Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Trying Argument

Try hard!
Your task is to write an essay that defends, challenges, or qualifies the claim that you should try harder in your classes this semester.  Evidence consists of your reading, experience, and observations that is appropriate and appealing to your audience.

An A effectively defends, challenges, or qualifies the claim that you should try harder in your classes this semester. The evidence is appropriate and convincing and the argument is coherent and well-developed. The writing is clear and effectively adds to your argument.

A B adequately defends, challenges, or qualifies the claim that you should try harder in your classes this semester. The evidence is appropriate and sufficient, and the argument is adequately developed and coherent. The writing is generally clear and does not detract from the argument.

A C defends, challenges, or qualifies the claim that you should try harder in your classes this semester. Evidence and examples may be uneven, inconsistent, or limited. Writing may have some problems, but gets the writer’s ideas across.

A D inadequately defends, challenges, or qualifies the claim that you should try harder in your classes this semester. Evidence or explanations may be inappropriate, insufficient, or less convincing. The argument may be inadequately developed or have lapses in coherence. The writing generally conveys the writer’s ideas, but may be less consistent or have lapses in control.

An F has less success in defending, challenging, or qualifying the claim that you should try harder in your classes this semester. These essays may wander off topic or provide an inadequate or inappropriate explanation. The paper has grammatical problems and may lack development or organization.

Length: 600 words +/- 10%
Due: Friday February 8th


We will be working on this in class. I expect 4th and 5th period to use their time better. Good job today 3rd period.

Sunday, January 13, 2013

This I Believe

Ninja Nakayla Chan
Your This I Believe essay is due on Tuesday January 22nd. You need to bring in two copies -- one for me and one for you. At least the one for me needs to be typed. You will be reading your essay aloud in class. I will read along and grade the live presentation. Here are the requirements adapted from the This I Believe submission page (I encourage you to submit them to This I Believe if you wish). Keep the following in mind when you write your essay:
  1. Limit your essay to 350-500 words.
  2. Describe an event that shaped your beliefs or a person who inspired them.
  3. Avoid sermons and editorials—no soapbox declamations, please!
  4. Read more of the This I Believe essay-writing tips.
You can peruse multiple examples at http://thisibelieve.org. Often the ones put on the radio are a bit better, but not necessarily so.

Andrea Kang's (Class of 2009) This I Believe essay. They re-posted it from its original posting so all of the comments are gone, but her essay is there.