4/27/11 Please send me your papers. I have received some papers, and the majority of students are not citing sources properly according to MLA format. Please follow MLA format.
Here is an example of a works cited page for an electronic source following MLA format:
Works Cited.
Ellis, Remea, Limjoco, victor, and Johnson, Alex. "Teacher layoffs raise class-size tensions." MSNBC. March 2, 2011. Web. March 1, 2011.
Here is the format for an Internet source:
Author's last name, first name. Title of article in quotation marks. Source. Date published if available. Web. Date you accessed the source.
When you quote the source, after the quote, place the author's last name in parentheses if you don't mention the author before you introduce the quote. Always introduce the quote and analyze the quote.
The speaker describes the hardships of life: "Life ain't been no crystal stair" (Hughes).
For a complete list of all of the assignments due, see the entry 4/18/11. In bold, the assignment number is given, and after each assignment number, I give instructions on what I am looking for. Please FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS if you want a high grade.
4/20/11
Dr. Bowers came to class today to check up on your assignments.
Please turn in one of your papers to Dr. Bowers (the best paper that you have written in this class) along with your one page assignment:
Writing Assessment paper: How can the act of writing make a difference in your life? This paper should be one page and should be sent to dbowers@saintpauls.edu.
Please send this paper as soon as possible. Also, please send the best paper that you have written in this class to Dr Bowers before the end of the semester.
4/18/11
For your final grade, the following papers are due. If you do not turn in these papers to me at raphaeljohncomprone@gmail.com by the last day of classes, you cannot turn the papers in later. I will accept no handwritten papers (all final copies must be sent to me as an attachment to my email address by the last day of classes).
1st paper: research paper on education (2-3 pages, use the articles from the assigned readings, incorporate quotes from the assigned readings into your paper)
Here are the assigned readings for the first paper:
You may also use different articles in this paper on the value of a college education. Use quotes from at least 3 sources in this paper. Discuss the value of a college education and the increasing costs of college tuition.
Format for your paper:
In your introductory paragraph, describe what you think the value of a college education is and describe what function a college education fulfils in society. Discuss some of the problems dealing with a college education today.
In your body paragraphs, include quotes and information from sources to support your argument. Refer to specific articles and use at least 3 quotes from 3 different sources in your body paragrpahs. Introduce your quotes and analyze them in relation to your thesis. E.g. Rich states that "10% of college graduates are unemployed." If you don't introduce the author's name when introducing the quote, place the author's last name in parentheses after the quote. E.g. A writer describes how many college graduates "are unemployed" (Rich). Finally, relate your quotes and information to your thesis, or central argument.
In your last paragraph, make your conclusion. Summarize your argument and draw some conclusions based on your research. Propose solutions to a problem if possible. Be as specific as possible.
Include a works cited list at the end of your paper. Follow this general format:
Works Cited.
Author's last name (listed in alphabetical order), first name. Title of article in quotation
marks. Source. Date published, if available. Web. Date you accessed the article (at the bottom right of your printout).
2nd paper: paper on the quality of college education--are students learning enough in college?
Do you feel that college students are learning enough? Read the article that was assigned about college students and the amount they learn. What could be done to improve the quality of college education? Are standardized tests a measure of student performance and should there be more standardized tests? 2 pages.
3rd paper: stress in colleges and what could be done to reduce stress
Stress and the college experience: Write a paper on stress and the college experience. Discuss the factors contributing to stress in the college environment. 2-3 pages
4) Paper on violence on college campuses. Follow this particular outline:
I. Define violence on campus. Discuss why it is an issue today.
II. Identify the types of violence on campus
a. crime: rape, robbery, vandalism, arson, rape, homicide
b. suicide
III. Sources of violence
a. mental health issues
b. lack of adequate counseling
c. sexism, racism, peer pressure
d. stress: economic, grades, relationships
e. illegal drugs and alcohol
f. poor performance in classes
g. ineffective campus security
IV. Conclusion: What can be done?
You should have at least three different articles on the subject. You can choose articles of your own choice, or you can read some of the articles that I have suggested the class read:
5th paper: Midterm research paper on the crisis in college education. Discuss at least 3 problems involving the current crisis in college education. Use at least 3-5 sources in your paper and tie your ideas together. Use MLA format.
b. discuss the effects of radiation in Japan and the U.S. (even our milk is being tainted by radiation now: see the article: radioactivemilk) . Whether we are affected by the radiation in Japan depends on the length of the crisis and the amount of radiation that travels from Japan to here. If more radiation comes to the U.S. for many years, then it could elevate the risk of cancer.
V. Discuss Obama's plan to increase spending on nuclear power: President Obama plans to spend more $ on nuclear energy and describes nuclear power as a clean form of energy, but do you think we can afford the risk?
I. Define technology in your own terms--don't use a dictionary definition. Discuss three technological advances, such as cell phones, tablet computers, and oil. Discuss their advantages and disadvantages.
II. Refer to research. Use at least one source for each type of technology you address.
III. Discuss whether you believe that there is a price for technological progress in your concluding paragraph.
IV. Include a works cited list at the end of your paper.
8) Portfolio Assessment paper: How can the act of writing make a difference in your life? This paper should be one page and should be sent to dbowers@saintpauls.edu.
Please send this paper as soon as possible. Also, please send the best paper that you have written in this class to Dr Bowers before the end of the semester.
9) Grammar assignment: revise the following sentences and turn this assignment in to me
GRAMMAR ASSIGNMENT (due by this Friday for midterm grade, based on student papers).
