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WRITING SKILLS III COURSE PACKET

Table of Contents:

1. A sample syllabus……………………………………………………………………………..2-4

2. A sample homework outline for instructors ……………………………………………….…4-10

3. Suggested essay topics………………………………………………………………………..4-10(Distributed throughout the outline)

4. Extra writing prompts………………………………………………………………………...11-13

5. Instructions for assigning timed essays through MyWritingLab……………………………..14-15

6. Timed essay paper……………………………………………………………………………16-17

7. A sample student essay……………………………………………………………………….18-19

8. A student-editing form…………………………………………………………………………...20

9. Instructions for citing sources……………………………………………………………………21

10. Introduction to portfolios, for students…………………………………………………………..22

11. Sample MLA format……………………………………………………………………………..23

12. Midterm portfolio instructions for students……………………………………………………...24

13. Sample midterm cover letter……………...……………………………………………………...25

14. Midterm portfolio comment sheet……………...………………………………………...……...26

15. Final portfolio instructions for students……………...……………………………………….....27

16. Sample final portfolio cover letter……………………………………………………………….28

17. Final portfolio comment sheet…………………………………………………………………...29

DA108/JY512/KP113/EHCW814/EH715 page 1

SAMPLE SYLLABUS (Please distribute a personalized version)

I. Description – Students will learn how to write effective essays in standard academic English using common organizational patterns. Emphasis is on written responses to college level readings and impromptu essays in preparation for English Composition I.

II. Goals – Students should be able to write clear, well developed, organized essays based on their own knowledge as well as their paraphrasing and summarizing of other authors’ ideas. Students should also be able to write clear, error-free sentences and to revise and edit their essays based on feedback from their professor and peers as well as self-editing.

III.Objectives – Specific outcomes are for students to be able to A. Write a five-paragraph essay with an introduction, support, and conclusionB. Express a main point in a clear thesis statement at the end of the introductionC. Support a thesis in three fully-developed paragraphs with topic sentences and detailsD. Organize ideas logically using common rhetorical patternsE. Use transition words and sentences to show connections between ideasF. Summarize and respond to another author’s ideas without plagiarizingG. Write clear, error-free sentences using standard academic English H. Revise and edit essays using teacher’s and peers’ feedback

IV. Requirements – Students must submit at least six (6) essays and complete online pre- and post-tests as well as required practice exercises. They may also be required to submit homework and class work. Finally, students must submit midterm and final portfolios for review. Students must have a passing final portfolio to pass the course.

A. Essays – Of the six required essays, some must be timed (40 minutes), in-class essays, in response to prompts. These are scored on a 1-6 holistic scale (see separate rubric) and cannot be further revised. The other essays must be written over a period of time and revised based on feedback. Some of these are “teacher-edited,” with ample teacher feedback, while others are “student-edited,” relying on peer and self-analysis. The revised essays must be in response to a reading, with a reference to the author, title, and source, and a summary of the article’s ideas as well as the student’s original ones, or must include information from other sources correctly cited within the text. Additional essays, timed or revised, may be assigned at the teacher’s discretion.

B. Online Work – Students must use the online program MyWritingLab (access code with purchase of book). They complete the Path Builder diagnostic test, follow the customized


Learning Path of required skill areas not mastered, and complete the Post Test to show mastery of these skills. This work can be done in and out of class.

C. Portfolios – Students must submit a midterm portfolio of one essay, with marked draft, plus a brief cover letter. You evaluate these and score them as Pass or Fail. Your portfolio partner will meet with you to review and discuss these. Students must also submit a final portfolio with three essays and a longer cover letter. The required essays are a timed, a teacher-edited, and a student-edited, and the revised essays must be reading-based. Students who have violated the professor’s attendance policy, and/or failed to submit all six required essays, and/or have a failing average of 69 or below are not eligible to submit a final portfolio and must repeat the course. See guidelines, sample letters, and comment sheets at the end of this packet.

V. Grading – A student with a passing portfolio would earn a final letter grade as follows: 90-100% average = A; 80-89% = B; 70-79% = C; 0-69% = F1. The final grade average should include at least the homework, online work, and essays, with the major portion of the grade based on the six required essays. Some teachers choose to add a grade for class participation or for journal entries. To translate essay letter grades to numerical scores and to incorporate holistic scores from timed essays, use these general equivalencies (holistic score equivalencies differ for Writing 1 and 2):

Letter Grade

Holistic Score Percentage

A 6/6 95A- 5/6 90B 5/5 85B- 4/5 80C 4/4 75C- 3/4 70D 3/3 65F 2/3, 2/2, 1/2, 1/1 60

VI. Attendance – The general college absence limit policy is equivalent to two weeks of a 15-week course, approximately 6 hours. For example, a course that meets twice a week would have a limit of 4 absences. The general belief is that, beyond that, students miss too much material to be able to catch up and have the best chance for success. State your attendance policy clearly in writing and inform students who violate your attendance policy that they are not eligible to submit a final portfolio and cannot pass. Some teachers allow make-ups of absences if students seek tutoring through the Department’s Learning Lab (Blackwood or Camden). Otherwise, students who violate the attendance policy or stop coming to class may earn an NA (Not Attending) or an F and must repeat the course.

VII. Textbook – The Writer’s World, 4th edition (Lynne Gaetz and Suneeti Phadke). Boston: Prentice Hall, 2017. MyWritingLab online access included.

