Goldberg: Discovery Core A07: Comp Assign 1

Discovery Core I/CUSP 101 & 107 (Composition and Individual and Society)
The Human Place in Nature/Autumn 2007

Composition Assignment 1 (Sept. 27)

Composition Assignment 1: Personal Essay

This essay is intended to provide a baseline assessment of your writing. While we eventually will be creating argumentative essays within the academic genre, this assignment allows you to write in a genre in which you are probably more familiar. It is also the only assignment that will not be based on your critical understanding of another source, so it should provide a "purer" picture of where your writing skills are at the start of the course. The essay is also intended to get you thinking about the course theme—the human place in nature—in a way that reflects your assumptions before you've encountered the class texts. It should provide the class as a whole with a useful snapshot of the assumptions and perspectives of those participating in our developing learning community.

Write a 500-750 word essay exploring a single incident which revealed an aspect of your relationship with "nature" in a way you hadn't considered before, how it did or did not change your behavior and/or ideas, and why that was significant to your life. In the essay, you should make clear what type of "nature" you are talking about, and you needn't restrict your choice to the most obvious (backpacking trips and the like).

Due date and time: Must be posted by Sunday, 8pm. No late postings will be accepted, so post what you have to receive partial credit.

Learning Outcome	Criteria: Weak	Strong	NMHH
1. Understand and effectively respond to assignments as given and seek clarification for questions about assignments when necessary.	Writing leaves out most of the required parts of the essay, including content, structure, and tone. Student does not communicate with instructor about most to any concerns or questions s/he has about the assignment, or communicates and doesn't follow up when confusion still exists.	Writing contains all of the required parts of the essay and demonstrates a deep understanding of its intent. Student gets clarification from instructor on all questions or concerns, and follows up as necessary.	2a,b,c
2. Shape well-developed paragraphs with effective transitions leading to an integrated text.	Paragraphs have multiple ideas and little internal consistency; reader cannot determine the logical connection between paragraphs.	Paragraphs contain a single idea that is developed to its natural conclusion given the scope of the topic sentence and with the proper support for assertions made. Reader follows the argument or narrative within and between paragraphs with ease.	4 b,c, d; 5f
3. Adopt appropriate and genuine voice, tone, and level of formality.	Choice of voice, tone, and level of formality creates dissonace with the reader because they do not correspond to the needs of the assignment (using humor inappropriately, using academic language in a personal essay, etc.); consistancy of choice is maintained throughout.	Choice of voice, tone, and level of formality draw the reader in and enhance interest rather than distract it.	2c,d.e.f
4. Make thoughtful choices about diction (word choice) and syntax (word order); distinguish correct from captivating.	Use of wrong, inappropriate or nonexistent words creates confusion or suggests a different meaning for the reader.	Diction and syntax choices enhance interest and help clarify meaning for the reader.	5h, i; Parts 8, 9
5. Edit with care so that choices regarding grammar, punctuation, style, spelling and mechanics enhance rather than detract from the writing's meaning and effect.	Reader has trouble understanding the majority of sentences because of these errors. Inconsistencies in usage, tense, etc. cause reader to be distracted.	Reader reads through the piece without stopping to ponder meaning. Errors are minimal and non-invasive, and grammar, punctuation, etc. improves the experience of the reader.	5h, i; Parts 7, 10. 11
6. Write with precision--employ adequate details, definition, and context.	Piece communicates only surface or imprecise ideas and descriptions. Writing is abstract and non-specific with few or no details or imprecise or confusing definitions and with little or no integration to the context of the piece's argument or framework so that reader is confused about the writer's true intent.	Piece communicates the essence of the writer's intended meaning with clarity and specificity, offering details and definitions as needed within the argument or framework of the piece.
7. Develop a focused thesis that allows for appropriate depth and complexity.	Piece does not contain a thesis. Piece contains a very broad thesis with no specificity, a thesis that is unarguable, or a thesis with too many parts to be developed adequately within the space constraints of the assignment.	Thesis lays out the complexities of the argument to be developed, conveys the importance of the assertion, and restricts its scope to the space constraints of the assignment.	3b; 5d
8. Utilize clear organizational strategies to develop lines of inquiry.	Piece contains no obvious organizational strategy, bounces from point to point without making connections, and provides little or no sense of the overall direction of the argument.	Organizational strategy leads the reader through the complexities of the argument laid out by the thesis, and leads logically to a compelling conclusion.	3c; 5e
9. Value and practice genuine intellectual exploration and risk-taking.	Piece includes few if any original ideas or conclusions that are not obvious and unchallengeable; writer's work never develops intellectually over the life of the course.	Piece demonstrates willingness to push beyond the obvious and assert ideas and conclusions that compel the reader's attention; writer's work demonstrates intellectual growth over the length of the course.	1a; 2a; 3a
10. Examine personal position on a topic or a text; perform comparison of new and prior knowledge.	Piece reveals little or surface reflection of your own position; piece contains little or no attention to the implications of an observation. Reader learns little or nothing from the discussion.	Piece contains evidence of deep reflection going beyond obvious observations; reader comes away with worthwhile insight based on writer's self-reflections.	1a
11. Follow all formatting and submission guidelines.

Steps to take:

Read ch. 11 ("Personal Essays") of the New McGraw-Hill Handbook (NMHH)
Re-read the assignment carefully. If you still have any questions, please email me immediately. Remember that if you use UMail, you must type in your name or else I will not know who sent it.
Sketch out some ideas. Email me if you would like to discuss your ideas with me electronically.
Organize your essay into paragraphs.
Write a first draft.
Re-read the essay and revise it to conform to the assignments requirements and criteria, and then edit it to correct obvious errors of grammar and style.
Submit the essay to Blackboard's Assignments section using the Submission guidelines.
Cut-and-paste the essay into the Blackboard Discussion Board forum, "Personal Essays." Chose a 1-3 word subject line that captures the essence of your essay. Post as a new thread, not as a response to another thread.
Read all of the essays. You may wait until Sunday at 8pm after the posting deadline to read them, or read them as they are posted. Note that postings you have not yet clicked open will have a "new" marker on the left side.
Reply to at least 3 and not more than 5 postings with a useful comment, insight or question. Limit your reply to 5 sentences. If a posting does not yet have a reply, at least one of your replies should be to it. In general, try to spread out the replies so that everyone gets some response. Read all of the replies to a posting before you reply so that you don't repeat a comment. You do not need to read the replies for postings to which you are not replying. Your effectiveness in replying is part of your Large Class Discussion assessment. I will email you if a reply is not adequate to the assignment. Otherwise, I will not contact you about it. The reading and reply requirement falls under the Online section of the course. You should complete all postings by class time on Tuesday. It is much more effective if you spread out your responses rather than posting them all at the last minute.

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