Assignment Task:
In the first week, the class read an article on the characteristics of academic writing. This article was assigned to educate you all on the expectations of this class, and many students express apprehension about creating such works and writing in general. Then you all read Susan Wyche's article, "Time, Tools, and Talismans," which focuses on overcoming apprehensions about writing and argues that writer's block is self-induced. One section of her work, "Using Rituals," provides two lists of rituals that students can employ to make the writing process easier. Using this section, you all are to choose three different rituals and explain, in detail, how you will go about making these suggested rituals a reality. Actually, you all can employ these three tactics and assess the results while creating the rough draft. I know this will make outlining a little unpredictable, but everyone will still be able to identify the three techniques and offer some idea of how they will implement them at this stage. Below is an outline of the information that must be included in each section of this essay. Please note that what appears below is a breakdown of the components of the first essay, but the actual outline that you all are to complete is in a separate file in this week's module. First person needs to be used to complete this essay.
Essay One (Expository Essay) Outline
Remember, this is a "map" to plan your essay, so do not try to fit whole paragraphs in these limited spaces.
Fill in each part of the outline.
I. Introduction
A. Hook (A sentence that establishes your topic and gains the reader's interest --- often a quote, interesting fact, or question.)
*This should be one sentence*
B. Background information (Establish the type and topic of the essay. Information in this section will vary by assignment/rhetorical situation.)
C. Working Thesis Statement (Forecasting) - Identify three tactics you will employ (from Wyche's "Using Rituals" section of her article) to establish writing rituals that help ease fears about the process.
*This should be one sentence*
II. Body Paragraphs
A. BP One
1. Working topic sentence - Use a key word from the thesis to create a sentence that informs the reader of the focus of the paragraph and refers to the thesis.
*This should be one sentence*
2. Details and examples - Write a couple of sentences describing some of the examples you will incorporate.
B. BP Two
1. Working topic sentence Use a key word from the thesis to create a sentence that informs the reader of the focus of the paragraph and refers to the thesis.
*This should be one sentence*
2. Details and examples--Write a couple of sentences describing some of the examples you will incorporate.
C. BP Three
1. Working topic sentence -- Use a key word from the thesis to create a sentence that informs the reader of the focus of the paragraph and refers to the thesis.
*This should be one sentence*
2. Details and examples-- Write a couple of sentences describing some of the examples you will incorporate.
III. Conclusion
A. Revisit the Thesis - Refresh the wording of the thesis to indicate that this is the beginning of the concluding paragraph.
*This should be one sentence*
B. Consider why any of this is important - answer the question, "So what?"