Aristotle's Appeals: Ethos, Pathos, Logos

Below are some ways of looking at your thesis and topic sentence claims as you write them. Are you writing a claim with the intention of using one or more of the appeals within your idea? If not, try to use ethos, pathos, logos, and kairos to make your pleas to your audience.

Ethos (ethics/people)

• Making an appeal using one's own credibility/character
• Using things about yourself (personal history, age, race, religion) to make an argument

How to attempt:

• Describe what you think are moral or positive characteristics and actions of a person/group of people if you want to show their goodness or authority.

• Describe immoral actions and negative characteristics and actions of a person/group of people if you want to put them in a 'bad light' or have them lose authority.

Pathos (apathy/empathy/sympathy/feelings)

• Making an appeal to the readers' emotions. 

How to attempt:

• Use language that is used within that emotion's atmosphere. 

• Pose questions that illicit an emotion.

• Huge generalizations and huge consequences. 
• Make sure something or someone is impacted by somebody else's actions, but make sure that you specify who each someone is!

Logos (logic/facts)

• Making an appeal using your logic, your reasoning skills.

How to attempt:

• Cite facts. Basic facts of life that can found anywhere, or specific facts that give a view of the situation. 
• Explain what your facts mean. Interpret them for your audience. Never let a fact speak for itself! Facts can be distorted into different truths.

Kairos

• Using time and setting to give context to your argument! What's going on in the world, recently, currently, historically, that supports your points?

How to attempt:

• Talk about an event and its known impacts...
• or, talk about an event and what the results could be if the world doesn't act (and act the way you urge them to!).

***Many times, we mix and match our appeals, and that is fine and dandy. It's most important that you are very conscious about trying to appeal to your audience, thinking of your audience and using language to affect them. 

Revising Your Outline's Thesis and Subtopics

• Use these strategies to reword/rework your current ideas (P) in your sketch outline/first draft. Also, these four appeals can inspire some bullet points points for reasons (R) and examples (E) to expand the outline/draft.

• For your main sentences that give the idea, make sure they have some kind of appeal (or a mix of them) within the claim. If there is nothing arguable about your thesis or topic sentences, you need to reword so that they become more argumentative!

• Since your sketch outline didn't ask you to focus on including your reasons or examples, now is the chance to think about where you may go with ethos, pathos, logos, and kairos within each argumentative point...

HW for Friday, 2/28

1. Read the next chapter in Kitchen Confidential.

2. Create a sketch outline for Essay 2, following these steps below. First, brainstorm using the questions below; then, follow the sketch outline requirements:

Content Generation/brainstorming: Questioning Your Topic

• Why do you find the topic important? 
• Why do you think people act the way they act towards your subject?
• How do you know what you know about your subject?
• What do you want people to think more about when they form opinions (on your subject)?
• What should we understand about people, society, ____?
• What are benefits to society understanding ____  are reasons?
• What are reasons you believe _______ happens?
• What are consequences...of not learning from our mistakes? 
• ...

Sketch Outline: Rough out your main idea so that you can see the bones of the idea and how they flow, structurally. Don't worry about examples or details. Just worry about shaping specific points and try to work on making them connect to each other. Your sentences don't have to be magnificent, but try to have the basic idea in them!


Introduction

I. Thesis statement: a must! Write out the sentence that drives your essay....

II. Subtopics of Thesis (at least two)

•  Outline BP points 1-3 (be specific): You don't even have to have complete sentences, but introduce three things you want to say about your thesis point....

Body 

I. BP 1 point: take these from the subtopics! Order them as you ordered them above...

II. BP 2 point:

III. BP 3 point:

Conclusion

I. Final Topic Sentence: what will applying the knowledge you gave do for the world?

Blog Response: Editing Run-Ons (25 minutes)

Having gone over the methods for fixing run-ons, which can also be understood as sentence-combining techniques, you are going to use your Essay 1 content to work on using these editing/combining strategies.

Review your essay for either places where you have committed a run on OR for places where two back-to-back sentences could be combined using one of the methods.  

On your student blog, start a post entitled "Editing Run-Ons," and work on showing your edits for each of the five below.  Number each sentence so that I know which strategy you are using.

