Comp I Notes

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Mr. Fleck's World of English</B></FONT>    |     <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mr. Flecks World of English"><U>home</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Meet Your Teacher"><U>Meet Your Teacher</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Assignments"><U>Assignments</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Related Links"><U>Related Links</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id20.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Me"><U>Contact Me</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id21.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Myth Notes"><U>Myth Notes</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Cinema Notes"><U>Cinema Notes</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id23.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Cinema Review Sheets"><U>Cinema Review Sheets</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id24.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Blank Review Sheet"><U>Blank Review Sheet</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id25.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Effective Writing Notes"><U>Effective Writing Notes</U></A>   |   <B>Comp I Notes</B>   |   <A HREF="id27.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Speech Notes"><U>Speech Notes</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id28.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="AP Notes"><U>AP Notes</U></A></div> <div> Comp I Notes</div> <div> <B><IMG SRC="05389680.jpg" border=0 width="137" height="104" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Composition I, English 1001</B> (AKA "College Level Effective Writing), a Sullivan County Community College Course taught at:</div> <bR> <div> Liberty PlaceHigh School</div> <div> 125 Buckley Street</div> <div> Liberty NY 12754</div> <div> 845-292-5400</div> <bR> <div> SCCC Academic Division: Language Arts/Communications</div> <div> SCCC Course Number and Title: ENG 1001 COMP ONE</div> <div> SCCC Credits: 3</div> <div> Prerequisites: Successful completion of English 8-11</div> <div> Instructor: William J. Fleck</div> <bR> <div> Course Outline Author: Mr. William J. "Bill" Fleck (with significant input from SCCC</div> <div>                                        Outlines created by SCCC Professors Timothy Russell, Paul </div> <div>                                        Reifenheiser, and Vern Lindquist)</div> <div>                                        Contact: fleckwil@libertyk12.org</div> <div> Date of Outline Creation: June 13, 2007</div> <div> Semester session: Fall 2007</div> <div> Class Location and Hours: Main campus, placePlaceNameLiberty PlaceTypeHigh School, at times to be determined</div> <div>                                             by the Guidance department (meetings will take place no less</div> <div>                                             than five days per week at 42 minutes per meeting)</div> <bR> <div> <B>Catalogue Course Description</B></div> <bR> <div>      This is a writing-intensive course in which students will draft and revise college-level essays.  Students will study the conventions of academic prose, examine various methods of organization and development, and learn research skills.  </div> <bR> <div> <B>General Education</B></div> <bR> <div>     This course satisfies one portion of the SUNY General Education Basic Communication (Category 10) requirement.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Course Objectives</B></div> <bR> <div>      Students who successfully complete this course will learn to write clear, coherent texts within common college-level forms.  They will demonstrate the ability to revise and improve these texts.  In addition, they will be able to research a topic, document sources, and organize supporting details.</div> <div>      In evaluating student performance, the instructor will use the following guidelines:</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Essays should contain a clearly stated or implied thesis.</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Essays should demonstrate good overall structure.</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Essays should contain logical relationships between the theses and supporting paragraphs.</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Students should participate fully in the revision process.</div> <bR> <div>      The course will develop the following skills:</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">the ability to write clear, grammatically correct sentences</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">the ability to write coherent, unified, well-developed paragraphs</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">the ability to write well-organized essays unified by a clear thesis</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">the ability to revise and edit</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">the ability to quote, paraphrase, and summarize effectively</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">the ability to develop and write forceful arguments</div> <bR> <div>      Students will be given reading and writing assignments throughout the semester.  Students are responsible for all assignments made in the required textbooks, and are required to submit essays on the assigned dates.  Conferences to discuss the student's work and progress may be scheduled by the student or the instructor.</div> <div>      The course will consist of:</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Some study of grammatical problems</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Discussion and development of ideas, often based on outside readings</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">The examination and explanation of different styles and methods of writing</div> <bR> <div> <B>Required Texts</B></div> <bR> <div> <I>50 Essays</I>, Samuel Cohen.</div> <div> <I>Keys For Writers, </I>4th edition, Ann Raimes.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Work Required Outside of Class</B></div> <bR> <div>      Expect the equivalent of one period of work--to read and to write, research, and revise papers--for every period in class.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Evaluation Method</B></div> <bR> <div>      Students can expect to complete 12 to 18 assignments during the course; these will count as 70% of the course grade.  These assignments will include (but may not be limited to):</div> <bR> <div> --resumes, cover letters</div> <div> --business letters, friendly letters</div> <div> --job applications, college applications</div> <div> --credit requests</div> <div> --recommendation requests</div> <div> --opinion pieces</div> <div> --book reviews, film reviews</div> <div> --compare-contrast essays</div> <div> --letters of complaint, letters of commendation, letters of recommendation</div> <div> --persuasive essays, compositions</div> <div> --letters to government officials</div> <div> --expository essays (at least three of at least 750 words, based upon assigned readings)</div> <div> --various creative pieces</div> <bR> <div>      In addition, a research paper of 8-12 pages (1500-2000 words) in the proper format is required, and will count as the final exam (by school policy, final exams count as 20% of a student's overall course grade).  Five sources are required for the paper.</div> <div>      The final 10% of the student's grade will be a consideration by the instructor of the student's in-class writing, punctuality, participation, and an in-class sample COMPASS exam.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Late Work</B></div> <bR> <div>      Instructors will penalize students who hand in late work or late drafts of work.  Instructors will penalize 50% of the value of the assignment per class day that work (or drafts of work) is late.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Plagiarism</B></div> <bR> <div>      SCCC and the LHS English Department take plagiarism seriously.  Students who hand in work not their own (either in whole or in part), or who fail to cite properly their sources, will receive a failing grade for the assignment, and will be denied college credit for the course.  Names of students guilty of plagiarism are reported to SCCC, and become part of your college record.