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Writing patterns

Writing patterns

Sentence openers/Dressing up sentences

1. Subject opener. 

The dog chased the cat.t

2. Prepositional - "positional"

Example: 
Inside the yard, the dog chased the cat.
Yesterday, the dog chased the cat. (position in time)
According to the neighbor, the dog chased the cat.

other prepositions: among, after, beside, below, against, 
across, according to, regarding,

3. -ly  (adverbs)

Normally, the dog chases the cat.

Ocassionaly, the dog chases the cat.

4. -ing,  (gerand)

Skiing is a fun activity.
Farming as a hard job.
Chasing the cat around the yard, the dog became exhausted.

5. Adverbial clause - when, where, while, as, since, if, although

When the gates opened, the dog chased the cat.
Where the fence opened to the yard, the dog chased the cat.
While I was looking out the window, the dog chased the cat.
Although the dog was old, it chased the cat.


6. strong verbs

"weak" verbs: is, was, were, am (to be verbs)

Sentence opener ideas

<Noun> can be learned...
<Noun> taught me
<Noun> taught us...
<Plurals> with...  e.g. Managers with 
definition: <Noun> is...
A few years ago...
And it...
And even if...
As a...
As this unfolded...
As you'll see...
As we'll see..
Although x is ...
Always on the run...
Anyone who...
Because...
Before this failure...
Before I start...
Being...
But even if...
But because...
By contrast...
By way of example...
Consequently...
Consider...
Depending on..
Day in and day out...
Everyone seems...
Even if...
Feeling like..
Forget the fact...
For all...
Finally
Following <noun> ...
Furthermore...
Getting to the point...
Getting back to...
Going with that line of thinking...
Going with that idea..
However,
However, because <noun> ...
Here is...
Here's what <noun> <verb>
Here's how...
In that sense...
In that light...
In a way...
In contrast...
It's not a stretch...
It seems
It was...
Let's go back...
Let us consider
My work...
My time...
My experience...
Over time...
On the contrary...
On the other hand...
Put another way...
Please consider...
When x was 
Whoever...
Inevitably, things ...
In that sense...
In other words...
In the unlikely event/case...
If you imagine...
If you look closely...
If you <verb>
It's not a stretch...
It seems
It was...
It wasn't until...
Runnning away...
So, when..
So, I ...
Still, when ...
Still, it is ...
Thanks to ...
The measure...
The test...
The times..
That is...
That doesn't...
That does...
That made sense...
There were times that..
There was a sens...
Think back...
Think about it...
This <noun> <verb>
This pattern of...
This experience changed..
This product incorporated...
Today <noun> <verb>
Those moments...
Those times...
Throughout my...
The x was
The point
The fact
Thus...
Thus <noun> <verb>
Unpredictably...
When I was...
When I <verb>...

Describing graphs

This graph represents
THis graph shows...
To read the graph,

Lists

In addition to...
Besides...
Countless times...
Among the...
The following...
For the following reasons...
First and foremost...
The most important...
The least important...
Another aspect...
Finally,
Lastly,
None of this..
In conclusion...

Drucker

After this had been going on for a year..
But even...
It is not...
During the hour and the half I was in the offfice...
During the meeting...

Django Book

Because...
Later, in Chapter 12...
Django itself...
The core...
If your' not sure..
At any given time
Official releases...
Here's how...
Django uses...
Git is a free open source..
WHen using the development version...

To grab the latest Django, follow these steps:
1. Make sure...
2. Clone...
3. Locate...
4. Within the the sites-packages directory, create...
5. Place...

After downloading...
Because Django code changes...

Finally, if you use the dev version, you should know...

For some post-installation feedback...

The Python interactive...

Throughout this book...
Multiline statements are padded...
Those three dots...
topic:Setting up a Database
At this point...
Django supports four database engines...
If you just want to start playing with Django...
For the most part, all the engines...
Setting up the database is a two-step process...
If you're playing around with Django and dont wan't...

topic: Starting a project
Once you've install python...
A project is a collection..
If this is your first time, you'll have to take care of some initial setup.

