Discussion, “Student Example: The Wedding Carriage”

In your textbook, read the student example called “The Wedding Carriage,” starting on page 130. This is a great example of a narrative essay. A narrative essay tells a story, which is what you will be doing in Essay #3. Read the essay carefully, then answer the following discussion questions. 

 

1. When Sneha Saha has her first encounter with Ms. Cochran, why doesn’t she already know that the elderly patient is suffering from dementia? What is the nature of Saha’s position at the hospital?

2. Saha later learns that her accepting attitude toward Ms. Cochran’s view of reality is the basis of a now-standard form of treatment for patients with delusions. According to the experts cited at the end of Saha’s essay, what is “validation therapy,” and what benefits does it offer the patient (13)?

3.Saha’s NARRATIVE begins in the middle of one of Ms. Cochran’s episodes. How effective is this way of getting the story started? Should Saha have grounded her narrative “in reality” before taking us into the unreality of her subject’s mind (2)? Why or why not?

4. The solutions to some medical problems, Saha concludes, might lie “in our ability to redefine the issue” (15). How is this essay also a DEFINITION essay? What term does she define earlier in the essay? (HINT: She also refers to it as “therapeutic fibbing.” 

5. As you prepare to write your own descriptive/narrative essay, think about the specific details, including names, places, appeals to the sense, and figurative language in this example. Make a list of the names, places, times, and other important details you can include in your own essay to make it an interesting story. (List at least 5.) 

Essay #2 Final Draft (SUBMIT HERE)

Please upload your final draft as an attachment here. Read everything below and make sure you have followed all of the directions BEFORE you submit your paper.

NOTE: This is our first research essay, which means you must include correct in-text citation and a Works Cited page. Any essay that lacks either will receive a zero F. Also, any information in the essay without a citation that is not common knowledge is considered plagiarism, which could also result in a grade of zero F. Serious cases of plagiarism will be reported for Academic Dishonesty. I have includes lots of notes, video lectures, and quizzes in the Essay #2 module to prepare you. Learning these rules is up to you!

The essay must be typed and in MLA format.

It must also cite at least 3 scholarly sources, making sure to use proper MLA citation both in the text and in a Works Cited page.

Your 3 sources must come from CQ Researcher, Academic Search Complete, NPR.org, andPBS.org/Newshour.

You may use more than three sources, but they can only come from one of these sources listed; information from any other source will be considered plagiarism and result in a grade of zero.

Do NOT use the dictionary, an encyclopedia, or Wikipedia as a source.

Any final draft without in-text citations or a Works Cited page will automatically receive a grade of zero.

If you reference sources that you do not then include in your Works Cited page, that is also considered plagiarism and will result in a grade of zero.

Rubric

Definition Essay 2022

Definition Essay 2022

Criteria Ratings Pts

This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeTHESIS and INTRO

The essay has a thesis—a single, central point that is interesting, original, striking and substantial. The thesis successfully defines the assigned term. The essay focuses on what makes the term interesting and relevant to the audience–the student’s classmates.

20 pts

Excellent

15.5 pts

Good

11.5 pts

Satisfactory

2.5 pts

Poor

20 pts

This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeBODY PARAGRAPHS

Paragraphs are organized, unified and coherent. Each paragraph begins with a clear topic sentence. Each supporting paragraph is focused on a controlling idea. Paragraphs are well-developed with sufficient research and specific details. The paragraphs avoid generalizations and overly broad statements. Effective library research has been conducted. Sources are appropriate, support the thesis, and are integrated into the essay. Signal phrases are effective. Each quote includes analysis.

50 pts

Excellent

38 pts

Good

25 pts

Satisfactory

5 pts

Poor

50 pts

This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeREVISION and EDITING

Sentences are mature and parallel. Writer avoids modifier problems. Sentences show variety of pattern and are rhetorically effective. The essay is written in a style and tone appropriate to the audience, topic and purpose.

30 pts

Excellent

20.25 pts

Satisfactory

3.75 pts

Poor

30 pts

This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeMLA WORKS CITED

All sources are correctly documented in a Works Cited page using MLA format. The hanging indent is applied to all citations. No important information is omitted from citations. The Works Cited page is on the last page of the essay, separate from the rest of the essay.