1. Making separate sentences

2. Use a comma and a coordinate conjunction

3. Use a semi-colon to connect two sentences

4. Use a semi-colon, followed by a conjunctive adverb, which is a type of transitional word or phrase)

5. Turn one sentence into the subordinate of the other! 

Editing: Identify and Fix Run-Ons

Dependent Clause

• Incomplete thought: may or may not have a subject and verb, but the idea implies that there is more to come.

• Example 1:  Having eaten.  
• Who ate? What have they eaten? What did eating do?

• Example 2:  At the store. 
• Yes???? This specific example is a prepositional phrase with no context, or subject or verb!

Independent clause

• Complete thought/sentence: has both the subject and verb. Most often, there is also a predicate = verb + object/how subject is modified

• Example:  I write poetry. We went to the store. Bourdain is sarcastic.

Run-ons

1. Comma Splices (marked on essays as CS or CS/RO) 
• combine two sentences with only a comma=error.
2. Run-ons/ Fused Sentences (marked on essays as RO or FS or both) 
• two sentences without a conjunction or punctuation=error

• Therefore, run-ons have either incorrect or lack of punctuation for two or more independent clauses.

• To fix, you need to use one of the five methods below to make the two (or more) sentences coordinate with each other or to make one be subordinate

• Each method includes at least a punctuation mark that indicates an end to a complete thought:

1. period  (  .   ) or exclamation point or question mark   ( ! or ? )
2. or semi-colon (   ;   )  (only an 'end' when placed after the first sentence when combining multiple sentences)
3. or use the  comma and a conjunction rule (  , + FANBOYS)

• Which method depends on how you want the multiple sentences to coordinate or subordinate. In other words, each methods shows a different relationship between the two sentences!  Let's look at the five methods to see what I mean...

Before fixing, Identify Run-ons

• Mark each of your current end punctuations in your draft with a bar:  | 
• diagram the first subject (s), verb (v) ... this is the idea of your sentence, right!
• Read for the mind pause: mark where your brain understands a complete thought/idea.
• Read out loud for the breath pause: mark where you hear an idea sound finished.
• Neither of the above methods will be usually be enough, so you will have to:

• First, look at your extra long sentences and your sentences that have commas in them (because chances are you may have a comma splice!)
• Then, diagram these sentences further for their parts of speech and clauses: 

• Underline the basic subject, if you haven't...
• Circle the verb that goes with it, if you haven't...
• Box in modifiers

• Then, identify where the sentences seems to restart: when the sentence repeats or changes subject from the beginning of the sentence, draw a straight line ( | ) before the restart.

• Besides looking for repeat parts of speech, look for:

• a completely separate "action" is happening...
• a new idea is started...

Five Methods For Fixing Run-ons (Fused and Comma Splices)

• Make Separate Sentences: an easy fix (20c, p.192), find where the two sentences are fused or spliced and place period (or ? or !) between the two clauses. Capitalize the subject of the second sentence.

• Example comma splice: Why should we spend money on expensive space exploration, we have enough underfunded programs here on Earth.   

• Fix: Why should we spend money on expensive space exploration? We have enough underfunded programs here on Earth.   

• Use a comma and a coordinating conjunction: another easy fix (20a, p. 191), find where the second sentence starts and add the comma with the right FANBOYS conjunction.  [Of course, if you have a comma splice, you just need to add the right conjunction after the comma.]

• Example comma splice: Some lesson plans include exercises, completing them should not be the focus of all class periods.

• Fix: Some lesson plans include exercises, but completing them should not be the focus of all class periods.

• Use a semi-colon to connect two complete thoughts: also very easy (20b, p.191), the function/purpose of a semi-colon is to join two independent clauses/complete sentences. 

• Rules for Writers suggest, as well, that you can use a colon or a dash. Warning: make sure you know the function of both (191-192) before you consider using either. 

• Colons are good to use when introducing a quote (192).

• Example fused sentence: Tragedy depicts the individual confronted with the fact of death comedy depicts the adaptability of human society.

• Fix: Tragedy depicts the individual confronted with the fact of death; comedy depicts the adaptability of human society.

• Use a semi-colon, followed by a conjunctive adverb (a type of transitional word or phrase): (20b, 191), more difficult to pull off, though really good to emphasize a relationship between two sentences that are being combined. 