1 Our department does not use D as a final grade. A student with a borderline average in the 65-69 range who has completed the course, is in good standing on attendance, and has improved but not passed the final portfolio may earn an MP (Making Progress) at your discretion; an MP is not passing, though, and the student must still repeat the course.


VIII. Timeline – Below is a suggested timeline for a 15-week course. Suggested writing topics are included in this packet. Check with your portfolio partner if you want to use an assignment of your own. In keeping with the final portfolio requirements, it is suggested that you assign two-three timed essays and three-four revised essays, with the teacher-edited ones earlier in the course and the student-edited ones later. All revised essays should be reading-based. *You must create a student version of the homework outline and distribute it to students. Include specific due-dates for all essays and assignments (not just “week 1,” week 2, etc.).

WEEK 1 Introduction to the Course; MWL Registration & Introduction; Writing Sample- Distribute a course guide you have prepared with your contact information, policies, and outline of

day-by-day lessons and assignments to distribute on the first day of class. Spend time going over it.

- Help students create their MyWritingLab account and assign the Path Builder diagnostic test to be completed by the end of Week 2. They will work through their Learning Path throughout the semester, completing each of the skill areas not mastered on the Path Builder. Corresponding MWL topic numbers are listed on this course outline.

- Assign a diagnostic timed essay on the first day or in the first week. A diagnostic essay can also serve as a tool for assessing whether a later essay has been plagiarized. Either use a prompt from the list in this packet and the included lined answer sheets or set up a timed writing assignment on MWL (see “How to Use MWL for Timed Assignments” in this packet). The diagnostic essay is scored using a 1-6 holistic scale (see separate scoring rubric) and returned with general comments about areas for improvement. It is up to you whether to include this as one of the required essays for the course and include it in the grade. You should retain this and the other timed essays after review.

WEEK 2 Essay Structure & The Writing Process (Chapter 1); Thesis & Support (Ch. 2); Subjects & Verbs (Ch. 20); MWL 2.1

- This week is about the basics of essay and paragraph structure. Make sure that students understand that the department requires a thesis sentence with three-part plan of development at the end of the first paragraph for every essay. Use the diagnostic essay they wrote last week to have students apply these basic concepts for practice. You might have them begin exploring the topic of Essay 1 as an exercise.


WEEK 3 Developing an Essay (Ch. 3 & 4); Summarizing (Ch. 16); Illustration (Ch. 6); Essay 1 Outline & Draft; Manuscript Form (276-280, end of Ch. 17)

- Introduce the Illustration pattern before assigning Essay 1. All revised essays for this course are to be in response to a reading (“Reading-Based”). They must include a reference to an assigned reading by author, title, and source with a summary of the author’s thesis and major supporting points in the introduction, or include information from other sources with correct citations. It is recommended that you begin by teaching students how to summarize an author’s ideas and incorporate the summary into the introduction of their essays. This first revised essay should also be “Teacher-Edited,” meaning that you provide feedback on a draft to give students direction with content and organization and then line editing and marginal comments on the final graded draft.

- Suggested topics for Essay 1 : Read and summarize “Discrimination in the 21st Century” (The Writer’s World, page 159). Then,

name a different kind of discrimination you know of and give three features that define it.

Read and summarize “Marketing New Inventions” (The Writer’s World, page 543). Write an essay about either the most useful or the most useless inventions developed by humans. Think about products you love or hate. Incorporate the original essay.

WEEK 4 Revising & Editing (Ch. 5); Parallel Structure (Ch. 25); Fragments (Ch. 23); Semicolons & Colons (Ch. 38); ESSAY 1 DUE; MWL 2.2, 2.10, 3.4

- You should return the drafts submitted in the previous week so students can revise and edit before submitting their final drafts. Students are to be allowed to revise their graded essays and resubmit them if they choose to do so to reinforce the idea of writing-as-a-process. To that end, graded essays should be returned within one week of submission.

- Sentence skills instruction at this time should focus on crafting a parallel thesis sentence and writing complete sentences throughout the essay. Learning the correct use of colons and semicolons also helps students avoid fragments.

WEEK 5 Definition (Ch. 10); Essay 2 Outline & Draft; Run-ons (Ch. 24); Commas (Ch. 35); MWL 2.3, 3.1

- Introduce the next pattern before assigning the second essay. It is recommended that this second assignment also be a revised, teacher-edited one. This gives the student a chance to continue practicing and honing learned skills while writing the previous essay and to apply feedback from the graded Essay 1 when it is returned.


- Sentence skills instruction should continue to focus on well-crafted sentences with correct punctuation. Learning the correct use of commas, along with the previously-learned punctuation, helps students avoid both fragments and run-ons.

- Suggested topics for Essay 2 : Read and summarize “The Untranslatable Word ‘Macho’” (The Writer’s World, 579). Use it as

a reason to identify a word that you think represents your own culture or background or some aspect of it. It could be a word that others have misconceptions about, as in the reading, in which case you can focus on correcting those misconceptions, or you can simply share your knowledge. Work under the assumption that your readers are unfamiliar with the chosen word. Incorporate the original essay.

Read and summarize “Heroes Versus Sociopaths” (The Writer’s World, page 191). Summarize the article in your introduction. Then, create your own definition of a hero and provide three characteristics of such an individual. Include examples of specific heroes and the behaviors that define them in the body of your essay.