Time

After...
At the time..
As time went by...
As <noun> <verb>...
During the...
As this unfolded...
In the old days...
In looking back...
It never occurred...
It never...
In the middle of...
After this...
Before <noun>  e.g. Before people...
Sometimes...
Those times...
Throughout...
The times...
Every time...
Almost always...
Looking back...
When I first...

Conference talk summary

source: http://pyvideo.org/category/52/pyohio-2014
Have you ever...
The x is an <adjective> 
This talk will explain...
Recent statistics show..
Not all data is numeric...
Before you...

Questions

Who was responsible for...
Who started...
Who stopped...
Who prevented...
Who ended...
Who changed...
Who lead...

What if <noun> <verb>
What if <plural> <verb>
What does x mean...
What does x do...
What is the relationship between x and y...

When did x start..
When did x stop..
When did x change...
Whene did x happen...

How does x work
How do you add...
How do you subtract...
How do you start...
How do you stop...
How do you change...
How do you reverse...
How do you undo...
How do you transform...
How do you increase...
How do you decrease...
How do you improve...
How does <x> and <y> work together...
How did...

Why is it that...
Why do people do this...
Why do <plural> do this..

If you're stuck...

You can use the following techniques to warmup or generate content:
* Socratic method
* Dear XYZ,
* Write about how you are feeling or something you dislike
* Write what you did earlier
* Write a prediction
* Start with a word

More here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1NAqYYPL_f_L7H3Ak-a_BP-RaZo1nrMVMtwDOYSk0BF0/edit#gid=0

Narrowing the thesis

General Subject Limited Subject Thesis
Marriage Honeymoon A honeymoon is perhaps the worst way to begin a marriage.
Family Older sister My older sister helped me overcome my shyness.
Television TV preachers TV evangelists use sales techniques to promote their messages.
Children Disciplining children My husband and I have several effective ways of disciplining our children.
Sports Players' salaries Players' high salaries are bad for the game, for the fans, and for the values our children are developing.

Thesis approaches

Purpose Thesis
To analyze A home energy audit revealed that we can reduce home heating costs by $500 a year.
To explain a cause Our home heating costs were high because of poor insulation, drafty windows, and an inefficient furnance.
To contrast Homes using passive solar energy have lower heating bills than others.
To explain an effect Higher heating costs have made architects designe more energy-efficient homes.
To explain a process Lowering home heating costs is easy if one follows three basic steps.
To offer a solution People who on older homes should have an energy audit to find ways to reduce heating costs.
To classify Heating costs can be reduced by using fossil-fuel alternatives: solar, wind, and geothermal.
To explain advantages Reducing heating costs not only saves money, but it also increases the value of a home and helps the environment.
To explain disadvantages Installing solar panels will reduce heating costs, but they are unsightly and expensive.
To convince Every house should be required to install solar panels because they reduce costs and are good for the environment.
To evaluate The Spider-Man movie is worth watching because it has great acting, good writing, and amazing special-effects.

Evaluation paper

The purpose of the evaluation essay is to demonstrate the overall quality (or lack thereof) of a particular product, business, place, service or program. The tone should not be opinionated but rather factual.

You need 3 things to write an evaluation:

  • Criteria - establish the ideal of what the item should be
  • Evaluation - compare your ideal with the subject at hand
  • Evidence - provide evidence for the comparison

Example evaluation thesis - The Simpsons

a.As a brilliantly aware satire, Matt Groening’s The Simpsons has effectively stirred different emotions from different factions of the culturally deadened American populace, and for this alone, it should be recognized as “quality programming.”

b.At a time when it seems that society is being destroyed by its own designs, it is good to be able to hold up a mirror that shows us the extent of our problems. Neither escapist nor preachy, The Simpsons provides such a satiric mirror, a metaphoric reflection of our dissolving social foundation. More than that, The Simpsons is therapeutic: to be able to laugh in the face of such problems is the ultimate catharsis.