• conjunctive adverb: conjunctive is like conjunction--it means to join, just like a highway junction is the connection of two different routes!

• They are words that imply further action, or a furthering of the idea, such as "thereafter" and "moreover" and "however"

• Example fused sentence:  We ran the race hard we ran to win.

• Fix:   We ran the race hard; moreover, we ran to win. 

• Turn one of the sentences into the subordinate to the other: the most difficult grammatically (20d, p.192) for one still getting the hang of sentence structure, but can be worth it for sake of showing a clearer relationship between two ideas.

• One of the independent clauses is turned into a dependent clause by adding a subordinating conjunction to the beginning of the original clause. 

• Example: We went out to a fancy restaurant for dinner; we were disappointed.  (How boring is this grammatically correct sentence!?!) 

• Subordinating one to the other: Although we went out to a fancy restaurant for dinner, we were disappointed. (Edits make this one sentence where one idea takes importance because of the subordinate conjunction.)

HW for Wed., 2/26

1. Anyone not handing in Essay 1's second draft today, do so Wednesday.

2. Read Chapter 20 on Revising Run-Ons in Rules for Writers

What We Don't Know: Finding Empathy

Let's watch the very first episode of Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown: Myanmar

• Record some of the types of questions Bourdain asks about the culture he is visiting.
• Record some of the cultural viewpoints you learn by watching the video. Record some of the reasons they eat certain foods, have certain beliefs, celebrate certain events, and celebrate the way they do. In other words, record interesting ideas about a Myanmar way of life that helps you understand its people more.

Problems Are Not Black and White

Here is a wonderful response to the Jordan Davis tragedy that talks about a lot of the ideas that inspire what we are doing in Essay 2.  Jesse Williams explains An American Problem

Rubric Map: Editing Mark Explanations

To really understand the comments and critiques you will get back on your essays, you have to know the "coding system" used on rubric and what each comment means. Those things checked in the "Unsatisfactory" are the things you need to work most on (either revising or editing) in order to have the essay meet college-wide standards for credit-level essay skills.

Additionally, the you can see on the rubric what your essay strengths are.

Below are the shorthand comment found on our rubrics, but I have added the definitions/word that each represents. These editing symbols are part of Category 3: Grammar, Usage, Mechanics, and Punctuation:

MAJOR ERRORS  (these errors show a lack in clear sentence structure, so they make for very unclear thoughts)

INCO=incoherent (something in the sentence just doesn't make sense, due to poor sentence structure, word choice, poor logic, or a mix of multiple errors that makes the sentence not able to be understood)

FRAG=a fragment (incomplete thought/sentence)

SS (I usually use "Syntax")=faulty sentence structure, such as too many verbs, or parts of speech out of normal order, among other things.

RO=R-O= run on sentence, meaning you have two sentences that you have combined together without either punctuation between the two or the wrong punctuation.

CS= comma splice, which a run on in which the two sentences are combined (wrongly, of course) using a comma!

VF=incorrect verb form

VT=verb tense shift, meaning you have used shifted the "when" of action by changing from one tense to another, within the same sentence or within a few sentences in which that action was all supposed to happen at the same time!!!   We acted like we love the class! (half is past, half is present=VT)

S/V AGR=  subject-verb agreement issues. The thing doing something (the subject) and the doing something (verb) must match up in number (singular, plural) and tense (past/present/future).


Minor errors (don't confuse the reader as much)

WW=wrong word  (perhaps it was a homonym, like one and won!)

WC=word choice is not effective (many possibilities)

WF=word form is wrong, meaning you made the noun into an adjective or the adjective into a verb or something along those lines!

WO=word order, meaning that you switched a set of words around, such as putting an adjective after its noun instead of before it...

PAR=paragraph needs to be formatted/start a paragraph where marked

PRO AGR= pronoun agreement error, meaning the antecedent (noun the pronoun is supposed to refer to) and pronoun aren't in the same number (singular or plural). For instance, if you have a singular noun such as "Johnny," then your pronoun must be the singular third person. Gender and case are also important, here. Johnny is a guy, so he/him/his is the right set of pronouns to use...

PRO REF=unclear who or what the pronoun is referencing.

PRO CASE=you are using the wrong case of pronouns (subjective, objective, possessive)

MODIFIERS=using the wrong type of modifier, or you are in need of one... (I rarely use this one)

SP=you misspelled a word, fix it!

