CM107Week 8 Seminar

Instructor: Julie O’Connor-Colvin

Let’s Get Started!

Tonight’s Agenda▫Last Seminar announcement▫Unit 8 Learning Activities Review▫Unit 9 Preview

Final Project Requirements▫Revision and Editing Tips

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Announcement: Unit 9 Seminar optional Q&A hour

Tonight is your last required seminar.

Final Project is due next Tuesday, July 17. This is just a few hours after our schedule Unit 9 seminar time which means most projects will already be submitted.

I will be here in the seminar space during our seminar hour to answer any questions about the Final Project. You do not need to come to seminar; everyone will earn full credit for the Unit 9 Seminar.

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1.Read Unit Overview 2.Read Unit 8 Readings includes a hyperlink to:

KU Writing Center resources on introductions and conclusions

KU Writing Center resources on revision strategies

3.Grammar Review Topic: avoiding commonly confused words

4.Complete Unit 8 Discussion Board Responses (40 points)

5.Seminar-live or option #2 (10 points) 6.Complete Journal 8 (10 points)7.Grammar Post-Test (50 points) 4

Unit 8 WorkDUE: Tuesday, July 10 by midnight

1. Read Unit Overview 2. Read Unit 9 Readings

▫Chapters 21 and 26 in The Kaplan Guide to Effective Writing

▫Hyperlinks to 4 resources on editing strategies

3. Complete Unit 9 Discussion Board Responses (40 points)

4. Seminar-live or option #2 (10 points) 5. Unit 9 Project-Final Project (200 points)

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Unit 9 WorkDUE: Tuesday, July 17 by midnight

Unit 9 Discussion BoardPart One: After reviewing Chapters 21 and 26 of The Kaplan Guide to Effective Writing, select one of the sample essays in either chapter and write a brief paragraph in which you explore what you think is effective (or ineffective) in the thesis, development, grammar, and use of sources in this essay. How might reading this sample essay help you with making final revisions on your Final Project essay?

Part Two: Select two or three sentences from your Final Project essay draft that need editing. Post the original sentences and then your revision of these sentences. What strategy did you use to edit these sentences? What did you specifically correct and why is the revised version of these sentences more effective than the original version?

Unit 9 Project Directions Review

Final Project- DUE JULY 17Formal academic research essay of around 750-850 words in which you serve as a mentor and share your knowledge with someone who needs your help.

Your Final Project essay should meet the following guidelines:1.It must be an essay of between 750-850 words. 2.It must be informative, rather than persuasive in nature.3.It must have a clear introduction and conclusion.4.It must have a clear thesis that limits the topic and establishes the essay’s main point.5.It must develop the thesis with a combination of original thought and resource material.6.It must use at least three reliable sources appropriately; source material should be used to develop the writer’s ideas, rather than becoming the focus of the paper. At least one of those sources must be from the Kaplan University Library. 7.It must avoid unreliable sources or sources inappropriate for an academic essay, including but not limited to Wikipedia.8.Source material, whether it is quoted or paraphrased, must be given appropriate credit, including in text citations and a citation in the reference page.9.It must follow APA format requirements, including an appropriately formatted title page, 12 point Times New Roman font, double spaced paragraphs and one inch margins.10.It should be written with an appropriate level of formality, avoiding first and second person.

The Final Project directions state that you can either write to:1. a group of people who have a particular problem that

someone in your field of study might be facing, for the purpose of motivating this group of people to overcome this particular problem

2. people who are themselves just entering the field you are studying but who are facing a dilemma and who need your guidance and knowledge to help them with dealing with this issue.

Thesis examples:1)Parents of elementary school children struggling with obesity can help their children reach healthy weights by getting children involved with planning a healthy weekly dinner menu, participating in physical activity with their children, and setting limits on sedentary indoor activity for their children. 2)2) Nutritionists can help fight childhood obesity by establishing nutrition education partnerships with local elementary schools, community centers, and pediatric offices.

Final Project- DUE JULY 17Thesis

Introduction Paragraph must include:1.Sentence(s) which gets the reader interested with an enticing lead or hook2.Sentences that provide relevant background information needed to understand the thesis3.Thesis sentence – last sentence of introduction which states main point including key pointsBody Paragraphs (2-4 paragraphs) must include:1.Topic sentence – First sentence which states main point of body paragraph. Must explicitly connect to one thesis key point. 2.Supporting sentences - Four or five supporting details that explain, develop, and support your topic and thesis sentences. Your research should be cited here. 3. Closing sentence - Sums up the paragraph content and transitions into next paragraph. Conclusion Paragraph must include: 1.Restatement of thesis2.Sentences that provide overall connections between essay main points3.Sentence(s) which give sense of closure to essay & keep readers engaged with topic

Final Project- DUE JULY 17Paragraphs

Final Project- DUE JULY 17RubricA (180-200 points

Essay has a thoughtful main point or thesis and a clear audience and purpose.

