Sketch outline, Essay #1

Read the assignment Essay #1 Assignment: Exemplification.  Once you have decided on your thesis statement and three words, phrases, or expressions that you would add to Sedaris’ list, write a sketch outline and submit it in this discussion board.  This sketch outline will help you write your rough draft.  

The sketch outline should include: 

Thesis statement:  _________________________________________

Phrase #1: _________________________________________

Phrase #2: _________________________________________

Phrase #3: _________________________________________

You might also include some of the specific details about each phrase that you plan to include in your essay. 

Once you submit your outline, I encourage you to look at your classmates’ outlines.  See what expressions you’re all writing about!  

(You are not committed to whatever you submit in your sketch outline. If you decide to change your phrases before you submit the final draft, that is fine.)  

Essay #1: Exemplification

David Sedaris’ essay, “Your English Is So Good,” examines language more closely than we probably do normally. Sedaris points out examples of overused phrases, outdated expressions, empty words, and mundane small talk that pepper our everyday interactions.  

In this essay assignment, we will use exemplification to also explore such language.  Choose three examples similar to the ones in Sedaris’ essay to describe.  Do not use any research or outside sources; don’t “google” overused phrases.  Think about words or phrases that get under your skin.  If none come to mind, spend a day listening with an attentive ear and pick out such phrases. 

This essay must be a minimum of two full pages.  It must be typed, double-spaced, and in MLA format.  Short essays will be docked one letter grade. Do not use wordy sentences or filler words to add length to your essay; instead, provide additional examples of your three phrases. Remember that specific examples are the key to exemplification! 

Point of view: This is a less formal essay, so first-person point of view is fine. This means you can use first-person pronouns like “I,” “me,” “my,” “our,” “we,” and “us.” This essay is drawn 100% from personal experience, so make it about yourself and real conversations that you’ve had or overheard. Make it interesting and fun! 

You may not use second-person point of view. This means that you must not use the pronouns “you” or “your,” unless you are quoting someone directly who used them. 

Example: 

INCORRECT:  You know there are words like “literally” that really get under your skin when they’re used incorrectly. 

CORRECT: There are words like “literally” that really get under my skin when they’re used incorrectly. 

ACCEPTABLE: Billy said, “You literally are going to die if you eat Raising Cane’s for a third night in a row.” 

MLA format:  The essay must follow MLA format, which for this essay will include the heading, header, spacing, font and font size, and heading.  Do not skip any lines anywhere in MLA format, including after the heading, after the title, or between paragraphs.  See the sample MLA essay The Little Seagull Handbook and read the Week 1 Notes in the module; you can also google “Sample MLA essay” to see what it should look like.

The essay must include:

Introduction Paragraph: Set up the topic.  Make it interesting!  You might mention Sedaris’ essay as a way of introducing the topic.  You should have 6-10 sentences that set up the topic before you get to the thesis statement. End the paragraph with your thesis statement and plan of development (i.e., your three examples). 

Body paragraphs:  You should have three body paragraphs, each one focused on one particular phrase.  Start with a topic sentence. In the body of the paragraph, describe the phrase, where you hear it, and why you think Sedaris might include it in his list.  Provide specific examples.  Remember, specific writing is interesting writing. 

Conclusion Paragraph:  In just 2-3 sentences, restate your thesis and wrap up your essay.  Do not repeat the thesis word-for-word from your introduction. Long conclusion paragraphs will lose points. 

*If these minimum requirements are not met, the assignment will receive a grade of ‘zero.’

Week 1 Lecture and Notes: First assignments and MLA format

Let’s get started! 

This week we will read about our first rhetorical mode, exemplification, and write our first essay. 

Exemplification simply means to use specific, interesting examples to support the point we are making. 

It’s very important to read the 
David Sedaris essay “Your English is So Good” 
 Download David Sedaris essay “Your English is So Good”

and answer the discussion questions right away. Essay #1 will build upon the Sedaris essay. 

Read the instructions for Essay #1 as soon as you finish reading the Sedaris essay. 

For this first essay, we will write a sketch outline, a rough draft, and a peer review. This moves this quickly, I expect everyone to already know the basics of essay writing. For a refresher, check out the notes on the next page. 