WEEK 6 Verbs (Ch. 28 & 29); Subject-Verb Agreement (Ch. 27); ESSAY 2 DUE; Classification (Ch. 11); ESSAY 3; MWL 2.4, 2.5

- Continue sentence skills instruction with correct verb usage, verb tense consistency, and verb agreement. Students should have practiced and attempted to master the skills of fragments, run-ons, and verbs before the midterm portfolio. Allow them to apply these skills to revising and editing their second essay before submitting the final draft for a grade.

- You should return their drafts from the previous week with general comments about content, organization and patterns of error. They will need graded Essay 2 returned by the start of the following week with marginal comments and line editing so they can revise and resubmit but also so they can prepare their selected essay for the midterm portfolio.

- Students should submit another timed essay so they can get some practice in gathering their thoughts in response to a timed prompt. This also gives you some evidence of their independent writing skills at this point in the course, which helps you assess their progress when considering their midterm portfolio. Use either one of the prompts provided in this packet with the lined answer sheets, or add a timed writing assignment to MWL (40 minutes2). Score these with the 1-6 holistic scale and add some general comments about strengths and areas for improvement (do NOT line edit, but circle in pencil repeated types of errors, if you like). Retain this and the other timed essays after review.

2 For students who are entitled to the Section 504 accommodation of time-and-a-half on timed tests due to a disability, you can set their individual MWL time limit to 60 minutes instead of 40.


- Suggested Timed Essay prompts for Essay 3 : Classify three types of college students that you observe in school.

Classify three types of athletes in a particular sport. You might create playful categories like “the risk-taker,” “the machine,” and “the stealth player,” for example.

Classify three types of homes (by size, style, type of dwelling) OR classify three different types of neighborhoods or areas where people live.

WEEK 7 MIDTERM PORTFOLIO- Allow time for students to select and prepare their portfolio essay according to the guidelines you

distribute (see separate guidelines in this packet). Then, allow at least 40-60 minutes for students to write their cover letter (written in class ONLY) to accompany the freshly printed copy and an earlier, marked draft of their essay (this process might take more than one class session). You may not line edit their cover letters, but they are permitted to proofread one another’s. Also, you may suggest that they further edit the letter before submitting it if you see that there are excessive patterns of error.

- If you assign journals, a time-saver is to check them while students work independently. Most teachers just comment on one entry with enthusiastic, supportive language.

WEEK 8 Essay 3 due; Comparison/Contrast (Ch. 12); Citing Sources (Ch. 17); Essay 4 Draft; Quotation Marks (Ch. 37); MWL 3.3

- Introduce the next pattern and fourth essay assignment. Do not accept a four-paragraph essay format for the comparison/contrast pattern; the support should provide three specific areas or bases of comparison between two items, each with its own topic sentence identifying that area. You might choose a topic that requires students to find their own sources of information. If so, this is a good time to show them how you want them to cite those sources. Since this is a topic usually handled in depth in English Composition, students can be shown how to use Microsoft Word’s References menu to easily add information for automatic citations and works-cited pages. At this point in the course, students should become more independent in evaluating their own writing, relying more on their own assessment and that of their peers, so this essay should be a revised, student-edited one. That means that you must not provide line editing.

- Practice with correct use of quotation marks would go well with this assignment.

- This is also the appropriate point in the course for conferencing with students about their progress, including their grades and their midterm portfolio. This can take place while students are working independently on their drafts of Essay 4.


- Suggested topics for Essay 4 : Contrast two arenas, vehicles, colleges, or careers to show why you prefer one over the other.

Find written information on your two subjects of comparison (online or from other sources) and incorporate this information into the body of your essay.

Read “Voluntourism” and “Slum Tourism” (The Writer’s World, 151 & 539). Compare each author’s view on tourism and its impact on undeveloped regions. Incorporate examples from each reading into the body of your essay. Make sure to add your own original ideas to avoid plagiarism.

WEEK 9 Pronouns (Ch. 31); Apostrophes (Ch. 36); ESSAY 4 DUE; MWL 2.8, 3.5- Return the drafts of Essay 4 submitted last week including only your general comments. Students

need practice in giving feedback to their peers. At this time, consider an activity in which you model giving feedback with a sample essay and then have them practice giving feedback to one another on their drafts of Essay 4 before they submit their final draft. See “Sample Student Essay” and “Student Editing Form” included in this packet. Including this activity as a homework or class work grade will help them to take it seriously and be conscientious about it. Since not every student is equally skilled at giving feedback, you might form peer review groups of at least three students so each gets at least two chances.

- Students should try to master another sentence skill: pronoun usage, consistency and agreement. Along with that, learning the correct use of apostrophes helps them to avoid errors with possessive pronouns.

WEEK 10 Cause & Effect (Ch. 13); Essay 5 Draft; Modifers (Ch. 26); MWL 2.9- Introduce the next pattern and the fifth essay assignment. Students must have a student-edited essay

for their final portfolio, so this last revised one, at least, must be student-edited. Students need time in class to self-edit and do peer review since this takes longer than responding to teacher feedback.

- If the other major areas of sentence skills have been covered, instruction this week can focus on correcting errors with modifiers.

- Return the graded Essay 4 either by the end of this week or the start of the next. Students should be working in a cycle of drafting a new essay and revising a former one. This reinforces the writing-as-a-process concept for them.

- Suggested topics for Essay 5 : Read and summarize “We’re Watching What We Eat” (The Writer’s World, 83). Write an essay

about another way a television series or type of television programming influences viewers


(besides influencing viewers’ attitudes towards food). Incorporate the original essay into your work.