50 pts

Excellent

40 pts

Good

20 pts

Satisfactory

8.33 pts

Poor

50 pts

This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeMLA IN-TEXT CITATION

Parenthetical citation is used correctly. All information in the essay that is not common knowledge is immediately followed by an in-text citation. Signal phrases, direct quotes, and paraphrasing are all used correctly.

50 pts

Excellent

40 pts

Good

20 pts

Satisfactory

8.33 pts

Poor

50 pts

Total Points: 200

Essay #2 Lecture and Notes: Starting Research, Video Tour of the Library Databases

Essay #2 will be a research essay. I will assign a term, and you will research that term, learn everything that you can about it, then write an essay in which you define that term. Your goal is to define it in a way that a friend of yours could easily understand it; that means you have to really understand it yourself! 

I like this assignment because this is the heart of what we do in college: Learn something new, then write about it to demonstrate what we learned. 

 

There are two main reasons why we research: 

1.  To learn new information.

2.  To give credibility to our writing.

Of course, if no one knows that we have conducted the research, then it does nothing for our credibility.  
This is why we cite our sources, both in the text of the essay, and at the end in a Works Cited page or bibliography.

 

We will only use four sources in this course for our research. We will not google anything, and we will not use Wikipedia or the dictionary. 

We will use two online databases provided by the Learning Commons: 

1. CQ Researcher

2. Academic Search Complete

Watch the video to learn more about each of them.  You can go straight to the library’s databases by clicking here: 

Find Sources – English – LibGuides at Bossier Parish Community College (bpcc.edu)Links to an external site.

Note: If you’re off campus, you MUST get to these from the BPCC Learning Commons website. If you try to Google them and go straight to them, your login will not work! 

When you go to the library’s website and click on each database, you will be asked to login. Use your BPCC username or L-number, and the password is your 6-digit birthdate. 

We will also use two online news sources: 

3. NPR.org

4. PBS.org/Newshour

These are on the web, so we will not need a login or anything for these. 

Notes

First, let’s define plagiarism. Plagiarism is using someone else’s words or ideas in your essay without giving credit to the original source. 

Plagiarism can be 
intentional, meaning that someone tried to cheat by using material from another source. Perhaps they even tried to pass off an entire paper as their own. 

Plagiarism can also be 
unintentional, meaning that the writer simply forgot to include quotation marks or an in-text citation, or the cited the original source incorrect. 

Whether plagiarism is intentional or unintentional, it is very serious and can have real consequences — including an F on the paper, or possibly even the whole course. 

 

Always ensure that your audience can distinguish between the ideas of other writers and your own ideas. 

In order to avoid plagiarism, EVERY FACT that is in your essay (other than common knowledge) MUST include an in-text citation in your essay.  Cite your source every single time. 

 

Common Knowledge

It is not necessary to credit information that is common knowledge.  But what is common knowledge? If you mention the 9/11 attacks, you do not have to provide a source to prove that 9/11 happened.  However, if you wanted to discuss specific details pertaining to 9/11, such as a particular fireman’s story of heroism, then you would need to provide documentation. 

If you mention that “Friends” was a TV show that used to air on NBC but is now on Netflix, this is also considered common knowledge and would not need a citation.  It’s reasonable to assume most people know this.  

Finally, if you’re referencing a fact that is very easy to discover in a reference book, it is also considered common knowledge. For example, Abraham Lincoln is the 16th President of the United States, and Saturn is the sixth planet from the sun.  Maybe not everyone knows these facts by heart, but they’re very easy to discover in any dictionary or encyclopedia, so an in-text citation isn’t needed. 

ANYTHING ELSE needs a citation, or else it’s plagiarism and will result in a zero on the entire essay. 

Any information that you learned from your research must be documented, both in the text of the essay itself and in a Works Cited page.

 

One way that we avoid plagiarism is through signal phrases when we quote and paraphrase, like those we just discussed.  We also use in-text citation and a Works Cited page. 

 

 

 

What is a good source?

Let’s start with what is NOT a good source.

