The ideas in these essays were excellent. Pay attention to detail, follow the format, and the next paper will shine
What have we been discussing?
1. Note taking, Essays
2. Self Reliance
3. Wisdom
4. The skill of college writing
5. Starting on time, staying on task, completing assignments
6. Creating personal portfolios in every class
7. Quality
8. Taking time, "think."
9. Reading
10. Journal writing.
11. Not getting finished, but getting started.
12. Don't talk about "me" and what I should do. Talk
about yourself and what you do.
13. Be more personal, "Here's what I think."
14. Thinking. What other class have you ever had that told you
about thinking and about how the mind and memory work?
15. Format, format, format
16. Your personal best.
SOME GENERAL THOUGHTS
1. I only assigned checks and minuses, instead of grades: a
check if you completed the assignment, a minus if the assignment
was incomplete.
2. These are "formal" essays. Do not be informal, i.e.,
do not refer to the author my his first name, but either as Mr.
Donaldson, or Donaldson. Consider "quality." What is
a "high-quality" essay?
3. Pay close attention to the MLA format. You will lose points.
4. Format, format, format.
5. Numbers less than 10, spell out, "These three topics"
6. Use active voice. Not, "The author pointed out,"
but, "The author points out"
7. The title on your title page should be the same as the title
on page one.
8. Why is it a "hoax," because it says it's going to
do one thing while doing something entirely different.
9. "The student comes home from school and he is not"
"Students come home from school and they are not"
10. Talk about yourself, not about "you."
11. These articles were not only a criticism of homework, they
also discussed what kinds of homework are appropriate and worthwhile.
Why don't teachers use this type of homework, and emphasize the
type that doesn't work?
12. The next essay is to be done out of class, and should be word
processed and proofed to death. It is due October 6, and I will
post the assignment next class.
13. It's and Its.
14. One space after period.
15. Ragged right.
16. Watch out for the generalization "all." Rather,
"some," or "most." All means 100%.
17. I suggest you use the essay openings that I give you. It works.
18. Skills versus information.
19. While some people disagreed with me, which is fine, not one
person said they didn't like the assignment.
20. One space after period.