1. During your college search most people tend to find that some colleges are both small and big.
Your correction: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. A college education is extremely important in our society with a college education it has its advantages and disadvantages which include competition with other graduates.
Your correction: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Especially if it’s a large college it will be difficult for the student to get the help they need.
Your correction: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. More stress which include tuition rising each semester then having to apply for scholarship and other things to have the funds to succeed in college.
Your correction: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. College can be stressful at times but in the long run you will benefits from attending college you learn about different thing other just educational things.
Your correction: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. Everyone know when there’s problems there’s some solutions to the problem.
Your correction: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
7. Violence on campus is a major issue with student being away from home there are different reasons for students to turn violent.
Your correction: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
8. College is a huge impact on your entire life. What a student does there decides their whole future.
Your correction: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
9. . Making people don’t want to go to school and that will just cause them to throw their life away.
You should write at least 2-3 pages for your technology paper. I still haven't received your papers on nuclear power. Please turn in your papers to raphaeljohncomprone@gmail4.com.
Technology paper sample outline
I. Define technology in your own terms--don't use a dictionary definition. Discuss three technological advances, such as cell phones, tablet computers, and oil. Discuss their advantages and disadvantages.
II. Refer to research. Use at least one source for each type of technology you address.
III. Discuss whether you believe that there is a price for technological progress in your concluding paragraph.
IV. Include a works cited list at the end of your paper.
Grammar Survey/Test
Take the following Grammar Survey/Test. We will go over the results in class. This is to determine whether you can effectively edit sentences. The survey/test is based on editing real work from students.
Today, we discussed our paper. You will also have a new paper to write on technology and its advantages and disadvantages. In this paper, you should:
1) describe technological changes today and some of the changes in the future, 2) describe the consequences of technological change, 3) describe both the benefits and disadvantages of technological change 4) draw on research in your paper. Be sure to give some examples of current technological trends. I would choose 2-3 technological changes to discuss, such as Ebooks versus regular books, online classes versus traditional classes, electric/hybrid vehicles versus traditional cars, tablet computers versus traditional computers, etc. Refer to articles on this subject and cite research. This paper should be 3 pages in length, and you should have 2-3 sources. You should develop your own argument.
Technology and distractions:
Studies are saying teenagers are using social media seven and a half hours a day. That means they have increasing distractions from technology. Have computers and cell phones placed an increasing burden on younger generations?
Electric cars: Will the electric car replace the traditional gas guzzling car in the next 10 years?
Advantages--doesn't pollute, not noisy, no gas bill Disadvantage: most of the electricity in the U.S. is generated by coal, natural gas, and nuclear instead of through wind, water, and solar; coal is a big polluter and contributes to global warming and greenhouse gases; not many charging stations available; not as fast as regular cars
Will tablet computers replace mainstream computers, such as laptops, netbooks, and desktops in the next ten years? What are the advantages and disadvantages of tablet computers? Traditional users of laptops and netbooks say that the Ipad and tablet computers don't allow for as fast typing as computers with keypboards.
These are just a few of the technological changes that are occurring.
You can write about other ones as well in your paper. You should define what technology is, how it benefits us, and when it places a burden on us as well. Discuss the advanteges/disadvantages of technology.
Please turn in your revisions and your paper on nuclear power. The nuclear crisis in Japan has been raised to level 7, which is on par with the worst nuclear disaster ever having occurred, Chernobyl. Huge amounts of radiation are being released, and up to 400,000 people near the area could be exposed to dangerous levels of cancer causing radiation.
Be sure to develop your own argument concerning nuclear power in your essay. Be aware of different points of view and support your argument with research.
4/4/11 Please be sure to complete your assignment. By educating yourself about nuclear power, you are becoming more literate about sciences, and you are increasing your knowledge about the world that we live in. You should turn in all of your drafts to me as soon as possible, so I can begin calculating your final grade. In place of a final exam, you will be required to turn in all of your assignments to me at raphaeljohncomprone@gmail.com.
I will not be here on Friday because I will be attending a professional conference, so please send me your papers as soon as possible (by the end of the week).
On Wednesday, April 13th, the Quality Enhancement Program writing director will come to class. Please show up this day. She is going to conduct an exercise that should motivate you to become better writers.
4/4/11
By Friday, you should send me your 3-4 page paper with at least 3-4 sources to raphaeljohncomprone@gmail.com. I will be absent on Thursday and Friday because I have a professional conference to attend.
In your paper, I would like you to include quotes and research, but I want you to have command of the material that you use. In other words, you need to develop your own thesis, or central argument. You should use quotes and research to support your point of view, and you should demonstrate that you can analyze quotes and research. Please remember that you can paraphrase information (refer to information/research in an article by using your own words, but still listing your source in parentheses) or directly quote a source (reproduce the exact words in an article). For information about how to follow MLA format, use the Purdue Owl's MLA resource (you can look this up in google).
You must turn in the paper if you wish to marked as present at the end of the week.
ALL OF YOUR PAPERS ASSIGNED IN THIS CLASS MUST BE TURNED IN TO MY EMAIL ACCOUNT AS AN ATTACHMENT AT RAPHAELJOHNCOMPRONE@GMAIL.COM.
3/30/11
In your paper, you will need to discuss the advantages and the disadvantages of nuclear power.