Example evaluation thesis - Poltergeist

a.With its characters, music, and special effects, and its clearly distinguished boundaries of belief, Poltergeist is able to capture its audience with its unique thrills, allowing viewers to link their most inner-locked fears to those on the screen. Poltergeist: It knows what scares you!

b.At first and final glance, Poltergeist is simply a riveting demonstration of a movie’s power to terrify. It creates honest thrills within the confines of a PG rating, reaching for shock effects and the forced suspension of disbelief throughout the movie.

c.Unlike most horror flicks, Poltergeist works! Its success is due to excellent characters, music, and special effects -- and to the fact that the story stays within the bounds of believability.

source: http://webs.anokaramsey.edu/stankey/Writing/Evaluate/SampThes.htm https://www.aims.edu/student/online-writing-lab/understanding-writing/evaluation.php

Expository paper

The purpose of the expository essay is to inform, describe, explain, or define the author's subject to the reader. The expository essay is a general type of essay that includes how-to (or process), classification, definition, cause and effect, and compare and contrast essays.

source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhetorical_modes#Exposition

source: https://www.kibin.com/essay-writing-blog/17-expository-essay-topics/

Thesis examples

claim + point 1 + point 2 + point 3.
The claim should be an independent clause.

Example A - Argumentative/Persuasive

Cell phones belong in school because they save lives, 
serve as learning tools, and can teach teenagers responsibility.

Example B - Argumentative/Persuasive

High schools should adopt uniform policies because they decrease
bullying, parentail financial pressure, and school distractions.

or moving the independent clause:

Because they decrease bullying, parental financial pressure,
and school distractions.


Example 1 - Argumentative

In its quest to reduce motor vehicle accidents and casualties,
the British Columbia government has introduced stringent requirements
for new drivers.
While many applaud the new relus as a step toward reducing the carnage
on our rodas, many others argue that the new relus are unfair and unnecessary.
By examining the transportation needs of young people, the 
issue of individual responsibility, the costs of driving education, and the 
accident rates for various age groups, we will see that these new driving
regulations are indeed unwarranted and need to be modified.

Example 2 - Argumentative

When a cell phone goes off in a classroom or at a concert,
we are irritated, but at least our lives are not endangered.
When we are on the road, however, irresponsible users are more
than irritating: They are putting our lives at risk.
Many of us have witnessed drives so distracted by dialing
and chatting that they resemble drunk drivers, weaving between
lanes, for example, or nearly running down pedestrians in crosswalks.
A number of bills to regulate use of cell phones on the road have
been introduced in state legislatures, and the time has come 
to push for their passage. Regulation are needed because
drivers who use phones are seriously impaired and laws
on negligent and reckless driving are not sufficient to
punish offenders.

Example 3 - Literary

Poor: Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn is a great American novel

Better: Through its contrasting river and shore scenes, 
Twain’s Huckleberry Finn suggests that to find the true expression
of American ideals, one must leave civilized society and go 
back to nature.

Example 4 - Literary - approaching the literature's structure 

In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain uses the river 
journey to illustrate Huck's increasing awareness of the moral 
hypocrisy in the "civilized" South.

Example 5 - Literary - appoarching the literature's imagery

The fate of the main characters in Antigone illustrates the danger 
of excessive pride. The imagery in Dylan Thomas's poem "Fern Hill" 
reveals the ambiguity of humans' relationship with nature.

Example 6 - Literary

Poor: Edgar Allen Poe's work was affected greatly by the current 
events of his life, covering his family life, his childhood, and 
his career; these events changed the style and subject of his works.

*What's wrong with this thesis statement?
*More questions than answers:  which works will be explored? 
What current events?  What childhood or career events? 
How did Poe's style change and WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?


Example 7 - Expository/Informative essay

THe Boston Tea Party was a significant act of civil disobedience
that galvanazied Americans around the issue of taxation without
representation and helped spark the Revolutionary War.

Example 7b - expository essay

The invention of the steam engine changed the landscape
of America, allowing people to travel further than they 
ever had before and speeding the settlement of the frontier.


Example 8 - narrative

Love has changed my whole life and made a better person out of me.
 
Example 9 - narrative

My family gives me the inspiration throughout my life.

sources:
http://www.custom-essays.org/narrative_essay/thesis_statement.html


Narrative introduction examples

“A Son Returns to the Agony of Somalia” by K’Naan from The New York Times
One has to be careful about stories. Especially true ones.
When a story is told the first time, it can find a place
in the listener’s heart. If the same story is told over and over,
it becomes less like a presence in that chest and more like an X-ray of it.

