High School Confidential: The Present-Tense Moment in American Life

Part 1: For Monday after Spring Break, read pages 707 -714 and blog the Questions for Discussion #3 on p. 714 and Rhetoric and Style questions 1-7; 9-12 on page 715.

If anyone has the time and inclination, watch Election and report back to the class. Is it as good as Denby says it is?

Part 2: Read Corn-Pone Opinions by Mark Twain on page 717. From page 721, blog Questions on Rhetoric and Style numbers 1-11 for Monday after Spring Break. 

If you'd like to try and make some, here's a recipe for corn pone.

 Remember if you wish to rewrite your Orwell paper, it is due at the end of spring break. Also, make a copy of the original to edit. Leave the comments in the original document intact.

Pop Culture Paper

TV Bad! TV Good? Orwell, Huxley, Postman Oh My!!! Squirrel....! What? Oh, sorry, I got distracted. Jersey Thursday, ya know.

Anyway.

Write to prompt 3 on page 787 of your book. Keep it to 1000 words +/- 10%.

Remember that a synthesis paper is essentially a research paper in that you are using sources. Those sources need to be cited. So, remember to look over the research paper resources for how to do that. Also, Easybib.com is your friend and he loves to help out with works cited pages.

It is due on Monday April 16th. That will give those music and FBLA people time to upload whatever they swyped on their phones to Google Docs and give it a quick revision before submitting it. ;)

The dialectical relationship of the self to society

Based on our discussions of the dialectic to the right, blog your thoughts on this “feedback loop” between the self and society. Use Frontline’s video essay Merchants of Cool as a basis for your arguments. You may wish to consider the following questions in your write-up.

• What do you think of the premise put forth by Frontline and by the dialectic model above? 
• Do you see an authentic way to take control of your relationship between the, or rather your, self and society? 

This post is due Monday.

If you were gone on the music trip or off cavorting around Disney World, you can watch all or part of the video at the PBS website.

Merchants of Cool

For those of you who were absent today (Thursday), you can get the link to the documentary The Merchants of Cool at the PBS website or by Googling "Merchants of Cool". We'll finish and debrief it in class tomorrow.

Remember it came out in 2001 so some of it will be outdated, but the mechanisms behind the trends are still very much in use. We'll talk about the relationship between the individual and society explored in this documentary on Friday.

Bowling, Community, and Source Use

As we're looking at the high level issues of synthesis and examining source use, blog your responses to questions 1-7 on page 68 tonight. They are all questions about how this author uses sources in his argument as well as interpreting the citations themselves.

Pop Culture Research Paper

Many of you have heard of the Junior Research Paper. You will be doing something slightly different. You will be writing a researched argument based on our work with synthesis papers that is focused on a general, educated audience. This will be a bit longer than your pop culture synthesis essay and require that you find and use credible outside sources. We’re going to do all of this BEFORE the end of May. (“Whew! You’ve GOT to be crazy, Mr. Giddings!” I can hear you saying it in your heads. Nah, if I were crazy, we’d read these papers at the next school board meeting while dancing around a May Pole juggling small woodland creatures. Thank God, I’m not crazy!)

Your assignment is to write a researched response to prompt #3 from the Entering the Conversation section on page 787 of your textbooks. Since we spent half an hour discussing that prompt on Monday, I'm a bit concerned that some of you didn't know what the paper was about.

Requirements

• 1200 words long 
• Full MLA format (see MLA OWL link to sample pages on the blog) 
• Use at least three sources from the conversation section that corresponds to your topic 
• Use at least 2 outside sources – acceptable sources include: 
• Books (Google Books okay)
• Reputable periodicals such as Harpers, The Atlantic, The New York Times, The Seattle Times, etc. 
• Any ProQuest resource (see here for the login info) 
• Other essays from our book outside the pop culture conversation section
• The Merchants of Cool
• Interviews with knowledgeable individuals
• Many websites are questionable sources and Wikipedia is verboten. 

Due June 3, 2011

These papers will graded with the concerns of the AP synthesis rubric in mind, though since this is not a rough draft an increased emphasis will be placed on format and conventions.

