Types of essays for English Comp. 1

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Types of essays for English Comp. 1

by marjoryt

Sep 10, 2012

At my college, about 1/2 our students go into technical programs such as R.N. or surveying. These students take ONLY Comp. 1. The other 1/2 plan to transfer to universities; these students will take Comp. 2 and at least 1 literature course. Many universities are currently dropping the literature requirements in favor of technical writing or more courses in the major. Sometime in the 1990s, before I joined the staff, the English Department decided to beef up the English Comp. 1 and 2. The textbook for Comp. 1 is based on philosophy - Machiavelli, Freud, Jung, Gardner, Plato. It's incredibly hard reading for the students, but we help them with it, and students find they learn over the semester to deal with the text. We assign readings, give tests on the content, and of course give writing assignments based on the selections. The textbook for Comp. 2 is an anthology-based reader, focusing on fiction. We're expected to cover at least 2 plays, a novel, many short stories, and poetry. Essays...See MoreAt my college, about 1/2 our students go into technical programs such as R.N. or surveying. These students take ONLY Comp. 1. The other 1/2 plan to transfer to universities; these students will take Comp. 2 and at least 1 literature course. Many universities are currently dropping the literature requirements in favor of technical writing or more courses in the major. Sometime in the 1990s, before I joined the staff, the English Department decided to beef up the English Comp. 1 and 2. The textbook for Comp. 1 is based on philosophy - Machiavelli, Freud, Jung, Gardner, Plato. It's incredibly hard reading for the students, but we help them with it, and students find they learn over the semester to deal with the text. We assign readings, give tests on the content, and of course give writing assignments based on the selections. The textbook for Comp. 2 is an anthology-based reader, focusing on fiction. We're expected to cover at least 2 plays, a novel, many short stories, and poetry. Essays and the research paper are based on these. Personally, I feel Comp 2 is closer to what I taught in high school. About the essays we teach: Argumentative Analysis Comparison-Contrast Persuasive Cause-effect Poem Explication Reflection

I never ask my students in any class for creative writing - they can take a creative writing class for that. Aside from their first essay in Comp. 1, I don't ask for anything narrative.

At the beginning of any course, my prompts are VERY directive, complete with paragraph specifications and even some outlines. I'll provide example paragraphs. I'm very specific in the rubrics. Generally, I change the rubric to fit the assignment; some of my coworkers use the same rubric scale for every assignment. This is supposed to force the students to pay attention to assignments, and if a student doesn't respond appropriate to the prompt, I don't grade it (since it won't fit the grading rubric).

As the semester proceeds, I'll get more flexible with the prompts, and in some cases will let the students help me establish the rubric scales.

Over the last 3 semesters, I've started focusing on bonus points, as opposed to penalties - X bonus points if submitted before or on due date, X bonus points if the essay earns at least an 80. Submissions on time may be revised to pull up the grade. Late submissions are gladly accepted, but lose the revision opportunity.

I use TurnItIn extensively for first drafts, but often allow students to submit printed revisions.

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Lit Teacher On 9/10/12, marjoryt wrote: I find Turn It In gives false positives. If students use a standard textbook to take quotes from, Turn It In deems them to have plagiarized. One of my advisees was accused of plagiarism - this is in Pennsylvania - and Turn It In said she had plagiarized from a high school student in Michigan.

Because both their ...See MoreOn 9/10/12, marjoryt wrote: I find Turn It In gives false positives. If students use a standard textbook to take quotes from, Turn It In deems them to have plagiarized. One of my advisees was accused of plagiarism - this is in Pennsylvania - and Turn It In said she had plagiarized from a high school student in Michigan.

Because both their papers had quoted extensively - and appropriately I might add - from the same basic psychology textbook.

The other issue is property rights - does your school give you a form to have your students sign over their property rights to Turn It In? Turn It In could constitute a theft of property because Turn It In adds their papers to its data bank.

> At my college, about 1/2 our students go into technical > programs such as R.N. or surveying. These students take > ONLY Comp. 1. The other 1/2 plan to transfer to > universities; these students will take Comp. 2 and at least > 1 literature course. Many universities are currently > dropping the literature requirements in favor of technical > writing or more courses in the major. > Sometime in the 1990s, before I joined the staff, the > English Department decided to beef up the English Comp. 1 > and 2. The textbook for Comp. 1 is based on philosophy - > Machiavelli, Freud, Jung, Gardner, Plato. It's incredibly > hard reading for the students, but we help them with it, and > students find they learn over the semester to deal with the > text. We assign readings, give tests on the content, and of > course give writing assignments based on the selections. > The textbook for Comp. 2 is an anthology-based reader, > focusing on fiction. We're expected to cover at least 2 > plays, a novel, many short stories, and poetry. Essays and > the research paper are based on these. Personally, I feel > Comp 2 is closer to what I taught in high school. > About the essays we teach: > Argumentative > Analysis > Comparison-Contrast > Persuasive > Cause-effect > Poem Explication > Reflection > > I never ask my students in any class for creative writing - > they can take a creative writing class for that. Aside from > their first essay in Comp. 1, I don't ask for anything > narrative. > > At the beginning of any course, my prompts are VERY > directive, complete with paragraph specifications and even > some outlines. I'll provide example paragraphs. I'm very > specific in the rubrics. Generally, I change the rubric to > fit the assignment; some of my coworkers use the same rubric > scale for every assignment. This is supposed to force the > students to pay attention to assignments, and if a student > doesn't respond appropriate to the prompt, I don't grade it > (since it won't fit the grading rubric). > > As the semester proceeds, I'll get more flexible with the > prompts, and in some cases will let the students help me > establish the rubric scales. > > Over the last 3 semesters, I've started focusing on bonus > points, as opposed to penalties - X bonus points if > submitted before or on due date, X bonus points if the essay > earns at least an 80. Submissions on time may be revised to > pull up the grade. Late submissions are gladly accepted, > but lose the revision opportunity. > > I use TurnItIn extensively for first drafts, but often allow > students to submit printed revisions.

Sep 26, 2012

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marjoryt I also have received false positives. I don't ever take a high score on face value - I always investigate. There have been several instances where I though content was probably lifted, but without proof positive - I let it slide with a warning.

I've had a student submit an essay for my class, that he had submitted for another instructor - ...See More

Sep 29, 2012

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Muse I love turnitin! It is not just to help me- it is help the student. Most plagiarism is accidental, so the student can view his work before his final submission.

I tell the kids that the site will identify some incidences as plagiarized when they are not and provide examples of such instances. Unfortunately they have had a few teachers who...See More

Nov 3, 2012

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Jauny Hi, I have a problem, I have a lot of work to do at university and I need to finish it all and I can't keep up with the time. Is there a website where you can buy an essay ?

May 10, 2022

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Jauny Hi, I have a problem, I have a lot of work to do at university and I need to finish it all and I can't keep up with the time. Is there a website where you can buy an essay ?

May 10, 2022

report post