Read and summarize “How Companies Deceive Us” (The Writer’s World, 524). Then, based on what you’ve observed or experienced, describe three negative effects that advertising on social media has on consumers. Incorporate the original essay into your work.

Read and summarize “Chance and Circumstance” (The Writer’s World, 583). Then, name a condition, interest, skill, or challenge you possess, and explain how it has been influenced by chance (circumstance, environment, upbringing, fate). Analyze the influence of factors like parents, social status, friends, television, and luck on your topic (such as love of football, fashion sense, distaste for math, or skill in bowling). Incorporate the original essay into your work.

WEEK 11 Word Choice and Style (Ch. 33); Spelling (Ch. 34); ESSAY 5 DUE; MWL 4.2, 4.4 - Have students do self-editing and peer review this week so they have specific feedback for preparing

the final draft of Essay 6 by the end of this week. Copy and distribute the Student-Editing Form so they have tangible, written feedback from their peers.

- If all other areas of major sentence errors have been covered by now, focus on language, word choice, conciseness, formality, spelling, and homonyms.

WEEK 12 Argument (Ch. 14); ESSAY 6; Sentence Combining and Sentence Variety (Chs. 21-22); MWL 2.11, 4.3

- Introduce the last pattern this week and give students another chance to write a timed essay using one of the prompts provided in this packet or one from the textbook. You should retain this and the other timed essays after review.

- With the remaining time this week, have students practice improving sentences by combining and varying structure. You might choose to do this before assigning the timed essay so they can apply all mastered sentence skills to the last essay.

Suggested prompts for Essay 6: Timed Essay Option: State and defend your point of view on whether the legal drinking age

should remain at 21 or be lowered to 18.

Revised Essay Option: Read and summarize “Tips for Breaking Free of Compulsive Smartphone Use” (The Writer’s World, 134). Argue in agreement or disagreement with its thesis about people’s addiction to smartphones. In your essay, quote from the article, but also supply your own logic and illustrations. (Argument)

WEEK 13 Essay 6 due; Revising and Editing; Editing Practice (Ch. 39)


- Students should have had Essays 4 and 5 graded and returned to them by now and should be advised to revise and edit them if they have not been given the chance to do so already. This also gives you time to review the editing skills taught in the course and allow students time to finish any unfinished segments of their MWL Learning Path.

WEEK 14 FINAL PORTFOLIO- Students will need time to select and prepare their portfolio essays before the final portfolio due

date. If you meet more than once a week, plan to allow one class for students to select, revise/edit, and re-print their two required revised essays (no drafts needed) and a separate class for students to write their cover letter (written in class ONLY) according to the guidelines provided in this packet. At this time, return any timed essays you may be holding and allow them to choose one and insert it in their folder; collect the folder and hold it until the letter-writing-day.

- If you assign journals, you can use the time while students are working independently to check them and comment on at least one entry.

WEEK 15 Mastery Test; Final Conferences- Students will need about one hour to complete the MWL Mastery Test as a form of final assessment

of sentence skills. How you incorporate this into their final grade is up to you.

- On the last day of class3, meet with students individually to review their portfolio results, their class average, and their final letter grade for the course. Advise students as to which course to take next (English Composition I if they are also exempt from or finished with reading skills and Writing Skills III again if they did not have a passing portfolio; students who still need to complete a reading skills course must wait to enroll in English Comp.). If you hold conferences somewhere other than in the usual classroom (i.e., the Learning Lab), you must inform the department chairperson of this in writing.4

3 Classes must be held through the final day; teachers who do not hold classes until the last day will be notified and have to submit an official attendance form, resulting in a reduction in pay/sick time. 4 There is a classroom audit conducted in the last week and you will be notified if your classroom is empty.


Additional Writing Prompts for Timed Essays

1. Select your favorite genre of music (rap, hip/hop, jazz, rock, country, etc.) and give examples to illustrate the three most important characteristics you like about it. Use musicians, songs, and instruments as specific support for the three characteristics you choose. Alternatively, write about your three favorite kinds of music, one paragraph for each type, with specific examples of what you like about each, including detailed instruments, songs, and musicians. (Illustration)

2. Write about one thing in your life you are very passionate about, or the three things you are most passionate about. Give examples to show the importance. (Illustration)

3. Select a movie genre you enjoy (action, comedy, horror, romance, etc.) and then explain why it’s so fulfilling based on three characteristics of that genre. Include specific movie titles, characters, plotlines, and special effects as support for each one. (Illustration)

4. Define the term “team player.” Remember that it can be applied not just to a person who plays on a sports team but to anyone who has to cooperate or collaborate with others (as part of a family, a workplace, or a neighborhood). (Definition)

5. Define a good interpersonal relationship (relationships between two people, any form). Include specific examples in your supporting paragraphs. (Definition)

6. Define the “culture of entitlement” by explaining its qualities. (Definition)

7. Classify three kinds of electronic communication devices. (Classification)

8. Pick a popular sport, fashion, TV show, famous person, or music group and explain why it is so popular in the U.S. today. (Cause/Effect)

9. Explain the effects of video games on young children. Focus on EITHER negative OR positive effects, providing reasons and examples that support your opinion. (Cause/Effect)5

10. Identify three aspects of social media that make it either an enriching aspect of our lives or a detrimental one. Alternatively, you can discuss three aspects of your collective technologies (mobile phones, iPhone, etc.), making sure to center each paragraph on overall effects of the technologies rather than on individual devices. (Cause/Effect)

5 This topic and #18 are available on MyWritingLab in Writing Practice and can be administered electronically using the automatic grading feature.