MECH/MECHANICS=wrong use of italics, quote marks, underlining...wrong capitalization or lack of capitalization...this one occurs with citing sources, titles of things, addresses/locations, proper v. common nouns....

MINOR PUNCT= you used the wrong punctuation for the end of a sentence...

ART=need an article, or don't have the right one...

Prescribed Academic Manuscript Form=your essay doesn't look how it's supposed to look !!!!!

HW for Monday, 2/24

1. Hand in edited and revised Essay 1 on Monday. If you need until Wednesday, e-mail me by the end of Saturday. 

2. Read the next chapter in KC.

3. Brainstorm ideas for Essay 2. We're getting a head start on it while we finish up Essay 1, because I want you to have some serious thought about your topics. Next week we will discuss a few different current events in American news that will help us even more....

Empathy, Privilege, Authority

When your professor was a wee little boy in the 1990s (actually, I was a teenager by the end), growing up in a small town in Ohio, there were many, many songs that helped me think about the world as a more complex place than the little bubble I was living in. There were songs that made my own plight, my own personal story, more universal. One of those songs was Everlast's "What It's Like."

This song was a hit. But that's beside the point. The song begs people to be nicer to each other, if not outright, at least in its chorus: "God forbid you ever had to walk a mile in his shoes...." The song begs that people be more empathetic, think about one's own faults. Think about those moments where you are on the side of the suffering and not the person who is just a witness to a stranger's problems.

Well, for Essay 2, you are going to think of this song's theme as a jumping off point for your own story. What are some "What It's Like" moments that you can access in your own memory banks?

HW for Friday, 2/21

Read the next two chapters of Kitchen Confidential, "Inside the CIA" and "The Return of Mal Carne." These chapters end the First Course section of the memoir.

Two themes we want to discuss Friday: authority and privilege. Yes, that's broad right now, but what types of authority and privilege do you Tony having in the First Course chapters? Be prepared to discuss these ideas in Friday in preparation for our second essay assignment!

HW for Wednesday, for 20 Points

1. Re-read your Essay 1 and take out different sentences that either have or could use some modifying clauses that need commas. Follow the directions below for either all 20 points, or none at all...:

• Re-write each sentence with correct comma punctuation and post on your blog before 2:20pm on Wednesday. 

• Additionally, print off your sentences so that you have a copy to hand in!

• At the end of each sentence in parentheses, write the type of comma clause is used. For instance, if you have an introductory phrase, your sentence would look like this:

• Since he was a hypochondriac, the thought of tissues made him shiver in disgust (introductory phrase)

• You must demonstrate one of each--that's nine (9) sentences!:

• Before a coordinating conjunction joining two sentences (292)
• Introductory phrase (293)
• Use with coordinate adjectives (296)
• Adjective clause (300)
• Appositive (301)
• Parenthetical expression (303)
• Absolute phrase (304)
• Words expressing contrast (304)
• To set of a quotation or a direct address (32g, p. 304-5)

Editing: The Simple Sentence & Comma Drama

One of our goals with understanding the simple sentence and dependent clauses and the role of the comma is to understand that they allow for a variety of syntax (sentence structure), which allows for your more complex ideas to be expressed in creative but coherent ways. Rather than getting mastered by grammar rules, try and master the fundamental rules of word structure that is our language (I mean, that is what many of you are already doing with texting language--creating a grammar.)


Independent Clause / the Simple Sentence

1. Nouns: person, place, thing
2. Verbs: show action
3. Subject:  noun or pronoun that performs the action
4. Object: noun or pronoun that receives the action

• Includes a subject (noun/pronoun) + verb

•  Examples: I write. She coughs. They run. The lamp shines.

• Often, though, we need to include the object (a noun, too) after the verb=

• Examples: I write poetry. They run laps.

 Before we look at the graphic, let's see how modifiers can create skillfully complex sentences out of basic information:


1. The famous Russian novelist Vladimir Nabokov once said, "Style and Structure are the essence of a book; great ideas are hogwash.” 

• Simple sentence:  Vladimir Nabokov...said, "...."

• "The famous Russian novelist" = adjectival phrase with no commas! Why? (Look at #5's explanation on this link for some reasoning, too.)