I. In your first paragraph, define nuclear power and discuss how it functions. Clarify whether you support nuclear power or not. hownuclearpowerworks
II. In your next paragraphs, discuss the advantages of nuclear power.
a. it is clean energy that doesn't contribute to global nuclearenergyclean
b. nuclear power plants have low operating costs cheap
c. nuclear power plants are modernizing modernizing
d. nuclear power plants produce little waste waste
III. Discuss some of the disadvantages of nuclear power.
b. discuss the effects of radiation in Japan and the U.S. (even our milk is being tainted by radiation now: see the article: radioactivemilk) . Whether we are affected by the radiation in Japan depends on the length of the crisis and the amount of radiation that travels from Japan to here. If more radiation comes to the U.S. for many years, then it could elevate the risk of cancer.
V. Discuss Obama's plan to increase spending on nuclear power: President Obama plans to spend more $ on nuclear energy and describes nuclear power as a clean form of energy, but do you think we can afford the risk?
Your midterm grades are due no later than 3/29 (tomorrow), so please send me all of your assignments by 3/29 to raphaeljohncomprone@gmail.com.
Your assignment this week is to collect articles and read about the Japanese nuclear crisis at Fukushima and about nuclear power in Virginia.On Wednesday, we will begin writing our first draft of our papers on the advantages and disadvantages of nuclear power. During the second half of the semester, we will write a series of papers on technology, its benefits and disadvantages. Our first paper will be on nuclear power and its advantages and disadvantages.
First, educate yourself about nuclear power. In this paper, you should address why it is important that people educate themselves about nuclear power and its effects. Much of our modern world is run by nuclear power plants, which provide electricity to many of our homes. Many countries, including the United States, rely on nuclear power as one of the forms of energy to produce electricity. Some people have argued that nuclear energy is a clean form of energy, but nuclear waste is produced by nuclear power plants, and no one knows where to store the waste. The greatest danger from nuclear power today lies from threats of collapsing nuclear power plants like the Fukushima Daichi nuclear power plant, which has six reactors that are currently experiencing problems because their cooling systems have broken down. The ongoing crisis in Fukushima may go on for years, and it is leaking radiation that is spreading all across the world. Some countries like Germany are deciding to get rid of nuclear power. Many of the radioactive particles like Caesium, Iodine, and Plutonium are cancer causing and cannot be removed from the environment for thousands of years after a dangerous nuclear meltdown. There is a lot of confusion today as people sort out the consequences of the meltdown. It is our responsibility to educate about ourselves about this subject as global citizens. We live in a world dominated by technology, but we often fail to understand it.
Here is a sample paragraph by paragraph outline of how I would like you to organize your paper:
I.Define nuclear power, discuss the current nuclear power plant meltdown in Japan, and discuss its advantages and disadvantages.
II. Discuss the advantages of nuclear power, such as better and more powerful weapons, clean generation of electricity with little waste produced, newer generation reactors
III. Discuss some of the disadvantages of nuclear power, such as nuclear power plant meltdowns
a. Three Mile Island
b. Chernobyl
c. Fukushima power plant disaster
d.uranium mining in Virginia and its dangers
e.exposure to radioactive substances such as Iodine131, Caesium137, Plutonium 239
f. dangers of cancer, radiation sickness
IV. Discuss whether nuclear power can ever be a safe form of technology in your concluding paragraph
Since this assignment will involve considerable research, we will take two weeks to work on this paper. You will have to use at least 3-5 sources in your paper, and you need to document them according to MLA format.
Please send all of your midterm assignments to me at raphaeljohncomprone@gmail.com. The complete list of assignments is available if you scroll down to the 3/4/11 course update (plus the grammar assignment that was added afterwards. You will still have to revise all of your papers for the end of the semester (all papers will be turned in at the end of the semester in place of a final exam).
Today, we went over the grammar assignment. We also discussed the topic of the next half of our semester, which will be technology and its advantages and disadvantages. We read two articles, "Radiation Levels in Japan Causing Concern in Other Countries" and "How Does a Nuclear Meltdown Work?"; both of these articles deal with the topic that we will cover the week after spring break.
On the first week when we return, we will write an essay begining on Wednesday and lasting through Friday. The topic will be: "Assessing the Advantages and Disadvantages of Nuclear Energy." You should have at least three sources, and you should discuss the current crisis at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant in Japan and its implications for the United States. You should argue in favor of abandoning nuclear power, or in favor of continuing nuclear power while adding more safety features to the design of nuclear power plants. You should give at least three reasons in support of your argument, and you should respond to at least one objection from the opposing argument. You should use at least three academic sources in your paper, and you will need to follow MLA format. If you wish to turn this paper in early, you can send me the paper at raphaeljohncomprone@gmail.com.
3/13/11
Please turn in all midterm assignments to me at raphaeljohncomprone@gmail.com.
This week, we will work on eliminating sentence fragments, run-ons, grammatical errors, and comma splices. We will use the errors from your own essays and correct them in class:
GRAMMAR ASSIGNMENT (due by this Friday for midterm grade, based on student papers).
1. During your college search most people tend to find that some colleges are both small and big.
Your correction: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. A college education is extremely important in our society with a college education it has its advantages and disadvantages which include competition with other graduates.
Your correction: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Especially if it’s a large college it will be difficult for the student to get the help they need.
Your correction: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. More stress which include tuition rising each semester then having to apply for scholarship and other things to have the funds to succeed in college.
Your correction: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. College can be stressful at times but in the long run you will benefits from attending college you learn about different thing other just educational things.