For the article about the brain and persuasion we discussed the other day, click here.

Third Period

You do not have this assignment sheet yet. You need it. Notice you wrote on the 3rd option last night.

Notes on the AP Synthesis Prompt

Synthesis Reminders from the book
2010 Notes


2011 Notes on the AP Synthesis Prompt
Below are the synthesis notes posted to your respective blogs.


3rd Period


Summertime, Summertime, Sum-Sum-Summertime! (Summer and...?)


1. WHAT MAKES A GOOD SYNTHESIS ESSAY?

• Using many of the sources given, or at least the required amount.
• Addressing the prompt correctly.
• Developing a position and making sure that position is clear.
• Provide other backround information.
• Address the sources and expand on them.
• Answer "so what?"

2. WHAT TO AVOID:

• Don't over-use the sources.
• Don't summarize.
• Unrecognizable thesis.
• Misunderstanding the sources.
• Not citing the sources used.
• Not developing a position.
• Not using any of the sources.
• Not following a thesis.
• Under-developed points for the argument.
• Being too simplistic.

3. STRATEGIES:

• Using the sources smoothly rather then "plopping" them.
• Thesis discusses the complexity of the issues.
• The explanation of the context is clear to the reader.
• Not getting overwhelmed by the sources used.
• The conclusion addresses what the reader should continue to think about instead of summarizing the paper.

Nightrider, Kit, and the Three Amigos (McCrea, Stephanie, Madison, Cori)

What makes a good essay?
-Complex thesis (acknowledging both sides of the argument)
-Form/Develop a position (clear and strong)
-Understanding the sources and explaining the signifacance of each to the thesis
-Relating author of sources to their position
-Give your own opinion, not just the authors' opinion
-Combine your argument with the authors' but make sure yours is the main focus
-CITE YOUR SOURCES

What to avoid:
-overwhelming the reader with sources
-replacing your argument with the sources
-plopping quotes
-summarizing sources
-misunderstanding sources
-large quotes without commentary
-simplifying sources
-repetative conclusions/summary
-abrupt transitions

Strategies:
-Use specific data if available
-Take time to analyze sources and plan exactly what information you want to include
-Use sophisticated language

The Boys Are Back in Town (Chris, Will, Mark, and Luke)

1.What makes a good essay?

• They contextualise the issue at hand for readers
• Cite at least three sources
• effectively supports their position by effectively synthesizing
• thesis establishes a position
• Recognizes the complexity of the prompt
• sources enhance argument

2.What to avoid?

• Over using sources
• failing to cite sources
• repetitive conclusions
• lapses in diction and syntax
• summerizing sources
• sources replace argument

3.Strategies...

• use many type of information to support your argument
• develope your ideas with facts
• cite or refer to anecdotes
• cite quantitative data
• cite an expert testimony
• keep your position central
• analyze the rhetorical situation in order to determine what is appropriate when it comes to sources
• be sure to use good hand writting [sic]

Park Place (Ashley and ...?)

What makes a good essay?

Cite your sources.
Make a position and support it.
Don't steal the sources argument. Use their points to support yours.
Use quotes, don't paraphrase.
Use three or more sources unless, try two difference sources per paragraph.
Use whole quotes or at least edit them so they're not so long
Avoid repetition and oversimplification
Be careful of in-formalities
Read the prompt more than once and makes sure you read it correctly.
If you're going to use big words, know how to use them and how to spell them.
Multi-faceted argument.

Nicole and Riley's Synthesis

What makes a good essay?
-Cite your sources
-Make sure the quotes blend in and make sense
-Choose a side in the argument
-Quotes support side

What to avoid?
-Quotes from source are too long
-Not citing your sources (plagiarism)
-Misquoting source
-Abrupt transitions

Strategies?
-Using sources smoothly
-Citing sources
-Use facts and data

5th Period

D is for Dynamite! (Paola, Jessica, Dency)

1. The use of not only language control but also the effective use of sources and clearly choosing a side to create your own argument is the way you successful get a higher score on your essay.  They have to efficiently stay on topic throughout the entire paper and provide good conclusions.  To go from a 5 to a 6, the essay has to be a little more organized and it has to to have more thought behind it.
2. A lower essay is very simplistic in not only their use of sources but also the vocabulary.  They use sources, but they oversimplify them and simply summarize them.  They tend to sway back and forth between arguments.
3. You can have a higher score by creating a general outline with a thesis, not oversimplifying, and having a general idea of what sources you should use.

