Exam Activity

You made it! This is the last activity for the course.

Exam – English 101 – Just Write

For the final writing assignment, I am giving you one word – transportation.

Step #1: Brainstorm all the possible options for transportation.

Step #2: List your personal experiences – positive and negative.

Step #3: Narrow your focus. Of what do you know the most? What concerns or excites you?

Step #4: Research if you need some facts.

Use this as an invitation to write. You might write a personal experience. Perhaps you have encountered issues. Feel free to explore solutions. You might consider telling a story. You can do some research and reporting about that dream car you have always wanted, or you might want to complain about the horrible drivers or traffic you have encountered. If you go off-roading, you might want to describe that perfect day on the trail. Dream a bit about the future, if you wish. After all, a rocket is a form of transportation. The choice is yours.

Step #5: Make a choice as to topic.

Step #6:  Write. The type of writing is up to you. Memoirs, cause/effect essays, problem/solution papers, descriptions … all are acceptable.  Write three to five pages.  If you conduct research, cited your sources with in-text citations and include a works cited page.

Step #7: Put the paper away for a day. Go back to it. Read it out loud. Run spell and grammar check. Make revisions as needed.

Step #8: Submit your exam. 

Due date:   Thursday, March 16, 2017 at midnight.

Sample essay: https://faculty.mccneb.edu/rchoover/McWhorter%20pp%20306+.pdf

“Rambos of the Road” by Martin Gottfried who explores the transportation topic of road rage. Several personal examples are included.

Week #8

Week #8 - Assignment #1 - More research - write the draft

This is a huge assignment is done well. Research and write a great draft!

Last week you completed steps 1-5 in Writing a Problem-Solution Essay. Now you are ready to move on to steps 5-13.  Here is the link:

https://www.enotes.com/topics/essay/essay-writing-tips/how-write-problem-solution-essay

A. Research some more ... Please include the following:

• An interview with someone (You are a pro at this!)  
• Art, music,or literature related to the topic 
• Current news report
• Current videos/ movies You may quote An Inconvenient Truth or you may select an additional movie feature. National Geographic and Animal Planet have several features.  It does not need to be a documentary. Happy Feet comes to mind! YouTube offers many options. This is just one of many:
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKbZxKZJM
• Branch out. Find something to view that relates to your chosen topic. 
• Information from an expert source. Search the EMCC on-line library for strong sources:
• https://www.estrellamountain.edu/library 
  • Charts and/or graphs
  
  
  B. Map, plan, or outline your essay.
  Here are some guidelines:
  Part I:  Identify the problem. Prove that one exists.
  1.       What is the problem? Was it clearly identified? How many are impacted by the problem? Who is impacted? What other problems result because this problem exists?
  
  
  2.        What are the causes of the problem? Is the information specific? Explain. Do you need to know more? Is anything confusing? Explain.
  
  
  3.       Make three claims about your topic. Provide two or three pieces of evidence to support each  claim.
  
  
  a.       Claim
  b.      Reason 1 + Evidence
  
  
  c.       Reason 2 + Evidence
  
  
  d.      Reason 3 + Evidence
  
  
  Here are some links to information about claims, reasons, and evidence: 
  http://mrbehm.weebly.com/uploads/1/4/2/1/14214992/claims_reason_evidence.pdf
  
  
  For example, Al Gore claims that global warming is happening. One reason is that the earth's climate is getting hotter. One piece of evidence was the melting of the ice fields in Greenland and in Canada.  He also uses a chart to show that the temperatures are warmer now than they were in the past. 
  
  
  Here is a graphic organizer. Use it to guide you. 
  
  

  Claim:

  
  
  Why?
  Because:

  Reason:

  Reason:

  Reason:

  
  
  Facts and Proof!

  1.	1.	1.
  2.	2.	2.

  
  
  
  
   
  Part 2: Looking to the future
  1.       What are the future implications if this problem is not addressed?
  
  
  
  
  2.       Please include:
  
  
  a.       A chart or graph
  b.      A personal experience 
  
  c.       Evidence from at least two expert sources
  
  
  Part 3 – Possible Solution(s)  and a Call to Action
  You want to get your readers to do something to help to solve the problem. Remember that people are limited by time and money. Make sure that your call to action steps are worth the time and the money.
  Try to have at least three things that people can do to make a difference. For example, if you suggest recycling, explain how effortless the process can be. 
  
  
  Part 4 – Technical points
  1.       Use  in-text citations. Are they in  MLA format?
  2.       Place all in-text citation sources on the Works Cited page? Make sure there are no extra sources on the Works Cited page.
  3.       Pay attention to the grammar, usage, and mechanics. Run spell and grammar check.
  
  
  
  
  Post your draft. The draft is worth 100 points - 
  25 points for each part.
  
  
  Week #8 - Assignment #2 - Reading
  
  
  http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/reality-hotter-world-already-here-180951172/
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Read "Hot Enough for You?" by Jerry Adler from the May 2014 Smithsonian Magazine.   
  Do the following:
  
  
  1. Write a summary of the article. Here are some tips:
  http://web2.uconn.edu/ahking/How_to_Summarize_a_Research_Article.pdf
  
  
  Your summary should be no longer than one page.
  
  
  2. React to the article. What do you think? Do you agree or disagree with the article? If you have spent at least one summer in Phoenix, include personal experiences of dealing with the local summers. If you are new to the area, predict what you will do to survive the summer. 
   50 points
  
  
  30 points for the summary / 20 for the reaction
  
  
  Week #8 -  Assignment #3 - Discussion Board
  
  
  Get ready for summer! What are the local summers like? How do you cope? What is the hottest day you remember? What tips can you offer others? If you could be anywhere in the summer, here or away, where would you stay? 
  
  
  Post your initial comments by Thursday at midnight. React by midnight on Sunday. 
  
  
  (50 points)