Your correction: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. Everyone know when there’s problems there’s some solutions to the problem.
Your correction: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
7. Violence on campus is a major issue with student being away from home there are different reasons for students to turn violent.
Your correction: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
8. College is a huge impact on your entire life. What a student does there decides their whole future.
Your correction: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
9. . Making people don’t want to go to school and that will just cause them to throw their life away.
Today, we worked on revising our papers in class. Please bring a printout of your papers to the next class, so we can discuss your writing.
3/4/11
You should turn all five of your papers to me by the end of next week. I need your papers to calculate your midterm grades. Otherwise, you will receive a deficiency for your midterm grade.
1st paper: research paper on education (2-3 pages, use the articles from the assigned readings, incorporate quotes from the assigned readings into your paper)
Here are the assigned readings for the first paper:
You may also use different articles in this paper on the value of a college education. Use quotes from at least 3 sources in this paper. Discuss the value of a college education and the increasing costs of college tuition.
Format for your paper:
In your introductory paragraph, describe what you think the value of a college education is and describe what function a college education fulfils in society. Discuss some of the problems dealing with a college education today.
In your body paragraphs, include quotes and information from sources to support your argument. Refer to specific articles and use at least 3 quotes from 3 different sources in your body paragrpahs. Introduce your quotes and analyze them in relation to your thesis. E.g. Rich states that "10% of college graduates are unemployed." If you don't introduce the author's name when introducing the quote, place the author's last name in parentheses after the quote. E.g. A writer describes how many college graduates "are unemployed" (Rich). Finally, relate your quotes and information to your thesis, or central argument.
In your last paragraph, make your conclusion. Summarize your argument and draw some conclusions based on your research. Propose solutions to a problem if possible. Be as specific as possible.
Include a works cited list at the end of your paper. Follow this general format:
Works Cited.
Author's last name (listed in alphabetical order), first name. Title of article in quotation
marks. Source. Date published, if available. Web. Date you accessed the article (at the bottom right of your printout).
2nd paper: paper on the quality of college education--are students learning enough in college?
Do you feel that college students are learning enough? Read the article that was assigned about college students and the amount they learn. What could be done to improve the quality of college education? Are standardized tests a measure of student performance and should there be more standardized tests? 2 pages.
3rd paper: stress in colleges and what could be done to reduce stress
Stress and the college experience: Write a paper on stress and the college experience. Discuss the factors contributing to stress in the college environment. 2-3 pages
4) Paper on violence on college campuses. Follow this particular outline:
I. Define violence on campus. Discuss why it is an issue today.
II. Identify the types of violence on campus
a. crime: rape, robbery, vandalism, arson, rape, homicide
b. suicide
III. Sources of violence
a. mental health issues
b. lack of adequate counseling
c. sexism, racism, peer pressure
d. stress: economic, grades, relationships
e. illegal drugs and alcohol
f. poor performance in classes
g. ineffective campus security
IV. Conclusion: What can be done?
You should have at least three different articles on the subject. You can choose articles of your own choice, or you can read some of the articles that I have suggested the class read:
5th paper: Midterm research paper on the crisis in college education. Discuss at least 3 problems involving the current crisis in college education. Use at least 3-5 sources in your paper and tie your ideas together. Use MLA format.
This diagram illustrates some of the problems in college education today:
decreased taxes, especially on the rich > increased state budget cuts > increased college tuition > lower pay for faculty > fewer teachers, bigger classes > poorer quality education with high student/teacher ratio > more students dropping out of college > decreased money available for federal grants for college students > poorer quality public schools
With your midterm papers, try to organize your ideas. Here is a sample outline with examples of quotes from one article using MLA format:
I. Define the crisis in college education today. Discuss federal and state budget cuts, higher tuition, larger class size, fewer teachers, declining quality of education, more violence on campus, increased stress on campus, higher textbook costs, and grade inflation.
II. Budget cuts: states are cutting back on education to balance their budgets. This is affecting higher education and education in general: "48% of the nation's school districts laid off teachers or other staff for the 2010-2011 school year" (Ellis, Limjoco, and Johnson).
III. Higher tuition
IV. Larger class size
V. Fewer teachers:
VI. Violence on campus
VII. Stress on campus
VIII. Grade inflation
IX. What can be done? Solutions: raise taxes on the rich, increase sales tax on certain products, decrease military funding, cut the salaries of elected representatives (the President, Congressional representatives, etc.), encourage private donations to schools
X. Conclusion: Describe how the problems in education today will affect present and future generations of students.
Works Cited.
Ellis, Remea, Limjoco, victor, and Johnson, Alex. "Teacher layoffs raise class-size tensions." MSNBC. March 2, 2011. Web. March 1, 2011.
With your papers, try to organize your ideas. Here is a sample outline with examples of quotes from one article using MLA format:
I. Define the crisis in college education today. Discuss federal and state budget cuts, higher tuition, larger class size, fewer teachers, declining quality of education, more violence on campus, increased stress on campus, higher textbook costs, and grade inflation.
II. Budget cuts: states are cutting back on education to balance their budgets. This is affecting higher education and education in general: "48% of the nation's school districts laid off teachers or other staff for the 2010-2011 school year" (Ellis, Limjoco, and Johnson).
