Week 12 Agenda [Tentative]

Monday, March 31st

• Peer Review Stage 4 Essay draft
• Homework
• revise Stage 4 essay draft
• due on Google Drive for instructor feedback on Friday, April 4th by 10pm
• print/bring Stage 5: Adapting Your Theory to a Public Audience to class for discussion on Wednesday

Wednesday, April 2nd

• Discuss Stage 5 handout
• Public Text Activity
• Homework
• continue revising your Stage 4 essay; due on Google Drive for instructor feedback on Friday, April 4th by 10pm
• Stage 5 Drawing/Description
• type a one-page, single-spaced description of your public text that also discusses who your public text will be for AND the overall purpose of your public text
• hand-draw a picture of your public text (color is ok, but not required)
• staple your picture ON TOP of your writing assignment
• bring drawing/description to class on Monday for discussion
• *IMPORTANT*: we will meet in ARHU 140 (Computer Lab) on Monday, 4/7 and Wednesday, 4/9

Structuring Your Stage 4 Essay

As discussed in class, there is no one way to present a theory. Your Stage 4 essay will give you the opportunity to share your unique theory about writing, reading and/or learning with your target audience. Overall, Stage 4 asks you to state your Stage 3 research question and interest in it; to discuss your primary/secondary research and findings; and ultimately to explain your own original theory about writing, reading, and/or learning.

In order to help you structure your essay in the best way possible, here is a schematic that explains each section of your Stage 4 essay, what you should consider in each section, and some questions to help you compose the best essay possible. In addition to the guidelines below, you should also study both of the Stage 4 Essay Samples available on our course blog in order to see how previous students have completed this assignment.

• Your Introductory Paragraphs
• Your title is part of your introduction, so don't forget to include a PERSUASIVE title
• In this section, your job is to compel your target audience to listen to what you have to say. There are various way to do this, such as by discussing your research question and interest in it. Another good tactic is to also include interesting facts or quotes that you have found as you have researched your topic. In my own experience, I have found that the inclusion of personal stories (that is, your own real-life stories) really help draw in readers. If your research revolves around procrastination, for example, you could include a personal anecdote of a time when you procrastinated and the repercussions for that behavior. Overall, your introduction should 1) draw in your reader and 2) state your thesis: the overall idea of your paper and your stance around that topic.  
• Your Middle Paragraphs
• The middle of your essay should provide your target audience with discussions surrounding the primary/secondary research you compiled for Stage 3. As the researcher and author, it will be your job to include the best primary/secondary research for your target audience, which means that you will have to decide what interviews, survey results, and secondary sources to include in order to best convince your audience that your original thesis is correct. This does not mean that you should not include those sources that do not agree with your original claims, but rather that you should confront these counterarguments, and discuss in your essay what the significance of these counterarguments means to your overall project.
• Don't think of this section as one long paragraph, but as multiple paragraphs. Reserve one paragraph for discussions surrounding primary research, another for secondary research, and also a paragraph where you compare/contrast all sources to each other.
• Remember to cite your sources both in-text and in your Works Cited page (see sample essays and blog post entitled "Common MLA Citations")
• Here are some questions you should also consider for this section: 
• Where did you get the information from and why?
• What did your sources have to offer to your overall topic?
• If some of your sources did not agree with you or with each other, what do these disagreements mean?
•  Overall, how/why are these sources important to proving your thesis statement right?
• Final paragraphs
• Your Conclusion
• Start by restating your question and/or thesis and your overall interest in your topic. 
• If you included an anecdote in your introduction, remind the reader of the impact of that experience and how it revolves around your overall topic
• Summarize the main observations you have made throughout your essay
• Finally, now that you have discussed your topic and research in your essay, what is your theory about writing, reading, and/or learning? What is the answer to your research question?

Common MLA Citations

Here is a list and examples of the most common citations you’ll be using moving forward. For further reference, feel free to use the links under the 'MLA Info & Links' section on the right side of our blog:

INTERVIEWS

Format:

Name of Person Interviewed. Kind of Interview (e.g., Personal interview or Telephone interview). Date.

Example:

Ury, Connie. Telephone interview. 2 Nov. 2002.

In-text:

(Ury)

SURVEYS

Format:

Person(s) who conducted the survey. Accurate Description of Group Surveyed and Topic of Survey. City: Location, Date of survey. Medium of publication.

Example:

Wilcox, Kenton. Survey of 100 Undergraduates Concerning Use of E-Books in Reading for Pleasure. Maryville, MO: J. W. Jones Student Union, Northwest Missouri State University, 15-20 Mar. 2009. Unpublished Survey.

In text:

(Wilcox)

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Format:

Last Name, First Name. “Title of the Article.” Journal Title. Volume.Issue (Year): Page #s.

Example:

Dolby, Nadine. “Research in Youth Culture and Policy: Current Conditions and Future Directions.” Social Work and Society: The International Online-Only Journal 6.2 (2008): 78-99.

In-text:

(Dolby 78)

BOOKS

Format:

Last Name, First Name. Title of the Book. City: Publisher, Year. Medium.

Example:

Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York: C. Scribner's Sons, 1925. Print.

In-text:

(Fitzgerald 78)

Week 11 Agenda [Tentative]

Monday, March 24th

• Discuss Kantz article
• Preview Stage 4: Pursuing Your Question, Developing Your Theory
• Homework
• continue compiling primary and secondary sources
• continue revising your Stage 3 Plan

Wednesday, March 26th

• On Writing Your Stage 4 Essay
• Homework
• begin drafting your Stage 4 essay
• in Google Drive, title file like this: Stage4Essay_YourFullName
• print/bring three (3) copies of essay draft on Monday for peer review activity
• print/bring two (2) copies of Peer Review Sheet - Stage 4 for peer review activity

Week 10 Agenda [Tentative]

Monday, March 17th

• One-on-one Conferencing in ARHU 269 [Check Schedule]
• Homework
• revise Stage 3 Plan based on conference conversation
• continue compiling primary and secondary sources for Stage 3 Plan

Wednesday, March 19th

• One-on-one Conferencing in ARHU 269 [Check Schedule]
• Homework
• revise Stage 3 Plan based on conference conversation
• continue compiling primary and secondary sources for Stage 3 Plan
• For Monday, March 24th
• Print/read Kantz article; bring to class for discussion
• Print/read/bring Stage 4: Pursuing Your Question, Developing Your Theory to class for discussion and writing activity

Week 9 Agenda [Tentative]

Monday, March 10 thru Friday, March 14

• SPRING BREAK [NO CLASSES]

Week 8 Agenda [Tentative]

Monday, March 3rd

• Discuss Sommers article
• Compiling Secondary Sources
• MLA Style Formatting, Cheat Sheets & Works Cited Page
• Homework
• continue compiling primary and secondary sources for Stage 3 Plan
• print/bring three (3) copies of your Stage 3 Plan draft for peer review on Wednesday
• print/bring two (2) copies of Peer Review Sheet - Stage 3

Wednesday, March 5th

• Stage 3 Peer Review
• One-on-one Conference Sign-up & Instructions for Week after Spring Break
• Homework
• revise Stage 3 Plan
• due on Google Drive for instructor feedback on Friday, March 7th by 10pm
• continue compiling primary/secondary research for Stage 3 Plan & plan ahead for your one-on-one conference
• For Monday, March 24th
• Print/read Kantz article; bring to class for discussion
• Print/read/bring Stage 4: Pursuing Your Question, Developing Your Theory to class for discussion and writing activity