Weekly Notes and Advice

This week should be used to include a final research day, conferences, or time to catch up in class.  Be sure to have solidified the concept of analysis and "grouping approaches" for the Issue Analysis due at the end of this week or the first day of next week.

Connection to Course Goals

The work they have completed with the Annotated Bibliography will set them up for their Issue Analysis and will help them to meet the goal of showing that an issue is complicated and that perspectives on an issue are guided by contexts and values. Reviewing positions and shared perspectives or approaches will encourage students to think critically about their issue, specifically about the reasons why authors take certain positions on their issue and why it’s helpful to think about similar groups of positions as either shared perspectives or approaches. The discussion of these shared perspectives and the illustration of them through specific text evidence will provide the substance of the students’ papers. Conferences reinforce the idea that writing is a process involving collaboration and revision. Exchanging ideas with their instructors, students learn that college is a collegial environment and that professors can and should be approached. They also learn that writing is a process involving careful choices (in regards to purpose, audience, and context) and continuous, deep revision. They learn as well that they are responsible for integrating classroom learning and formulating plans for integrating their new knowledge into their revision plans, as evidenced in their conference discussions.

Goals for this Week

• Return to the concept of grouping sources into approaches.  Remember to emphasize that we are going beyond pro/con in our Issue Analyses.

• Explain in detail the expectations for completing the Annotated Bibliography as the Issue Analysis and remind them of the due date.

• Continue to discuss issues in the news (NYT) that represent "clashes of values and beliefs"

• Review any necessary aspect of analysis including:  evaluating sources, determining values and beliefs, Personal Position Analysis and application thereof and any concerns about citation of sources.

• Provide conference time with students if necessary

• Continue to collect news clips of issues in the contact zones

Required Readings and Assignments

Assign the following to students this week:

• Complete your Issue Analysis
• Continue reading sources on your issue
  *If you are holding research process conferences, be sure students bring something with them (sources, questions about annotations, etc.) and hold them accountable for this.

Additional Teaching Resources

Don't forget to use the resources for the Issue Analysis located under the Writing Studio toolbar's "Activities and Guides" then "Writing Activities."