2.  Since he is known for Lolita, a novel about a creepy old man obsessed with a little girl, a reader may be shocked to find that Nabokov thought structure was more important than the idea itself.

• Simple sentence:   A reader may be shocked to find that Nabokov thought structure was more important than the idea itself.

• "Since he is known for Lolita," = dependent clause that added context to subject

• ", a novel about a creepy old man obsessed with a little girl," = dependent clause that adds meaning to the noun that comes right before it, Lolita. 

• This entire phrase/clause is not necessary for a reader to understand the simple sentence, which is why commas are used to "put up a fence around it."  We can take out the entire clause and the sentence will still be grammatically clear:  

• Since he is known for Lolita, a reader may be shocked to find that Nabokov thought structure was more important than the idea itself.

The Role of the Comma (Rules for Writers, 292-314)

• How do we look at dependent clauses and adjectives and adverbs?

• Modifiers of basic meaning/thought of the sentence

• Different types of context that add to the basic thought/sentence

• What is a comma for? Our two most general ways to look at it:

• Show where dependent clauses add "extra" information/context to the independent clause!

• Separate lists/clusters of adjectives or adverbs. Here is a great link on Buzzfeed that shows just how much a comma is needed for clear meaning when making a list!

• the only time a comma is used to attach two independent clauses (sentences): use a comma, then a conjunction (for | and | nor | but | or | yet | so). This called a coordinating conjunction...

• , + conjunction

• ex.:   We went to the store, but we did not buy anything.

Common Words that indicate dependent clauses:

Transition words: also, indeed, either, neither, first, second, next, last, finally, although, however, for example, for instance, since, ...and more!

Prepositions: on, at, above, around, during, of, from, with, ... and more!

-ing verbs: Beginning, Running, Talking, 

infinitives (to + verbs): To begin, To go, To add, To argue,



Let's Go Through Concepts of the Comma As Writers In The Process:


1. I was stepped in a pile of horse poop Jill.   (What is "horse poop Jill"? The comma needs to come after the word 'poop' because 'Jill' is a dependent clause; her name gives the reader context to who is being told the statement)

...and now for a string of complex modification:


2. Since I was seventeen I have lived alone.  (Why no comma? Again, here is a great link for us to review.)

3. Since I was seventeen, I have lived alone and supported myself. (What changes? The simple sentence became more complex, so that dependent clause now modifies to acts.)


4. Since I was seventeen, Chris, I have lived alone.

5.  Since I was seventeen, Chris, I have lived alone in the woods.

6. Since I was seventeen, Chris, I have lived alone in the woods and supported myself.

7. Since I was seventeen, I have lived alone in the woods, afraid of the world, and supported myself.

8. Since I was seventeen, Chris, I have lived alone in the woods outside Baltimore and supported myself.

9. Since I as seventeen, I have lived alone in the woods outside Baltimore, Maryland, and supported myself.

10. Since I was seventeen, Chris, I have lived alone in the woods outside Baltimore, Maryland, and supported myself on twigs and berries. 

Revised Schedule Due to Friday's College Closing

Dear Students:

Our course schedule is slightly revised and tightened by the snow storms. After great consideration, to maximize our next essay, below are the revised assignments for first and second Essay:

Monday, 2/17:  Essay 1, complete draft (intro, body, and conclusion) due at 2:20pm, the start of class. Friday's Rules for Writers comma reading will be reviewed. We will do some in-class editing of commas.

Wednesday, 2/19:  We will do another editing activity in the computer lab.

Friday, 2/21: We will start Essay 2, though you will also be finishing up revisions and edits to Essay 2 over the weekend.

Monday, 2/24: Essay 2, revised and edited draft, due at 2:20pm, the start of class. 

HW for Valentine's Day, 2/14:

1. Fall in love with your mnemonic device essay. Express your love of your idea. Buy it flowers and chocolates, but then spend a few hours looking into its eyes and articulating what it means to you!


2. Read Rules for Writers: "The Role of the Comma" on pages 292-314).

Conclusion Strategy: Coming Back

One way to make your essay more cohesive, together, from the intro to the conclusion is to come back ideas and examples you've already explored in the essay. For today, we want to think about how we can bring the hook of our essay back as we look to conclude our essay's points. 