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Attendance Policy</B></div> <bR> <div>      Board of Education policy allows no more than 12 absences for semester courses.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Information Literacy</B></div> <bR> <div>       To achieve academic success, students are required to become completely familiar with the library.  An assignment will be given during the course of the semester to help students achieve this goal.  Students will be expected to learn how to use periodical indexes and abstracts, print indexes, and references such as the dictionary, the encyclopedia, and statistical reference sources.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Outline of Topics</B></div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Pre-writing, writing, and revision procedures</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Topic sentences, thesis</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Unity, types of paragraphs, order of ideas</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Transitions, summary writing</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Descriptions, narration, classification, analogies</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Inductive and deductive reasoning</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Imagery, paraphrasing</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Aspects of grammar</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Critiquing</div> <bR> <div> Grading Scale</div> <bR> <div> A = 93 - 100</div> <div> A- = 90 - 92</div> <div> B+ = 87 - 89</div> <div> B = 83 - 86</div> <div> B- = 80 - 82</div> <div> C+ = 77 - 79</div> <div> C = 73 - 76</div> <div> C- = 70 - 72</div> <div> D+ = 67 - 69</div> <div> D = 63 - 66</div> <div> D- = 60 - 62</div> <div> F = below 60</div> <bR> <div> <I>Note:</I> To receive transferable college credit, students must score a C (73 - 76) or higher; </div> <div>           to receive high school credit, students must score 65 or higher.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> *   *   *</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Comp I - College Expectations</B></div> <bR> <div> Upon admission to most colleges, you can expect to PLACEMENT TESTS in reading, math, and writing.  Most colleges use the COMPASS tests to evaluate you.  In the spirit of preparing you to do well in life, we'll be taking a COMPASS test in class.  Here's what to expect:</div> <bR> <div> The <B>English Placement Test</B> has three parts: writing skills, reading comprehension, and a written essay. These days, the reading comprehension and writing skills are often done on the computer; the essay is handwritten on paper. The computer portion of the test has no time limit and is adaptive, like the math test. </div> <bR> <div> <B>Writing Skills:</B> If available, you'll begin on the computer with the writing skills test (if not, it's pen and paper). You will read an essay and edit it for errors in punctuation, grammar, sentence structure, strategy, organization and style.  As you edit correctly, you will get more difficult essays. You may get one essay to edit or up to six.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Reading Comprehension:</B> The reading comprehension test comes next. You will read essays and answer multiple-choice questions about them. As you answer correctly, you will get more difficult essays. You may be asked to read only one or up to six essays.</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>NOTE</B></I><B>: High scores on writing skills and reading comprehension:</B> If you have very high scores on the first two portions of the test, the written essay may not be required and you will receive the highest placement for this test: ENG 101 (Freshman Composition). </div> <bR> <div> <B>Written essay </B>You will read two passages about the same topic, but written from opposing viewpoints. In a brief, one-page essay, you will compare and contrast the views of the two authors on that topic. Your work on this writing sample should demonstrate your ability to understand what you read and your ability to write a clear and concise essay. You have up to one hour to complete your essay. If English is not your first language, you may have up to an hour and a half. English faculty will read your essay, look at your scores from the first portion of the test, and assign a placement into the English class that will benefit you the most.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Following Admission</B></div> <bR> <div>      In an effort to combat a high drop-out rate (as much as 40%), most colleges now require entering students to take a course called FRESHMAN SEMINAR.  Generally, it's a one-credit course, meeting for an hour a week.  Topics generally include:</div> <bR> <div> Succeeding in College</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.png" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Time Management</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.png" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Discovering How You Learn</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.png" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Thinking Critically</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.png" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Listening, Note Taking, and Participation</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.png" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Reading and Remembering</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.png" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Test Taking</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.png" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Developing Values (related, no doubt, to issues in dorm life)</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.png" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Career & Course Exploration</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.png" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Diversity</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.png" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Staying Healthy (usually focuses on partying and sex issues)</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.png" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Basic Computer Skills</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700dc00000000.png" HEIGHT="15" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Campus Services</div> <bR> <div>      FRESHMAN SEMINAR classes are generally not very popular; students feel that they know all of this stuff all ready, and professors feel that even though most students don't know this stuff, it's not really their job to teach it to them.</div> <bR> <div>                                                                               *   *   *</div> <bR> <div> Comp I - Mr. Fleck</div> <div> Assignment #1: Activities Resume/Application Letter</div> <bR> <div> DIRECTIONS: A two-part assignment where you'll produce an actual resume you can use, and where you'll write a letter of application, "selling" yourself to a prospective college or employer.</div> <bR> <div> <B>ACTIVITIES RESUME</B></div> <bR> <div> Guidance needs it, and it's a good skill to have anyway, so why not get a grade for it if you have to do it?  You see my point.</div> <bR> <div> "Uh," you say, "but I haven't done anything to put on it."</div> <bR> <div> Well, welcome to the world.  You're around 18, and school has taken up most of your life.  Okay.  So saying to a potential employer or college admission officer, "I really haven't done anything" is the way to impress them?  (If you think so, just lie down and die right now; you'll save the rest of us a few bucks).  Chances are, you've done more than you think you have.  <I>That's what this assignment is designed to show</I>.</div> <bR> <div> WHERE TO BEGIN</div> <bR> <div> Let's start simply: name and mailing address (can't get <I>that</I> wrong, right?), then how to contact you (phone number, e-mail if applicable):</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> Rufus T. Firefly</div> <div> 123 Skidoo Avenue</div> <div> Buttscratch, NY 12776</div> <div> (845) 362-4360</div> <div> <I>firefly123@yahoo.org</I></div> <bR> <div> NOW, THE FUN BEGINS</div> <bR> <div> Okay, I'm lying here.  It's not fun.  But selling yourself is a great skill to have.  So….</div> <bR> <div> What have you done?  