Hi Class,

 

I hope that you gained some valuable experience with the thesis round-table and on peer review. Here is the peer review worksheet: PeerReviewComp1-Essay-1-fall2017 copy

At the beginning of class we were working on these two paragraphs in terms of topic sentences and transitions. Feel free to imitate certain sentence structures that appeal to you:

 

My porch is an important half of my intellectual home. My porch has a swing, two chairs, and a tiny wooden table. The railing is a bit rickety, and two bright lights allow me to read there at night. Honestly, it is one of my favorite places to study. I can read there, and I can write there. And I can keep my eyes on the street, making me feel part of the neighborhood. Okay, truthfully, I cannot study for a chemistry exam because it is often too noisy. But, I do like to read and think there.

My room is just as important as my porch. The first half of my intellectual home is my porch; the second half is my room. In fact, I often begin studying on the porch, and then I move to my room to finish the hardest homework that I have. My room is painted white and my small desk and chair are tan and made of wood. I’ve got a few sports and band posters about that make me feel this is my space. My bed takes up most of the room and a tiny window lets in a sliver of light. I always sit at my desk to handwrite and work on math problems, but I like to lie on my bed with my laptop to type. Though these two places are places, they also are part of a process.

  • Proofreading Advice: Make sure to ask a friend, classmate, or family member to read over your paper. Then spell and grammar check, again. Read your paper “backwards.” What I mean by this is to read each sentence, but start at the end of the essay and read each sentence in reverse order. This method breaks the fast pace of reading one’s writing. Read your paper out loud; your voice cannot so easily glide over missing words and mistakes.
  • For Thursday: Turn in Essay 1 in a paper folder with your name on it. Include all drafts, peer review worksheet, assignment description.

Best,

Prof. Scanlan