Hook Inspiring Conclusion's Topic Sentence

• Start your final paragraph with an introductory/transitional phrase that includes an explicit reference to your very first sentences--the hook.  

• (When Rules for Writers and other writing textbooks say "borrow key words," this is one of many ways you can do so.)

• After the introductory phrase, "restate" your thesis statement. However, don't just paste the same sentence in here. Work on different ways of expressing the same idea you had on your subject (your mnemonic device). 

• In your head and on the page, keep thinking: what is my main point, what did I write are my points?

Our Essay Model 

• Hook: The famous Russian novelist Vladimir Nabokov once said, "“Style and Structure are the essence of a book; great ideas are hogwash.” Since he is known for Lolita, a novel about a creepy old man obsessed with a little girl, a reader may be shocked to find that Nabokov thought structure was more important than the idea itself [Hook].

• Thesis: PRE teaches writers to pay attention to both the three general pieces of content that should show up in each body paragraph and how to order that information.

Conclusions Topic Sentence Created from both:

Even if I'm only writing an essay and not a great, thousand-page Russian novel like Nabokov, creating structure for one's ideas allows those ideas to be more effectively understood and developed. An organizational device like PRE allows a writer to provide direction for how to understand even the craziest ideas.   [Then go on in the paragraph to reiterate your main points in the body paragraphs, and even give some final thoughts on the examples used in them. Your goal is to have a well-developed conclusion, too, of 5-8 sentences.]

HW for Wed., 2/12:

1. Fix your blog issues: send me the actual web address of your blog, not your e-mail or the title of the blog.

2. Have posted to your blog your entire introduction and first body paragraph (two paragraphs!) by the time class starts on Wednesday. Title it: Essay 1: the first half.

3. Read Chapter 2: "Drafting the Paper" in Rules for Writers.

Ideas for Your Subtopics

• What should each of my body paragraphs function as? Here are some (only some) ideas, thinking about what our topic and purpose are:

• One equals expanding definition or clarification of the mnemonic device?
• One equals the usefulness of the device, with examples of its use?
• One equals…?

• Let's discuss other possibilities in class, as there are many possibilities... ideas are dictated, at the end of the day, by your chosen subject and your ability to create by thinking about any type of  individual quality you may recognize in your subject:

• FINE  (Freaked out, Insecure, Neurotic, Emotional) --> the opposite feelings of the word it creates....
• BOSS (Bitchy, Overbearing, Serious, Superior) --> perhaps the person using this device to explain what their boss recognizes the good and the bad in being a boss and can use the essay to explain such!

Developing Ideas Starts With Writing a Simple Sentence and adding on...

Basic: 

• subject (noun)  + strong verb + object (noun phrase)

• Ex: The device + illustrates/teaches/inspires/...  +  [those who struggle with math to learn the pythagorean theorem]

Use adjectives with subject

• adjective + subject + strong verb + object

• Ex: The rhyming mnemonic + forces + [those who struggle with ...]

HW for Friday, 2/7

1. Read the second chapter of Kitchen Confidential

• What type of thematic relevance connects this chapter to the first chapter? 

2. Continue writing your Essay 1. Bring in your essay so that we can do an in-class writing activity after we finish discussing Bourdain's work.

• Have at least the introduction printed off.

Drafting Introductions

General Introduction Content

1. Hook: opening sentence(s) of essay that sets up your topic

2. Put the hook in context for thesis topic: background information on thesis topic

3. Thesis statement and subtopics that body paragraph explores

General Hooks (p.26 in RR)

The purpose of a hook is to draw your reader in to what you have to say. You don't want the hook to sound too broad and anonymous. You want to one of the general hooks below in a creative, but thesis-connected way: 

1. Relevant quote

2. Personal anecdote

3. Provocative and relevant question

4. Specific Example that fit your subject (perhaps one you will actually bring back and expand on later in your body

• Specific can involve a clear individual person/thing/place or a clear group of people/things/places
• specific: the Ford Focus; Michael Jordan; Hollywood actors
• too broad: people, everyone (wrong!); workers; 

5. Relevant fact: particularly one that sets the tone and allows you to explore the fact specifically as it relates to your thesis.

•  For example, a fact about how many different ethnicities live in the USA in an essay in which the writer explores how food is a ticket to other cultures for them. 

