1. Critical Thinking
You will have three Minutes to complete the following Puzzle. Bring your answer to me. You may guess as many times as you’d like. No talking or Cheating.

2. Word Fragments
In each of these puzzles, a word fragment is given, and you must think of an English word that contains the fragment -- that is, you must form a word by adding letters to the beginning and/or the end of the fragment. You may not add letters to the middle of the fragment, nor may you rearrange the letters given. I’ll give you a point for each word you come up with. Example: atula = spatula or congratulations Word fragment #1: llel Word fragment #2: osoe Word fragment #3: iloli

3. Possible Answers:
Word fragment #1: llel = hallelujah or parallel Word fragment #2: osoe = whosoever Word fragment #3: iloli = kiloliter

4. Goals for the Day
I can strengthen my own writing through multiple revisions.
I can utilize specific evidence to strengthen my argument.

5. Week 15 – Vocabulary
Remember, you’re responsible for studying vocabulary each week. You might want to make flashcards to help you study.
Vocabulary Quiz #15 on Thursday – all words from weeks 1-15 are fair game.
This will be our last week of vocabulary until after the semester break.

6. Writing well – controlling the language
Look at the mistakes highlighted in each sentence. See if you can identify the error or why this might not demonstrate a “control of the language.”

7. Comments on Argumentative Essays
Most of you made fairly simple, but strong claims.
Many of you had excellent opening paragraphs.
A VERY large portion of you struggled to present specific evidence.
Too many of you shifted from first person to second person – NEVER write in second person point of view (you).
Because you write in 2nd person point of view, you struggled to get specific enough in your evidence.
Many of you presented evidence in hypothetical situations – get rid of that and get specific.

8. Controlling the Language
We’ve already discussed finding ways to avoid blame or accusation. Trade papers with someone and see if you feel there is any language that could be more constructive in creating an open dialogue.
We’ve already discussed tempering arguments in a way that minimizes holes that can arise in your argument. Trade papers with someone else and try to identify any areas where your peer may have been able to better temper their argument.

9. Seven Deadly Sins of Writing
Fragments
Run-ons
Comma Splices
Subject-Verb Agreement
Dangling Modifiers
Weak Verbs
Passive Voice

10. Combining and Conciseness
Ensure that your writing exhibits clarity first and foremost.
Say whatever you can as concisely as possible.
Vary your sentence structure so your writing does not become monotonous.
Combine sentences when you find that you are repeating anything – combine to remove the repetitive portion.
Combine sentences when you find that you have multiple short or simple sentences in a row.
Combine sentences to achieve various rhetorical effects.

11. Improving your own writing
Choose one of your recently written journals, rhetorical paragraphs, or even a paragraph or two from a timed writing – it must be at least 10 lines long.
Consider everything we’ve discussed about good writing: avoiding the seven deadly sins, tempering arguments, writing concisely, knowing when to combine sentences, using transitional words and phrases, and avoiding blame or accusation, re-write the essay you selected.
You will be scored as a 10 point assignment, but here’s the catch – I stop reading as soon as I see an error that stands out and you will receive the number of points of the line number I reached. In other words, if you have an error in line 2, you receive a 2/10.

12. Types of Evidence First-Hand Evidence Personal Experience Anecdotes
Current Events
Second-Hand Evidence
Historical Evidence
Expert Opinion
Quantitative Evidence

13. Evidence for your essay
In groups of three, try to come up with at least two specific examples of each type of evidence that could/would support your argumentative essay thesis statement. If you had already had some specific evidence, do NOT use it – come up with next evidence to practice this skill.
You will be asked to share and you will be challenged on this, so think these through and take this seriously.

14. The next steps in argument -
Examining the complexities of an issue quickly but fully (before we can do it quickly, we must be able to know what if feels like to examine something fully)
Creating an informed thesis statement
Considering the best modes of support/argument
Using the BEST evidence
Avoiding fallacies within your evidence or claims
Rebutting counterclaims
Structuring your argument most effectively

15. Examining the complexities
To what degree do you agree with the statement “guns make us safer.”
Write down your stance on the gun problem in America
Briefly write down three possible ways to support your stance
Discuss the gun problem in America
Rewrite your claim as the discussion continues.
Rewrite your evidence as the discussion continues
Consider how your might alter your claim to anticipate counterarguments you will certainly encounter.
How might your evidence change or the way your approach your evidence – specific and precise yet tempered and controlled.

16. Homework
Rewrite one of your previous writings – journals, rhetorical paragraphs, timed writings, precis, etc. – trying to control the language in everyway possible so that you do not have any error that stand out in at least the first 10 lines.
Complete the analogy exercise #3 in rhetorical device book.
Study for your vocabulary quiz #15.