11. Everyone has certain valued material possessions in their lives – items that carry special meanings or provide special pleasures. Such an item might be, for example, a car, a VCR, a personal computer, a ring, an article of clothing, a pen or a photograph. It might be an expensive item or it might have cost very little. Write an essay in which you develop three reasons why a certain material item is especially valuable or important to you. (Cause/Effect)

12. Contrast two different TV shows, providing three ways in which one is more exciting or entertaining than the other. (Comparison/Contrast)

13. Write an essay explaining either the similarities or the differences between two types of music or two music artists. (Comparison/Contrast)

14. Contrast two homes, indicating which one is more comfortable. You might describe your own home and that of a friend, neighbor, or relative. (Comparison/Contrast)

15. Argue whether public elementary and secondary schools should require students to wear uniforms. (Argument)

16. Argue whether or not American children should be taught a foreign language in elementary schools. (Argument)

17. Argue whether or not cell phones should be banned in schools. (Argument)

18. Some people think that all 18 year-olds should perform one year of national or community service (for example, the Peace Corps, emergency medical services, Big Brother/Big Sister programs) before they pursue college or a paying job. What is your position on this issue? Write an essay in which you support your point of view with convincing reasons and examples. (Argument)


Additional Revised Essay Assignments

1. Read and summarize John Grohol’s “The 15 Most Common Defense Mechanisms,” located via an easy Google search, or at http://psychcentral.com/lib/15-common-defensemechanisms/0001251. Use this piece to analyze three defense mechanisms in yourself, in another person, or in three different people. Name the defense mechanism in each topic sentence and then quote the definition of it in the sentence that follows it. After these lines, provide specific illustrations of the definition. (Illustration)

2. Read and summarize “Living Environments” (The Writer’s World, 532). Write an essay in which you explain three types of living environments or dwellings (classified by neighborhoods, types of housing, or any other method of categorization). Give examples and details that illustrate each type you write about. Incorporate the original essay into your work. (Classification)


http://psychcentral.com/lib/15-common-defensemechanisms/0001251

How to Use MyWritingLab for a Timed Writing Assignment

Step One: Creating and Assigning Your Own Timed Writing Prompt:

1. Open your Activities/Assessments Manager, click Quiz under Create. 2. Name the assignment and choose Topic Activity in the Quiz Type menu; allow the default

“Create using online test bank” to remain selected; click Next3. Choose W7. Essay Development from the Module menu; choose from topics 7-15 according to

the essay’s rhetorical pattern 4. Below that, under Available Questions scroll down and click on the first “Write” question (i.e.,

W7.15 Q1); when it opens, click on “Copy and Edit” at the bottom so you can replace it with your own topic; delete the given text and type in the timed essay prompt you want your students to respond to for their essay. Click Save & Exit.

5. You should be automatically taken to the Settings page, where you will rename the question and click OK.

6. You should be taken back to the New Quiz page, where you can click on your custom question in the Available Questions menu (if you don’t see it, make sure you are in the correct Module and Topic categories). Check the box for it, choose Add, and click Next.

7. The Options screen lets you set requirement for the assignment, such as setting a password so students can’t access it before the day you have them write it in class. Set a time limit of 40 minutes and check “Show time remaining during quiz.” If you have a student who is entitled to additional time as a documented accommodation through Disabilities Services, you can set that student’s allowed time to 60 minutes separately after the assignment is created and saved.

8. Click Save & Assign if you want your students to see it now, or click “Save” if you are not ready to assign it yet.

After the assignment is created, it will be in your Activities/Assessments Manager. Assign it by following the same steps listed above for Assigning a Prompt that is Already Created.

Step Two: Administering the Timed Writing Assignment

After the timed essay is assigned, students will access it through their Learning Path, like they do with all other topic activities. Direct them to the Module and Topic (Definition, for the preloaded one) and the timed assignment will appear in the available activities below the Recall and Apply ones. When they click on it, they will have to enter the password you chose when you created the assignment (the password for the preloaded one is: “Timed Essay”). As soon as they click “I Am Ready to Start,” their time limit (40 minutes) will start and they can begin writing. When they are finished writing they should click Submit Quiz.

If you want your students to print their essay from MWL and hand in a paper copy to you, they can click on Review Activity after they have submitted it, and then choose Print. This is a good option if you want to grade it the same way you normally grade timed essays.


Step Three: Grading the Timed Writing Assignment

If your students are printing their essays and giving them to you in class, there is no need for you to grade it in MyWritingLab. You can grade it on paper just as you would any other timed essay. The program gives them a 100% on the assignment just for doing it, similar to the Overview and Animation, but that 100% score does not average into their overall score on MWL (which is only averaged from the Recall and Animation activities). However, if you want to give it a score in MWL you can do that by following the steps below.

1. Open your Gradebook and go to All Assignments Quizzes2. Under Timed Writing Assignment find the student whose essay you want to grade and click on

the score. Click on “Review” or choose “Grade Assignment” under the Actions menu.3. Click on “Add Comment” under “Question Help” to type in your comments and indicate the

holistic score (from the 1-6 scale provided by the department) and click save. You can also print the essay from this menu. Add a score corresponding to the grade equivalent of the holistic score (i.e., .75 for an essay that scores a 4, equaling roughly a C). Click “Submit Grade.”