THINK…."Do I….?"</div> <bR> <div> --play sports?  What?  Where?  How'd you do? (note even if you play only pick-up</div> <div>                          games)</div> <div> --play music?  What?  Where?  How'd you do? (note even if you sing only for fun)</div> <div> --work?  Where?  What did you do?  How'd it go?</div> <div> --participate in community activities?  Where?  What did you do?</div> <div> --participate in activities/clubs/charities (this can include religious stuff)</div> <div> --receive academic or other 'way to go' awards?</div> <bR> <div>      List all this stuff, and put the best face on it!  Hey, even getting shopping carts in the parking lot shows responsibility (so does babysitting, by the way, or cutting lawns).  The point is to make what you've done sound great--and to make it sound like you did great with it.</div> <bR> <div> FORMAT</div> <bR> <div> Any resume takes the format you want.  Word-processing programs usually have cookie-cutter formats, so feel free to use them.  Me?  I say 'top down' your resume--by that I mean start with the strongest area and work your way down.  Lots of job experience?  Start there.  Not much in the way of work, but lots of sports?  Start there.  Low grades, no job, but lots of community service/activities?  Start there.  You get the idea…..(and look at the sample for ideas).</div> <bR> <div> APPLICATION LETTER</div> <bR> <div> The secret's out….the reason Effective Writing is back is because seniors a few years ago wrote <I>horrible</I> college application essays, and it freaked out the powers that be.  If a college or an employer requests a letter, whatever it is you write <I>represents you</I>.  If it looks illiterate, they'll think <U>you're</U> illiterate.  If it's sloppy, or disorganized (or both), they'll think you're that way (and who can blame them?  Most of 'em wouldn't know you if they fell over you).  If, on the other hand, you write an interesting, neat, perfectly beautiful letter--one that emphasizes your best qualities--well, points to you, right?</div> <bR> <div> In other words, two students with an 83 average are applying for a spot in a college.  One's letter is so-so--sloppy, misspelled words, disorganized.  The other's is great--neat, organized, paragraphed and punctuated.</div> <bR> <div> Who gets in?</div> <bR> <div> See?</div> <bR> <div> Check out the sample…..</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>FLASH!  Big MySpace.com/Employment News</B></div> <bR> <div> Fresh from the Curtis and Kuby Radio News Hour on WNBC (March 16, 2006)</div> <bR> <div> Employers are denying jobs to people who have things on myspace.com that they find objectionable!</div> <bR> <div> According to the Curtis and Kuby show, people are being turned down for jobs after potential employers see what they've posted on myspace.</div> <bR> <div> Objections: nudity</div> <div>                     language/sayings</div> <bR> <div> <I>Employers are now also "googling" those who apply</I>.</div> <bR> <div> According to Ron Kuby, an attorney, this is all perfectly legal.</div> <bR> <div> Question: Doesn't this violate first amendment rights?</div> <bR> <div> Kuby: No; the first amendment only acts as a check on <I>government</I>; it</div> <div>            doesn't apply to the private sector.</div> <bR> <div> Question: So employers can deny you a job based on your myspace postings?</div> <bR> <div> Kuby: Yeah, they can deny you a job based on almost anything except race,</div> <div>             religion, age, that sort of thing.</div> <bR> <div> Question: Can they check into your credit history?</div> <bR> <div> Kuby: No.</div> <bR> <div> Question: Well, what's the difference?</div> <bR> <div> Kuby: The difference is that your credit history, finances, that sort of thing, those</div> <div>             are <I>private</I>; once you post something on the internet, it becomes <I>public</I>.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Just so you know</B>…..</div> <bR> <div>                                                                              *   *   *</div> <bR> <div> COMP I: Narrative Assignment</div> <div> Mr. Fleck (stolen almost word for word from SCCC professor Dr. Paul Reifenheiser)<B> </B></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>The Significant Personal Experience Essay</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Basic Assignment</B></div> <bR> <div> For this paper, you should write about an event in your life that was significant to you (a trip you have taken, or any other personal experience-related topic). The personal topic you choose to write about doesn't necessarily have to be of earth-shattering importance (though it might well be). However, be careful to choose a personal topic that will sustain your interest through several drafts.</div> <bR> <div> This essay should be more than a narrative of a significant event or trip. You should offer a lot of<B> narration and description to reflect on--and articulate how and why--your event, trip, etc. played a significant role in your life.</B> </div> <div> However, avoid pointing out the significance as an afterthought in the last paragraph. Throughout the process of describing this event, <B>show</B> us why it is so important to you. </div> <div> Choose ONE MOMENT and not something that covers months, days, or hours.  Encapsulate all of your ideas into one key moment, and show us why that moment was so important in your life.  Keep your focus.  Don't try to cover anything that goes over about 15 minutes (and even that may be too long).  Keep the moment brief, but offer a rich amount of physical and emotional details. </div> <div> It is effective to tell an entire story from the perspective of one moment.  You can use dialogue, flashbacks, dreams, etc. to convey any previous information that is necessary.  For example, if your essay is about the time you lost your leg in a freak cooking accident involving brussel-sprouts and a very sharp spatula, you could write your essay as though you are talking to a psychiatrist to help get over your fear of vegetables.  Though the bulk of the story is about the accident, the <B>one moment is when you are talking to the doctor. </B></div> <div> It is important that you work on having a powerful and intriguing opening.  This is something we will work on often in class </div> <div> Remember, this does not have to be told in chronological order; often that is not the best way to show a story on paper (shaping the material is as important as what material you choose to write about).  Often, it can work to start with an important climactic moment (such as when you started your short story with the conflict right away).  However, if you do this, you will need to make an effective transition from the first to the second paragraph that explains the time sequence. </div> <div> Do not forget to include the emotional content that makes this moment important to your life.  Try to show some passion or anger or love, etc., as you write. </div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Dr. R. Speaking: The Grading Rubric</B></div> <bR> <div> This paper is worth 100 points, and should be 4-6 pages long (double-spaced using 12 point Times New Roman font); make your margins no larger than 1.00 inches on the sides and 1 inch on the top and bottom. Each late draft will hurt your grade by 25 points.  Please see the course outline for a more detailed definition of what is late.  You will be graded on the following criteria for each paper.  Please note that some overlap may occur; for example, poor focus can harm your grade for revision, overall structure, and focus.  </div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="601" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 48 ><NOBR><div> Quality of Revision:  25 points</div> <div> Focus and Following Assignment: 25 points</div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="292"><div> Grammar and Typos: 12.5 points</div> <div> Overall Structure: 12.5 points</div> <div> Style and Opening: 25 points </div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> <U>Quality of Revision:  </U></div> <bR> <div> These papers should have ample revision between each draft.  Revision means more than simple editing and fixing of mistakes.  To revise properly, you should consider using new approaches and perspectives, offering fresh insight, expanding on claims, searching out new implications, altering entire paragraphs and pages, replacing bland material with vibrant work.  