Goldberg: Discovery Core A07: Comp Assign 3

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

Composition Assignment 7 (Nov. 6)

Composition Assignment 7: Midterm Self-Assessment Essay

We will take a step back this week to look over our progress since the beginning of the course. At the end of the course, you will be assembling a formal portfolio which brings together your work for the quarter. The assignment this week is intended to begin that process so that your final self-assessment is rooted in a previous self-assessment. This will allow you to note areas in which you have demonstrated progress, and perhaps more important, to note areas in which you are still struggling and strategies for improving your performance.

To begin, you should read over every assignment, essay and assessment carefully. Take special care to read and think about the criteria on the assignment page. Take notes as you read in anticipation of answering the questions below. When you are done, go through the usual writing process of prewriting, drafting and revision. As always, you will need to provide logic and evidence to support your argument. You should have a polished essay when you are done, which will also provide evidence of your levels of achievement this quarter. In writing your essay, you should aim for honest reflection. You are not making a case for a grade, but rather demonstrating that you have understood and gained from the assessment process. Also, you may certainly include elements from the course which you feel did not serve you well in explaining your learning process. Do not present these as an"excuse," but rather as a part of the evidence that supports your argument. The essay should be between 500-750 words, with the usual formatting requirements.

Questions for the essay (do not use these as subheadings for your essay, but rather as prompts to get you thinking):

After considering your learning trajectory from start to finish, for which learning outcomes have you demonstrated the most improvement? Discuss the process and explain why you think you were able to improve these outcomes.
For which learning outcomes have you demonstrated the least improvement? Discuss the process and explain why you think you were not able to improve as much.
How would you characterize your overall writing capacities at the end of this course? What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses?
What do you hope to accomplish in your learning by the end of the quarter, and how do you hope to accomplish it?
In thinking about the above questions, consider the availablity of resources and your use of them: reading (and re-reading) the New McGraw-Hill handbook, completing the online Catalyst 2.0 exercises and explanations, emailing or visiting with me about help with your writing or clarifying assessment comments, posting questions and ideas on Blackboard, using the Writing Improvement Form, and visiting the Writing Center, among others.

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; sentences do not follow each other logically; ideas are not supported by logic and evidence. 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 dissonance 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.); consistency 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.
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.
19. Generate useful self-assessment of own work, including strategies for improvement.	Piece demonstrates little or no understanding of the criteria or the assessments connected with the; inability to identify specific strengths and weaknesses; no or obviously ineffective strategies for improvement; no or little evidence cited.	Piece demonstrates strong understanding of the criteria and the assessments, including both strengths and weaknesses, with a valid set of strategies based on logic and evidence.

Steps to take for Composition Assignment:

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.
Download and then fill out electronically the Writing Improvement Form.
Review the questions for the essay.
Read through each assignment, essay and scoring rubric and comments in order, taking notes as you go with the questions as prompts.
Email me with any questions you have about the assessments.
Generate your ideas for the essay, organize the content, write a draft, and then revise and edit it. The form of the essay will be similar to the Personal Essay assignment.
Cut-and-paste your completed Writing Improvement Form into the essay.
Submit the essay and form to Blackboard's Assignments (Composition 7) section using the Submission guidelines, by Tuesday, Nov. 13, noon.

Online Assignment (separate from Composition this week)

Read assigned article by Di Chiro, "Nature as Community: The Convergence of Environment and Social Justice"and post one substantive "starter question" that will spark a discussion. The question must go beyond "I didn't like this" or "Why did she say that?" but should instead reveal a critical understanding of the material. The question should either extend a point you agree with in the text or challenge a point you disagree with. The question should be posted by Friday, Nov. 9, 2pm to the Blackboard forum on Uncommon Ground.
Respond to two of the questions (not including the one you posted) with substantive comments and follow up on the question you posted after at least one other student has responded. CLICK HERE for the Criteria for Assessing Online Discussion. At least one of the responses should be completed by Sunday, Nov. 11, 8pm. All responses should be completed by Tuesday, Nov. 13.

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