 

· Wikipedia

· A random Tumblr page or blog

· A dictionary or encyclopedia, whether print or online

For this course, we will use academically sound sources.  This will include:

· Articles from the library’s online databases

· Official websites such as .gov, .edu, or .org sites

I have a page up that provides instructions on how to find two of the library’s databases, Academic Search Complete and CQ Researcher.  We will primarily use these for our essays.

We will also use two web source: NPR.org and PBS.org/Newshour. Both of these are trusted news sources produced by public non-profit organizations, which means they should be free from bias or profit motive. 

Information on these sites have been verified as authentic and accurate.

Next, we will look at ways to integrate information into your essay. 

 

 

 

 

Return to Top

 

Integrating sources into your essay

Here you have a list of signal phrases for quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing.

Use these signal phrases throughout your essay to clearly indicate to your reader that what follows is from someone else’s work. 

 

What is the difference between a direct quote and a paraphrase? 

First, let’s talk about direct quotes. 

Direct quotes are placed in quotation marks and are taken word-for-word from the source.
  Direct quotations draw attention to key passages. Include a direct quotation in a paper only if:

· you want to retain the beauty or clarity of someone’s words

· you need to reveal how the reasoning in a specific passage is flawed or insightful

· you plan to discuss the implications of the quoted material

 

If you need to clarify a quotation by changing it in any way, place square brackets around the added or changed words.

“In this role, he successfully conveys a wide range of emotion.”

“In this role, he [Robin Williams] successfully conveys a wide range of emotion.”

The brackets clearly indicate to your reader that this is added information that did not appear in the original, but that it does not change the intended meaning.

 

If you want to omit part of a quotation, replace the deleted words with ellipsis points.

“Overseas markets such as China, India, and Korea, which have rapidly growing middle classes, are critical to the financial success of Hollywood films.”

“Overseas markets…are critical to the financial success of Hollywood films.”

The example in blue has deleted information from the original quote that was not necessary for that student’s thesis.  The basic meaning is still there. 

When modifying a quotation, be sure not to alter its essential meaning.

 

Why are you quoting this?

Readers will also want to know how a quotation is related to the point you are making.

When the connection is not readily apparent, provide an explanation in a sentence or two following the quotation.

 

 

Next, let’s talk about paraphrasing. 

A paraphrase is a restatement of someone else’s ideas in approximately the same number of words.

Paraphrasing allows you to demonstrate that you have understood what you have read. It also enables your audience to understand it.

Paraphrase when you want to:

· clarify difficult material by using simpler language

· use someone else’s ideas but not their exact words

· create a consistent tone for your paper as a whole

· interact with a point that a source has made

Any paraphrase must accurately maintain the sense of the original.

If you unintentionally misrepresent the original because you did not understand it, you are being 
inaccurate.

If you deliberately change the gist of what a source says, you are being 
unethical.

Summarizing

Summarizing is different from paraphrasing in that a summary is much shorter than the source material.

A paraphrase of a paragraph should also be approximately a paragraph long; a summary of a paragraph may be just one sentence.

The reason that all of the distinctions are important is that we want to avoid even the appearance of plagiarism.

Essay #2 Assignment: Definition-2

Essay #2: The Definition Essay

When someone asks us what a particular word means, we do not just rattle off a dictionary definition; instead, we define the term as we understand it, usually offering up specific examples or other evidence to further clarify the meaning. 

For our next essay, we are going to further explore a term that is used in the news today.

The topics: 

In a 4 page essay 
(PLUS a Works Cited page), define one of the following terms: 

1. Universal Basic Income

2. Fentanyl

3. Cultural Appropriation

4. Gerrymandering

 

What do you have to do? 

We will include a basic definition as well as an extended definition, which may use specific examples, history, etymology, compare/contrast, and more.

The idea is not to write a technical article; instead, we are going to use denotation and connotation together to define a term in such a way that our audience can easily understand.  

NOTE: This is our first research essay, which means you must include correct 
in-text citation and a 
Works Cited page.  Any essay that lacks either will receive a zero F.  Also, any information in the essay without a citation that is not common knowledge is considered plagiarism, which will also result in a grade of zero F.  Serious cases of plagiarism will be reported for Academic Dishonesty.  I have includes lots of notes, video lectures, and quizzes in the Essay #2 module to prepare you.  Learning these rules is up to you! (Remember that first discussion board about self-directed learning!) 