In short, revision means taking a holistic look at your essay and making substantial changes.   I expect that the first draft may be a bit rough as you try to work out ideas, but the final draft should be polished.  You will be graded on the entire process. </div> <bR> <div> If you believe that your first draft is incredibly good and you don't need to revise, then I offer the following advice.  If your writing is that good - and I should note that it is rare to have excellent first drafts - then you are a good enough writer to redo the paper from a whole new perspective for a second draft and then consider which choice works best.  </div> <bR> <div> If you think it will work to hand in a poor first draft to give a lot of room for improvement, then I offer the following advice.  If your work on your first draft shows little effort, it is not worth my time to read it.  I will return your draft to you, you will not receive credit for it, and I will not comment on your paper until you hand it work worthy of my time. </div> <bR> <div> <U>Focus and Ability to Follow Assignment Parameters:</U></div> <div> You cannot try to cover too much in your papers.  You must cover one moment and give rich details about that  moment.    Please do not forget that the assignment asks you to include emotional and physical details to help show - throughout your paper - why this event matters to you</div> <bR> <div> <U>Grammar and Typos </U></div> <div> I expect you to know grammatical conventions.  If you do not believe you are strong in this area, then come see me for help or schedule an appointment with the Writer's Lounge.  This includes the proper use of tag lines and dialogue. </div> <bR> <div> <U>Overall Structure</U></div> <div> The ideas in your paper should flow smoothly and be coherent.  I suggest that you write an outline before your first draft.  Use that outline to work out your main ideas.  I know that you have been given a lot of freedom in this paper, and I know this may be a new style to you.  However, please make sure that you pay attention to transitions between paragraphs - especially from the first to second paragraphs) - and that you pay attention to proper paragraph construction. </div> <bR> <div> <U>Writing Style and Opening</U></div> <div> I also expect your opening to be original, and I want you to try to suck in your reader.  If I am not interested after the first paragraph, it will not bode well for your paper or your grade.  Find a fresh and inventive way to catch our attention.  I also expect your writing to be fresh and vibrant.  The best papers will have a distinct and coherent style coming through in the writing.  Feel free to infuse your own sense of personality into the writing.  I expect the work to have structure, but that does not preclude you from developing flair with your prose.</div> <bR> <div>                                                                                       *   *   *</div> <div> COMP I - Mr. Fleck</div> <div> Personal Interest Biography</div> <bR> <div> <B>IN LIFE</B></div> <bR> <div>      Let's face it: people are fascinated by other people.  And when we add the idea of being "famous" to the equation, well…..</div> <bR> <div>      The <I><B>biography</B></I> is big--from the authorized tome to the unauthorized scandal-sheet, from printing press to paparazzi.  Fan magazines, TV shows like <I>Entertainment Tonight</I>, programs like <I>VH1 Behind the Music</I>, and a very healthy book industry show us that biographies are still a hook.  If you've ever had a hero, and ever tried to find out about them--their lives, loves, hopes, dreams--you understand the fascination.</div> <bR> <div>      This assignment exploits that fascination.</div> <bR> <div> <B>YOUR JOB</B></div> <bR> <div>      I'm going to ask you to write a short biography (at least four pages) about someone you find interesting.  The person can be famous (probably a fairly easy job) or not (harder) as you see fit.  As such, your choices are very wide.  I'd suggest, though, that you find subjects that haven't been done to death (<I>e.g., </I>Babe Ruth, George Washington, Malcolm X, Jesus, <I>etc</I>.), since short bios on such figures now are unlikely to add anything new).  Suggestions:</div> <bR> <div> --current pop stars (or pop stars past)</div> <div> --actors/actresses</div> <div> --unsung guitarists/singers</div> <div> --sports figures</div> <div> --military figures</div> <div> --politicians</div> <div> --influential cultural/political figures</div> <div> --fascinating members of your family/social circle</div> <bR> <div>      Once you've selected, now the fun begins.</div> <bR> <div>      This biography will be different from others you may have written in that you will <I>insert yourself</I> into the text.  By that I mean <I>you will write the biography from the perspective of </I><I><B>what the subject means to you.</B></I><B>  </B>Your thoughts, feelings, analysis, and evaluation (subjective and objective) will be weaved into the text throughout; these elements will put the “personal interest” into the biography.</div> <bR> <div> <B>RESOURCES</B></div> <bR> <div>      Famous people are probably the easiest because a wealth of information already exists, and can be accessed through the internet (avoid plagiarism, though, at all costs).  As an example, most bands have websites, and actors and actresses can be looked up pretty quickly on www.imdb.com.  For the purposes of this assignment, I'll require that you use <I><B>two or more sources</B></I> and that you <I><B>cite them</B></I> (tell me what they are and how to get to them).</div> <div>      Not-so-famous people will require more direct sources, like an interview.  While this may be extra work, it can also be really good in that you're providing something that no one else has provided before.  Breaking new ground can make for interesting reading.</div> <bR> <div> <B>SHAPING THE BIO</B></div> <bR> <div>      As with all effective writing, the style (how you write) is important.  An encyclopedia-like listing of facts and dates is informative but boring.  Biographies come to life when the writer (you) shapes them to be interesting.  Suggestions:</div> <bR> <div> --include personal quotes from the subject</div> <div> --try to find information about the subject relating to them as people (marriages, divorces,</div> <div>    addictions, kids, etc.)</div> <div> --include relevant opinions about their life/work</div> <div> --try to find--and evaluate--negative things about the subject to provide balance (or</div> <div>    positive things if the subject is overwhelmingly negative)</div> <bR> <div>      As with all things, try to write in a direct, interesting way.</div> <bR> <div> <B>SAMPLE BIOGRAPHY</B></div> <bR> <div>      As a brass player, I've always had an interest in those who get paid heaps of cash to play.  As a fan of rock music, I've noticed very few brass players who get paid heaps of cash.  One exception is James "Jimmy" Pankow, trombonist for the group Chicago, who's been paid to play for 40 years.  Pankow's a perfect figure for this type of assignment, since he's relatively famous and no official biography has been written about him.  As a fan of his work, I put together a short bio (which appears, slightly edited, on imdb.com).  I then rewrote and updated that bio, making it `personal' (as reproduced below).</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>James Pankow</B></div> <div> (Trombone Player for the Classic Jazz-rock Group Chicago)</div> <div> by Bill Fleck</div> <bR> <div>      The downbeat blaring out of my Fisher DS-811 speakers almost knocked me over.  I went, “Whoa!” as I clawed at the volume control to kill the assault from the brass, bass, and drums.  My brother and I broke into laughter.  “Welcome to rock,” I said.</div> <div>      The song was “Once Or Twice,” the first cut on the album <I>placeCityChicago X</I>.  It was early 1977, and I had just turned 13.  My brother and I bought our first bona fide rock album at Richie's in Ellenville.  We obviously weren't prepared for it.</div> <div>       Sure, we'd heard the singles on the radio (“If You Leave Me Now” and “Another Rainy Day In New York City”).  But the singles tended to be friendly and a bit soft.  What were then called `deep cuts' on the album were something else altogether.</div> <div>      Candidly, my decision to buy <I>Chicago X</I> wasn't random.  