Professor Scanlan's OpenLab Course Site

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Final Essay Due in Class on Dec. 11

Hi Class,

Remember that you must turn in the Final Essay on Wednesday, December 11. Please bring in your notes from the entire semester (and Harry Potter, Shakespeare, and Do Androids) as we will review for the final exam.

Revising and Proofreading Advice:

1. Buy a friend a cup of coffee and ask them read over your essay and make comments. Or, offer to trade essays.
2. Pay a friend/colleague a nickel for every mistake or problem that they find.
3. Read your essay out loud. Enunciate each word. If something is wrong, your ear usually picks it up.
4. Read “backwards.” This is a technique used by professional editors and proofreaders: starting at the end of your essay, read each sentence in reverse order (don’t read the words in reverse order).
5. Revise each topic sentence to reveal exactly what the paragraph is trying to claim/assert.
6. Replace all weak verbs; change passive verbs to active verbs.
7. Make sure that your topic sentences are aligned with your thesis. Do they help support your overall thesis? They should.
8. Make sure that your thesis, topic sentences, and your conclusion speak to each other–that they are linked. Revise as needed.
9. Make sure that commas are inside the quotations. For Example:

Iran seems distant and morose for much of the novel, but in the last scene, after Rick has retired all the Androids and has brought a toad back to their apartment, she sets his mood organ for “long deserved peace,” a display of kindness that some readers will find surprising (243).  

10. Make sure to use grammar check and spell check. Set the grammar check to “formal.”

11. Email me your questions.

Best,

Prof. Scanlan

Homework for Nov 27

Hi Class,

For the 27th:

  • Print out Final Essay Details, Empathy Handout, and Ethics Handout
  • Read up to 166 in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep
  • Prepare for Quiz 4 by studying key scenes involving the Penfield mood organ, Mercerism, and the Voigt Empathy Test

Best,

Prof. Scanlan

Homework for Nov 13

Hi Class,

  1. Please get and bring Do Androids to class for next week. Details: Dick, Phillip K. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. New York: Del Rey, 1996. Print. ISBN-13: 978-0345404473. $8.92 – Amazon
  2. Finish reading Romeo and Juliet. Make sure to bring in at least two question about the text.

Best wishes,

Prof. Scanlan

Homework for October 30

Hi Class,

NOTE: I’ve changed my office hours to: Wednesdays from 9-11 am, and by appointment.

First, make sure to bring Romeo and Juliet to class next week. Here is our version: Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. New York: Signet Classic. ISBN-13: 978-0451526861. $3.99 – Amazon; approx. $16 at CT book store 

I hope that today’s information on writing strong thesis statements (and methods) was helpful.

For next Wednesday:

The final draft of the Midterm Essay is due at the beginning of class. Participation points are awarded for submitting it before 6:05.

As you work on the paper, here are some tips:

  1. It is normal that the first draft is mostly summary; the second draft converts summary paragraphs to analytical paragraphs. To make this conversion make sure each paragraph begins with a strong topic sentence related to the thesis.
  2. Revise the thesis after each time you revise and edit. Make is stronger with each pass. Once you write your conclusion, make sure to read your thesis–they must talk to each other without simply repeating each other.
  3. Proofread with care. Use spell and grammar check. I suggest exchanging essays with someone in our class. Another set of eyes is always helpful.
  4. Staple you first draft and peer review to the final draft.
  5. Email any questions. Make sure that your question is specific.

Best wishes,

Prof. Scanlan

Midterm Essay Dates Fixed

Hi Class,

I fixed the due dates for the Midterm Essay on both the Assignment Details Sheet (see Assignments menu tab) and on the Weekly Schedule.

Reminder: for next Wednesday, read to 233 in HP and prepare for Quiz 2. Pay attention to new film vocabulary terms (print out the film terms handout), think of themes such as captivity and freedom, and note the most important scenes.

Best,

Prof. Scanlan