III. Higher tuition
IV. Larger class size
V. Fewer teachers:
VI. Violence on campus
VII. Stress on campus
VIII. Grade inflation
IX. What can be done? Solutions: raise taxes on the rich, increase sales tax on certain products, decrease military funding, cut the salaries of elected representatives (the President, Congressional representatives, etc.), encourage private donations to schools
X. Conclusion: Describe how the problems in education today will affect present and future generations of students.
Works Cited.
Ellis, Remea, Limjoco, victor, and Johnson, Alex. "Teacher layoffs raise class-size tensions." MSNBC. March 2, 2011. Web. March 1, 2011.
Recent news:
Teacher layoffs across the country rising everywhere (teachers are receiving warnings that they could be laid off at any moment, class size is growing):
Do you think politicians are making the right decision by laying off teachers to balance budgets? (Include this idea in your paper)
For your midterm papers, please describe the crisis in college education. Point to some of the problems in college education, such as higher tuition, larger classes, budget cuts, teacher lay offs, declining quality of education, standardized testing (are you for or against?), violence on campus, stress on campus, grade inflation, drugs on campus, etc.
Discuss the different problems, analyze the causes of the problems,and propose an intelligent solution to these problems. We will be working on this midterm paper Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Please bring your papers to class because I want to go over your writing. Also, please bring your other papers to class.
Education is a large part of each state's budget. For example, in Virginia, spending on education equals 34% of the state budget. In Wisconson, the Governor Walker is cutting 900 million from education. Teachers are being told that they could lose their job next school year and are being put on notice. While balancing the budget is important, studies reveal that unemployment affects the economy, which in turn could give the state less revenue.
Economist Mark Zandi states that budget cuts slow the economic recovery down by giving consumers less spending power and increasing unemployment, which is hovering at 10%. He recommends that budget cutting occurs later. A Republican economist believes that budget cuts will have less impact on the recovering economy, however:
Most of the cuts in education on the state and federal level are being done to balance the budget. Balancing the budget does not always redistribute wealth to the poor as it involves cutting vital social programs essential to our democracy such as education and health care. If the federal gov't had to balance the budget completely, schools would have to be shut down, libraries shut down, etc. to the point that our economy and gov't would no longer function. Here is a satirical article on what would happen if our government truly balanced the budget: budget
This article relates to our topic as maybe it would be better if our government reviewed how it spends money on wars abroad rather than on the American people instead of balancing the budget by cutting education.
Obama's planned cuts in higher education and his budget affect teachers, poor people, and supports the rich:
Be sure to analyze how the budget affects the crisis in higher education when we meet next MWF. Bring a printout of all of the articles to class and write your midterm paper. It should be 3-4 pages in length.
Students who are at the CIAA should send me their papers to raphaeljohncomprone@gmail.com
Please send me your other four papers: 1) education research paper, 2) paper on college learning, 3) paper on stress in college, and 4) paper on violence on college campuses.
2/23/11
Write about the current protests in Wisconsin concerning education budget cuts. Read the article below and write at least two pages.
We will continue writing this assignment in class on Friday.
From the chart below, you will see that the United States spends half of all of its money (almost half) on the military, and we only spend less than a quarter of the amount of money on education. Do we have our priorities straight?
Bring printouts of your papers to the next class on Friday. We will do peer revisions.
Look for these top ten errors in students' papers:
Improper use of MLA format: not doing quotations properly, not introducing quotations properly, and not documenting sources in a works cited list at the end of the paper
misspelling: students do not know how to spell certain words
punctuation: not knowing how to punctuate effectively. Misuse of commas, dashes, periods, ellipses, parentheses, colons, etc.
sentence fragments
run-ons
disorganization
lack of thesis
no paragraphing
unnecessary and redundant sentences and words
lack of credible sources to support thesis statement
Today, we discussed Obama's education plans. While President Obama has increased spending on education, he has tried to keep government spending on our higher education at the same level. However, the cost of tuition has risen and will probably keep rising in the future, so if the government spends at the same level, there will still be a crisis because students won't get enough grant and loan money to be able to afford the cost of college. That could have a negative effect on our economy because that means we will have a less globally competitive workforce. Furthermore, many colleges and universities are not hiring right now because of the economic crisis. Because they are not hiring, class sizes are increasing as more students enroll in college. More students will not be able to pay for their loans when they get out of college. President Obama's plan is to continue the current system by maintaining current levels of spending on education, while the Republicans want to cut spending on higher education. Meanwhile, we are spending more than five times the amount we spend on education on military programs overseas, like the Afghanistan and Iraq war. Should Congress and the President change our approach to higher education? What should the government do to make education more affordable?
Fortunately, I have healed enough to walk, so I am returning to class.
2/14/11
Please send me your papers to raphaeljohncomprone@gmail.com. I will be out this week due to an injury, but I hope to be back soon. Please turn in these assignments to me. I will be glad to answer any questions that you might have about the 4 assignments that are due. I have not received papers from everyone in the class yet, but I would like to receive them soon as the midterm period is coming up.
Assignments due:
1) Research paper (4 pages), 2) paper on learning in colleges, 3) paper on stress, and 4) paper on violence on college campuses
Here is a more detailed description of the assignments that are due:
1) Research paper on college. Refer to at least 3-4 articles in this research paper. 3-4 pages in length, use MLA format, don't just summarize the articles; instead, define the function of college in our society and discuss the crisis in college education.
Suggested articles you can use discuss the crisis in college education (you can also do your own independent research, but be sure to include a printout of the articles that you do use in your paper):
In your introductory paragraph, describe what you think the value of a college education is and describe what function a college education fulfils in society. Discuss some of the problems dealing with a college education today.
