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HIGH ADVANCED WRITING
Final In-Class Essay

Spring 2010

Now that the semester is nearly complete, I would like to know what you think of your academic writing skills in American English. Have they improved over the course of the semester? 

  • In what ways? Why or why not? 
  • What did we do in class that helped you improve your writing skills?
  • What do you wish we had done in class to help you improve? 
  • What do you think we should not have done in class?

Write me an essay that evaluates your current academic writing skills in American English.  This will be an argumentative in-class essay.  You will argue about how your writing skills have improved (or not) and provide evidence to advance your claim.  The essay will be graded on how well you support your claim ... not on the claim itself.

 

You will write this essay in class on Thursday, April 29 in the INNOVATION HALL Room 129. You may type your paper on a computer or write it out in a blue book (please use the larger sized Blue Book). You may use an off-line dictionary and/or a thesaurus. You must use a blue book or type your essay on a computer. No internet connections (web, ftp, telnet, e-mail, IM) will be permitted during the exam time. You may bring an outline of your essay on the index card I give you in class.

 

Your essay will be graded using the class essay scoring scale; this includes grammar errors we covered in class. If you repeat a grammar error that we reviewed and studied (sentence fragments, comma splices and run-ons) three or more times, your grade will be lowered half a grade. For example, if your content earns you a 9.5, but you repeat the same grammar error 3 times or more, your grade will become a 9.0.

 

When you have completed the essay, turn it into me and complete the class evaluation sheet. You may leave when you have finished this.

 

I will see you at the Closing Ceremony & Awards Banquet on Friday, April 30 from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm the on the Potomac River on Nina's Dandy

Laurie Miller
Email:llmiller@gmu.edu
Last Update: April 27, 2010

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