English 111 Lectures and More

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Example: One drawback to the perfectness of Pizza Hut is it doesn’t offer other menu options. Even though Pizza Hut doesn’t offer other menu options, it is still an exceptional pizza parlor. People go to Pizza Hut, knowing it serves pizza. Therefore, Pizza Hut does not need to serve other items. People go to Pizza Hut craving pizza; if people wanted to eat lasagna, they would go to Biaggi’s.

Please let me know if you have any questions regarding Essay 5. I’m here to help. Remember you cannot revise this essay, and this is the type of essay you will write in your first essay of ENG 112. So it’s a big one, and I want to see you succeed on it and in the class.

 

 Lecture -- The Drawback [2:53m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Criteria for a Pizza Parlor:

A clean environment. Fast and friendly service. Menu options other than pizza. Free refills. Little grease on the crust. Having my types of crusts. Having many topping choices. What else can you think of?

Let’s pretend we’re thinking of the same Pizza Hut, and it’s clean, it has fast and friendly service, no grease on the crust, many topping choices, and many types of crusts, but it doesn’t have other menu options. Because Pizza Hut fulfills the majority of the criteria we picked, we could argue Pizza Hut is a perfect pizza place.

Example thesis:

Pizza Hut is a perfect pizza parlor because of its clean environment, its fast and friendly service, and its ample topping choices.

We’re not evaluating pizza parlors, though; we’re evaluating blogs. What criteria could we use for blogs?

 

 Lecture -- Criteria [3:05m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Links:

Wikipedia

Open Culture

Blogs In Education

Basic criteria for Blogs: utilize Web 2.0 technologies, have blogrolls, have specific agenda with posts that relate to that agenda, and are updated frequently.

As you search, you will find more criteria, which I expect you will share in our class wiki.

For more information on understanding what a blog is and how to properly cite a blog post, refer to pages 597 and 759 in your Simon and Schuster Handbook for Writers.

 

 Lecture -- Defining Blogs [1:48m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Example 1: One flaw in the main cause that life-long players might find is that if one loses at Monopoly, he or she is not pretending to live the American Dream. However, losing is just as important to the American dream as winning…

Example 2: Some players of Monopoly may argue that living the American dream is not the best cause of Monopoly’s popularity; rather it is its ability to help teach counting and commerce to children. However, this is not the main cause because…

 

 Lecture -- Possible Counterarguments and Rebuttals for Essay 4 [1:57m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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For more information on audience, refer to page 493 in the St. Martin’s Guide to Writing.

 

 Lecture -- Audience in Essay 4 [1:58m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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For example, check out this very effective thesis:

Even though the game Monopoly is a social form of entertainment and the game keeps up with modern times, the most plausible cause of its popularity is Monopoly allows players to pretend to live the ultimate American dream.

 

 Lecture -- Thinking About A Thesis [1:53m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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For example, note the plausible causes in this thesis statement:
Even though the game Monopoly is a social form of entertainment and the game keeps up with modern times, the most plausible cause of its popularity is Monopoly allows players to pretend to live the ultimate American dream.

Monopoly as a form of social entertainment and the game’s ability to modernize itself are two plausible causes of the game’s popularity. Both of these causes are reasonable and realistic. A writer would be able to discuss both of those causes in-depth, and perhaps, find sources to support them.

For more information on plausible causes, refer to pages 464, 480, 482, & 504 in the St. Martin’s Guide to Writing.

 

 Lecture -- Possible Causes [2:41m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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1.) Before researching, generate a list of solutions from your own noggin.

2.) Local papers are a great source for community problems and solutions.

3.) If you use sources, only use 2.

4.) I strongly suggest avoiding block quotes.

5.) If you have sources, you will have a Works Cited page.

 

 Lecture -- Tips for Using Sources in Essay 3 [1:23m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Examples:

1.) Some members of Alicia’s Voice might argue that there are more cases of domestic violence in the community than the university and a campus chapter would be take away from the community needs. However, the university is part of the community and campus members could provide more aid to the community…

2.) Some members of Alicia’ Voice have petitioned for stronger laws against violating restraining orders, and they have found the process to be a slow one. However, by adding more chapters, like one on campus, more word could be spread about how to handle domestic violence, which would save more lives…

3.) Some members of Alicia’s Voice may argue that the Wood County Sheriff’s Office must hire more domestic violence specialists. However, that would take more money and man power. By creating a campus chapter of Alicia’s Voice, you could save more lives and save the community money…

 

 Lecture -- Possible Counterarguments for Essay 3 [3:29m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Steps for using “YOU” in Essay 3:

1.) Determine the audience–who can actually implement your best solution?

2.) Once you’ve determined your audience, then you may consider using the word “you” to address them and call them to action.

3.) The first time you use “you” it must be as an address to the audience. For example, “you, the Wood County Sheriff’s Office.”

4.) From thereon you may use “you” alone, but I ask you occasionally state the audience again, so readers are reminded of whom exactly you are addressing.

