Week 10

Welcome to class. As you know, the final exam, a 350 word, three-paragraph essay is scheduled for this week. The essay must earn a grade of C or better. Any students who miss class this week must make certain to come next week to make up the essay exam, or contact me to discuss some other accommodation. Next week also offers all who take the exam today a chance to retake it, if necessary.

I'm confident all can pass this exam. If you have been applying yourself throughout the quarter, you have done by now at least half a dozen formal assignments, and numerous practice and free-write exercises. We have practiced the form of the paragraph and multi-paragraph essay each week, along with basic sentence structures–the simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex sentence types. We have reviewed the use of standard punctuation and grammar. We have modeled the primary modes of presenting information and organizing a paragraph or an essay–description, narration, illustration, and argument. We have discussed and practiced the necessity of having a thesis idea–the point that unifies and gives direction to the essay, the one central thing you want your essay to express. And we have practiced building paragraphs organized around a single clear topic idea, each paragraph serving, if part of a larger essay, to advance the thesis idea in one or another supporting way.

We can spend the first hour of class on review, and in preparing a checklist for the editing process to follow as you review your final draft. Thus will you have time to compose and a format to edit for the major errors that occur in grammar and punctuation.

The essay topics will be given in handout before the exam begins.

Note: Use of the Internet is not allowed during the exam.

See you in class, then.

Week 9

Good morning and afternoon class. Evening, too, why not? We want the charm to last all day!

Today is the last day before, well, before next week's class, during which you will take the final (Scary? No, not at all.) So today we'll do a bit of review and a short assignment I think you will enjoy.

See you there.

Today's Assignment: ENC0020 essay#8:

Reviews and descriptions of cultural fare– of park attractions, films, art exhibits and fairs, live music shows, restaurants, bars, and clubs old and new, sporting events, lectures, book signings and discussions, community classes and workshops­–offer people a way to learn what what’s going on about town and connect with others.
Work on the following prompt in class today. Pair with someone and plan to discuss some of the interesting features of your individual topics and why others might enjoy or otherwise benefit from your particular knowledge and perspective. Assume your audience wants something to do or see and you are going to help out. Compose an essay of some 200 words, in single paragraph form if you like, or go longer and organize the essay in 3-paragraph format, with an introductory, body, and concluding paragraph.

1. In the Mark K. Wheeler Gallery of the main building of AiFL is the 32st Annual Faculty Art Exhibit. Take a tour of the gallery, noting and copying out all pertinent information on the exhibit so that others know where it is and the kind of show to expect and include the title of the show and gallery name. Choose one or two works as representative for the central focus of the essay, the one or two that you find most appealing or successful in terms of impact and meaning. Describe the artist’s medium, particular techniques, colors, forms, etcetera. Identify the one or two pieces by title and artist in your description and discussion.