Friday, May 4, 2012

AGENDA 5/4

Review: 5 Things You NEED to do in a Synthesis Essay
Examine the sample "9" essay for the "Museums" prompt
If time permits, examine the "6" and "3" essays for the "Museums" prompt
Reread your own essay

HW: Write a synthesis essay on education: individuality vs. conformity prompt:
In the first 15 minutes:
1) Read the prompt carefully, note exactly what it is asking, and craft your own position.

2) As you read each source, mine the source's bibliographic citation for information and note whether the source supports or opposes your position (+/-) and underline two potential quotations

In the next 35 minutes:
3) Draft the essay, making sure to use three sources for support.  Cite sources appropriately (Source A).  Introduce all direct quotations by using the author's name or name of source provided in the citation, an argument verb, and what to notice in the quotation that follows.  Don't call the source "Source A" before your quotation; save (Source A) for after the quotation.

4) Then, after 35 minutes, STOP and reread your essay.  Spend an additional 10 minutes revising your essay, keeping in mind the tips above distilled from the PowerPoint and what you remember of the "9" essay we read.  Remember, you'll typically only have 40 minutes, but we're taking 45 on this to make sure that you've written an essay you can be proud of and that you can use to study from prior to the test.  So go through, make sure you have cited appropriately and used three different sources, that you have discussed ideas thoroughly, that you have substituted in better vocabulary where appropriate, etc.

Also, remember that you can use outside knowledge (you should have plenty from our discussions the past two weeks!).  If you intend to use any of our sources, review them prior to reading the prompt and sources. Once you begin work on the essay, do it in a continuous hour.

Please submit Gatsby essays at your earliest convenience to http://turnitin.com for grading.  Contact me by email at jpust@smmusd.org if you need help with Turnitin login information.

Seminar on Monday over Francine Prose's "I Know Why the Caged Bird Cannot Read."  This essay initially made me so angry I wanted to throw it across the room.  I look forward to our discussion!

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