Writing IV ING400A

WELCOME TO THE COURSE

Welcome to English Writing IV ING400a at Centro Regional Universitario de Veraguas. Whether you have taken online courses before or are new to online learning, I hope that you find the course a rewarding experience. My name is Richard Cisneros, and I am the instructor of this course. This class will provide the advanced tools for writing clearly and cohesively. I know from personal experience that taking an online course can be a challenging but rewarding learning experience.  

 

  

INTRODUCTION

This English 400a course is the continuation that also provides students with knowledge and skills to write different types of paragraphs and essays with unity and coherence.  This booklet is compounded by 4 modules that start from the simple steps to write different types of paragraphs until the composition of long essays. In those modules, you can see the content explanation of the different types of paragraphs with their organization and structure; you can also see the different in-class tasks and home assignments for class discussion and analysis; and lastly, you can see the composition of essays in which the students can apply all the steps taught. Oral and written assessments through direct feedback provided to the students before doing their final composition are essential to achieve the goals or objectives of each module. Punctuation is constantly recycled, and it is expected that the students take into account suggestions and corrections for writing their paragraphs, essays, and compositions. In conclusion, this course provides the basic tools to write any composition in an organized way.

CLASS, OBJECTIVES, AND ASSIGNMENTS

1. MODULE # 1: ESSAYS

Main Objective	Master the different types of conjunctions to link different kinds of sentences
Contents	·         Definition of essay  ·         Parts of an essay ·         Outline of an essay

1.1. An Essay

An essay is a group of paragraphs that write about a single topic with a central main idea. At least an essay should have three paragraphs, but you can write more. They form a piece of writing that gives the author's own argument.

1.2. Structure of an Essay

TITLE The introduction The body The conclusion

1.3. Thesis Statement

A thesis statement is the sentence that tells the main idea of the essay such as an opinion, an argument, or a fact to be defended or explained. A thesis statement usually comes at or near the end of the introductory paragraph. A thesis statement and a topic sentence may be similar; the difference is that a topic sentence is the main idea of the paragraph, and a thesis statement is the main idea of the whole essay.

1.      Travelling is an effective way to bring people of different cultures together and learn about one another.

2.      There are several ways that technology has made classroom instruction more effective.

3.      To create a successful advertisement, it is necessary for advertisers to answer three questions: What are we selling?, Who are we selling it to?, and How can we make people want to buy it?

a.       Topic sentence P#1: The first step in creating a successful advertisement is to completely understand the product that is being sold and how it can be used.

b.      A second important part of creating and advertisement is deciding who is expected to buy the product.

c.       Finally, a way must be found to create an ad that will make people want to buy the product.

1.4. Outline of an Essay

An outline is as list of the information you will put in your essay. This is like your skeleton that although you don’t see it, it is there supporting your body. An outline begins with an essay’s thesis statement, shows the organization of the essay, tells what ideas you will discuss and come first, second, third, and so on, and ends with the essay’s conclusion. Check the following example outline. Also check another example on the appendix.

I. Introduction II. First main idea A. First supporting point B. Second supporting point …and so on III. Second main idea A. First supporting point B. Second supporting point …and so on IV. Third main idea A. First supporting point B. Second supporting point …and so on V. Conclusion

1.5. Introduction and Conclusion of an Essay

An introduction usually has 5 to 10 sentences and gives the general topic of the essay which usually catches the reader’s interest. It also gives background information about the topic and states the main point of the essay. The introduction provides the general ideas first leading to the most specific idea that is the thesis statement. In order to be a good or strong introduction, you have to introduce the topic clearly, to give several sentences of information about the topic, and finally, to state the thesis of the essay. In addition to that, you can also make the introduction interesting by including interesting facts or statistics, a personal story or example, or an interesting quotation.

On the other hand, the conclusion is the final paragraph of the essay that summarizes the main of the essay, restates the essay by using different words. It also makes a final comment about the essay’s main idea, and it may emphasize an action that you would like the reader to take. Finally, it is important to highlight that the conclusion only restates what has been talked, and it does not introduce new ideas.

