mode beginning this week. You may receive up to 3% extra credit for your blog this quarter, depending on what you make of it from here to the end of this first 9 weeks.

For a full 3%, it should be a personal, thoughtful space where you discuss your daily life or the things you read, see, experience in it. It can be a photoblog, where you discuss the history contained in your photos (even if that history is as recent as last weekend).

I would expect that the full 3% would take some work on your part. Probably an average of four posts a week. Fewer posts will probably be worth less extra credit.

Like I said at the beginning, surprise me.

Writing Workshop, 1.13.11

Today is just time for you to create a draft you are happy with for tomorrow. Remember that it has to be an alias draft for tomorrow, and at least a full 2 pages, typed, etc.

In today's class, you can also look at the assignment and samples for next week's essay, "A Night Out With." You will have to write responses for these, so for good examples, look at the comments to the last post, which name the winning blogs for last week's responses.

"The Way to Rainy Mountain" and "Ground Zero"

Today, let's review our blogged responses in duos. Get one laptop per table and spend ten minutes or so reviewing our class blogs--as a duo, decide on the two best-written responses and be prepared to discuss why you thought so. Pick out the two most interesting blogs otherwise, too--for whatever reason, other posts, their look, etc.