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Sample Student Essay

Circle or underline sentence errors and make comments in the margins about the strengths and weaknesses of the essay below. Use the Editing Checklist on the inside back cover.

Why I’m Tired

1Numerous Americans do not get the suggested eight hours of sleep per night. 2“Sleeping Your

Way to the Top” (Sora Song, Time, 2008). 3Americans assume that only a few hours of sleep a night

will suffice to be productive the next day. 4This is proven false as statistics state that 71% of adults and

85% of teens do not get the suggested amount of sleep, which is eight to nine hours of sleep a night.

5Sleep is compared to food for the fact that we delay the time we eat just as we do the amount of hours

we sleep. 6The brain is only effective for sixteen hours, but many people find themselves so exhausted

that they learn to cope with the feeling of exhaustion. 7The human mind runs best off a healthy eight

hours of sleep and will improve judgment and memory, promote learning and concentration, boost

mood, speed reaction time, and sharpen problem solving and accuracy. 8Studies indicate that lack of

sleep has mimicked the symptoms of dementia. 9Additional sleep has improved cognitive functions on

patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s. 10Sleep is a necessity for the human body and mostly, the

mind. This is vital to the body, but mostly the brain. 11I take part in the percentage of teenagers who do

not get enough sleep. 12Work, school, and stress are three reasons I do not get enough sleep.

13Working every day with exception of Sunday is a routine in my life that I’ve become

accustomed to. 14From the long, hard days of manual labor I return home exhausted and ready for bed.

15Heat has been proven to drain energy out of humans, and when the heat index reaches 80-degrees I can

instantaneously feel the energy loss. 16Working out-doors all day long and having to come home at night

and complete the process of invoicing the customers is a difficult task for one person.


17School is another challenge added to the extreme schedule I already encompass. 18Although my

school schedule says I go to class on only Tuesdays and Thursdays, majority of the work is to be done

outside of campus. 19Homework assignments that are completed after my working hours keep me up till

at least mid night. 20Studying to assure a high-quality grade on all tests and quizzes also reduces my

sleeping time after working hours.

21The stress from work and school isn’t entirely the issues as to why I receive less sleep. 22The

choirs and responsibilities that pile up on me from living with a divorced mother become overwhelming

quickly. 23My hard working mother appreciates assistance around the house such as vacuuming and

preparing dinner, let alone my fifteen year old sister. 24She is still at the age where transportation is

difficult for her, and I offer to drive her places. 25Family alone requires work in order to function, let

alone having the fatigue from working all day long.

26Although sleep does “recharge” your body and brain for the new endeavors you will encounter

the following day, humans just seem to be beyond too busy for that. 27An adequate amount of sleep is

only doing your body right, but our daily schedules may prohibit us from achieving the eight hour

suggested amount of sleep. 28Throughout my day, from work to school and coming home to complete

my duties, to operate more efficiently I do need to include more time for a proper nights rest.


Student-Editing Form

Writer's Name _________________________________________________________

Editor's Name _________________________________________________________

Essay Checklist (check those statements that apply to the essay)

□ It follows the five-paragraph format.

□ The introduction contains a well-developed summary (consisting of several sentences).

□ The summary identifies the title and author of the reading.

□ The last sentence of the introduction is a thesis statement with a 3-part plan of development. The

thesis and plan are one sentence, not several.

□ The thesis sounds like the student’s opinion and not a continuation of the summary.

□ It contains three supporting paragraphs with distinctly different ideas.

□ Each supporting paragraph begins with a general topic sentence.

□ Each supporting paragraph contains several specific supporting details.

□ It has a well-developed conclusion that mentions the reading again.

□ Transitions words and sentences help connect ideas.

□ Sentences are clear and varied in structure.

□ There are no patterns of sentence errors.

The best thing about this essay is ________________________________________

Suggestions for improvement:□ Add or rewrite the thesis

□ Add topic sentences

□ Add specific details

□ Add transitions

□ Reorganize sentences or paragraphs

□ Edit sentences for these errors: ___________________________________________

Additional Comments:


Using Microsoft Word to Cite Sources

1. To create a parenthetical citation crediting the source of your information: When you come to the end of a sentence containing a quote or information from an external source, go to

the “References” feature on the tool bar at top.

Choose “MLA” from the “Style” pull-down list under “Citations & Bibliography” Click on “Insert Citation” Click on “Add New Source” Choose the “Type of Source” from the pull-down list Fill in the blanks with as much information as you know about the source If the source is from a website:

- The author might not be identified on a web page, but look at the bottom of the page- The “name of the web page” is the title or subject of the page from which you got the information

(ex: “Job Opportunities in Nursing”)- The “name of the web site” is the source of the web site (ex: “Bureau of Labor Statistics, Department

of Labor”)- The “URL” is the web address (ex: http://www.dol.gov) - The “Year/Month/Day” is the date the information was posted to the web- The “Year/Month/Day Accessed” is the date you got the information

Example: The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics stated, “The earnings of a registered nurse are $62,450 on average.” (Registered Nurse)

(Note: Periods and commas go inside end quotation marks, while semicolons and colons go outside. Question marks and exclamation points go either inside or outside depending on whether the quote or the sentence it is in is a question or exclamation)

2. To create a Works Cited page: When all of your citations have been added within the text of your essay, go back to the “References” feature on the tool bar. After the end of your essay, hit enter until you come to a new, blank page Click on “Bibliography” Choose “Works Cited”

- Word will create the entire Works Cited page automatically with all of your citations.