In your body paragraphs, include quotes and information from sources to support your argument. Refer to specific articles and use at least 3 quotes from 3 different sources in your body paragrpahs. Introduce your quotes and analyze them in relation to your thesis. E.g. Rich states that "10% of college graduates are unemployed." If you don't introduce the author's name when introducing the quote, place the author's last name in parentheses after the quote. E.g. A writer describes how many college graduates "are unemployed" (Rich). Finally, relate your quotes and information to your thesis, or central argument.
In your last paragraph, make your conclusion. Summarize your argument and draw some conclusions based on your research. Propose solutions to a problem if possible. Be as specific as possible.
Include a works cited list at the end of your paper. Follow this general format:
Works Cited.
Author's last name (listed in alphabetical order), first name. Title of article in quotation
marks. Source. Date published, if available. Web. Date you accessed the article (at the bottom right of your printout).
2) Do you feel that college students are learning enough? Read the article that was assigned about college students and the amount they learn. What could be done to improve the quality of college education? Are standardized tests a measure of student performance and should there be more standardized tests? 2 pages.
3) Stress and the college experience: Write a paper on stress and the college experience. Discuss the factors contributing to stress in the college environment. 2-3 pages
4) Paper on violence on college campuses. Follow this particular outline:
I. Define violence on campus. Discuss why it is an issue today.
II. Identify the types of violence on campus
a. crime: rape, robbery, vandalism, arson, rape, homicide
b. suicide
III. Sources of violence
a. mental health issues
b. lack of adequate counseling
c. sexism, racism, peer pressure
d. stress: economic, grades, relationships
e. illegal drugs and alcohol
f. poor performance in classes
g. ineffective campus security
IV. Conclusion: What can be done?
You should have at least three different articles on the subject. You can choose articles of your own choice, or you can read some of the articles that I have suggested the class read:
Today, we watched videos from Cho, a student at Virginia Tech who was mentally ill and massacred people at Virginia Tech, and Jared Loughner, a student at Pima Community College who suffered from mental illness and shot several individuals recently. Please watch the videos. Do you feel that college campuses should monitor students more and provide counseling to prevent incidents like these from happening? Is campus security equipped to deal with incidents like these? Should students get involved in providing campus security?
With your papers, you should deal with the problems of violence on campus. Here is a sample paragraph by paragraph outline of how you should write your paper:
I. Define violence on campus. Discuss why it is an issue today.
II. Identify the types of violence on campus
a. crime: rape, robbery, vandalism, arson, rape, homicide
b. suicide
III. Sources of violence
a. mental health issues
b. lack of adequate counseling
c. sexism, racism, peer pressure
d. stress: economic, grades, relationships
e. illegal drugs and alcohol
f. poor performance in classes
g. ineffective campus security
IV. Conclusion: What can be done?
In your papers, which you will write on Friday and Monday, you will need to: use at least 3 sources in your paper and follow MLA format.
We will write these papers in class.
Examples of mentally ill students who have performed acts of violence:
Jared Loughner video:
Cho video:
Students using drugs for ADHD to increase their performance in classes:
2/7/11
The Clery Act, an act of Congress regulating crime statistics on college and university campuses, was passed in 1990. Here is the handbook for the Clery Act. Do you think that more schools should publicly disclose their crime statistics?
Last class, we covered the rise of tuition and for profit colleges. Today, we will cover the problem of textbooks. All across the nation, many students are not purchasing textbooks because they claim they are unaffordable. The price for most textbooks has risen in the past decade, and some larger textbooks cost over $100 for one single book; at the same time, the cost of living for students has increased--food prices and tuition have skyrocketed in the last decade. This is an important issue adding to the current crisis in education because when large amounts of students do not purchase textbooks, teaching becomes more difficult for college and university professors.
Freewriting assignment: brainstorm about the costs of textbooks in classrooms. What do you think can be done about the rising costs of textbooks? Is there a way to make textbooks more affordable? Why aren't students purchasing textbooks? Do you think ebooks could be a solution to the problem? Should universities and colleges charge a textbook fee to students and purchase all of the textbooks for their students (would that drive down costs?)? How does the high price of textbooks in universities and colleges deter from the educational environment?
Here are some new articles that we will read and discuss in class; we will also do some freewriting on the subject, which will be turned in at the end of class. By the end of this class, you should have a clearer idea of the current crisis in higher education:
We brainstormed in class about the causes of stress for the third assignment:
We read three different articles assigned for class and discussed the problem of grade inflation.
Here are the assignments due so far:
1) Research paper on college. Refer to at least 3-4 articles in this research paper. 3-4 pages in length, use MLA format, don't just summarize the articles; instead, define the function of college in our society and discuss the crisis in college education.
2) Do you feel that college students are learning enough? Read the article that was assigned about college students and the amount they learn. What could be done to improve the quality of college education? Are standardized tests a measure of student performance and should there be more standardized tests? 2 pages.
3) Stress and the college experience: Write a paper on stress and the college experience. Discuss the factors contributing to stress in the college environment. 2-3 pages
*For the articles you need to read for each of these assignments, go back to previous posts. You must follow MLA format and include quotes in your papers. Also, send these papers to raphaeljohncomprone@gmail. com. Please send me a message as well so that I have a copy of your email address.