 

Rules to remember: 

· The essay must be typed and in MLA format.  

· It must also cite at least 3 scholarly sources, making sure to use proper MLA citation both in the text and in a Works Cited page.  

· Your 3 sources must come from CQ Researcher, Academic Search Complete, NPR.org, and PBS.org/Newshour.

· You may use more than three sources, but they can only come from one of these sources listed; information from any other source will be considered plagiarism and result in a grade of zero. 

 

I strongly recommend starting with 
CQ Researcher, then moving to 
NPR and 
PBS Newshour, and filling any specific “holes” in your essay by searching 
Academic Search Complete. 

Articles in 
CQ Researcher, 
NPR and 
PBS Newshour are all pretty easy to understand; while 
Academic Search Complete can provide good information, you run the risk of running into some overly technical articles as well.  

Do NOT use the dictionary, an encyclopedia, or Wikipedia as a source. 

 Any final draft without in-text citations or a Works Cited page will automatically receive a grade of zero. 

If you reference sources that you do not then include in your Works Cited page, that is also considered plagiarism and will result in a grade of zero.

 

The writing process:

Step 1: 
Read about your topic.  Look up your term in CQ Researcher, PBS Newshour, and NPR. (There are plenty of articles on all of the topics; I’ve checked!)  Find interesting quotes. Decide what information you would want to quote directly, and what information you should paraphrase.   

Step 2: 
Brainstorm and outline.  Now that you have a grasp on your topic, how would you explain it to a friend?  What was the most interesting thing that you read?  These should be the focus of your essay.  You’re not writing an encyclopedia entry; you are explaining your topic to the class. How would you explain your term to someone you know in real life?  

Write an outline.  Will you give some history about your term?  A specific example?  How will you connect your term to what’s happening right now? 

1. Introduction and thesis.

Grab your reader’s attention!  Maybe start with an interesting fact.

2.  First body paragraph

3.  Second body paragraph

4. Third body paragraph

5. Conclusion

(Depending on what you choose to include, you may have more than three body paragraphs; however, you should not have fewer.  Remember that your essay must be three full pages.)

Step 3: 
Write the rough draft.  Use your outline as a guide and write the essay one paragraph at a time.  Start each paragraph with a topic sentence, add specific evidence from your sources, followed by your own analysis.  Always connect quotes and paraphrases to your topic sentence.  Don’t forget your parenthetical citations!  (See the video on building a paragraph using research in the module.)

(Remember to choose the PDF version in CQ Researcher to get the page numbers. Leaving off the page numbers or using incorrect page numbers when citing 
CQ Researcher is a mistake that will cost points.  With the PBS Newshour and NPR articles, you will not have page numbers, so use only the author’s last name in the citations.) 

Add a Works Cited page after the rough draft is complete.

Step 4:  
Revise and edit.  Make sure that you never use first person (I, we, my) or second person (you, your) pronouns.  (10 point penalty)  Check for fragments, run-ons, and comma splices.  Edit carefully; even small mistakes matter! 

 

 

Be prepared: 

Because this is our first essay that requires in-text citation, be sure to watch the videos in the Essay #2 module before you begin.  There are three video lectures: The first covers direct quotes and paraphrases, the second explains the rules of in-text citation, and the final video walks through writing a body paragraph using research.  All of these are very important and will impact your grade on the essay. 

Also, read through the notes posted in the Essay #2 module about signal phrases, integrating sources into the essay, and avoiding plagiarism.  There is also a 2016 MLA Guide PDF in the module.  Read pages 3-6 for examples of correct in-text citation.  There are also four quizzes due that will make sure you have mastered all of these skills before you finish the essay.  

___________________________________________________

Common pitfalls that cost students points: 

This essay may not include any instances of first person (I, me, we, us) or second person (you, your.)  (10-point penalty)

Your thesis statement must not be an announcement.  An example of an announcement: “In this essay, I will define…” (10-point penalty)

Make sure your essay is 3 full pages at least. (10 point penalty) If your rough draft is short, do not add filler words; instead, consider providing more specific examples; examples are always interesting! Don’t write a boring paper!

After you receive your peer review, revise and edit again. 

 

image1.jpeg