1.6. Example of an Essay

Essay Sample The Hazards of Moviegoing By John Langan From College Writing Skills with Readings I am a movie fanatic. When friends want to know what picture won the Oscar in 1980 or who played the police chief in Jaws, they ask me. My friends, though, have stopped asking me if I want to go out to the movies. The problems in getting to the theater, the theater itself, and the behavior of some patrons are all reasons why I often wait for a movie to show up on TV. First of all, just getting to the theater presents difficulties. Leaving a home equipped with a TV and a video recorder isn't an attractive idea on a humid, cold, or rainy night. Even if the weather cooperates, there is still a thirty-minute drive to the theater down a congested highway, followed by the hassle of looking for a parking space. And then there are the lines. After hooking yourself to the end of a human chain, you worry about whether there will be enough tickets, whether you will get seats together, and whether many people will sneak into the line ahead of you. Once you have made it to the box office and gotten your tickets, you are confronted with the problems of the theater itself. If you are in one of the run-down older theaters, you must adjust to the musty smell of seldom-cleaned carpets. Escaped springs lurk in the faded plush or cracked leather seats, and half the seats you sit in seem loose or tilted so that you sit at a strange angle. The newer twin and quad theaters offer their own problems. Sitting in an area only one-quarter the size of a regular theater, moviegoers often have to put up with the sound of the movie next door. This is especially jarring when the other movie involves racing cars or a karate war and you are trying to enjoy a quiet love story. And whether the theater is old or new, it will have floors that seem to be coated with rubber cement. By the end of a movie, shoes almost have to be pried off the floor because they have become sealed to a deadly compound of spilled soda, hardening bubble gum, and crushed Ju-Jubes. Some of the patrons are even more of a problem than the theater itself. Little kids race up and down the aisles, usually in giggling packs. Teenagers try to impress their friends by talking back to the screen, whistling, and making what they consider to be hilarious noises. Adults act as if they were at home in their own living rooms and comment loudly on the ages of the stars or why movies aren't as good anymore. And people of all ages crinkle candy wrappers, stick gum on their seats, and drop popcorn tubs or cups of crushed ice and soda on the floor. They also cough and burp, squirm endlessly in their seats, file out for repeated trips to the rest rooms or concession stand, and elbow you out of the armrest on either side of your seat. After arriving home from the movies one night, I decided that I was not going to be a moviegoer anymore. I was tired of the problems involved in getting to the movies and dealing with the theater itself and some of the patrons. The next day I arranged to have cable TV service installed in my home. I may now see movies a bit later than other people, but I'll be more relaxed watching box office hits in the comfort of my own living room.

Taken from http://www.gallaudet.edu/tip/english-center/writing/essays/5-paragraph-essay-and-outline-the-hazards-of-moviegoing.html

1.6.1. TASK #18

INSTRUCTIONS: After reading all the content above plus the professor’s explanations, carefully read the essay sample “The Hazards of Moviegoing.” Then, identify the parts of the essay and trace a line separating them on the blank space next to the essay. On the introductory paragraph, identify and underline the thesis statement. Finally, make an outline of that same essay on the box below. Go to additional information and review punctuation.

OUTLINE

1.7. FINAL ASSIGNMENT OF THE MODULE

Instructions: choose a free topic, and write an essay following all the steps shown and explained in this module. Type it on a computer and bring it printed. Then fold it and paste it on the box below.

PASTE

EVALUATION CRITERIA

In-class work & Assignments	25%
Tests	20%
Compositions (5)	25%
Portfolio + Final Exam	30%

A+ Truly outstanding, exceptional work

A– Excellent work

B+ Very good work

B Good work

C– or below Work is flawed

RUBRIC

RUBRIC FOR A WELL-WRITTEN ESSAY
Categories of Performance:	Beginner (1)	Basic (2)	Intermediate (3)	Advanced (4)
Tone	The tone is inappropriate for the writing purpose.	The tone shifts from formal to informal and is not consistent.	The tone shifts occasionally from formal to informal, or vice versa.	The appropriate tone is used consistently.
Opening sentence	The sentence is incomplete and does not state the main idea.	The sentence is complete, but does not state the main idea.	The sentence is complete and adequately states the main idea.	The sentence is complete and clearly states the main idea.
Supporting sentences	Some sentences are incomplete or run-on and do not support the main idea.	Some sentences are incomplete or run-on, but support the main idea.	Most sentences are complete and support the main idea.	All sentences are complete and support the main idea.
Closing sentence	The sentence is incomplete and does not sum up the paragraph.	The sentence is complete, but does not sum up the paragraph.	The sentence is complete and adequately sums up the paragraph.	The sentence is complete and clearly sums up the paragraph.
Organization of ideas	Ideas in the paragraph are disorganized and do not support the main idea, causing a confusion of meaning.	A few ideas in the paragraph do not support the main idea or are out of place, causing a confusion of meaning.	Ideas in the paragraph support the main idea, but could be organized more clearly.	Ideas flow in the paragraph and clearly support the main idea, creating meaning.
Vocabulary or word use	Some inappropriate vocabulary is used and some words are used in the wrong context.	Some words are used in the wrong context.	All words are used appropriately.	All words are used appropriately and there is evidence of some new vocabulary being used.
Spelling, capitalization, and punctuation	There are many errors in spelling, capitalization, and punctuation.	There are some errors in spelling, capitalization, and punctuation.	There are only a few errors in spelling, capitalization, and punctuation.	There are no errors in spelling, capitalization, or punctuation

REFERENCE

ü  2003. Zemach D. & Ghulldu L. Writing Essays from Paragraphs to Essay. Macmillan: London.

ü  2012. Bohlke D. & Zemach D. Skillful Reading & Writing. Macmillan: London.