I had a crush on a girl in school at the time (when didn't I?), and she raved about placeCityChicago.  I was also a trombone player (they forced it on me in 4<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >th</FONT> grade because I had long arms).  Getting into placeCityChicago was a surefire way to be able to have something to talk about with my crush; that much I knew.  What I didn't know is that it would fire me up as a musician, and that I'd love the band long after my feelings for my crush faded away.</div> <div>      If you play an instrument, you naturally check album credits to see who plays what you do.  placeCityChicago's trombone player was listed as James Pankow.  The credits indicated that he wrote a few of the songs, did brass arrangements, and even sang lead on one of his compositions.  I dropped the needle on those, and was transfixed.  “You Are On My Mind” (an upbeat tune with a complex Latin rhythm) featured a shattering trombone solo at the fade out, and “Skin Tight” was a funky, grungy killer that hit me in the gut with its chunky beat and blistering horn lines.</div> <div>      It wasn't long before I bought all of the other placeCityChicago albums available at the time, and learned as much as I could about the bearded trombone player who now gave me a reason to practice my horn.</div> <bR> <div>      James Carter Pankow was born in placeCitySt. Louis, StateMissouri, on August 20, 1947. He ended up playing trombone by accident (the other, "cooler" instruments had been distributed; certainly a situation to which I could relate). Following the move to the city of CityChicago, Pankow struggled with the horn, saying, "It was like putting a dwarf behind the wheel of a semi and asking him to drive to StateplaceNew York."  Eventually, though, he fell in love with the trombone, even playing it during three years with braces (having gone through orthodontia myself, I felt an even deeper kinship with the man).</div> <div>      The oldest of nine siblings, Pankow's musical interests were encouraged at placePlaceNameNotre Dame PlaceTypeHigh School by Father George Wiskirchen (Pankow comes from a line of German Catholics, as do I; the similarities were getting eerie). His early influences included J.J. Johnson.  After graduating, Pankow won a full scholarship to Quincy College, but later enrolled at DePaul, where he was recruited into The Big Thing (later renamed Chicago) by woodwind player Walt Parazaider.</div> <div>      Once in the band, Pankow's talents shined. To this day, I think that Pankow is a very creative player with a sharp sound and a great range, and early on, he was the best of Chicago's horn players (and possibly the best trombonist since Bill Watrous, though some feel Dave Bargeron of <I>Blood Sweat & Tears</I> played rings around Jimmy--an argument I can say has some merit). The early CityplaceChicago records feature many Pankow solos, and his phrases and patterns are incredible (particularly on "Hanky Panky," the aforementioned "You Are On My Mind," "Mother," "A Hit By Varese," and "The Approaching Storm").</div> <div>      As I bought each album, I noticed that there was always something Pankow brought to the table.  It was clear that keyboardist Robert Lamm was the primary songwriter; that guitarist Terry Kath was the most devoted rocker; that Peter Cetera had the most commercial voice.  But Pankow, a <I>brass</I> player in a genre that eschewed brass, wrote, sang, arranged, and contributed <I>hits</I>.  How cool was that?  And how cool was I by learning to ape his style?  Talent is an aphrodisiac, and when I started taking Pankow-influenced solos in jazz band, girls began to notice (is this a great country or what?).  For a guy who'd always loved girls (but hadn't had the feelings reciprocated), this was big.  If I ever meet Pankow, I'll have to thank him for that.</div> <div>      As anyone who follows placeCityChicago knows, disaster struck in January 1978 when Terry Kath shot himself under bizarre circumstances (that's a story for another day).  I remember hearing Bill Diel's radio report, and thinking, “Oh, man!  placeCityChicago's gonna break up!”  They didn't, but they went through a rough patch with new guitarists and a few albums that just didn't connect.  It was during this period that I saw them live for the first time.</div> <div>      1980: Popular music is changing.  Punk rock and New Wave begin to influence even Billy Joel.  CityChicago's sophisticated sound is lost on the public, but Eisenhower Hall in placeCityWest Point, StateNY is filled anyway.  placeCityChicago performs for three hours in support of <I>Chicago XIV</I>, a decent album with bad production.  But the show is great, and Pankow-shorter than I expected in real life-is a force of nature on stage, clowning, soloing, running around in a bright red jumpsuit.  The impression is a good one.</div> <div>      But the hits still don't come, and placeCityChicago seems to disappear.  Little did anyone know that they'd hooked up with producer David Foster and vocalist Bill Champlin; nor did anyone know that bassist/singer Cetera was about to enter his most creative period.</div> <div>      1982: With little or no fanfare, <I>placeCityChicago 16</I> hits the record racks.  On the strength of Cetera's “Hard To Say I'm Sorry,” it's a monster.  The T-shirt for the concert tour (I caught the CityPoughkeepsie, StateNY show) says simply, “placeCityChicago's Back!”  The huge-selling <I>placeCityChicago 17</I> in 1984 more than proves the point.  But the downside soon becomes apparent: once an innovative, cutting-edge rock outfit, the band is now popular only because of Cetera's admittedly sappy (and mostly hornless) power ballads.  Sure, the deep cuts are still great, but they are increasingly crowded out in the quest for hits.</div> <div>      As the horns became less prominent in the mix, Pankow and the other horn players thought about leaving to do something else (my brother and I thought they should go the jazz route and sign with GRP Records as the <I>Chicago Horns</I>).  When Cetera left placeCityChicago to go solo in 1985, the lead singers changed, but the ballad focus didn't.  Champlin sang the huge hits they scored in the late 80's, keeping the band together; by 1992, however, the string of hits had ended.  Determined to sink or swim on their own merits, CityplaceChicago went back to their roots and recorded a scorching rock album (<I>Stone of Sisyphus</I>).  Lamm, Champlin, new vocalist/bassist Jason Scheff, and Pankow made significant contributions to the set, and bootleg copies have convinced hardcore placeCityChicago fans that it's one of their best.  Unfortunately, Warner Brothers didn't think so, and the album was deep-sixed when placeCityChicago left there (rumor has it that Rhino Records will finally release <I>Sisyphus</I> in 2008).</div> <div>      However, later recordings--such as <I>Night & Day</I>--showcase the horn section and Pankow's talents in particular.  Pankow's solos on "Inching Towards?" (from the <I>Howland/Imboden Project</I>) and "Better" (from the recently released <I>Chicago XXX</I>) show he has lost nothing off his chops.</div> <div>      As great a trombonist as he is, Pankow's major contribution to CityplaceChicago may be as a writer. His brass arrangements are legendary, and his compositions include the huge hits "Make Me Smile," "Just You 'n Me," "(I've Been) Searching So Long," "Old Days," "Alive Again," and "Bad Advice."  He also has written terrific non-hits such as "Movin' In" and "Follow Me."</div> <div>      I'm always glad to hear that people I admire are nice people, too.  Pankow seems to be one of the nicest guys in the group. In interviews I've read, he is hilarious, profane, and insightful by turns, and always seems to be in a good mood. He's described himself as "a crusty old fart from another generation."  He has an interest in the martial arts.  Brown-eyed, brown-haired, mustachioed (and often bearded) early on, he's gone white, clean-shaven, and close-cropped in recent years, though he generally dyes his hair back to brown.  He also hits the gym on a regular basis, and can be described as short but muscular. He got so big in the mid-1990's, that my brother and I began joking that he was on steroids (we made cracks like, “What if the someone misses a note on stage?  Does Pankow threaten to kick their a** after the concert?”)