English 100W-01
Sequence for Paper #1

Wed, 2/4 -- Prospectus Due (3 copies)

On Wednesday, bring to class three copies of a prospectus literally "pre-view") of your first essay. A prospectus outlines an essay's thesis and minor claims, along with the data or quotes which support each minor claim.

Your thesis will advance a debatable position on a subject relating to the "Myth of the Melting Pot." Don't bore your reader with a vast, vague thesis like "It's too bad that different races can't get along"--focus on a particular element or theory of race relations in America today. Three to five minor claims will support your thesis and form the paragraphs of the essay's body. For data to support your minor claims, rely primarily on quotes from our Rereading America essays. Although this is not a research paper, you may bolster your argument with facts or anecdotes from your personal knowledge. (Recall the process we used to outline an essay arguing that human clothing is immoral).

In class on Wednesday, we will break into small groups to work on the prospectus.

Friday, 2/6 -- (Draft Due (3 copies)

Begin with a catchy yet relevant introduction which concludes with a clear statement of your thesis. Then, in a succession of well-ordered paragraphs, make minor claims which support your thesis and backs them up with appropriate data. Don't forget the interpretation: make very clear how you interpret these facts or quotes to support your claims. Refer to the Claim-Data-Interpretation sheet for proper argument structure.

Remember, you are writing to convince the reader! Be creative and entertaining to engage your audience, but rely on powerful claims, good evidence, and rigorous logic to make your argument.

In class on Friday, we will break into the same small groups to offer each other feedback and critique on the draft.

Presentation Checklist:

                () Title, top center
                () Name and date in right margin
                () Double-spaced and word-processed, 4-5 pages
                () Page numbers
                () Read essay aloud from printed draft to check for typos
                    and clarity

Quoting the text: When you quote an author, cite the text using the MLA format described in the Bedford Handbook (i.e., in-text parenthetical citations with a Works Cited page: "Black motherhood as an institution is both dynamic and dialectical" (Collins, Rereading America, p. 195).

Monday, 2/9 Class Canceled: Conferences Monday and Tuesday
Conferences will last 15-20 minutes and are held in my office in [####] Stevenson. Bring to your conference a written plan for revising the paper.

Monday, 2/16 Revisions of Paper 1 Due at beginning of class
In the week after conferences, use my comments and the suggestions of your peer groups along with your own ideas to improve the essay. Please hand in the first draft along with the revised version. Grades assigned to the revised essay will reflect the entire composition process.