Works Cited

"Registered Nurse." 29 March 2012. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook. 8 August 2012. <http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm>.

3. If you want to edit a source citation: Click on “Manage Sources” Click on the source you want to edit from the list Choose “Edit” Make your corrections and save

- You will be asked whether you want the changes to be applied to other instances of that source, including the Works Cited page. Click on “Yes.”

Writing Skills 3 Portfolios Information for the Student


Your progress in this course is assessed by portfolios of your work submitted at midterm and at

the end. The portfolio is a collection of your best writing. The following material explains how to

compile your portfolios, provides instructions for how to write a cover letter, and includes comment

sheets for your portfolio reviewers. Remember that your portfolio is evidence of your skill.

Your portfolios will contain various types of writing from the six papers required for this course.

You will complete seven total assignments, but anything that is strictly a summary of another author’s

work and does not contain your own original ideas cannot be used in the final portfolio. Some writing

assignments will be timed and you will not have the opportunity for feedback or further revision of

them once they are submitted. Most assignments are written over a longer period and are planned,

drafted, revised, and edited with feedback from your professor and peers. Teacher-edited essays

receive a lot of written feedback from your professor, while student-edited essays receive only

minimal, general comments from your professor and require you to rely on your classmates for feedback

or your own editing skills. All revised essays will be reading-based, which means that they will

include information from other source material. Reading-based essays include a reference to the source

material (title, author, and source) as well as a summary of the author’s ideas. These essays also include

your own ideas for development.

Each essay will follow a particular rhetorical pattern, useful in other college writing, too.

These patterns include illustration, definition, classification, comparison and contrast, cause and effect,

and argument, among others.

Sample MLA Paper Format


Student’s Name

Teacher’s Name

Course Title (To make roman numerals use shift + i/I)

The Date

The Title of the Paper Should Be in First-Letter Capitals Only

All paragraphs are indented. Just press the tab key once, and MSWord will do this

automatically. After you type a period (at the end of a sentence), hit the space bar twice so that there are

two blank spaces as you see here. This extra room between sentences helps the reader to note sentence

boundaries, and it makes proofreading easier. When referring to a published article title, place the title

in quotations marks: “An Article Title.” Commas and periods always go inside the quotation marks.

Next, notice that this paper is double-spaced without quadruple spacing between paragraphs. If

double spacing is not the default, it needs to be set that way. Highlight any text that you have already

written. Then, in the Home tab, move the mouse and place the cursor on the bottom-right corner of the

Paragraph box. Click the arrow. In the box that appears, set Line Spacing to Double, and set Before and

After to zero. MSWord already provides the correct one-inch margins, so don’t worry about page set-

up. The standard typefaces to choose are Times New Roman or Arial, with a 12-point font size (the

default of Calibri 11-point is too small). These options appear in the menu bar of the Home tab. For

page numbers, select the Insert tab. Click Page Number. Then select Top of Page from the drop-down

menu. Scroll down to select Plain Number 3. Above the dotted line, type your last name before the

page number that appears, and press the space bar. Highlight your name and page number. Then select

your font type and size.

Creating a Midterm Portfolio


(Instructions for Students)

Your midterm portfolio must include

□ 1 essay, unmarked, with attached marked draft

□ 1 cover letter

□ The midterm comment sheet

Choose an essay. By mid-semester, you will probably have written two-three essays. The first

step is choosing your best one. The grade is not necessarily the only indicator and should not be used as

the sole criterion. A low grade might reflect numerous sentence errors that could be corrected before

this essay is included in a portfolio. Timed essays are not typically included in the midterm portfolio

Revise the essay. The next step is to revise the chosen essay (timed essays are not revised after

scoring). Develop or reorganize ideas as needed. Correct errors. Print a new copy and attach a marked

draft showing teacher’s comments.

Write a cover letter. Follow correct business letter format (see sample). Introduce the selected

essay by title, rhetorical pattern, and type (teacher-edited or student-edited). Reflect on the writing

process used (prewriting strategies, number of drafts, and what was improved or changed, unless it is a

timed essay, in which case remark on the changes that would have been made with the chance to revise).

Reflect on the essay’s strengths and on your progress as a writer so far. Leave the reader with a final

thought and don’t forget to sign your letter.

Assemble the portfolio. Assemble the documents in a manila file folder (provided). Write your

name, student identification number, teacher’s name, and course number on the folder tab. Insert the

Comment Sheet with the top portion completed. Submit the portfolio on the specified date.


Sample Midterm Portfolio Cover Letter


Student’s Street AddressCity, State ZipDate

Portfolio ReviewerAcademic Skills English DepartmentCamden County CollegeBlackwood, New Jersey 08012

Dear Reviewer:

The opening sentence introduces the purpose of the portfolio. The next sentence identifies the selected piece by pattern, type, and title. For example, it might state that it is a definition pattern, teacher-edited essay entitled “Internet Users.” Follow this by reflecting on the quality of the selected essay, its strengths and why it is a good choice. Next, add a few sentences reflecting on the writing process, what prewriting strategies were used (freewriting, brainstorming, outlining), and how many drafts were created. Part of the writing process also involves revision (adding, deleting, changing and reorganizing text) and editing (finding and correcting errors). Tell what revision and editing changes were made and from whom feedback was received. Journal entries and teacher comments might be a source of this information. Close with a final thought for the reader.