</div> <div>      His antics live are as legendary as his brass arrangements (he often dresses to display his biceps), and he's one of the few in Chicago who had a stage presence equal to the members of <I>Earth Wind & Fire</I> on the 2005 concert tour (though <I>no one</I> can keep up with Verdine White).  In the 90s, rumors surfaced that Pankow was interested in an acting career, and every so often, there are whispers of a Pankow-penned book on placeCityChicago (which I'd be happy to help him write).</div> <div>      Pankow has been married twice. The first, to Karen (for whom he wrote "Just You 'n Me") lasted 20 years, and broke up about 1993 (a Pankow tune called "Here With Me" on the <I>Stone Of Sisyphus</I> project acts as a bookend). He has recently remarried, and become a father again - a prospect he obviously relishes. His oldest son Jonathan studied percussion at Berklee College; he has two daughters (Sarah and Lillian) and a younger son (Carter) as well.  Pankow's brother John is an actor, most famous for playing Cousin Ira on TV's sitcom <I>Mad About You</I>.</div> <div>      Now 60 and still going strong, Pankow seems to love playing even to this day, and is sorely missed by fans on the rare occasions he can't make a concert.  As of this writing, placeCityChicago is touring on the strength of their 40<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >th</FONT> anniversary (they opened the 2007 season at Bethel Woods, NY, and put on a great show).</div> <div>      It's been 30-plus years since “Once Or Twice” first jumped out at me on that cold winter's day in '77.  How many people can say that their first favorite band is still active and relevant?  And how many can say that their favorite player is better now than ever?</div> <div> <B>     Pankow's Gear</B>: On early CityChicago albums, Pankow played a placeStateConn 48H Connstellation trombone with a silver-plated bell and a .500 bore.  By 1971, he'd switched to King trombones, sometimes playing a 2B, but mostly using 3B's with sterling silver bells (and gold inner wash).  In the mid-80's, Pankow made a deal with Getzen; they developed a silver signature "placeCityChicago" model (255), but financial troubles prevented them from mass-marketing it.  By the late 80's, he'd switched over to Yamahas, and now plays a YSL-691 with an 8" brass bell and a silver nickel slide (with a .508 bore).  He has long used Schilke 50 mouthpieces, although he occasionally goes to the Bach 6.5 AL.</div> <div>      <B>Recording/Brass Arrangements</B>: To get the CityplaceChicago sound in the early years, the horns were often triple-tracked.  Generally, Pankow doubled the octave on trombone parts (often giving the top trombone the highest notes), and arranged trumpets and saxes in the middle.  On many occasions, one track would feature trombone pedals (for a full sound); these, Jimmy would generally hit using a triggered tenor (he has never indicated what make and model on these he would prefer).  On more ambitious compositions, Pankow was known for using counterpoint.</div> <div>      In the middle years, the horns were often only double-tracked (against Pankow's wishes) when they were used at all.  Recently (<I>Chicago 25: The Christmas Album</I>, <I>Chicago XXX</I>) the horns have been triple-tracked again.</div> <bR> <div>                                                               *   *   *</div> <bR> <div> <I>Sources</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>--People Magazine</I>, Sept. 1978</div> <div> --VH1 Behind the Music: Chicago (2001)</div> <div> --<I>The Trombone Journal</I> (www.trombone.org, Jan., 2002)</div> <div> --Joseph, Ben: <I>Feeling Stronger Every Day</I></div> <div> --Chicago's Official website (www.chicagotheband.com)</div> <div> --Kruger, Debra: various internet interviews</div> <div>    (www.debbiekruger.com/writer/freelance/chicago_transcript.html)</div> <bR> <div>                                                                                                 *   *   *</div> <bR> <div> COMP I - Mr. Fleck</div> <div> <B>PERSUASIVE ESSAY</B></div> <bR> <div> Ever had to convince somebody of something?  Then you've had to <U>persuade</U>.  This assignment is intended to build on your natural skill and help you to make good arguments in life--so that you can get your own way more often (Now, how cool is <U>that</U>?).</div> <bR> <div> <B>OPINIONS</B></div> <bR> <div> Everybody has 'em, and everybody has a right to 'em, but they're only valuable if you can persuade others that they're right (what good is an opinion if you're the only one--anywhere--who holds it?).  Supporting your opinions with facts makes for more convincing persuasion.</div> <bR> <div> <U>EXAMPLES</U></div> <bR> <div> BAD:</div> <bR> <div> "The Yankees are the best baseball team ever," Joe said.</div> <div> "How do you know?" asked Steve.</div> <div> "'Cause I like them," Joe said, "and you're a moron."</div> <bR> <div> BETTER:</div> <bR> <div> "The Yankees are the best baseball team ever," Joe said.</div> <div> "How do you know?" asked Steve.</div> <div> "Because they have 26 World Championships," Joe replied.  "That's almost three times as many as the St. Louis Cardinals, who are in second place with nine."</div> <div> "Yeah, but…."</div> <div> "Oh, no 'buts.'  The Yanks also have the most players in the Hall of Fame, more than any other team."</div> <div> "Uh….."</div> <bR> <div> <B>FACT-FINDING</B></div> <bR> <div> In order to persuade, you have to base your argument on reliable <U>sources</U>.  A source is where you get information.  With the 'net these days, sources (reliable and otherwise) are a click away.</div> <bR> <div> COMMONLY ACCEPTED SOURCES</div> <bR> <div> --statements by authority (sources involved in the issue you're arguing)</div> <div> --interviews</div> <div> --the body of accepted common knowledge (<I>e.g.,</I> the sky is blue)</div> <div> --statistics (try to make them meaningful)</div> <bR> <bR> <div> TROUBLED SOURCES</div> <bR> <div> --celebrities</div> <div> --those who are highly educated, but not in the field in which they're commenting</div> <div> --anecdotal evidence</div> <div> --persons or institutions with something to gain by their opinions</div> <bR> <div> <I>While these sources can be legitimate, they're often not treated as being as 'concrete' as the sources listed previously</I>.</div> <bR> <div> <B>WEAVING IN SOURCES</B></div> <bR> <div> Persuasive essays (and research papers) are arguments built on sources.  In order to give your argument force, you should "weave" those sources into the body of your work and credit it.  A simple rule of thumb is to ask yourself as you write, "Was I born with this knowledge?  No?  Then where did I find it?"</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Samples</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I>See how sources are weaved into the body excerpts from a research paper about Steven Spielberg below (your job is to do the same thing):</I></div> <bR> <div>      <U>Schindler's List</U> represented a giant leap forward in Spielberg's career as an adult filmmaker.  From the beginning of his career, thanks to films like <U>E.T</U>. and <U>Hook</U>, the knock on the director was that he was just "a big kid with a studio and millions of dollars to play with" (Charles Higham, <U>Spielberg:</U> <U>The Man and His Movies</U>, p. 257).  In fact, even those he worked with thought Spielberg was very childlike.  Julia Roberts, who played Tinker Bell in <U>Hook</U>, once said, "Steven <I>is</I> Peter Pan, the boy who never grew up" (Higham, p. 258).  <U>Schindler's List</U> changed all that.  According to critic David Meyers,</div> <bR> <div>      <U>Schindler's List</U> forever changed the critic's charge that Spielberg was just a little boy at heart.  The seriousness of the subject matter, and the grim way in which it was photographed, evidenced a maturity and a psychological connection with his subject matter never before seen in Spielberg's work.  Trading in swooping crane shots for hand-held, more personal shots, <U>Schindler's List</U> anticipates the gritty world depicted in Spielberg's works to come, pointedly the masterpiece <U>Saving Private Ryan</U> (David Meyers, <U>Films of the 20th Century</U>, p. 408).</div> <bR> <div>      Considering what Meyers has said, there can be no doubt that it is <U>Schindler's List</U> where a line can be drawn between all the films that can before, and all the films after…..</div> <bR> <div>       <I>You get the idea.