The beating heart of my story is this: I was born in Mogadishu, Somalia.
I had a brief but beautiful childhood filled with poetry from renowned 
relatives. Then came a bloody end to it, a lesson in life as a Somali: 
death approaching from the distance, walking into our lives in an experienced stroll.

**********************************************

“It Beat Me Up and Ran Away” by Anonymous
No one seemed to notice the pool of blood forming at my feet. 
It was two o’clock, Ms. Fernandez was talking about indirect 
object pronouns, and there was a knife in my stomach. 
It was right above my belly button, this knife, and it sat there,
an ache resonating through my body, until it yanked itself out 
and thrust into another part of my abdomen. I winced and dropped 
the pencil as the knife entered. Ms. Fernandez continued to 
discuss proper Spanish grammar.

**********************************************

“Momento Mori” by David Sedaris
For the past ten years or so, I’ve made it a habit to carry a 
small notebook in my front pocket. The model I favor is called 
the Europa, and I pull it out an average of ten times a day, 
jotting down grocery lists, observations, and little thoughts 
on how to make money, or torment people. The last page is always
reserved for phone numbers, and the second to last I use for 
gift ideas. These are not things I might give to other people, 
but things that they might give to me: a shoehorn,
for instance—always wanted one. The same goes for a
pencil case, which, on the low end, probably costs no more than a doughnut.


Conclusion

Example 1 - Narrative 

Reflection:
. . . I wished that he had been beside me so that I could have searched 
his face for the answers which only the future would give me now.

Reflection 2
What I believe is this: That pinch was entry into our childhood;
my arm around him, our smiling, is the proof of us two surfacing,
alive but not unscathed. And here are my own two boys, already embarked.

Action 1
But since, short of diving in after him, there was nothing I could do, I walked away.

source:
https://writingcenterunderground.wordpress.com/2012/04/11/in-conclusion-tips-to-create-a-memorable-ending-for-your-narrative-essay-2/

Argumentative Essay Example


A University in Every Town

The Turkish government is planning to open 15 new universities
in developing provinces of Turkey. The is a response to pressure
coming from local MPs who in turn voice the demands of their
constituencies. However, while the already existing 85
universities are wrestling with the financial and academic
difficulties, it does not seem to be a good idea to add new 
universities to the sytom of higher education.

First of all, the new universities will experience staffing problems.
That is, they will have difficulty finding faculty that is 
qualified to teach in these budding universities. In our country
the number of academicians who meet the academic requirements
is limited. New universities will have two choices: 
either to draw from the existing pool or to employ under qualified people.
To attract those instructors from other universities they will have 
ot offer attractive incentives. However, sinec these will be state 
universities they will not have the necessary fund and moste 
academics will be unwilling to go to small town universities
where academic and life  standards are below par. The only venue open 
to these universities will be to employ local professionals or under
qualified instructors. The inevitable result will follow:
a  drop in the quality of education.

In addition to recruitment problems, small town universities will 
have financial difficulties. The funds allocated to them by the state
will not be enough to build from scratch all the facilities that make a 
university a "real university." A university
is more than a few classrooms. Students will need dorms, gyms,
cafeterias, sports, facilities, labs and computers for their 
academic and social development. How man new universities can
claim to have only a few of these facilities on their campuses?
The result will be a small town "university" which consists of
a sol building that houses classrooms and offices, and 
nothing more.

It is argued that the establishment of a university in a developing
town will contribute to the development of local culture,
community and economy. However, if a university is wrestling with staff
recruitment problems, or if it cannot solve its financial
difficulties it means that in cannot be of any help to the local
community or economy either. It will only employ a few locals,
provide substandard education to a few local youth, and it will
not fulfill the aim for which it was initially established.

Universities are institutions of higher education and they need 
to provide education to satisfy certain standards. In order
to provide such quality education they need to have qualified
teachers and must provide minimum social and academic facilities.
Since funds are limited, we should raise the standard of our existing
universities first. Only after that, should we invest in establishing
new ones.

Components of an argument

  • The Premise - the "because" portion of an argument
  • The Conclusion/Proposition - the logical ending of a premise or the correct interpretation of the premises

Example: Because testosterone is a natural steroid and men have more of it, men are bigger than women.

Another way to say it: Men are bigger than women because they have more testosterone which is a natural steroid.

