Narrative Writing Assignment

Directions: Read Carefully

Write a short narrative about a time you accomplished a difficult task. Include descriptive language to "show, not tell" as much as possible. Make sure you have a clear structure (such as beginning, middle and end).  You can tell the whole story or focus on one scene. Use concepts discussed in chapters 16 and 17 to tell your story.

Note: This must be  your own story in your own words. Plagiarized and AI-generated work will not be accepted.

(approximately 175-300 words)

Look over the notes below for suggestions:

Example Narrative: 

When it was almost my turn to run, my stomach turned. My legs felt like wobbly jelly even though I hadn't jogged a step yet. This was my first 5k. Maybe that's not a big deal to some people, but before this month in 2015, I had told myself my entire life I wasn't a runner. Yet, here I was, standing in the crowds of thousands of people about to take off in this strange "Turkey Trot" race. 

Finally, I got to the starting point of the race, lined up with all of the other slow, new runners. I didn't care that I was slow, or new. My one and only goal was to get to the finish line. Somehow, the moment I took off, the energy of the crowd carried me forward.  Pop music was blaring and people were cheering as if this were the Olympics. I was probably bouncing along at 12 minutes a mile, but in my head, I was breaking records. 34 minutes later, long after the so-called elite athletes crossed the finish line, I saw it ahead of me in the distance, that bright yellow line on the concrete. I wanted to walk the rest of the way so badly, but I was determined. Gasping, I dragged myself through those last few strides and let myself enjoy the embrace of my family who knew how important this was to me. Perhaps this small goal of mine seems like a small accomplishment to many, but to me, it meant everything, and that's all that matters.

Show, Not Tell and Descriptive language examples: 

 - "my stomach turned" is more descriptive than "I was nervous".  

– Specific details can also help readers imagine a scene:  "12 minutes a mile"   "thousands of people"

-  Dialogue is another way to show, not tell. "This was the hardest race of my life," he said.

– Consider using the senses to paint a scene. What can you see, hear, smell, etc.? "Pop music was blaring"   "that bright yellow line on the concrete"

Informative Writing Assignment

Read the guidelines below carefully before beginning this assignment:

Assignment: Write an informative essay that summarizes the current state and future of a specific industry.

Click on the  Occupational Outlook Handbook from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Look for a specific job type. You can start by clicking on 'Occupation Groups' and then choosing a job from the list. Be sure to talk about one specific job rather than the whole industry.

Read about this job and then write an informative essay of five paragraphs, answering these questions: 

Essay length: approximately 2 double spaced pages (or about 300-400 words)

1. Introduction - What is this job? What is the overall outlook for the job you chose? Examples: It's a strong field now but has decreasing opportunities in the future; It's a well-paid field that's continuing to grow; It's a job that will thrive only in urban areas, etc.) 

2. Body  - Discuss three categories to describe this job's outlook. (Examples: types of jobs available, pay/salary, education or training needed for the job, differences by area, etc.). I would suggest three paragraphs here to discuss each category.

3. Conclusion - Summarize your ideas in a conclusion.

-Type your essay and double space.

-Use quotation marks when you quote exact wording from the web site. Otherwise, use your own words to describe the information you find. If you use other sources to look up information, please cite them in your paper.

Citing information examples:

Quotation example - 

According to the OOH, "Employment of wind turbine technicians is projected to grow 44 percent from 2021 to 2031, much faster than the average for all occupations."

Paraphrase example (restating information in your own words) - 

The Handbook also states that the rate of growth for the field of wind turbine technicians is larger than average. From 2021 to 2031, it's expected to increase by 44 percent.

Example outline for an informative essay:

Thesis Statement: The industry of wind power is expected to produce an increasing number of varied jobs over the next decade.

Paragraph 2: The predictions for jobs in wind power.

Paragraph 3: The types of jobs available

Paragraph 4: The pay and benefits of these jobs

Concluding Statement: Wind power workers in many areas will have the capacity to outnumber other energy workforces.

