Thesis and Reasons: RA

Directions: after you have presented your theses to the class, type up the workshopped/edited thesis and your four reasons/topic sentences. For this week, you will not be required to comment on your classmates' blogs, but I would encourage you to review your classmates' blogs, in case you are still struggling.

Due by 10pm the day you present your thesis. So, if you present on Monday, the blog will be due at 10pm that night. If you present on Wednesday, the blog will be due by 10pm that night.

5 points for being on time
5 points for following directions (you must have at least four reasons to support your thesis)

S.O.A.P.S. and Logical Fallacies

Directions: Watch the video and identify the rhetorical elements.

Part One:

Identify the S.O.A.P.S. for each side of the battle. Label each as Shakespeare and Dr, Seuss.

Part Two:

Identify at least two logical fallacies that each author's side makes. State each logical fallacy and then state why it is a logical fallacy.

Response due before class on Wednesday.

Classmate response: instead of a response to a classmate, respond to yourself. Our discussion on Wednesday will have clarified some of the fallacies and the S.O.A.P.S. If you feel that you correctly labeled everything, then congratulate yourself on a job well-done. However, if you want to add to parts One or Two in order to create a more complete analysis, then this is your chance. Your initial response and response to yourself will be graded as follows:

Initial response: 2 points
Following directions in initial response: 2 points
Response to self on time: 2 points
Response to self accurately identifies mistakes in original post (if any): 4 points

Response to self due by Friday, October 24th at 5pm.

Ethos and Pathos

Directions: watch the following video and point out the S.O.A.P.S. and the ethos and pathos. What makes the ethos and pathos effective? What makes the ethos and/or pathos ineffective? Would the clip be as effective if the speaker used only ethos or pathos?

Initial response due before class on Wednesday.

Reply to classmate: Find a classmate that you disagree with his/her labeling of one of the elements (or who left out one of the elements) and ask a question that will lead him/her to the discovery of a deeper understanding of that element. For instance, did your classmate truly understand the purpose of the video or the way the speaker used ethos and pathos? Or did your classmate misinterpret how the two were used together in order to achieve the speech? If you cannot find a classmate you disagree with, find a post you agree with and detail why and how your classmate's response was effective.

Reply to classmate due before 5pm on Friday, October 17th.

Unit II Reflection

Directions: You have now written your first English 121 argument. Now, please answer the following questions: Have you ever written a college paper before? How does this assignment compare? How do you think you will use the skills you learned in Unit II in your future essays (in this class and your future college classes)? Do you have any questions about writing a short argument before we move on? (On this last question, if I get a lot of the same answer, we will review in class, rather than me providing you with an individual answer.)

You can respond in paragraph or list form. 200 word maximum.

Due before 10pm on October 7th.

Thesis and Reasons

Directions: after you have presented your theses to the class, type up the workshopped/edited thesis and your two (or more) reasons/topic sentences. For this week, you will not be required to comment on your classmates' blogs, but I would encourage you to see the work that your classmates are doing in case you are still struggling.

Due by 10pm the day you present your thesis. So, if you present on Monday, the blog will be due at 10pm that night. If you present on Wednesday, the blog will be due by 10pm that night.

5 points for being on time
5 points for following directions (you must have at least two reasons to support your thesis)

Introduction, Thesis, Body and Conclusion

Directions: Watch the video below and answer the proceeding questions. The direct link to the video is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QleRgTBMX88.

1. Who does the speaker identify as her audience?
2. What is the speaker's hook? How does that hook work with her argument?
3. What is the context for her argument? How does she center the audience in the argument?
4. What do you imagine was her academic/thesis question? What is the argument/thesis?
5. What are some of the parts of the body of the argument? What are some examples she gives to support her argument? How does she make those examples relevant to the audience?
6. What is her conclusion?

Due before class on Wednesday, September 24th. Be sure to perform all of your homework readings before performing this blog, through the readings from September 22nd.

Reply to a classmate: in the spirit of embracing wrongness, find a post that says something different than what you said (in any large or small way), and consider how your classmate labeled the various parts of the argument. Pick one part of your classmate's responses that you agree or disagree with and detail for your classmate why you agree or disagree. When I say detail, I mean be specific. If you and your classmates all said precisely the same thing, then consider what you all might have missed in the video and then describe that for your classmate in your reply.

Reply due before 5pm on Friday, September 26th.

Determining Arguments

Directions: Watch the video (if you have trouble accessing the video from Blogger, go directly to YouTube address: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSO_d1svtfU).

What is the main argument of the video? How does the introduction of the video support this argument? What about the main support (what types of main support are there?)? What would make the middle part more convincing, if you feel it does not effectively support the main argument? How does the conclusion of the video work to wrap up the whole argument?

Note: If you wish to comment on the video, please perform the assignment first, and then comment.

(You might think that listening to parts of this video is torturous, but push through).

Due before class on Wednesday, September 17th.

Reply to a classmate: Find a classmate you can politely disagree with, and comment on his/her blog.

Note: Disagree with what you think your classmate misdiagnosed or mislabeled as part of the argument, especially the evidence. If you wish to disagree with his/her opinion, do so, but please perform the assigned reply first.

Stay helpful and professional!