Unit 3, Day 26: Thursday, November 15

OPTIONAL CONFERENCES: Today you’ll be conducting optional conferences in your classroom to discuss students’ position analyses. For this conference and/or your comments on the Position Analysis assignment, you’ll want to focus on these main concerns:

Part 1—

Do they have a clear understanding of the whole issue? Can you see three distinct positions that demonstrate the complexity of their issue? Do their positions (as long as their issue allows for it) go beyond pro/con and something in-between?
Do these positions really exist? Were they able to effectively incorporate sources to show that these positions are really out there?
How deep is their analysis of each position? Are they getting a good sense of the values/concerns that produce each position? Could they push their analysis further?
Which of the positions do they mainly side with? Did they completely side with one? Does their stance seem like it could incorporate points from other positions that they didn’t note?

Part 2—

Do they have a focused, debatable overall claim?
Do they have a clear sense of exigence in why they’re writing on this issue in the first place?
Do they have a clear sense of purpose in why they’re writing their argument for their defined audience? Does the claim fit the purpose?
Are the exigence, audience, purpose and focus they’ve identified coherent?
Do they understand what evidence they’ll need to support their sub-claims? What types of evidence do they plan to use? What evidence do they already have that can work?

MAKE SURE TO EMAIL RESPONSES TO STUDENTS BY SUNDAY. THIS CANNOT WAIT UNTIL AFTER BREAK.

Assignment for Day 27 (for over break):

- Read “Documenting Sources: MLA” in PHG (583-592) and “Appeals for Written Argument” in PHG (438-442).

- Read through other students’ Position Analysis on the forum to help refine your context, claim, etc.

- Complete an annotated bibliography that summarizes 6 sources and how you plan to use each in writing your paper.

- Write an introduction that places your overall claim into context

- Revise your Position Analysis in response to conference and comments and bring it back to class after break.