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