1/31/11
This week, you should be revising your assignments. That means that you should bring a printout of your assignments to class and exchange them with a student. You will take the other student's work and analyze it (out of class) for errors and changes that need to be made. Also, this week and next week, in preparation for the midterm exam, which will be an extended in class research paper on college, we will discuss different aspects of the college experience, beginning with a discussion today on grade inflation and the college curriculum. Please printout the following articles for class:
New video on assignments in our class and on expectations:
Next week: bring prinouts of your essays. We will do peer revision and discuss your writing throughout next week. All assignments will be due by next Friday. You must send me your assignments to raphaeljohncomprone@gmail.com
We will analyze what the factors are that cause stress for college freshmen and address different methods to alleviate stress. Please read the paper above and write a paper on stress for college freshmen. What are the different symptoms of stress among the college population mentioned in the article, what do you think are the factors contributing to stress, and what solutions do you propose to alleviate stress? Include quotes and follow the MLA format.
1/18/2011
FORMAT FOR PAPER DUE ON FRIDAY, 1/18/2011:
In your introductory paragraph, describe what you think the value of a college education is and describe what function a college education fulfils in society. Discuss some of the problems dealing with a college education today.
In your body paragraphs, include quotes and information from sources to support your argument. Refer to specific articles and use at least 3 quotes from 3 different sources in your body paragrpahs. Introduce your quotes and analyze them in relation to your thesis. E.g. Rich states that "10% of college graduates are unemployed." If you don't introduce the author's name when introducing the quote, place the author's last name in parentheses after the quote. E.g. A writer describes how many college graduates "are unemployed" (Rich). Finally, relate your quotes and information to your thesis, or central argument.
In your last paragraph, make your conclusion. Summarize your argument and draw some conclusions based on your research. Propose solutions to a problem if possible. Be as specific as possible.
Include a works cited list at the end of your paper. Follow this general format:
Works Cited.
Author's last name (listed in alphabetical order), first name. Title of article in quotation
marks. Source. Date published, if available. Web. Date you accessed the article (at the bottom right of your printout).
The essay will be due on Friday at the end of class.
You must begin writing your paper on the value of a college education. We will be writing in class on Wednesday and Friday, and I will collect your assignment on Friday. Please bring a printout of all your papers to class. This assignment will be graded. You should write at least 3 pages and have at least four quotes from different sources in your essay, which will be due on Friday.
For next week, print out the following essay and be prepared to discuss it:
Today, we discussed how to use MLA format for electronic sources. You have to have a works cited list at the end of your paper.
In your works cited list, list the author's alphabetically with their last name first.
E.g.
Citing an electronic source
Author's last name, first name. Title of article in quotations marks. Source. Date the source was published if available. Web. Date you accessed the web site (usually found on the bottom of the page that you printed).
Lee, Tyler. "College Education Costs Are Skyrocketing." New York Times. January 13, 2011. Web. Jan. 14, 2011.
You also have to have in-text citations and quotes in your paper:
E.g.
In "College Education Costs Are Skyrocketing," Tyler Lee argues that "the cost of college education has quadrupled in almost thirty years."
Another example is when the author's name is not mentioned at the beginning of the quote:
One writer argues that "the cost of college education has quadrupled in almost thiry years" (Lee).
You should begin writing your paper on college education for the next class. In your first paragraph, discuss what you think the significance of a college education is and discuss some of the problems facing college students today. In your body paragraphs, discuss some of the problems and support your argument with quotes from research. In your concluding paragraph, summarize your argument. Use at least four of the articles in your essay.
Bring a printout of all of the essays to the next class along with your rough draft of your essay.
1/10/11
For Wednesday, we will continue reading and discusssing these articles in class. Please bring a printout of the articles to class.
Read the following articles on higher education. Choose one of the articles or several of them and discuss the issues concerning higher education today, such as increasing costs of college tuition, higher paid administrators, student debt, and the declining value of a college degree. Refer to the articles and employ quotes in your argument. Cite sources according to MLA format: MLA
Today, we discussed the goals of this class. Our writing assignments will be completed in class rather than outside of the classroom. We will read critically about a wide variety of topics and write essays on these topics. During the first part of the semester, we will focus specifically on the value of a college education (university education) and on the role higher education plays in our society. This will give you an opportunity to reflect on your role as a college student and on the significance of higher education throughout our society. We will discuss a wide variety of topics related to the theme of college education.
Saint Paul’s College: Department of Humanities & Behavioral Sciences
Composition II
Course Information:
English 162-3
Spring semester 2011 Instructor:
Dr. Comprone
Class Time: 9-9:50 A.M. Office: RH 136
Classroom: Office Hours:
RH 204MWF 2-4 P. M. T R 2:15-3:15 P.M.
Office Phone: Credit Hours:
contact by email only 3
Email: raphaeljohncomprone@gmail.com
Website: www.comprone.info
Endorsement Competencies for Education Majors:
Understanding of the knowledge, skills, and processes of English as defined in the Virginia Standards of Learning.
Skills necessary to teach the writing process and the different forms of writing (narrative, descriptive, expository, persuasive, and informational) and to employ available technology.
Knowledge of grammar, usage, and mechanics and their integration in writing.
Pre-requisite: Students must have completed Compostion I.
Required Texts: Diane Hacker's A Writer's Reference Sixth Edition. Click the link here to be directed to the Amazon webpage for Diana Hacker's latest edition of A Writer's Reference: A Writer's Reference
Selection of Texts: TBA
Course Description: The purpose of this course is to provide college students with the ability to express themselves in a professional context. Students will be encouraged to think and write critically, and they will also learn the basic rules of the English language. There will be two tests on grammar and 5 three page essays on various subjects.
