Updated 5/14/03
Prof. Michael Goldberg
BIS
300: Interdisciplinary Inquiry
Spring 2003
Writing Assignment
Write a 4-5 page analytical argumentative essay using at least 2 scholarly articles or book chapters (from different books) that compares and contrasts their arguments and focuses on the topic of the human relationship to nature. (See syllabus for due dates of each componant of the paper.) One of the articles must be from your research. You may also use readings assigned in the course. This is a wide open assignment, which is why you have so much time to develop it. You will be moving from a broader writing question (the result of your thought piece) to a tentative thesis (the result of your organization exercise) and a final thesis (perhaps not until your final version). The process of identifying your thesis and developing your argument takes time and mindfulness. The most important question is not "what is my thesis" but "why does what I'm writing about matter?" As you pursue this question, you should get closer and closer to the main argument you want to make. The St. Martin's Guide to Writing has a number of useful suggestions about this process. Also, consult my "Criteria for Evaluating Analytical Essays."
Your writing assignment will have four parts: thought piece, prewriting/organization, first draft, and final version. This assignment is meant to be an extended version of the type of writing process you should undertake for any writing assignment, even a short paper or take-home exam. Of course, for these papers each part of the process may take a matter of hours, not days. Writing is a very personal exercise that calls on a variety of skills, abilities, and habits of mind. People bring a range of educational backgrounds, levels of experience and learning styles to the writing process, and I am aware of the danger of imposing a specific way of doing things. The assignments I am asking for take into account some of that diversity while at the same time requiring that students be open to different approaches than those they might be used to.
Thought Piece Assignment: The thought piece is a more formal version of the type of early prewriting most effective writers use. Essentially, you will be generating ideas for your paper through a variety of means—free writing, list making, mapping, oral brainstorming, etc. (St. Martin's Guide to Writing has some useful things to say about this topic). Once you are through generating ideas, write a 500-750 page paper that develops the main ideas you are interested in. This paper should itself go through the process of organizing, draft, and revision. Be particularly mindful about paragraphs. In revising, ask yourself (or a Writing Tutor, classmate, or other reader) if all of the paragraphs contain one main idea that gets developed. At this stage, it's very easy to list lots of ideas and not focus in with any depth on particular thoughts. Often, a paragraph might contain enough ideas for an entire thought piece. In that case, you need to make some choices, leaving aside some ideas and choosing to pursue others. If these ideas don't pan out, you can always go back to the some of the earlier ones. This paper will not have any central thesis, but the ideas should cohere together logically. (That is, you are developing ideas, not simply listing them.) Follow the formatting guidelines on the "Criteria for Evaluating Analytical Essays" (also available from the course page). The thought piece is due at the beginning of class on Wednesday, May 7 (note change from original).
Organizing Structure Exercise (May 19): After you receive my assessment of your thought piece, use it as a springboard to consider your anaytical argumentative paper further. Do additional pre-writing that generates enough material that you are ready to start organizing your paper by the workshop on May 19. On that day, bring to class your thought piece, your completed feedback response form, and all of the pre-writing you have done for the paper thus far.
First version/Draft and Peer Evaluation Exercise (5/28): Although I am using the term "first draft" to note that you may be changing this version substantially, depending on the peer critique and your own evaluation, you should complete a finished paper. It should be carefully edited, and have an introduction and conclusion. If you have not already done so, check the "Criteria for Evaluating Analytical Essays". Again, you may decide to revise these sections substantially (the introduction and conclusion are often the last things a writer gets "right"), but it's helpful to at least make the intial effort. Bring to class a copy for each member of your research group. I will not assess this version, but as always I am very open to discussing any part of the process with you.
NEW (ADDED 5/27/03): As noted in an earlier email message to the class, every student must visit a writing tutor at the UWB Writing Center at least once between the time you receive your feedback on the first version and the time you turn in the final version. Students should make an appointment as soon as possible if they haven't already. After your visit, complete the Writing Center Visit Assessment form and include it in your writing portfolio.
Final version (6/9): Due by 1:05pm with the completed writing portfolio and your final assessment. If you would like to pick up the portfolio outside my office after June 16, leave a signed release form with your portfolio. You may also pick up the portfolio during my office hours or by appointment. I encourage you to carefully review my final comments and contact me with any questions you might have.
The Writing Portfolio should contain the following items, in the order designated below:
May 7: Thought Piece due
May 13: Thought Piece returned with my assessment
May 19: Organizing Structure Workshop: Bring all prewriting notes
May 28: First version/Draft due: Organizing structure should be completed
June 10, 5PM: Final version of Argumentative Essay due with Writing Portfolio (see Portfolio Assignment)(NOTE CHANGE OF DATE AND TIME)