For a refresher on writing introduction paragraphs and writing a first-person essay, take the quiz called after reading the notes on the page called 
Week 1 Lecture and Notes (cont.), Essay Writing (AND QUIZ!) . This is more of a refresher than a quiz, so you get two chances to make a perfect score. 

The last section is about how to format your essay. We will submit all of our essays in MLA format, and part of your grade comes from formatting. Read through the notes, look at the MLA sample first page, and watch the video before you get started writing Essay #1. Don’t lose points on formatting! 

In short, please read everything in this module, watch the videos, and look over the PowerPoints. Get started right away. 

Required Reading

This week we will start by reading two chapters in the ebook textbook.  Chapter 1 will introduce us to the course and explain why reading is so important in a writing course. 

Next, read Ch. 9: Example, which will introduce us to our first rhetorical mode: exemplification. The first essay we write will be an exemplification essay, following the lead of David Sedaris in his essay, 
“Your English Is So Good.” 
 Download “Your English Is So Good.” 

Third, read 
“Your English is So Good” by David Sedaris 
 Download “Your English is So Good” by David Sedaris

and answer the discussion questions. 

Fourth, read Ch. 4: The Writing Process in Back to the Lake. 

Reading List, Week 1: 

Back to the Lake,  Chapter 1: Good Writers Are Good Readers

Back to the Lake,  Chapter 9: Example

David Sedaris, “Your English Is So Good” (The essay is not in the textbook; 
click this link to open a PDF copy
 Download click this link to open a PDF copy

.)

Back to the Lake,  Chapter 4: The Writing Process

In addition to your reading assignments, you must complete three discussion boards. These are an opportunity to “talk” about what you’ve read.

Next, read through the first essay assignment and start thinking about your essay. All of our essays in the course will be formatted in MLA format. For this first essay, since there’s no research, MLA format is pretty simple! 

Read the notes below and examine the sample first page below.  The first page of your essay should look exactly like the sample. 

Each week in this notes section, I will include which of these three learning objectives that the week’s assignments will move us toward.  For this week, we are working on: 

A. use rhetorical modes to develop ideas;

B. compose multi-paragraph essays using recognized patterns of development

At the end of this course, you should be able to do three things: 

A. use rhetorical modes to develop ideas;

B. compose multi-paragraph essays using recognized patterns of development; and

C. demonstrate library research skills.

MLA Notes

All of your essays in the course must be typed and in MLA format.  You can find a sample essay with MLA guidelines starting in the Little Seagull Handbook. (Note: You do not need a title page for any of your essays.)  I have also included a checklist in the module that lists MLA guidelines, and you can easily find online resources that give you even more examples.  Here are some guidelines and a sample first page:  

Go to the Little Seagull Handbook. Under the Table of Contents in the left-hand side of the page, click “MLA Style,” then “MLA-e Sample Research Paper.” Your first page should look exactly like this first page!  

General Guidelines

· Type your paper on a computer using a program such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs. 

· Double-space the text of your paper, and use Times New Roman or Calibri font. The font size should be 12 pt.  (Do not try and use a bigger font size to make your essay longer!)  

· Leave only one space after periods or other punctuation marks.

· Set the margins of your document to 1 inch on all sides. (This should be the default.) 

· Indent each of your paragraphs, including the introduction paragraph, by hitting the TAB key once. 

· Create a header that numbers all pages consecutively in the upper right-hand corner, one-half inch from the top and flush with the right margin. 

· Use italics when necessary, but never use bold font or ALL CAPS. 

Formatting the First Page of Your Paper

· Do not make a title page for your essay.

· In the upper left-hand corner of the first page, list your name, your instructor’s name, the course, and the date. Again, be sure to use double-spaced text. This information must be in this order. 

· Double space again and center the title. Do not skip any extra lines between the heading and the title, or between the title and the body of the essay.  Do not underline, italicize, or place your title in quotation marks; write the title in Title Case (standard capitalization), not in all capital letters.

· Double space between the title and the first line of the text, but do not skip any additional lines. 

· Create a header in the upper right-hand corner that includes your last name, followed by a space with a page number; number all pages consecutively with Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, 4, etc.), one-half inch from the top and flush with the right margin.

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