Example: Because all men are mortal and socrates is a man, Socrates is Mortal.

Another way to say it: Socrates is mortal because he is a man and all men are mortal.

Argumentative Essay Pattern

Model 1:

  • Introduction
  • Strongest argument
  • Weakest argument
  • Second strongest argument at the end, and a transition to the other side
  • The other side
  • Conclusion

Model 2:

  • Introduction
  • The other side, then your side, then transition back to
  • The other side, then your weakest point, and a transition back to
  • The other side, then your strongest point at the end
  • Conclusion

Model 3:

  • Introduction
  • The other side, plus a transition back to your side
  • Your second strongest argument
  • Your weakest argument, in the middle
  • Your strongest argument at the end
  • Conclusion

Argumentative Strategies (Rhetorical Strategies)

Rhetorical strategy Example
Generalization (inductive-small to large) Fair trade agreements have raised the quality of life for coffee producers, so fair trade agreements could be used to help other farmers as well.
Generalization (deductive-large to small) Genetically modified seeds have caused poverty, hunger, and a decline in bio-diversity everywhere they have been introduced, so there is no reason the same thing will not occur when genetically modified corn seeds are introduced in Mexico.
Appeal to authority (character, credibility) Doctors all over the world reccomend this type of treament.
Appeal to emotion Where would we be without this tradition? Ever since our forefathers landed at Plymouth Rock, we've celebrated Thanksgiving without fail, making more than cherished recipes: we've made memories.

More resources: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/588/04/

http://www.don-lindsay-archive.org/skeptic/arguments.html

http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-ethos-logos-and-pathos.html

http://web.clark.edu/martpe/writing_strong_argument_papers.htm

Checking if your arguments are weak

  • Are you generalizing without sufficient data?

  • Are you stereotyping? Are your analogies, (similarities between 2 things), based on things that are truly similar?

  • Are you sure that your causes and effects are really causes and effects, and are not related to something else instead?

  • Do you have enough options? Not much is really either one thing or another. There are usually other choices.

  • Do your conclusions follow your arguments logically?

  • Are you overusing emotions?

THESIS STATEMENT GUIDELINES

1)The thesis should commit the writer to a single line of argument

Poor: The Roman theater was inspride by the Greek theater, which it imitated, and eventually
the Romans produced great plays in their theatrons, such as those by Plautus, who was 
the best Roman comic writer beacuse of his robustness and inventiveness.

Better: Beacuse of his robust language and novel comic plots, Titus Maccicus Plautus
can be consider the best Roman comic playwright; his plays are still successfully
staged today.


2)The thesis should not be worded in figurative language

Poor: Henry James is the Frank Lloyd Wright of the American novel.

Better: The novels of Heny Jame have internal consistence because fo the way
he unifies his themes, patterns his episod, and orders his images.


3)The thesis should not be worded vaguely

Poor: Cigarette smoking wreaks havoc on the body.

Better: Cigarette smaking harms the body by constricting the blood vessels,
accelarting the heartbet, paralyizg the cilia in the bronchial tubes,
and activating excessing gastric secretions in the stomach.

4)The thesis should not be workd as a question

Poor: Who makes the key decisions in U.S. cities?

Better: Key decisions in large U.S. cities are
made by a handful of individuals, drawn largely from business, industrial,
and municipal circles, who occupy the top of the power hiearchy.

5)The thesis should be concise as possible

Poor: Despite the fact that extensive time consumed by television
distracts from homework, competes with schooling more generally,
and has contributed to the decline in the SAT averages, television
related forms of communication give the future of learning its largest
promise, the most constructive approach being less dependet on limitng
the uses of these processes than on the willingness of the community
and the family to exercise the responsibiliy what is taught and 
learned this way as they have exercised with respect to older
forms of education.


Better: While numerous studies acknowledge that the extensive time spent
by students watching television has contributed to the decline in
the Scholastic Aptitude Test Scores, leading educators are convinced
that television holds immense promise for the future of learning,
provided that the family and the community prudently monitor its use.

PIE Technique - Body paragraphs tips


P: Point/topic of paragraph. You should be able to read this 
sentence and know what the paragraph is about. Make a point worth making.