Summary-Response Assignment 1

Read the guidelines below before beginning:

Assignment: Write a summary-response essay in a series of 4 steps. This week is step 1 (Week 3):

Week 3: Write a summary and opinion

Week 4: Add to your opinion with additional research; Write an essay outline with quotations and paraphrases.

Week 5: Write a first draft essay in APA style

Week 6: Write a final draft essay in APA style

This week: Choose one article from the book (in the links below). Read the article and write a summary. Then write a few sentences giving your opinion.

1. Summary: Write the title and author of the article and at least three sentences stating the main ideas of the article.  (Example: In "Discrimination's 'Back Door': Tackling Language Bias on Campus, Heidi Landecker states…+ main ideas)

2. Opinion: Write a few sentences to explain your opinion. Do you agree or disagree with the author? What parts do you most agree or disagree with?

Articles:

Stand for Something: Let's Talk About Media Bias

A Degree in Debt: The High Price of Higher Education

The Coronavirus Infodemic

Hip or Hype? Virtual Influencers are Brands' Latest Social Tool

A Solution for Climate Pollution?

Ungendered: More Brands and Retailers are Doing Away with Male and Female Marketing Stereotypes

Discrimination's Back Door: Tackling Language Bias on Campus

Flat Earth, Illuminati, and Fake Moon Landing: Are Conspiracy Theory Videos Hurting YouTube?

Lessons from the Olin College Experiment

Summary-Response Assignment 2 (Continuing from last week)

Assignment: Submit an outline/plan for your summary-response essay. Look at the articles from last week's writing assignment (week 3) to continue this assignment.  Do not submit the essay this week, just the outline.

(Important: See the essay outline example attached on Moodle for suggestions on how to create your outline).

Steps -  R ead carefully. If any part of this description is confusing, please contact me or write your question in the open discussion forum for clarification.

1. Create your thesis statement with a clear argument based on last week's reading that you chose. Make it as specific as possible. (Examples: The author is correct in these points. It's true that….  OR The reading makes some strong points but is not entirely accurate because…). Try to make one clear, specific opinion statement that refers to a big idea from the reading as your thesis statement to guide the rest of your essay.

2. Find 1-2 more articles you can use in your essay to support your ideas (You can use news articles, journal articles, an organization's web site, etc. A video or other type of source is also okay. Use your best judgment to choose reputable sources. Both objective and more subjective sources are fine). Google Scholar is a free source for more academic-based articles. Make sure your source adds to your argument. 

3. Put together your outline. Your first paragraph should include a summary of the article you read last week and your thesis statement. Add ideas for your middle paragraphs (at least 3 middle paragraphs and a conclusion). What support can you give to support your thesis opinion? Include a combination of your own ideas, support from the article, and extra support from your research.

You don't have to write full sentences in your outline. I'm just looking for a general, organized plan.

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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS ANSWER IN 125 WORDS EACH

WEEK 2

Read an article from  BBC Future OR choose a different article from a reputable news source that discusses a future trend or prediction. 

Then post your answers to these questions:

1) What is the name of the article you read? What is the main idea?

2) What are a few pieces of interesting information the writer gives?

3) Is this writing 100% objective and informative? If yes, how do you know? If no, do you see any clues that the writer is giving an opinion or point of view? (Sometimes bias can be subtle, so look carefully).

WEEK 3

Talk a bit about your experience doing research and writing essays. What type of essays have you written in the past? What type of research have you done?

WEEK 4

Reading and Discussion – Evaluating Sources

Skim through the two articles about similar subjects. Then evaluate these two sources by answering the questions below:

How to Stay Sane Heading Into Year Three of the Pandemic

Covid-19 and Your Mental Health

Questions:

1) Which article is the most biased and which is the most objective? What are some clues that you see?

2) In your opinion, are these both credible sources to use in a research paper? Explain.

WEEK 3.1

Can a cubic function with real coefficients have two real zeros and one complex zero? Explain.

WEEK 3.2

At a glassware factory, molten cobalt glass is poured into molds to make paperweights. Each mold is a rectangular prism whose height is 3 inches greater than the length of each side of the square base. A machine pours 20 cubic inches of liquid glass into each mold. What are the dimensions of the mold?