The 3 question thing in class (Dalton, Yusuke, Dustin, Kelin, Chris)

1.) What makes a good synthesis essay?
-  Sophisticated argument with synthesis of sources

a.) 5 to a 6?
-  You must connect your sources to your argument better

b.) 6 to a 7 or 8?
-  More complete, purposeful arguments and synthesis of sources.  Convincing argument.

2.)  What are characteristics of a lower essay?
-  Off topic, tangent, incorrect or amount of sources, not taking a position, misunderstanding, lack of control.

a.) Pitfalls you should avoid?
-  tangents, not citing sources, summarizing.

3.)  What are some strategies that you could employ to achieve success?
-  Plan before you write, answer every question on the multiple choice portion, annotate text before you start writing.

Narwhal Notes from "The ADD Class" (Kelli, Bryce, Mac, and Delaney)

What makes a good synthesis essay?
-Short quotes from the sources. Lengthy quotes are bad.
-Use sources logically. If it doesn't support your point, don't use it!
-Have a clear thesis. A quote from another source is not a thesis.
-You can use the points made in sources, but you need to focus on your own.
-Make a clear connection between sources and thesis.
-Show that you have an advanced understanding of what the sources actually mean.

What makes a lower synthesis essay? (Things to avoid)
-Do not just "plop" quotes. Explain why they are relevant and how they support your argument.
-As with any essay, do not write extremely long and overly complex sentences
-Do not just summarize the sources! Make your own!
-Avoid misinterpreting the sources

What are some strategies to achieve success on the AP test?
-Budget time wisely between all three essays. Leave the best for last.
-On multiple choice, if you don't know it, leave it for last!
-Stay on topic! In all three essays, going off on a tangent will not benefit you!
-Waste as little time as possible reading the prompts. But do not just skim it; misinterpreting the prompt leads to horrible failure.

The Dark Side has Cookies. What you got? (Natalie, Brooke, Shanice, and Megan)

1. Interact with the sources, develops their own argument rather than paraphrase the articles, more fully developed argument, good voice and development of argument, officiant language, contains enough evidence of more-than-adequate synthesis, and have direct citations.
2. Does not directly cite the sources, summarizes what the article say instead of creating an original their own argument, does not develop a unique position , writes a comparison/contrast essay of the articles, does not conclude their statements/argument, oversimplifies the argument, does not have control over writing style, inadequate response to the topic, abrupt transitions between paragraphs, quality of argument is uneven.
3. Don't just summarize, go in-depth and explain fully, develop your own argument, be careful when citing and quoting from the provided text.

Arrows point you in the right(?) direction (Olivia, Grace, Monica, Jasmine, Alicia, Montana)

1. what makes for a good synthesis essay?
- sophisticated in their argument & synthesis of sited sources
- effectively support decision
- site atleast 3 sources
- they don't merely summarize issue

2. what are the characteristics of a lower essay?
- overwhelmed by sources
- summarize instead of making own argument
- have no recognizable thesis/weak
- sources not always sited
- writer misunderstands/misquotes sources
- large direct quotes without any commentary or explantation

 (Grace's arrows)

3. what are some strategies that you could employ to achieve success on the AP test?
- contextualize the issue
- thesis is complex
- go beyond citing sources and begin developing argument
- flowing argument that clearly states pount in argument
- best essays don't just summarize whole essay, they answer question "so what?"

Pop Culture Synthesis Essay

[caption id="attachment_1084" align="alignright" width="131" caption="DGP Citation issued!!!"][/caption]

DGP Update: 2nd period missed the threshold by 10.7 percentage points...so the quest continues.

