- Deadline Reminder
- I gave a somewhat passionate assessment in class today of the state-of-the-class at this halfway point in the semester, but it was largely addressed to students who were not in attendance. So, for you few, here’s the message you missed:
- What we’ve done ’til now has been and felt preliminary. The non-Portfolio arguments will not be a major part of your grade. The Proposal and its collected sources reflects no necessarily permanent commitment to a thesis. The Purposeful Summaries. The Claims analysis. All of it is useful, probably, to writing majors, but none of it seems essential to how we’ll live the rest of our lives. I acknowledge that.
- 90% of students get along with that agenda, putting in enough effort to satisfy the requirements and hoping for the best. And then.
- The middle of the semester comes knocking. And the consequences seem real and immediate. The Proposal that two weeks ago was a vague pledge to “donate when I get my tax refund” is suddenly an overdue bill, and the Definition Argument can’t be accomplished until that Proposal is nailed down to something like a firm commitment to a very clear Hypothesis, if not an actual THESIS.
- About half of my students are usually ready for this drastic rise in the sea level. The other half feel as if they’re suddenly drowning.
- Right on cue, students who aren’t ready to post their first short argument miss a class. Maybe two classes. They ignore emails and texts from their professor, figuring that he’s too busy to pester them more than once.
- Once the deadline for the Definition Argument is past, it no longer feels like a yoke around their necks. It’s easy to let it slide for a few days. A week. It’s already worth no more than 50/100 points, or even 00/100 points after the penalties, so “what’s the point?”
- For some, this slide is irreversible.
- For others, it’s something to ignore, avoid, pretend does not exist. For these in-betweeners, interaction with the professor is something to dread. Coming to class late, leaving early, or sneaking out to avoid confrontation, seems like a reasonable survival technique.
- I get it.
- I put things off.
- I do them when I absolutely have to.
- I do them poorly sometimes because I haven’t left myself enough time.
- But here’s the thing: I’m an idiot.
- You don’t have to be.
- The people I have to report to are humans too, and they’d be happy to work with me if I acknowledged my miscalculations, my thoughtless procrastination, my dread at confronting the problem.
- Don’t be like me.
- Be an enlightened version of me.
- Reach out to me. This me. The “your real professor” me. I’d be happy to work with you if you acknowledge your miscalculations, your thoughtless procrastination, your dread at confronting the problem.
- DON’T MISS CLASSES.
- DON’T IGNORE MY TEXTS OR EMAILS.
- Don’t think you’re too late, or too far behind, or too confused to catch up, or too fill-in-the-blank.
- IT’S THE HALFWAY POINT.
- You can turn this sucker around.
- I will push you up that hill like nobody else who ever had your back.
- . . .
- But I won’t pull you up.
- You have to take the first step.
- If you haven’t posted a Definition Argument, for godssake post one now before you suffer an insupportable late penalty. Post anything that looks like a Definition Argument. Ask for very specific feedback. Get into the game. Pretend it’s essential to you. It might not feel like it right now, but I am your biggest supporter and fan. Until you let it slide.
- Don’t. Let. It. Slide.
- Very few of the 50% who start to fade at the Midterm do well at the end of the course. Beat those odds. Right now.
- I gave a somewhat passionate assessment in class today of the state-of-the-class at this halfway point in the semester, but it was largely addressed to students who were not in attendance. So, for you few, here’s the message you missed:
- Argument Workshop
- White Paper (Take Two)
-
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Rowan Counterintuitive 
– Thank you for going over the deadline for the assignment that was due last night
– I will get it in as soon as possible.
– rhetoric problems
– job of the first sentence is to make the reader want to read the second, and so on and so on
– make sure you have the correct evidence to support what you are attempting to argue.
– first paragraph is obviously extremely important
– opening should have thesis, support for claims that you make
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Rhetoric Notes
-The first sentence is to compel the reader to read sentence two.
-Have your readers swallow the hook.
-Establish a claim, not a rhetorical question. Do NOT give the reader the choice to argue against you.
-Provide clear cut statistics to provide support for your argument.
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– Thanks for not hating me for not submitting a draft yet
– Still submit an argument essay as bad as it may be
– Ask for help on certain topics to make the essay better
– For work cited put link in the title of the website
– First sentence has to compel the reader to read the second sentence
– Try to avoid rhetorical questions
– Use statistics for my essay about hockey injuries
– What percentage of NHL players didn’t play in at least one game due to injury
– What percentage of those players were injured from fighting
– What percentage was from other injuires
– How many players fight in the NHL on average every season
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-I didn’t miss the deadline but I didnt hit the word count, and it was very dificult for me because I didn’t want to fill the essay with useless words. I requested feedback in hopes to be able to make it better and know what I can do to fill it up with usefull words and be able to not have this problem next time.
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Notes October 30th
Which way is the right way to put toilet paper on the rod?
There is a right way!
Everybody way is a right way
You need to put your first argument on the blog
Do not avoid class or interaction with Professor Hodges if you are not doing well, and not handing in assignments on time.
Professor hodges will help you out in any way he needs to help us become a better writer/student, but our grades are not a reflection on him.
