Janet Cobb—Fall 2007

Composition I

Writing Assignments

• Paper 1—Write a literary paper of at least 300 words organized by narration of event. Use at least two exchanges of dialogue, punctuated correctly as discussed in class.

• Paper 2—Write an informative paper of at least 600 words organized by narration of process. Explain a biological, mechanical, educational, political or religious process. Do not write instructions (no "you's" or imperative sentences). It must have a clear introduction, a conclusion and an underlined thesis statement.

• Paper 3—Write a persuasive paper of at least 750 words organized by comparison/contrast. You will need to compare and contrast two things and convince the reader that one thing is somehow "better" in some sense than the other thing.

  • Since persuasion is about making a change in the audience, you must be very clear about to whom this paper is addressed. This paper must be written as a pamphlet for a specific audience. Include a paragraph on a cover sheet explaining to me where this pamphlet would be placed or passed out and describe in some detail the audience intended to see it (age, gender, interests, economic status, etc.). I will not read a paper that doesn't have this paragraph.

  • In a persuasive paper, the thesis sentence is usually the strongest statement of what the audience is supposed to do or think after reading your paper. This will usually be toward the end. Make sure you have such a statement and underline it.
    

• Paper 4—Paper 4 will involve some revision and addition to paper 3; it will be explained after paper 3 is completed.

• Research Paper—DO NOT BEGIN THE RESEARCH PAPER UNTIL YOUR BLUE SHEET HAS BEEN APPROVED! Write an interpretive paper of at least 1000 words using classification as the primary method of organization. This means that you must pick a topic that can be divided into at least three types or kinds of things and write your whole paper explaining the different types or kinds. You must use at least three different sources of at least two different types—not all from the internet. You must use correct documentation.

  • Remember that it should be an interpretive paper. That means that even though you find facts in books, YOU are saying what the facts mean. YOU have an interpretation, a thesis. A good research paper uses the facts to support the ideas of the writer; it doesn't just repeat other people's ideas. Plagiarism is stealing other people's ideas and writing them down as if they were yours. Plagiarism is not the point of research papers. Document anything that is not your idea, but the whole paper shouldn't be other people's ideas. YOU get to think on research papers, too. Underline your thesis statement.

• Paper 6—Write an interpretive/analytical paper of at least 850 words discussing the purpose for writing and the organizational patterns in one of the essays from your reader that we have not previously discussed in class. This must be a carefully organized paper with a thesis statement and solid analysis of the way the essay is written, not just a repetition (summary) of the content of the essay. You must discuss the primary purpose, showing the major characteristics of that purpose as used in the essay with specific examples. If there is a secondary purpose, you must do the same for it. You must show specific examples of the organizational patterns you say are present. You must also include a careful evaluation of the essay using specific criteria. The title of your paper cannot be the same as the title of the essay you write about. Include the title and author of the essay you are analyzing in the first sentence of your paper. WRITE IN PRESENT TENSE.

• C Test—The C test will be like paper 6, but must be written under supervision and must be at least 750 words.

• B Paper—Write an informative or persuasive essay of at least 1000 words using evaluation as the primary organizing principle.

• A Paper—Write an analytical paper similar to paper C, but analyzing two essays using comparison/ contrast. Use one essay from your reader and another essay on a similar topic that you find in a periodical. You must concentrate on the purposes for which the essays were written and the organizational patterns used, how the authors wrote the essays, not just what they said. Organization is the primary challenge for writing this essay. You must discuss both essays thoroughly, showing similarities and differences between the two articles, in a manner that makes it easy for a reader to keep up with which article you are discussing. Document examples from the two essays using correct MLA form and a works cited list. Paper must be at least 1000 words.