Engl 101 Fall 2010
Paper #1 Edison's Most Important Invention(s)

Write a 3+ page paper (typed and double spaced) on what you believe was Edison's most important invention.  Begin by describing the invention and how it worked as well as how Edison developed it (i.e. his methods).  Then discuss the need(s) it met, the alternatives available at the time, and why Edison's was (or was not) the best solution to the problem.  Then make a detailed argument for why the invention you chose was (and remains?) important.  In your conclusion, you may want to discuss what enabled Edison to achieve the results he did.  In your introduction, make sure to set up your argument about the invention's importance.  Note:  if you prefer, you can write about a related group of inventions or the process of invention rather than one particular device.  Also note that you should write about the importance of the invention at the time but you can also emphasize its more long-range importance.  

You should cite several sources in your paper including Jonnes’ Empire of Light and the resources on the syllabus for Sept 14th.  Jonnes doesn’t cover everything Edison did and we’ve only read part of the text but you can look up subjects in the index to find other material you can use.  Because we are so used to computers and databases we often forget that the book is a sophisticated information management technology with several ways to find things.  To see how your paper should look, check the sample papers in your spiral bound writing handbook on pp. 151-154.  The online version of Hacker's Research and Documentation Online is at http://dianahacker.com/resdoc/  For MLA, click on Humanities, Documenting Sources and Sample Papers.   

A 2 page draft of the paper is due at the beginning of class on Sept 16th.  You will hand in a revised version of the paper on Sept 30th.  You are required to submit your paper to one of the LLC OWL tutors between Sept 17th and 28th and substantially revise your paper based on the comments you receive.  To register and sign up for an OWL appointment, go to the Writing Center home page at http://writingcenter.gmu.edu/  In the box on the right hand side of the page, Schedule an Appointment, click on New Client and fill in the registration form and submit.  Then go back to the Schedule an Appointment box and click on Existing Client. Read and accept the Writing Center Policy Agreement, checking the box near the bottom of the page.  Then log on using your GMU email address and password choosing LLC Students Only, OWL Location Fall 2010.    Open times are marked in white.  Click on Next Week to move forward in time. Click on a time that fits your schedule and fill in the form and click on Save Appointment.  The paper is a historical argument based on course reading and some research.  The audience is made up of educated non-specialists, although you can use technical terms and explanations as long as you explain your terms.  Give the tutor permission to share session content with your professor.   The paper you work on with your tutor will be your second or third draft.  See the LLC OWL specific instructions at http://mason.gmu.edu/~kthomps4/101-90-f10/owl-instructions.htm    

I will be commenting on your initial draft and meeting with you individually to talk about your drafts and plans for revision.    You will exchange and comment on each others' papers in class using an editing sheet I will provide.  When you hand in your revised paper on Sept 30th, put your revised paper on top with a statement of what you changed, the editing sheet your fellow student filled out underneath that, and the version of the paper you brought to class on Sept 14th.  Also include a copy of the email your tutor sent when he or she returned your paper and the attached draft with your tutor's comments.  Secure the portfolio with a clip or put it in a folder.       

Before you write your paper, think about how Edison solved problems.  In your later career, employers will be as interested in your ability to solve problems as in what you know.  A key point here is how you formulate questions and set up problems to work on.  How did Edison define the problems he was working on?  Scholars like Paul Israel believe that Edison's capacity to see analogies and quickly visualize many possible solutions was a key element of his creativity.  Do you see evidence of that in Edison's work on the invention(s) you write about?  Also consider how Edison drew on the talents and skills of others and organized a fluid but disciplined workplace.  In American popular culture he is often seen as a folksy individualistic inventor, but as Paul Israel has argued, his success was closely tied to the fact that he developed the first corporate research lab in America.