I: Illustration. This should be your quote or your sources information.
Give some evidence for how you know it

E: Explain. Explain how the quote relates/why it matters to your topic 
and expand on it.  This part should be a couple sentences. 
Explain how the evidence makes the point.

or, PEE
Point
Evidence
Explain

source: https://www.reddit.com/r/LifeProTips/comments/136zs4/lpt_another_way_to_write_fast_wellconstructed/

Jane Shaffer Technique for body paragraph

Topic Sentence
Detail
Commentary
Detail
Commentary
Closing Sentence

Example:
There are three reasons why Canada is one of the best countries in the world. 
First, Canada has an excellent health care system. All Canadians have access 
to medical services at a reasonable price. Second, Canada has a high standard 
of education. Students are taught by well-trained teachers and are encouraged
to continue studying at university. Finally, Canada's cities are clean and 
efficiently managed. Canadian cities have many parks and lots of space for 
people to live. As a result, Canada is a desirable place to live.

OUTLINE IDEAS

TYPES OF OUTLINES:
- Topic Outline. Useful for outlining relatively simple subjects
- Sentence Outline. Useful for complex subjects, the detailed entries give good overview of the paper.
- Paragraph outline. Not recommended for ordinary college papers.

Topic Outline Example
--------------------
Thesis: After six decades of being judged a demoniacal libertine, Rasputin
now deserves to be views from another point of view -- as a man who was intennsely
religious, who passionatily desired peach, and who was deeply devot to his family and friends.

I. The ambiguity of the real Rasputin
   A. His birth
   B. Popular Historical view
     1. His supporters
     2. His detractors

II. Rasputin's religious feelings
   A. His rich nature and exuberant vitality
   B. His simple peason faith

III. Rasputin's desire for peach in Russia
   A. His concern for the Russian underdog
      1. His loyalty to the peasantry
      2. His opposition to the anti-Semitism
   B. His opposition to all wars

IV. Rasputin's gently, compassionate side
    A. His kindness to the Romanovs
    B. His love for family


Sentence outline example
----------------------
Thesis: same as above.

I. The real Rasputin is difficult to discover
  A. The birth of Rasputin coincided with a "shooting star"
  B. The popular historical view of Rasputin portrays him as primarily evil
     1. Supporters called him a spiritual leader
     2. Detractors calledm him a satyr and charged that his depraved faithful
        were merely in awe of his sexual endowments

II. Rasputin had intense religious feelings.
   A. He had a rich nature and exuberant vitality
   B. He had a simple peasant faith in God

III. Rasputin's passionate desire for peace in Russia
   A. He was concerned for the Russian underdog.
      1. He wanted a Tsar for who would standy mainly for the peasantry.
      2. He spoke out boldly against anti-Semitism
   B. Because of his humanitarian spirit, he was opposed to all wars
   
IV. Rasputin had a gentle, compassionat side.
   A. He showed great kindness to the Romanovs
   B. Maria Rasputin tell of her father's love for his family


Paragraph outline example
-------------------------
Thesis: same as above.

I. Rasputin himself always attached great significant to the fact that at the time
of his birth, a shooting star was seen streaking across the horizon. He saw this 
phenomenon as an omen that he was fated to have influence and special powers.
The popular historical view of Rasputin points him primarily as evil. In his day,
however, he attracted numerous supporters who viewd him as their spiritual leader.
But he also had many detractors who called him a satyr and accused his 
followers of sexual depravity.

II. Rasputin had intense religious feelings. He was so filled with exuberance and vitality
that he could stay awake untel the early hours of the morning, dancing and drinking in
frenzied religious fervor. He did not have the theology of a sophisticated cleric, but 
rather he expressed his religion in simple terms of a Russian peasant.

III. Rasputin's passionate desire for peace in Russia revealed itself in several ways.
For instance, he was concerend for such Russian underdogs as the peasant and the Jews,
always encouragi the Tsar to protect these unfortunate groups. Also, his humanitarian
and pacifist nature made him a determined opponent of all wars.

IV. Rasputin had a gentle, compassionate side. He was completely devoted to the Tsar's
family and was know to have had a calming influence on the hemophiliac son of the Tsar.
Maria Rasputin gives a glowing report of her father's kindness and love.

