Evaluating your work

The focus of today's class was on identifying + practicing the standards college instructors use to evaluate writing.  We discussed the criteria listed on the rubric for evaluating essays for college composition (posted to the right under "guides and sample papers" - and then you applied them to a series of sample essays.  You seem to have a good idea of what each requirement means - and you did a good job applying the criteria to the sample papers.  We were mostly in agreement.  The purpose of this exercise was to prepare you to evaluate your own writing = so you know the grade you will get + what you need to work on even before you receive teacher feedback.

I asked you to bring your books - but we ran out of time and didn't get to use them.  I meant to have some discussion about how you can use your books as a resource for working on your writing issues.  Bring them on Tuesday and we will look up some of the "how to" suggestions for working on your writing and see where the "directions" are in your book.

I previewed the first reading, George Lakoff & Mark Johnson's essay on Conceptual Metaphor in Everyday Language.  Evidently the document I have posted under readings does not open (or at least I couldn't get it to open) so I handed out hard copies of the reading in class. Those of you who missed class can pick up a copy in the English Department Mailroom (next the office CAS 301) => my mailbox has my name over it and the copies are there for you.  Also  - it is available online at The Journal of Philosophy.  http://www.wjh.harvard.edu/~mahesh/papers%20for%20julie/metaphor/2007-27.pdf   We are reading only the first two sections - pp 453 - 458 (the first two sections).

Homework:
Read: Lakoff & Johnson - Conceptual Metaphor in Everyday Language

Write:  FOR FRIDAY  Use to Rubric for evaluating College Composition Essays to grade your essay.  Write the score for each category at the top of your revised essay - and send the essay with the score to ENG1031@gmail.com as an attachment.  I will return your essay to you with feedback on how I would evaluate your work.  If we agree on the "grade" you can earn 5 extra credit points.

Take notes on Lakoff & Johnson (Write directly on the handout) = mark any words you are unclear on; mark any paragraphs or sentences that don't make sense, ask questions!  Make comments that connect their ideas to your experience.


What we will do on Tuesday
We will begin by discussing your diagnostic essays.  You will get a chance to read through a sample of the kind of feedback I give on your writing - and I will talk about what I see as the general areas we need to work on as a class.  Feedback for this essay is a little different than what you will get for the rest of your writing - but it will give you a general idea.

We will then talk about Lakoff & Johnson's essay, and discuss strategies for writing academic summaries.

Have a good weekend and see you on Tuesday.