I. Introduction

8/29 – 8/31

Overview

Successful writers commonly describe production of an essay as a birthing process. It begins at conception, within the mind. They describe themselves as parenting such essays through a gestation period whereby essays emerge as discrete recognizable forms. They then enter into an “editorial” process whereby they remove the “after birth” to refines this work of art so that its audiences appreciate it. This introductory chapter demonstrates this birthing process as it relates to producing academic essays. The unit covers:

• The Writing Process;
• Brainstorming;
• Five Paragraph Essays;
• Thesis Statements;
• Itineraries;
• Revising;
• Fact Checking;
• Proofreading.

Review these concepts as background for completing the four assigned essays for this course.

Unit Schedule

Links are provided for easy access to articles mentioned  throughout the schedule. Feel free to print them, if necessary.

Session	Topics	ASSIGNMENT
8/29	Introductions Syllabus Introduction to OER Term Assignments, Class Participation	Review the course syllabus.
8/31	A Writing Process Brainstorming The Five-Paragraph Essay,	INTRODUCTION TO WRITING AS A PROCESS BRAINSTORMING THE BASIC FIVE-PARAGRAPH ESSAY FIVE PARAGRAPH ESSSYS
	Thesis Statements, Sample Essay Outlines, Fact Checking Editing and Proofreading	THESIS STATEMENTS AND ITINERARIES REVISION FACT CHECKING PROOFREADING