Using quotes

I.R.E. / IRE

Introduce - if quoting fiction, summarize the context. 
      otherwise, answer "who or what" are you quoting
Reproduce - give your quote and try to integrate 
     it into a complete sentece so it r
Explain - why did you quote this? what is the interpretation?
     focus on explaining why the qouto supports your thesis.

Example:

As Laurel realizes what her father meant by this as she relays 
his explanation to her troop, and as she remembers that he did not
thank the Mennonites. Laural says she "suddenly knew there was 
something mean in the world that I could not stop." (Packer, 1995). 
While most of the other girls on the bus find humor and oddity in these
Mennonites, Laurel instead looks at the motivation of her father and 
learsn of the cyclical, useless nature of hatdre. Due to this new
understanding, Laurel proves to be a thoughtful character.

Signal phrases:
According to Smith, 
In the article "People Power", it says

Writing quotes

Bob snorted and said, “I don’t believe in zombies” - right before thirty of them emerged from the tunnel.

“Don’t underestimate me,” she said with a disarmingly friendly smile.

Her favorite song was “Gangnam Style”; she spent weeks trying to learn the dance.

She sang her favorite line from “I Don’t Want To Stop”: “You’re either in or in the way.”

Reynold asked, “Can we have ice cream for dinner?”

Mom snapped and shouted, “No, we cannot have ice cream for dinner!”

CONCLUSION GUIDELINES

You could 
1. Summarize main points
2. Suggest what a reader should do / Call to action. Good for argumentative papers.
3. End rather than stop


Call to action example
----------------------
We must stop promoting the myth that if a company hires a handicapped person to do a job
for which he or she is qualified insurance rates will skyrocket, job performance decline,
safety records be ruined, and work areas have to be redesigned to accomadate the outrageous
demands of the handicapped. Statistics clearly prove that handicapped job-seekers
deserve to be hired and that little difference exists in workplace performance
between handicapped and non-handicapped workers.

Example: "End rather than stop"

Poor: So, as you have read in this paper, the television footage of comabt was simply
inadequate.

Better: Because time constraints allowed only a tiny part of the action associated with 
combat in Vietnam to be aired on television; because the mechanics of television reporting 
(need for camera, sound equipment, film) handicapped field reporting; and because Americans
refused to watch scenes depicting battlefield suffering, what Americans saw on television
during the Vietnam war was cinema, not reality.

Prepositions List

aboard concerning opposite
about considering out
above despite out of
according to down outside
across during over
after except over to
against excepting past
along for prior
alongside from regarding
amid in save
among in addition to through
apart from in place of throughout
around in spite of til
at inside to
back of instead of together with
behind like under
below near underneath
beneath of until
besides on up
between on account of upon
beyond on behalf of with
by onto within, without

Adverbial clause

when, where, while, as, since, if, although

Transitions between paragraphs

First major point Linking transition Second major point Third main point
First of all, In addition to, A second reason why Finally
The first reason why Additionally, Another reason why Most importantly,
One of the reasons why In addition to A final reason why

Transitions

add information concluding transitions repeating information comparison contrasting/differences
also finally in fact as... as although
and in conclusion in other words in like manner but
another to conclude once again as if however
beside to sum up to put it another way like in contrast
first, second, third... A final reason to repeat by comparison in spite of
in addition likewise nevertheless
furthermore in comparison nonetheless
moreover similarly rather than
One reason for though
unlike
yet

More Transitions

time relationships limiting/preparing cause effect/result assert obvious truth/grant opposition
after so much time for example because as a result certainly
after that for instance because of consequently conceding that
at first to illustrate caused by for this/that reason granted that
before such as that is why in fact
beginning with, ending therefore naturally
eventually thus no doubt
earlier of course
even when undoubtedly
ever since without a doubt
following
from then on
from, to
in time
last
later
meanwhile
near, far
next
now
over
soon
still
the next day, night
then
while

More transitions:

http://www.smart-words.org/linking-words/transition-words.html

Components of a sentence

Clause - has a noun and verb. can be main clause or subordinate clause
Conjunctions - and, or, but, yet, so, etc..
Prepositions - "position"
Transitions
Interjections
Interrupters - a word, phrase, or clause that breaks the flow of a sentence 

Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb

Grammar checklist


- recycle sentences
- run-on sentence (sayingtoo much)
- capitalization errors
- commas for prep. phrases
- quotes

- Organization:
 - thesis statement
 - topic sentence
 - closing sentence (not that
 important)
- follow PEE

- ESL:
 - articles
 - capitalization
 - pronouns

Literary Analysis

For literary analysis, you can break down the story into the following components:

  • Character
    • relationships (positive, negative, tension, needy?)
    • actions (slow, fast, nostalgic, fearful, assertive?)
    • physical appearance (vocabulary used by author)
    • dialog (vocabulary, outer, inner-dialog, tone?)
    • author's attitude about character (vocabulary used by author?)
  • Setting
    • mood (claustrophobic, bright, dark?)
    • pace (futuristic, past, present, future?)
  • Symbols
    • A symbol is an object that represents something other than itself
    • e.g. Godzilla represents the fear of nuclear destruction/war
    • e.g. Scarlet Letter represents shame and accusation
  • Themes
    • The theme or themes of the story is the lesson or takeaway from the story; it is an abstract idea
    • Google: "common literary themes"
  • Plot
    • The plot is just a laundry list of things that happened

Citations

When you use someone else's idea to support or bootstrap from, you should give credit to the source - that is why we use citations.

Formal citations are composed of three things:

  • Information
  • Punctuation
  • Formatting

Work on one at a time, so it will be easier for you to understand how the Works Cited page works.

Citations quick guide: http://library.triton.edu/citations Citations: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1qaTcZZz1QpdPI1vzaWqB4dVuSGUeij3Z8CQR21NKMpw/edit?usp=sharing

Missing APA information: http://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/2012/05/missing-pieces.html

In-text citation

Wordsworth stated that Romantic poetry was marked by a "spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings" (263). 

Romantic poetry is characterized by the "spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings" (Wordsworth 263).

Wordsworth extensively explored the role of emotion in the creative process (263).

We see so many global warming hotspots in North America likely because this region has "more readily accessible climatic data and more comprehensive programs to monitor and study environmental change ..." ("Impact of Global Warming" 6).

More examples: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/2/

Wordiness example

https://www.reddit.com/r/politics/comments/613ch7/im_jim_harper_vice_president_at_the_competitive/

Triton 095 and 096 Rubric

The following rubric describes what 095 and 096 teachers look for to place students to 101. The use this to see whether a student is ready for 101. Students who get 12 points or more are ready to go to 101. That means if students get 4 points for their Thesis and Development, they can get 2 in grammar and 2 in body paragraph and still be ready for 101 (?).

Note: if students have little time before deadline, focus on supporting details in body paragraphs.

4=101 3=096 2=095
Thesis Clear, parallel. Answers the prompt. Thesis is placed correctly Clear, parallel. Answers the prompt. Unclear Does not answer
Intro/conclusion Intro begins and narrows properly; conclusion restates thesis and ends properly. Intro might preview the thesis; conclusion might be missing an element Intro previews the thesis; conclusion does not exist.
Body paragraphs Clear topic sentence Paragraphs are mostly unified Transitions are properly used. Most topic sentences are are clear. Paragraphs are mostly unified. Transitions are used. Unclear topic sentences. No unified paragraphs
Development Supporting detail are ample and focused; uses logical examples/explanations. May need more supporting details; uses mostly logical examples/explanation. Not enough support; illogical examples
Grammar Few major and minor errors Many major and minor errors. Overwhelming

Common issues in papers

Source: Aja Gorham

095 096 101 102
Topic sentences Thesis statements Incorporating quotes Incorporating quotes
Relevant details Relevant examples with clearly explained details Including counter arguments Refuting counter points
Noun-verb agreement Pronouns, adjectives and adverbs Understanding rhetorical modes Using rhetorical strategies to persuade
Sentence structure/ punctuation Sentence structure/ punctuation Clarity, word choice and sentence structure Clarity, word choice and sentence structure

Descriptive vs. Narrative Writing

Narrative writing tells a story or part of a story.

Descriptive writing vividly portrays a person, place, or thing in such a way that the reader can visualize the topic and enter into the writer’s experience.

https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/3759/what-are-the-differences-between-narrative-and-descriptive-writing

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