Project demonstrates substantial revision of the Unit 6 Project.

Paragraphs are effectively organized and include effective transition devices.

The introduction hooks the reader and the conclusion effectively draws the essay to a close

Ideas are developed thoroughly and effectively

Sentence structure is strong and sentences have complexity and variety.

Grammar and mechanics demonstrate superior control of the elements of Standard edited American English, although some minor errors may be present.

Meets source requirements and insightfully incorporates well-chosen sources, while still demonstrating original thought.

All source information is given credit through both in text citations and an appropriately formatted References page.

Demonstrates APA formatting.

Meets length requirements.

What is next for your Final Project?• Hopefully you followed my suggestions and completed

Global Revisions (thesis clarification, re-organization, content changes) of you’re the essay draft you created for the Unit 6 Project. ▫ I HIGHLY recommend using the Post-Draft Outline

strategy explained last week if you haven’t already done so!

• Now, it’s time to work on EDITING.

• Now is the time to use what you have learned for all the grammar reviews included in this course!

EDITING

•Remember that editing is the FINAL step. If you have worked on avoiding editing while drafting and revising ideas, that is EXCELLENT. Many people edit while they write, but that is not productive. In fact, it slows the thinking process down and shifts your focus away from ideas.

•Editing is about sentences, not the bigger picture, and it should be done once the bigger picture is taken care of.

EDITING STRATEGIES•SPELL CHECK/GRAMMAR CHECK. Spell

Check is a start, but it won’t tell you to use their rather than there. Grammar Check is notoriously wrong. It will even create grammar errors.

▫SO, how do you edit, then, if Grammar Check isn’t good enough and if you are not a grammar expert?

Try strategies like DIRECTED EDITING and REVERSE EDITING

DIRECTED EDITINGWe are creatures of habit. If we have problems with fragments in one essay, chances are, we will have them in another. Directed editing allows us to use our previous writing experiences as a guide for our editing.

•Look back at your unit 3 and unit 6 projects. Make a list of any grammar and punctuation errors your instructor has noted.

•Review your draft for THOSE errors only, rather than just reading through and HOPING to find errors.

▫ If you have problems with fragments, read each sentence for that issue. Is each sentence a complete sentence?

•Don’t rely on old wives’ tales like “put a comma in each time you pause when you read out loud.” They do not work. Use your KNOWLEDGE you have learned through the Writing Center videos and workshops to help you to apply RULES of grammar and punctuation.

•WHAT ERRORS do you know you have trouble with? How will you look for them and correct them?

REVERSE EDITINGReverse editing allows you to isolate each sentence, rather than reading them in context. If you read each sentence in isolation, you read what is there.

•Open your paper to the last page. Look for the last sentence. Read it and it alone out loud. Listen to what you hear. This may be the best technique around for finding fragments and run on sentences and comma splice errors.

•In isolation, you can tell is ideas are clear.

•Once you read that sentence and correct any errors, move up to the next sentence. Repeat until you read the whole paper.

•Try this with your paper. If you can find 1, 2 or 3 errors even, that would be 1, 2 or 3 errors that your reader is not distracted by.

OTHER EDITING STRATEGIES?

How do you edit?

•Reading out loud?•Printing the paper and reading it away from the computer?•Having other people read it and point out errors?

Remember, you are VERY close to and familiar with each and every sentence at this point, so you may not be objective. Getting others’ opinions is helpful!

FIELD TRIPReview the SAMPLE UNIT 9 PROJECT in our course now.

Read the Unit 9 Project sample now. Post your responses to the four questions below after you have read the project sample:

Notice that many of the comments included in this sample offer links to help you with proper formatting, content, and grammar.

1. Is there a specific comment that you this is most helpful?Carefully review the thesis and topic sentences.

2. Do you think the thesis is effective? Why or why not?3. Do you think the topic sentence is effective? Why or why not?

This project sample is meant to help you create an effective Final Project.

4. Describe at least one revision you plan to make in your essay after looking at this sample.

Final Project- DUE JULY 17Final Reminders

The final project must be submitted on time. NO late final projects will be accepted. They are due by the END of unit 9.

Review the project instructions again.

Review the project rubric.

Focus on the A grade in the rubric. If you know what is expected, then you can make that happen.

General questions?

Remember, next week’s seminar is an optional q & a session. There is no seminar in unit 10.

You will PUBLISH your final project in unit 10 DB and let everyone see what a great job you have done.

CONGRATULATIONS & GOODNIGHT!