This synthesis paper will be on Entering the Conversation question number 3 on page 787 (in the popular culture conversation section we’ve been working on).  Note that you must use at least three of our conversation sources, though you may also use any of the pop culture essays and articles we’ve read in class as well as our discussion and the Merchants of Cool video.

We will have the next couple of days in class to work on this. Please be ready to write so I can help you.

Synthesis Paper Requirements:

• 1200 words


• MLA format (page style, in-text citations, and works cited page — see MLA at Owl and Easybib links under the AP heading to the left as well as this post for class MLA modifications for help on this)


• Synthesize at least three sources from the conversation section (other sources are okay, but not required on this essay)

Due Dates:

• Rough draft due Tuesday, April 13th for 1st period


• Rough draft due Wednesday, April 14th for 2nd period


• Final Draft Due Friday, April 16th

Suggestions:

• Remember that your argument is paramount and your sources are there to support you, not the other way around


• Key notes on Synthesis in our book are in chapter 3, especially the last sentence before the new section on page 62; the paragraph beginning “Sources should enhance” on page 65; and pages 81-85


• Finish early and revise! When you revise, think about the following:
  
  
  
  • These revision guidelines
  
  
  • organization
  
  
  • how your sources interact with your audience (see p.69 ff.)
  
  
  • transitions!
  
  
  • remember that this is an argument, it’s just one that is both informed and formally supported
  
  
  
  


• Write a clear, convincing, awesome essay!

Revise Your Synthesis Timed Write

What you need to turn in on Monday:

1. New & Improved Timed Write (this one is graded using the released rubric for this prompt)


2. Old & Shabby Timed Write (maybe not so shabby, but you get the idea)


3. Reviewer Feedback Sheet with Three (3!) reviews


4. The prompt with the sources you used to write

Submit these all in one big bundle. :)

As I wrote on the board, items 2-4 allow me to see your process, evaluate where you are in the process of mastering this type of writing, and evaluate the effectiveness of the activity.  The assignment will not be considered complete if it is missing anything.

If you cannot find the question with the sources, here it is.

So, what exactly is AP looking for with synthesis anyway?

All right. Once you have your lists of Do's, Don'ts, and Strategies, have someone in your group blog your group's list and then email me when it's up. I will compile everything into one post so everyone has access to the class' collective wisdom.

Quoting, formatting, and requirements -- oh my!

When you reference our text, use the essay option from the chapter /  anthology category at Easybib.com (located in the choose a source menu). It will create a citation like this:

Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly. "The Future of Happiness." The Language of Composition : Reading, Writing, Rhetoric. By Renee H. Shea, Lawrence Scanlon, and Robin D. Aufses. Boston: Bedford/Saint Martin's, 2007. 623-29. Print.

As far as quoting from a discussion, there isn't a super clean way to do that. Use the Lecture / Speech option and choose speech. Just fill in the information. Then for the in-text citation, use the first word of the works cited citation.

For everything else, use the MLA Toolkit you got earlier int eh year. If you lost yours, there is a pdf version linked in Class Info & Docs.

Happy writing and remember, you need to turn in all your rough drafts with your final paper this time. Please attach the rubric as well.

In other news, we will begin our run of timed writes up to the test in May next week. Whoo hoo!

Gender Essays/Discussion/Paper

For those of you in Junior Conferences today, read Professions for Women by Virginia Woolf  (p 356) and I Want a Wife by Judy Brady. Start taking notes on the reading using the Gender Discussion Notes graphic organizer. You will need to bring that to use during the discussion on Thursday and it will be due immediately after the discussion. We also talked about our next paper. You'll need to use two of the sources listed in the paper instructions and two quotes from the discussion in your paper (read the paper handout and the discussion notes graphic organizer).

Click on and download all the links above.

Take care and I'll see you tomorrow.

Paper and the weekend

As you finish your papers this weekend, remember the resources linked from this post.  There are links to formatting notes at OWL and on the blog.  There is a sample paper and a veritable plethora of resources!

Hopefully you all got enough done this week that you can get out in the sun this weekend too.

Please, though, do both of us a favor and don't leave your paper until Sunday night --I'm as little interested in reading poor papers as you are in getting a poor grade on that poor paper!  :)

Enjoy your 3-day weekend!