Drafting an Introduction

1. [As we discussed last class...] Have your thesis and subtopics at least outlined; these ideas are your map directions!

2. Decide which type of hook most interests you. Do some brainstorming that helps you (including, looking on the Internet for a relevant quote or fact to help you out)

• For now, if you got a quote/fact off a website, make sure to record the name and address of the website and the author, if there. We'll come back to discussing citing a source in another class, so you need to know where you got your info from.

3. Once you have the type of hook you want and have some content to work with, start drafting your introduction paragraph (aim for around 5-8 solid sentences for 450 word essays)

• Go from hook, to how the hook relates to your specific thesis, to introducing subtopics, to ending on your thesis statement.

Example Sketch Outline for Writing About What PRE is:

sketch outline:

I. Thesis statement:  PRE teaches writers to pay attention to both the three general pieces of content that should show up in each body paragraph and how to order that information.

     A. Subtopics*: 

1. First of all, PRE is an easy reminder of the three basic but important pieces of information that need to show up in a developed essay paragraph.  
• The first body paragraph would then give a reason why the acronym is easy, and then reasons each of point, reason, and example are important to an essay paragraph. Then, the example would be of a point that needs the RE to be clear and effective. 
2. Second, the memorable acronym also gives a writer a logical structure for developing a point.
3. PRE can be used for any time one has to write a paragraph, and the device is also good to use when conversing with others in school, at work, or at home. 

*These subtopics came out of my looking at the thesis statement and the point I made there. The third subtopic comes from the Essay prompt, which I reviewed and found asked me to also talk about where I might use my device. So, I thought about other places clear language helps out!

Generating a Hook

• I decided to go with a quote to open up the essay so that I could demonstrate different sentence structures for integrating a quote smoothly....
• I looked for a quote that dealt with structure and language...
• I found one that seemed relevant: it was on writing, it was a Russian novelist, and I thought it was a bit rebellious--which inspires me to explain my idea more!!!
• I also found the quote on one of those generic quote websites, so I Googled the quote to make sure it was valid (many hits on the quote)

• “Style and Structure are the essence of a book; great ideas are hogwash.” - Vladimir Nabokov, Russian novelist of Lolita

Once I find my hook, I can draft my introduction

• When using a quote or a fact, it is good to start your hook off with a phrase that introduces where that quote/fact is coming from:

• (author) once said, "..."

• According to ________, ...

• Or...try out your own introductory phrase that gives context to the quote/hook!

Ideas Are Nothing Without Structure [Title reflects point of device]

The famous Russian novelist Vladimir Nabokov once said, "“Style and Structure are the essence of a book; great ideas are hogwash.” Since he is known for Lolita, a novel about a creepy old man obsessed with a little girl, a reader may be shocked to find that Nabokov thought structure was more important than the idea itself [Hook]. However, as a writer, I have found his idea to be true. I can have all of the greatest ideas in the world, but they disappear in ramblings, if not into thin air, if I don't try to instill order in them. Writing is messy [transition to my subject]. That's why I came up with a mnemonic device to restore order to that messiness when I need to write for school [essay focal topic and intro to specific subject]. I created a device called PRE, which stands for point, reason, example. When I am at the heart of writing an essay for a class, I chant PRE, PRE, PRE in my head to maintain focus in my paragraphs. Plus, I even find myself chanting as I answer questions in class [subtopics introduced]. In short, PRE teaches writers to pay attention to both the three general pieces of content that should show up in each body paragraph and how to order that information [thesis!].

Creating your Student blog (Optional HW, in-class, 2/5)

1. Go to www.blogger.com  (it's a Google site, so it will take you to a sign-in/sign-up page).

•  If you have Google g-mail, you can sign in and create a blog from your Google homepage. 
• If you don't have a Google g-mail account, click on blue "Create an account" underneath the sign-in box.

2. Fill in all the necessary information.

• Make sure to write down your e-mail and password combo or else you won't be able to use your blog. Then, you'll have to start a new one and send to Professor A....
• You will have to enter your phone number to validate your sign-up. They text you a confirmation code to enter on the screen.

3. Then, you can create your web address (-----.blogspot.com) and title your blog.

• Use an easily-memorized web address (part of your name?), but don't give TMI!
• Title your blog: (____________'s EN002 blog). You can change it later, but for now, keep is simple.