Sincerely,

Student’s Handwritten Signature

Student’s Name

Midterm Portfolio Comment Sheet

(To be completed by student)

Name: ___________________________ Instructor: _______________________

ID#: _______________________ ENG-023-_______ Semester: ____________------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(To be completed by Portfolio Reviewer)

Score: Pass Fail

COVER LETTER:Y N Describes the writing process for the selected essayY N Identifies the essay’s strengthsY N Explains what was improved through revising and editingY N Does not plagiarize sample cover lettersY N Has clear sentences without patterns of errors

ESSAY:Y N Includes a marked draft to demonstrate revising and editingY N Includes an unmarked, newly-printed final revision of the essayY N Has a developed introduction and conclusionY N Has a clearly stated thesis at end of introductionY N Thesis includes three-part plan-of-developmentY N Essay has three supporting paragraphs Y N Each has a topic sentenceY N Each has several specific detailsY N Is logically organizedY N Makes connections using transitionsY N Summarizes or includes source informationY N Correctly cites the source materialY N Has clear sentences w/o error patterns

Comments


Sentence Skills Areas Still Needing Work Parallel structure Fragments Run-ons Verbs Pronouns Modifiers Punctuation Capitalization Spelling Word Choice

Creating a Final Portfolio(Instructions for Students)

The final portfolio must include

□ 1 cover letter with information about each essay (written in class only)

□ 1 timed essay

□ 1 teacher-edited essay

□ 1 student-edited essay

□ The final portfolio comment sheet, top portion completed by student

You may also include a fourth essay or other piece of writing if desired. However, this piece

must be your own writing with your original ideas.

Choose the best essays. You will have all of your required essays to choose from. Pick your

best one in each category. This is your opportunity to showcase your ability and prove that you have

mastered the course material. Choose the ones with strongest details and organization and with the

fewest errors.

Revise the untimed essays. Your timed essay must be submitted without changes, but you can

further improve your revised essays for the best presentation. Develop or reorganize ideas as needed.

Correct errors. Print new copies (no drafts, no marks).

Write the cover letter. The cover letter is an additional sample of in-class writing. It shows

your ability to self-edit, so take care with it. Write a separate paragraph about each essay, identifying it

by title or pattern, remarking on its writing process and its strengths. Conclude by reflecting on your

writing progress.

Assemble the portfolio. Re-use the midterm portfolio folder. Label the revised essays as “TE”

(teacher-edited) and “SE” (student-edited) in the upper right corner. Insert the Comment Sheet with top

portion completed. Submit the portfolio to your teacher on the due date.


Sample Final Portfolio Cover Letter


Student’s Street AddressCity, State ZipDate

Portfolio ReviewerAcademic Skills English DepartmentCamden County CollegeBlackwood, NJ 08012

Dear Reviewer:

Start by introducing the purpose of the portfolio and telling the reviewer the types of writing samples that are enclosed. Use single spacing throughout.

When identifying the timed essay, do so by its rhetorical pattern or “Title.” For instance, it could be a timed, definition pattern essay. Or it might be an in-class essay entitled “Definition of a Successful College Student.” Tell what its topic was and whether there was any quick planning done before composing. Discuss its strengths and then tell what weaknesses would be corrected if it could be revised.

When identifying the revised teacher-edited essay, again do so by pattern, title, and type. Thus, the opening sentence might state that the second piece is a teacher-edited illustration essay entitled “The Most Useful Invention.” Describe in detail the writing process for this essay, noting any prewriting techniques used, how many drafts were written, from whom you got feedback, and what changes were made in the revising and editing process. Identify what its strengths are.

Do the same for the student-edited essay. The topic sentence for this paragraph might state that it is a student-edited cause and effect essay entitled “The Effects of Reality Television.” Be sure to discuss the writing process and the essay’s strengths. Make note of the self-editing and peer review process.

In your final paragraph, remark on the progress of your writing skills. End the letter with a closing thought for the reader and thanks.

Sincerely,

Student’s Handwritten Signature

Student’s Name

Final Portfolio Comment Sheet

(To be completed by student)

Name: ___________________________ Instructor: _______________________

ID#: _______________________ ENG-023-_______ Semester: ____________------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ (To be completed by Portfolio Reviewer)

Score: Pass Fail

Cover LetterY N Follows correct formatY N Is original (no plagiarizing)Y N Describes writing process of ea. essayY N Reflects on strengths and progressY N Has minimal or no sentence errors

Timed EssayY N Has a clearly stated thesis with PODY N Has three supporting paragraphsY N Each has a topic sentenceY N Each has several specific detailsY N Has a conclusionY N Is logically organizedY N Has clear sentences w/o error patterns

Teacher-Edited EssayY N Has a developed intro & conclusionY N Has a clearly stated thesis with PODY N Summarizes or includes source info.Y N Has three supporting paragraphsY N Each has a topic sentenceY N Each has several specific detailsY N Is logically organizedY N Makes connections using transitionsY N Correctly cites the source materialY N Has clear sentences w/o error patterns

Student-Edited EssayY N Has a developed intro & conclusionY N Has a clearly stated thesis with PODY N Summarizes or includes source info.Y N Has three supporting paragraphsY N Each has a topic sentenceY N Each has several specific detailsY N Is logically organizedY N Makes connections using transitionsY N Correctly cites the source materialY N Has clear sentences w/o error patterns

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