Course Rationale: The purpose of this course is to develop each student’s proficiency in the English language.
Course Goals, Objectives, and Corresponding Program Outcomes: The goals of this course are the following:
1 To help students develop as writers and critical thinkers
2 To develop a passion for self-expression in students
3 To provide students with all of the grammatical skills necessary to write successfully in an academic and professional context
4 To develop in students a passion for reading critically
Expectations for Student Behavior as Related to Course Objectives and Their Corresponding Program Outcomes:
Please arrange for meeting with me during my office hours. Students must behave appropriately by: 1) avoiding talking when the professor is speaking, 2) being punctual (students will lose points for tardiness and excessive absences), 3) always bringing their textbooks to class, 4) actively participating in class, 5) not plagiarizing, 6) avoiding the use of foul language and abusive behavior, and 8) being polite to other students, 9) send all revisions of your assignments with an email to raphaeljohncomprone@gmail.com (you must CLEARLY label your assignment and the attachment when you send it to my email. In the text of your email, put your name, the course you are taking, and the assignment that you are attaching. If you send an assignment to the wrong email, you are responsible for the missing assignment, 10) one of your five assignments will be required to turn in to Mr. Macklin for your electronic portfolio, 11) it is required that you seek out tutoring with CASS (the tutoring center in Russell Hall across from the Department of Humanities & Behavioral Sciences).
The attendance policy is as follows:
Students missing more than 9 times (EXCUSED or UNEXCUSED) must WITHDRAW or receive a
failing grade of F.
This policy will be strictly enforced.
Students with 2 or less absences will receive an additional 10% for their final grade. Excused absences will not be factored into this calculation, e.g. a student who has three excused absences and no unexcused absences will not receive an additional 10% added to his or her final grade.
Students cannot obtain excuses for absences after the semester is over.
Class Format, Process, and Methods of Instruction:
We will incorporate the QEP writing rubric format designed for writing intensive courses:
Questions: Does the essay respond to the prompt in a focused way? Does the essay maintain a single focus throughout?
Goal: Identifiable thesis representing adequate understanding of the assigned topic. Thesis or focus is developed throughout essay.
Evidence (1-5)
Questions: Does the writer support assertions with evidence or examples? Is evidence cited according to required guidelines (such as MLA)? Are quotations integrated into the student’s own writing? Goal: Accurate evidence that is well documented, relevant, well integrated, and/or appropriate.
Organization (1-5)
Questions: Does the student divide paragraphs by idea? Does the student develop paragraphs beyond two sentences? Does the student distinguish between an introductory paragraph, a body paragraph, and a conclusion? Goal: Effective paragraphing with few overall organizational problems. Introduction and conclusion are effectively related to the whole.
Style and Mechanics (1-5)
Question: Is the essay written according to the conventions of Standard Written English? Some sentence-level errors are normal, but not multiple errors of multiple kinds. Goal: Effective and varied sentences; minimal errors in sentence construction; only occasional punctuation, spelling and/or capitalization errors.
In addition, all five of your 3 page papers will have to be revised and sent to me as an attachment to raphaeljohncomprone@gmail.com. You will also do peer revision of your assignments at least once during class.
This semester, we will be completing a series of assignments based on reading and thinking critically about consumer culture.
Students can only receive incompletes upon permission by the instructor (an incomplete can only be filed for during the semester) and only if they are experiencing financial difficulties or a grave personal matter (I must be notified in person by the student or by a relative before the end of the semester). Excuses will only be accepted from the Provost's office. I will only accept assignments in person (do not slip any assignments under my office door--I am not responsible if any of these assignments should end up missing). It is the student's responsibility to make up any missing work and to check on his or her grade during the semester. Absolutely no excuses for absences can be issued after the semester is completed (if you do not show me the excuse during the semester--you have to show me the excuse in person, do not put it under my door--I will not give you an excuse--this applies to athletes as well). Athletes must personally give me a copy of their game schedule and indicate to me the days they will be absent. They must also make up any work and or missed instruction the day after their absence. ABSOLUTELY no grade changes are possible after the semester. Please check with me before the end of the semester to see if you have any outstanding work to complete.
In this class, we will discuss selected passages from the texts assigned in class:
In class essays and tests: 90%
Attendance and Participation: 10%
Total: 100%
Course Outline and Assignment Due Dates:
TBA
List of Assigned Readings and Assignments:
TBA
For the grammar tests, students will be responsible for the following terms: noun, demonstrative pronoun, reflexive pronoun, personal pronoun, reciprocal pronoun, indefinite pronoun, possessive pronoun, independent clause, dependent/subordinate clause, compound sentence, simple sentence, complex sentence, compound-complex sentence, prepositional phrase, subordinating conjunction, coordinating conjunction, adjective, adverb, preposition, correlative conjunction, linking verb, transitive verb, intransitive verb, direct object, indirect object, object complement, relative pronoun, interrogative pronoun, conjunctive adverb, predicate, subject, gerund phrase, infinitive phrase, absolute phrase, adjective/relative clause, participial phrase, appositive phrase, adverb clause, noun clause, declarative sentence, imperative sentence, interrogative sentence, exclamatory sentence
Recommended Internet Sites: www.comprone.info for updates on assignments, syllabi, poetry club submissions (extra credit)