4. Then,  choose a template (you can change it later).

5. Then, start your blog...

• To post something, you can click on the little orange and white pencil icon. 

6. Make sure you sign out anytime you are on a public (school!) computer. You don't want creepsters taking over your info....

HW for 2/5:

1. Read what's on the syllabus from Rules for Writers: Chapter 1: “Explore and Plan.” Try to follow some of the planning activities outlined in this chapter as you prepare to write Essay 1.

2. Be ready to work on introductions for your Essay 1. The more brainstorming you do on your own, the better your first draft Introduction can be.

Working On the Thesis Statement and Subtopics

Thesis statement:

• The sentence that states the main point you are making for the entire essay. All points made in essay are meant to support this statement (sometimes posed as a question).

• Use specific language over abstract/too general words, whenever possible.

• Use an action verb to indicate to your reader how dynamic you are looking at your subject (in Essay 1, your mnemonic device). 

• The more action on the subject, the more you transform our view of it. The more you can pose questions about subject with that verb.

• something is  v. something illustrates.

• DO NOT BE ELUSIVE. DO NOT TEASE YOUR READER!!!

• One of the biggest weaknesses in an otherwise strong thesis (or even entire introduction), is the statement that suggests more specifics, but doesn't give those specific details in the thesis statement or doesn't have a phrase that refers back to specific parts already outlined (eh, hem, SPECIFICALLY) in the introduction...

• Instead, these poorer, less effective types of thesis statements annoy readers with "suspense" by being half laid out. They state that SUBJECT has X amount of characteristics/parts/lessons/etc. but they don't give X amount of examples.

• Poor, poor thesis teaser:  PRE teaches writers two main things about a focused paragraph.   (Pray-tell, what are those two things?)

• Better little thesis: PRE teaches writers to pay attention to these two topics to write more focused paragraph.

• Best of the three: In short, PRE teaches writers to pay attention to both the three general pieces of content that should show up in each body paragraph and how to order that information.

Thesis subtopics do the following:

• Develop the thesis point

• The thesis is the whole car; the subtopics are the car door, tires, steering wheel, etc.!

• 'Show up' in introduction

• Either in thesis statement or introduced as part of the contextual information provided in the entire opening paragraph....

• Each subtopic is then reproduced as a topic sentence of a body paragraph

• You want your body paragraph's to each open with an idea you have already introduced to them in the...introduction!  

• Hopefully, your BP topic sentences will: add detail and/or point of view to what you have already written about the subtopic earlier in the essay...

To generate starter subtopics, use some pre-writing strategies:  These activities help get out a lot of ideas so that we can look for patterns in language, in ideas, and where there is that overlap can help us understand some of the most valuable things we can 'say' in our essay:

• The questioning exercise we reviewed last class is very helpful to make a list of points you may (or will) make in your essay draft.

• From your answers, look for patterns. Write down a list of five ideas about your Mnemonic Device that you find are stated or implied from your answers. 

• And/or...If you are visual, it can help you to make a cluster/web of your device or main idea. To do so, here are a two ways that one writer may approach starting the web:

• (1) Put the main "lesson"/ function of the device in the center cluster, and then start making other clusters from there about how/reasons the device teachers that lesson. 

• Especially for those devices that rely on more than just an acronym, this type of cluster may help...

• Example: PRE's main function is to remember how to build an effective BP, so I would put "How to build an effective BP" as the center cluster and go from there.
• 
  
• (2) If you have an acronym like PRE, the easiest way to start a cluster is write that acronym in the first cluster and then web out from there each individual letter's word. Then, from there, cluster outwards the idea(s) that go with each word. Then, you can try and make visual connections from there, as you see fit...

• From your cluster, write out a list of the five main ideas you get from the cluster about your MD. 

• Narrow down to the 2-3 most important ideas you find should be addressed in order for outsiders to understand your thesis idea. 

• How do I determine 'importance'? Purpose of essay. Complexity of your subject. 

• What should each of my body paragraphs function as? Here are some (only some) ideas, thinking about what our topic and purpose are:

• One equals expanding definition or clarification of the MD?
• One equals the usefulness of the device, with examples of its use?
• One equals…?

• Let's discuss the possibilities in class, as there are many possibilities...