 

 Lecture -- Audience and "You" in Essay 3 [2:05m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Examples:

A New Thesis: Even though hiring more female police officers and training hairstylists to handle domestic violence situations are possible solutions to the problem of domestic violence in Wood County, the best solution is creating a campus chapter of Alicia’s Voice.

The straight-up thesis: The best solution to problem of domestic violence in Wood County is creating a campus chapter of Alicia’s Voice.

The forecasting thesis with reasons for the best solution: The best solution to problem of domestic violence in Wood County is creating a campus chapter of Alicia’s Voice because it will empower more young women to avoid domestically violent relationships, campus members can give training seminars in the residence halls, and it would strengthen ties between the university and community.

 

 Lecture -- Alternative Solutions and "A New Kind of Thesis" [3:12m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Here are a few examples of proper citations. Note where the punctuation goes!

Author’s last name, first name. Book Title. City of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication.

Author’s last name, first name. “Article Title.” Magazine Title. Date: pages it appears on.

Author’s last name, first name. “Article Title.” Academic Journal Title. Volume.Issue (Year): Page Numbers.

Author’s last name, first name. “Article Title.” Website date published. Date you accessed site.

For more information on the Works Cited page, refer to pages 572-598 in your Simon and Schuster Handbook for Writers.

Note: Titles can be underlined or italicized; just be sure to be consistent with either one you choose.

 

 Lecture -- The Works Cited page [2:26m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Hard copy example: In his article “Creating Common Ground: Common Reading and the First Year of College” Micheal Ferguson, AAC&U senior staff writer and associate editor of Peer Review, argues, “Common reading programs also supplement small-group discussions with other orientation activities. Campuses sometimes introduce new students to library research by showing them how to locate resources related to the common reading, its author, and the issues it raises” (9).

Online example: In his ONLINE article “Creating Common Ground: Common Reading and the First Year of College” Micheal Ferguson, AAC&U senior staff writer and associate editor of Peer Review, argues, “Common reading programs also supplement small-group discussions with other orientation activities. Campuses sometimes introduce new students to library research by showing them how to locate resources related to the common reading, its author, and the issues it raises.”

For more information on parenthetical citations (of hard sources and online sources), refer to pages 564-571 in your Simon and Schuster Handbook for Writers.

 

 Lecture -- Parenthetical Citations [4:39m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Example of quotation marks around a direct quote: “Simon Cowell is the best judge on American Idol.”

Note the comma after “agrees”: Taylor Hicks, American Idol winner, agrees, “Soul Patrol loves Simon Cowell.”

Note how the period’s placement changes: Taylor Hicks, American Idol winner, agrees, “Soul Patrol loves Simon Cowell.”

Taylor Hicks, American Idol winner, agrees, “Soul Patrol loves Simon Cowell” (6).

For more information on direct quotations and punctuation, refer to pages 546-547 in your Simon and Schuster Handbook for Writers.

 

 Lecture -- Direct Quotations and Punctuation [3:50m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Example: In his article “Creating Common Ground: Common Reading and the First Year of College” Micheal Ferguson, AAC&U senior staff writer and associate editor of Peer Review, argues…

For more information on source introductions, refer to pages 549-552 in your Simon and Schuster Handbook for Writers.

 

 Lecture -- Source Introductions [3:35m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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1.) Read the SUMMARY BOX 32.4 on page 531 and SUMMARY BOX 32.8 on page 537 in your Simon and Schuster Handbook for Writers. Both tell you exactly what to look for when evaluating sources.

2.) Search for sources using the Jerome Library.

3.) University sponsored sources are the most reliable.

4.) Check the credibility of the web site.

5.) Online news sites are often reliable.

6.) When in doubt, contact me.

For more information on evaluating credible sources, refer to pages 513-514 and 530-531 in your Simon and Schuster Handbook for Writers.

 

 Lecture -- Finding Credible Sources [2:42m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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A Passing (P) essay clearly passes all the categories on the rubric. It shows good control in all of the categories of the rubric. Although there may be a few minor problems, the entire essay is generally well-written and clearly and effectively communicates its ideas.

An Almost-Passing (AP) essay shows a combination of strengths and weaknesses on the rubric. There is room for improvement in some rubric categories of the essay and the essay does not consistently communicate its ideas clearly and effectively. An Almost-Pass means the essay is not passing, but it is getting close to being a passing essay. I strongly suggest revising an essay with an AP grade.

A No-Passing (NP) essay shows a serious weakness in at least one category of the rubric, and other categories may need attention, too. The overall quality of the essay is significantly hindered because of these weaknesses.

You cannot revise all the essays in this course; you may only revise 2 of them total. And in order to be eligible for revision the essay must have earned an AP or NP.

Revisions of essays are due one week after the GRADED final draft was handed back to you.

I will make revision due dates announcements in our blog and on our Blackboard site.

 

 Lecture -- ENG 111 Essay Grades and Revision Policies [3:16m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Check out the Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University for additional MLA support!

And be sure to use our own BGSU Writing Center for help too!