Summers Honors
Where are we?
Why?
What are we doing?
Dr. J. Michael Rifenburg
Department of English
Where are we?
General education writing instruction
First-Year Composition
Harvard, late 19th century
97% of US schools, according to 2001 survey
usually 2 classes
English Departments
Why?
UNG: Area A1--Communication Skills
(unless you test out)
All majors write
Why?
Mathematicians writes
Why?
Engineers write
Why?
Physicists write
But?
The reason you might hate writing in literature class and consider yourself a math person?
All subjects use writing differently
because
all subjects think differently
Think about this
you might really dislike Ed Sheeran or Lil Baby or Beethoven
But just because you dislike pop, rap, or classical doesn't mean you dislike all music
Just because you struggle or succeed in literature writing, doesn't mean you hate all writing or love all writing
What are we doing?
All majors think different; therefore, all majors WRITE different
So....
In Area A1, we try to teach general writing skills applicable to other/future writing contexts
What are we doing?
So....
In first-year composition, we try to teach general writing skills applicable to other/future writing contexts
Just like musical terms cross all areas of music, so are there writing terms that cross all areas of writing
(rhythm, scale, timbre, sharp)
three points to consider
- exigence
- structure
- quote sandwich
- definitional argument
Unpacking Message
Exigence--matter & motivation for discourse
What is it about? Really about?
Why is it needed?
What is it trying to accomplish?
Structure
Intro--funnel from general to specific. Get to your point/argument/thesis. What do you want the reader to do/think/believe?
Body--bulk of paper focused on your specific argument
Conclusion--so what? What do you want you reader to do or think next?
Quote Sandwich
prepare the reader
provide the quote
talk about the quote
Example
In Orson Scott Card's 1985 science-fiction novel Ender's Game,
an unknown speaker offers the opening line: " 'I've watched through his eyes" (1).
With this vague opening line, Card signals foreshadows an important theme of the novel regarding leadership.
definitional argument
one way we argue: establish criteria, match up the criteria
Is Georgia Tech a good school?
What is a good school? [establish that criteria]
well-known chemical engineering professors
well-funded lab
new equipment
Greek life
football team
criteria?
well-known chemical engineering professors
well-funded lab
new equipment
Greek life
football team
Now, show GT meets these criteria
Ender's game
What is a good leader?
decide what 'good' means
decide criteria for 'leader'
find evidence and match it up