Harvard Extension School Expo E-25; Section 6 (7:30PM-9:30PM) Instructor: Julie Anne McNary 1. Please check your Elluminate Audio Wizard; 2. We will begin at 7:30PM.

Harvard University Extension School Spring Semester 2012 Expository Writing E25: Introduction to Academic Writing and Critical Reading Analyzing the Short Story

Overview  Harvard Grading System  Essay #1 – Final Grading Results  Essay #2 – Comparison and Contrast Essay  Student Samples exercise 35 minutes  Sign up for conferences this weekend.  Prior thereto, please produce a clean, revised, and coherent first draft.

Harvard Grading System Grades reflect the quality and quantity of a student's work submitted throughout the term according to the grading standards listed below. Undergraduate- and graduate-credit students may earn the following grades: Grades reflect the quality and quantity of a student's work submitted throughout the term according to the grading standards listed below. Undergraduate- and graduate-credit students may earn the following grades:

A and A- grades represent work whose superior quality indicates a full mastery of the subject and, in the case of A, work of extraordinary distinction. There is no grade of A+. A and A- grades represent work whose superior quality indicates a full mastery of the subject and, in the case of A, work of extraordinary distinction. There is no grade of A+. B+, B, and B- grades represent work of good to very good quality throughout the term; however, it does not merit special distinction. B+, B, and B- grades represent work of good to very good quality throughout the term; however, it does not merit special distinction. C+, C, and C- grades designate an average command of the course material. C+, C, and C- grades designate an average command of the course material. D+, D, and D- grades indicate work that shows a deficiency in knowledge of the material. D+, D, and D- grades indicate work that shows a deficiency in knowledge of the material. E is a failing grade representing work that deserves no credit. An E may also be assigned to students who do not submit required work in courses from which they have not officially withdrawn by the deadline. E is a failing grade representing work that deserves no credit. An E may also be assigned to students who do not submit required work in courses from which they have not officially withdrawn by the deadline.

ESSAY 1 Finals – Grading Results A = 2 A = 2 A- = 2 A- = 2 B+ = 2 B+ = 2 B = 2 B = 2 B- = 2 B- = 2 C+ = 1 C+ = 1 C+/C = 1 C+/C = 1 Not yet graded: 2 Not yet graded: 2

Exercise Student Samples – 35 min Please go to our iSite and download the four (4) student samples you find in the folder marked Essay 2 Student Samples Please go to our iSite and download the four (4) student samples you find in the folder marked Essay 2 Student Samples Please read the samples and look for the criteria I have outlined in our lecture Please read the samples and look for the criteria I have outlined in our lecture –Summaries, thesis, topic sentences, evidence, analysis, conclusion, etc. Outline each body paragraph in the manner we have laboriously discussed: topic sentence that states an analytical claim, evidence from the text, analysis thereof, transition to the next paragraph; Outline each body paragraph in the manner we have laboriously discussed: topic sentence that states an analytical claim, evidence from the text, analysis thereof, transition to the next paragraph; Please assign each paper a grade for polling – please note, they may all be the same grade, or they may be markedly different. Please assign each paper a grade for polling – please note, they may all be the same grade, or they may be markedly different. Come back prepared to discuss at length… Come back prepared to discuss at length…

First Draft Revision Strategies General Approach: – –Revise your Body First – –Revise your Conclusion – –Finally, revise your Thesis/Introduction Test for Logic, Tone, and Organization – –3 Question Rule for Organization   Paragraph Structure – the most important unit of organization in your work – –Topic Sentence that states an analytical, or observational, claim – –Evidence – –Analysis and transition Revise for Overall Coherence Revising for Overall Clarity Revise for Economy Revising for Word Choice – FURY (familiar, unique, rich, or your own voice, etc.) Revising your sentence structure, grammar, and punctuation

Test for Logic, Tone, Organization Some Rules for Logic, Tone, Organization:   Does the document read like a story?   Is it too chatty, too narrative?   Can you distill down to the facts?   Are you truly analyzing the works in question?   Are your paragraphs/sections properly structured? – –Topic Sentence that states an analytical, or observational, claim – –Evidence – –Analysis and transition

Revise for Overall Clarity Use concrete and specific words Use the active voice Make sure to be conscious of Agency Simplify Tense: stay in present tense when possible Avoid “helping verbs” would, should, and could Identify and replace ambiguous pronouns Use standard English words – avoid colloquial, or slang, terms Check sentences for misplaced or dangling modifiers

Revise for Overall Coherence 5 points of focus – –Repeat Key Words throughout your paper – –Ensure that each paragraph begins with a point and a topic sentence stating an analytical, or observational, claim – –Use transition words – –Use mental “vertical lists” for series of like items   Organize your body paragraph evidence mentally before throwing it down on paper.   Could you rehearse your evidence to someone with whom you were speaking? If not, it will not come out well on paper…

Revise for Economy Cut useless verbs Cut useless prepositions Cut who, which and that Cut useless repetition Cut redundancy Cut useless commentary Cut useless modifiers

Think about Word Choice Is every single word the RIGHT word? Is every single word the RIGHT word? Stone wall metaphor Stone wall metaphor FURY FURY (familiar, unique, rich, or your own voice, etc.)

Conferences – Essay 2 First Drafts Saturday, 3/24 7:00AM 7:00AM 7:45AM 7:45AM 8:30AM 8:30AM 9:15AM 9:15AM 10:00AM 10:00AM 10:45AM 10:45AM 11:30AM 11:30AM 4:15PM 4:15PM 5:30PM 5:30PM Sunday, 3/25 7:00AM 7:00AM 7:45AM 7:45AM 8:30AM 8:30AM 9:15AM 9:15AM 10:00AM 10:00AM 10:45AM 10:45AM Please me the three times you are available to meet during these windows…