Gender, Sports, Technology! Oh my!

Oh and community or immigration too. 

So look over the research paper assignment sheet and see what question appeals to you the most.  Make sure to take a peek at the essays in the conversation section that corresponds to that question as those sources may inform your decision.  The assignment sheet is the first link on this page.

Synthesis Paper Notes

Good luck on your papers this weekend.  Remember that Easybib and MLA at OWL are your friends.  Scroll down to the bottom of the MLA at OWL site for various topics concerning formatting your paper.  See especially In-Text Citations: The Basics and In-Text Citations: Author-Page Style.

Here are further resources for writing and formatting your paper:

• Research Paper Resources (including the research paper format example)


• Research Paper Format Example

Have a good weekend!

He Doesn't Like To Watch TV?

For your homework tonight, read “He Doesn’t Like To Watch” on page 779 and blog the questions on 781 (there are only 4 of them).

I hope the synthesis essay went well for you.  That said, this Museum one is a bit confusing and I think kids from places with large, famous museums have an advantage over kids from say Fife.  That’s why we used it as a practice.  Our graded timed writes will be on much more accessible topics.

There will be a blog post tomorrow for your weekend homework.  You’ll be watching “Mean Girls” and analyzing it briefly on the blog in light of Denby’s article we read right before Spring Break.  There will also be the last two conversation section entries to do over the weekend.

Mr. Kile will start the movie tomorrow about 5 minutes before class officially starts.  We're doing that so that you can see the end without staying after class (the human brain tends to like resolution).  Most of you are here 5 minutes early or more anyway, but just a heads up.

On Monday, we’ll go over the timed write and talk about the essay question in preparation for going to the computer lab Tuesday and Wednesday.

Remember that Monday is a WASL day so school starts at 9:40!

Synthesis Strategies Spring 09!

Here are the synthesis observations your class generated yesterday:

Purple Cobras aka Darth Levitt

The (In)appropriately Sized Group

Chia_Pets

The Super Awesome Flaming Group of Destiny (or something like that)

For your further reference:

Original AP Class

Last Semester

Pop Culture Synthesis Essay

Our first synthesis paper will be on Entering the Conversation question number 3 on page 787 (in the popular culture conversation section we’ve been working on).  Note that you must use at least three of our conversation sources, though you may also use any of the pop culture essays and articles we’ve read in class.

We will talk about this in class as well and be working through the conversation section essays this week, but I wanted to give you a heads up on this assignment.  Also you may have noticed that the planning page says this paper is due April 24th.  I will be gone that Friday and Saturday at a National Boards class and so thought you might appreciate the extra weekend since I wouldn’t be picking them up until Monday anyway.  I hope that doesn’t inconvenience anyone. :)

Synthesis Paper Requirements:

• 1200 words
• MLA format (page style, in-text citations, and works cited page — see MLA at Owl and Easybib links under the AP heading to the left as well as this post for class MLA modifications for help on this)
• Synthesize at least three sources from the conversation section (other sources are okay, but not required on this essay)

Due: Monday, April 27th

Suggestions:

• Remember that your argument is paramount and your sources are there to support you, not the other way around
• Key notes on Synthesis in our book are in chapter 3, especially the last sentence before the new section on page 62; the paragraph beginning “Sources should enhance” on page 65; and pages 81-85
• Finish early and revise! When you revise, think about the following:
  • These revision guidelines
  • organization
  • how your sources interact with your audience (see p.69 ff.)
  • transitions!
  • remember that this is an argument, it’s just one that is both informed and formally supported
• Write a clear, convincing, awesome essay!

Spring Break: A Synthesis of Work and Play

Part 1: Read chapter 3 in our text book.  Then, blog your answers to questions 1-7 on page 68.

Part 2: After finishing the reading, blog a paragraph or so exploring your thoughts on what synthesis really is, the skills it requires, and what makes for a good synthesis essay.

Part 3: Relax.  Watch a movie on TV, not because you’ve wanted to see it, but just because it happens to be on.  Eat popcorn for lunch.