Rhetoric notes
Most important job of sentence #2
Hooking a reader is like hooking a fish
A lip hook is okay, but a gut hook is what you want
Rhetorical questions are like a loaded gun
They often kill a loved one more times than killing a home invader
A rhetorical question is by no means the best use of your time and energy
Show that you can handle rhetorical questions and you can use them
We are not licensed to use them now
The overall impact of the paragraph is to empower the reader to reject the premise
Your definition is purposeful
Definitions make your argument for you
A white paper is the best way to write a research paper
If we had global cooperation, we could eradicate polio
Our generation is not ready for this
Adults are strong enough to fight off polio
Children are not strong enough to fight it off
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There are arguments out there that we know the answers to but we cannot change the mind of those people who see it differently.
We are at the halfway mark in the semester.
Grades are not personal (reflect who you are with the professor), if you need help let someone know.
Don’t use missed assignments as an excuse to not come to class/avoid the professor.
Davidbdale:
Even though I didn’t miss the deadline, I would like to redo the draft because it isn’t completed. I had a lot of trouble with the links in my work cited (that’s why it’s not there) and I need to add a couple more paragraphs to meet the requirement.
-Try linking the link to the title of the articles in the Work Cited. This will allow the reader to click the title and be directed to the article without the long link being in the citation.-
Rhetoric Notes:
-state the argument early to get the reader to understand and continue reading
-some details are not needed to get the point across, but distracts it
-each sentence should make the reader want to read the next
-make bold, specific claims
-rhetorical questions are dangerous, it invites your reader to shoot you with it
-if you do ask a rhetorical question, you must answer that question as soon as you ask it (learners permit)
-everything you bring up in your paper, you need to explain and support
-support the evidence and conclusions you make
-consider the other side of the argument, this will make your argument stronger
White Paper:
-produces better work
-gives a behind the scenes look at the writing process
-practice openings
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-It is good to know that Professor Hodges only wants to help you achieve your personal goals.
-If you need feedback, be sure to identify your problem.
-If you are wordy, write more and then the extra can be taken out without losing the word count.
-Instead of copying and pasting the entire link at the bottom of the works cited, attach the link to the title.
-The most important job of the first sentence is to compel the reader to read the second sentence.
-Rhetorical questions invite the reader to disagree.
-If you are going to ask a rhetorical question, answer it in the very next sentence.
-Don’t allow the reader to set the rules.
-All claims must be purposeful.
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Make sure you get your work up by the deadline. It is better to put something up than nothing at all.
In the feedback tell what I am having problems with and also ask for help with them. Reach out to the professor either by email or phone or on posts.
Has to be an argument.
Put your claim at the beginning so that the readers know what the argument is about.
Avoid rhetorical questions unless you answer it in the very next sentence.
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Definition Argument
-Get a draft up even if its incomplete
-Try to argue the other side of the argument if possible
-Feedback
Rhetoric Notes
-Make a bold clear claim, a question
-provide the right evidence to back your claim
-provide statistics for large scale claims referring to “everyone”
-Prompt and appropriate delivery of evidence is very important
Rhetorical Problems
-The first sentence fails to accomplish its most important job
-The concluding sentences fail to make a bold, specific, persuasive claim
-The paragraph fails to accomplish its most important job
Trouble With Evidence
-The anecdotal evidence of a few injuries does not expand to everyone
-Better evidence
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Rhetoric Notes
Ask a question and answer it immediately. With the PowerPoint how can a player justify being in danger with all the protective clothing on them.
Stay in topic with the right evidence. On the PowerPoint how can a few injuries justify the conclusion of injuries of all the players. And how does that relate to helmet injury.
Try to pick some factual sources to prove the statement
Create a definition for the topic you are writing
White Paper
Try opening paragraphs, this is supposed to clarify the direction of the essay with numbers and thesis.
Show the argument essentially…
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– If a student ever needs help the professor will always be open to help
– Learning about rhetoric notes
– Football examples of rhetorical problems
– Steps of Rhetoric Notes: First have an opening paragraph, sort the rhetorical problems, revise the opening paragraph, and then have the right evidence
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I didn’t hit the word count on my draft
I had difficulty with realizing what a definition essay was
put works cited link in title
first sentence is to make reader read second sentence
ask for feedback on essay for help
no rhetorical questions
Check back at rhetoric link for notes
White Paper
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-Sometimes you can’t convince people of you p.o.v. bc they’re so set in their ways
-always reach out if you’re having problems
-find a way to turn in something late, so that it won’t hurt your grade
-common problems: word count, you can go over and then ask prof to advise you on what to cut out
-you don’t need full spelled out link for source just cut out link to title of article
Rhetoric notes
Opening – make theme clear. Question leave readers to decide on their own, they’re loaded guns. Leave out material that doesn’t help you. First sentence needs to compel you to read second sentence. First sentence must convey idea. Last sentence must be a bold claim.
Right evidence- set premise. Right evidence at right time. Ex : 3 examples of injuries doesn’t make “everyone gets injuries” true. Statistics of injuries can show anybody can get injuried a better claim.
Opening-stake claim
Evidence- right evidence at right time
White paper continued
-writing process under the hood
-required
-practice your openings -write several different openings
-synthesize purposeful summary of article -into your own idea
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