FUNDAMENTALS OF WRITING March 27, 2014

Today Assignment 1 Peer Feedback

Funnel introduction Moving to a new country can be an exciting, even exhilarating experience. In a new environment, you somehow feel more alive. Seeing new sights, eating new food, hearing the foreign sounds of a new language, and feeling a difference climate against your skin stimulates you senses as never before. Soon, however, this sensory bombardment becomes sensory overload. Suddenly, new experiences seem stressful rather than stimulating, and delight turns into discomfort. This is the phenomenon known as culture shock. Culture shock is more than jet leg or homesickness, and it affects nearly everyone who enters a new culture-tourists, business travelers, diplomats, and students alike. Although not everyone experiences culture shock in exactly the same way, many experts agree that it has roughly five stages.

Thesis statement Most important sentence in the introduction. It states the specific topic of the essay.

Thesis statement Provides a specific topic. i.e., Native Americans have made many valuable contributions to modern U.S. culture. Young people in England have less freedom than young people in the United States. Winning the lottery can affect a person’s brain.

Thesis statement Sometimes the thesis statement lists the subtopics of the essay. Native Americans have made many valuable contributions to modern U.S. culture, particularly in the areas of language, art, and government. Young people in England have less freedom than young people in the United States in their choice of where they live, whom they marry, and what their job is.

Thesis statement Sometimes the thesis statement shows the pattern of organization the essay will follow. When buying a used car, use these four strategies to get the best price. There are several differences between a divorce lawyer and a corporate lawyer. My best friend and I spent an entire summer building a tree house in my grandmother’s old apple tree. Logical division of ideas Comparison/contrast Chronological order

Key Features Thesis Statement states the main idea of the essay in a complete sentence, not in a question. states an opinion, position, or attitude on a topic. It doesn’t just state the topic, itself. is usually at the end of an introduction. often lists subtopics. does not directly announce your main topic.

Key Features Main Idea in a Complete Sentence The sport of cross-country running. Why do I want to be a teacher? This is not a complete sentence. The sport of cross-country running allows people to get in better shape and meet some interesting people. Being a teacher is a great profession, because it allows a person to work with students and be creative. This is a question, not a statement. Thesis Statement

A Complete Sentence Another Example The problem of pollution in big cities. Why should marijuana be legalized? This is not a complete sentence. The problem of pollution in major cities can be alleviated by limiting the number of cars allowed to drive on city streets and creating more efficient public transportation systems. Marijuana should be legalized because it is not any more addictive than tobacco and it can provide numerous medicinal benefits for those suffering from terminal illnesses. This is a question, not a statement. Thesis Statement

Thesis statement problems Too general: A college education is a good investment. Better: A college education is a good investment because it increases earning potential, provides networking opportunities, and broadens perspectives.

Thesis statement problems Just an announcement: I am going to write about sports injuries. Better: Avoid sports injuries by eating healthy, properly stretching, and studying your sport.

Peer feedback Friends helping friends Photo credit: azialurvue.blogspot.comazialurvue.blogspot.com

Peer feedback A few tips: 1. Understand that your feedback has real value. 2. Do not focus only on the negative. - If you like something, communicate this to your partner.

Peer feedback A few tips: 3. Do not only say, “I don’t like this.” or, “This is a problem.” explain your feedback. 4. Do not use overly critical language (i.e., “This sucks”). - Instead, ask “Why did you explain this concept like this?” or, “I can’t quite understand this section. Could you explain it to me?”

Peer feedback A few tips: 5. Close the feedback with a positive comment.

References – APA Format For online magazine article: Author’s Surname, First Initial, Middle Initial. (Year, Month). Article’s Title. Magazine’s Name. Retrieved from

References - APA Format Ryan, J. (2009, April). The Three Fundamentals of Effective Leadership. Forbes. Retrieved from

Reminder: Blog Next entry: Complete by next Monday (11:59pm) Topic: Anything related to your theme Length: 2 – 3 paragraphs

Reminder: Assignment 1 Summary & Response - Deadlines: First draft: Thursday (bring to class) Second draft: Monday March. 31 (5:00 pm) Final draft: Thursday April 3 (11:59 pm) - Send to: - Subject: FOW assign 1 - File name: NAME_assign 1

Assignment 1 Summary & Response Format: Include: APA style title page (see website) 12-point Times New Roman font Double-spaced References section

Running head: LEFT-aligned CAPITAL LETTERS Page numbers: RIGHT-aligned Top- right corner

Assignment 1 Summary & Response Two parts: 1. Summarize the article 2. Respond to the question - Response must use proper paragraph form.