</I></div> <bR> <div> <B>REFUTING ARGUMENTS</B></div> <bR> <div> In many cases, you'll be more persuasive if you're very familiar with the 'other side' of your argument and take preemptive action by refuting (or disproving) it.  In so doing, you seem fair and well-rounded and open-minded, and it gives weight to your argument to see that you've considered the opposite (as opposed to stubbornly refusing to even look at other points of view).</div> <bR> <div> EXAMPLE:  "While it may be true that legalizing drugs might encourage those who never have to try them initially, the trade-off is that much of the gang warfare (and the innocent lives affected <I>by</I> that warfare) goes away, thus saving lives."</div> <bR> <div> To be fair, not every argument is 100% right or 100% wrong, and your refutation of an argument is often better when you make <U>concessions</U> (to <U>concede</U> a point is to admit that your opponent may be correct on one aspect in his/her argument).  But even after making a concession, you can still attack the weak points as you see them.</div> <bR> <div> <I>Note</I>: Want to find to sources quickly, complete with articles and citations?  Do the following:</div> <bR> <div> Go to the school's website (www.libertyk12.org)</div> <div> Click on "Libraries"</div> <div> Click on "High School"</div> <div> Click on "Students"</div> <div> Click on "Research Data Bases"</div> <div> Click on "placePlaceNameStudent PlaceNameResource PlaceTypeCenter and Opposing Viewpoints"</div> <div> Click on "Opposing placePlaceNameViewpoints PlaceNameResource PlaceTypeCenter"</div> <bR> <div>      …And <I>viola!!</I>  A TON of controversial issues appear, including (but not limited to):</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Abortion</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Animal rights</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Church/state issues</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Cloning</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Gangs</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Pollution</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Pornography (the issue, not examples!)</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">School violence</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Smoking</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c800000000.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">War crimes</div> <bR> <div>      Click on your choice, and a series of point/counterpoint articles appear before your very eyes <I>like magic!!</I></div> <bR> <div> <B>YOUR JOB</B></div> <bR> <div> Pick a controversial issue (your choice), and write a persuasive essay wherein you do the following:</div> <bR> <div> --state the issue</div> <div> --state your opinion about the issue</div> <div> --argue why you're right, using relevant support (this will likely require some research)</div> <div> --state the other side of the issue, concede points where necessary, but refute their </div> <div>    argument by attacking the weak points</div> <div> --summarize</div> <bR> <div> <B>POSSIBLE</B> (AND I DO MEAN <I>POSSIBLE</I>) <B>TOPICS</B></div> <bR> <div> --legalizing drugs                               --profiling</div> <div> --price controls on gasoline               --tax cuts</div> <div> --the war in country-regionplaceIraq                                 --gambling</div> <div> --Roe vs. Wade                                  --response (or lack thereof) to Katrina</div> <div> --intelligent design vs. evolution       --school issues (dress codes, backpacks, <I>etc</I>.)</div> <bR> <div> <B>SAMPLE - </B>Here's A Decent Example Of A Persuasive Essay</div> <bR> <div> Effective writing - Mr. Fleck</div> <div> Sample Persuasive Essay</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>The New York Yankees: Simply the Best Baseball Team Ever</B></div> <bR> <div>      We live in an age of extremes.  At no time in human history have things been so good, with the potential to be so bad.  Political ideologies set us at each other's throats, while ongoing battles are fought over abortion, gun control, and the nature of terrorism.  But simply mention the New York Yankees, and things get <I>really</I> vicious.</div> <div>      Love them; hate them; there's really no middle ground when it comes to the Yankees.  Opinions vary, but the facts speak for themselves.  Simply put: the New York Yankees are the best baseball team ever.</div> <div>      You don't believe it?  Let's check out some of the facts.  To begin with, let's talk World Championships.  The Yankees have 26 of them, the largest number in professional sports (http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCI/is_10_63/ai_n6189428), more than double the nearest runner-up (the St. Louis Cardinals have 10).  The Yanks have a total of 39 Pennants (league championships) to go with those 26 winners (ibid).</div> <div>      Need more proof?  Yankee teams almost consistently top "All-Time Great Teams" lists compiled by experts, generally making up more than 50% of these lists (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/articles/best_major_league_teams_ever.shtml).  Whether it's the powerhouse 1927 Murderer's Row, which muscled its way through 110 wins and a sweep of the World Series, or the relentless 1998 squad (my choice for the best team ever) that went 125-50 and also swept the Series, no objective historian's evaluation can exclude this franchise from top honors.</div> <div>      And then there are the Hall of Fame players associated with the Yankees, players who are also named on Major League Baseball's All-Century Team: Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Yogi Berra, Joe DiMaggio, Reggie Jackson, Mickey Mantle, and Roger Clemens to name but a few (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_League_Baseball_All -Century_Team#The_Team).  For sheer individual greatness, no team franchise has ever amassed so many All-Star names with so many storied careers.</div> <div>      There are those who will attempt to detract what the Yankees have accomplished.  "They spend a lot of money," they'll say, as if spending money alone wins championships (tell that to the Baltimore Orioles, the Cleveland Indians, or the Yankees of the 1980's, for that matter).  And they will also point out that the 2004 Red Sox historically swept the Yankees in the playoffs after being down 3-0 (I sincerely hope the Sox enjoyed their 5th World Championship….we'll talk about who's better when you get 21 more).</div> <div>      But the bottom line is the bottom line: greatness, great players, and championships.  By those measurements, no one can deny that the New York Yankees are the greatest baseball team ever.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Sources</B></div> <div> http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCI/is_10_63/ai_n6189428</div> <div> http://www.baseball-almanac.com/articles/best_major_league_teams_ever.shtml</div> <div> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_League_Baseball_All -Century_Team#The_Team</div> <bR> <div>                                                                                                    *   *   *</div> <bR> <div> Comp I - Dr. Reifenheiser/Mr. Fleck</div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>The Response Argument Paper</B></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Basic Assignment</B></I></div> <bR> <div> You must respond to one or two essays and make an argument based on a close reading of the text(s). You will have a choice of essays based on the ones provided for you in class.  This paper asks you to construct a well-focused argument (using sound methods and effective structure), respond to a text, weave the writing of others into your own essay, and document sources properly using MLA style. </div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <I><B>Some Advice About Arguments</B></I></div> <bR> <div> To start, you must determine the following factors: your purpose, your kind of argument, your line of argument, your style, and your credibility.   Of course, you can mix some of these together in the same essay. </div> <bR> <div> What is the<I><B><U> purpose</U></B></I> of your argument? Here are some examples:</div> <bR> <div> To inform people about an issue and help make an informed choice.  This argument works best when it is subtle. </div> <div> To convince an audience.  This argument requires that an author present their material as if you have fully examined the issues and are offering a seemingly objective conclusion.  </div> <div> To explore an issue and explain the process of exploration.  This usually is an argument that delves into a current issue or trend that is puzzling. </div> <div> To make decisions based on solid choices that are well weighed and discussed</div> <div> To meditate on an idea, issue, text, etc. This argument is often an attempt to transform something about the author. </div> <bR> <div> What<I><B><U> kinds </U></B></I>of argument will you make?  Here are some examples: </div> <bR> <div> An argument of fact discusses if something happened. </div> <div>      Did the invasion of Iraq violate international law?</div> <div> An argument or definition discusses the nature of a thing. </div> <div>      Is Iraq currently in a state of Civil War?</div> <div> An argument of evaluation discusses the quality of something.</div> <div>      Has the current administration done a good job in Iraq?</div> <div> An argument of proposal discusses actions that should be taken.  </div> <div>      Should we pull out of Iraq immediately?</div> <bR> <div> What<I><B><U> lines</U></B></I> of argument will you employ?  Here are examples:</div> <bR> <div> You can argue from the heart and appeal to emotions and feelings (including humor and satire).</div> <div> You can argue based on common values or ethics shared by an audience (or mostly shared).</div> <div> You can argue based on the character and credibility of those involved.  </div> <div> You can argue based on facts and reasons.</div> <bR> <div> What <I><B><U>style </U></B></I>will you employ? How will you mix up your style?  Think of your audience. </div> <bR> <div> How will you establish <I><B><U>credibility</U></B></I>?  For example, you can demonstrate knowledge on the subject or you could highlight shared values.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <I><B>General Reminders</B></I></div> <bR> <div> Your paper should be well-focused, and 4-7 pages (not including the List of Works Cited Page).  Do not try to take on something too large.  </div> <div> Avoid making very general arguments or using general claims as evidence/support of your main argument.   </div> <div> The best papers will have an interesting opening, a clear thesis/argument, and effective and focused support for that argument.  Support should take the form of sound logic, relevant examples (historical, hypothetical, personal), analogies, evidence, and the inclusion of fair counter-arguments.   </div> <div> We will discuss the following things in class and through assignments: structuring an argument; giving an argument style, avoiding common fallacies in argument, citing outside sources, using MLA style</div> <div> Please don't waste a provocative opening that makes the reader want to know more. </div> <div> Include counter-arguments in your paper, and include them in a fair way. </div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <I><B>Grading Rubric</B></I></div> <bR> <div> This paper is worth 100 points, and should be 4-7 pages long (double-spaced, using 12 point Times New Roman font); make your margins no larger than 1.00 inches on the sides, and 1 inch on the top and bottom. Each late draft will hurt your grade by 20 points.  Please see the course outline for a more detailed definition of what is late.  You will be graded on the following criteria for each paper.  Please note that some overlap may occur; for example, poor focus can harm your grade for revision, structure, and focus.  </div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="1" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="601" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 48 ><NOBR><div> Quality of Revision:  15 points</div> <div> Quality of Argument/Focus: 35 points </div> <div> Structure:  20 points</div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> MLA Style/ Incorporation of Research: 20</div> <div> Grammar and Typos: 10 points</div> <bR> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> <B>Dr. R. Speaking:</B></div> <bR> <div> <U>Quality of Revision:  </U></div> <bR> <div> These papers should demonstrate ample revisions between each draft.  Revision means more than simple editing and fixing of mistakes.  To revise properly, you should consider using new approaches and perspectives, offering fresh insight, expanding on claims, searching out new implications, altering entire paragraphs and pages, and replacing bland material with vibrant work.  In short, revision means taking a holistic look at your essay and making substantial changes.   I expect that the first draft may be a bit rough as you try to work out ideas, but the final draft should be polished.  You will be graded on the entire process. </div> <bR> <div> If you believe that your first draft is incredibly good and you don't need to revise, then I offer the following advice.  If your writing is that good - and I should note that it is rare to have excellent first drafts - then you are a good enough writer to redo the paper from a whole new perspective for a second draft and then consider which choice works best.  </div> <bR> <div> If you think it will work to hand in a poor first draft to give a lot of room for improvement, then I offer the following advice.  If your work on your first draft shows little effort, it is not worth my time to read it.  I will return your draft to you, you will not receive credit for it, and I will not comment on your paper until you hand it work worthy of my time. </div> <bR> <div> <U>Quality of Argument </U></div> <bR> <div> You cannot try to cover too much in your papers.  Though you may discuss more than one idea, you must stay focused and specific. If you try to do too much, your line of argument will not work well.   I will grade you based on your ability to establish and follow the following factors: your purpose, your kind of argument, your line of argument, your style, and your credibility.  Please note that this covers the style you employ in your paper. </div> <bR> <div> <U>Overall Structure</U></div> <bR> <div> The ideas in your paper should flow smoothly and be coherent.  I suggest that you write an outline before your first draft.  Use that outline to work out your main ideas.   In particular, you need to pay attention to paragraph construction.  Make sure that your ides are complete and that new examples or ideas warrant new paragraphs.  I will offer examples of effective ways to structure an argument.  Please note that this includes having an effective opening. </div> <bR> <div> <U>Grammar and Typos </U></div> <bR> <div> I expect you to know grammatical conventions.  If you do not believe you are strong in this area, then come see me for help or schedule an appointment with the Writer's Lounge.  </div> <bR> <div> <U>MLA Style/ Incorporation of Research:</U></div> <bR> <div> You must avoid paraphrasing and include specific passages from the texts(s) you respond to in your paper.  You should set up passages properly and engage with them well.  You will be expected to create a proper list of works cited page as well.  We will discuss plagiarism during this paper process as well.  The format here will carry over into your research paper.</div> <bR> <div>                                                                                                *   *   *</div> <bR> <div> COMP I: Dr. Reifenheiser/Mr. Fleck</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Zine Assignment:</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><B> </B></FONT></div> <bR> <div> A "zine" is a small magazine targeted at a specific audience.  You will create, write, draft, and edit a zine.  </div> <div> 1) <B>Target an Audience:</B> This is key; you must choose a target audience, and make sure that your writing will intrigue that specific group (<I>e.g., </I><U>Good Housekeeping</U> for homemakers, <U>Sports Illustrated</U> for sports fans, <U>Rolling Stone</U> for those into popular music). Many groups choose college students, but some have chosen their families, just our class, incoming freshman, men only, sports fans only, prisoners, cows (not really; just want to see if you're reading), Wal-Mart shoppers, people in the future, children, and/or the elderly. </div> <div> 2) <B>Have a Theme</B>: You must have a theme for your zine.  All the writing should revolve around that theme.  For example, groups have done the following: lived together for a week and made a  “The Real World” recreation; went out on the town and offered each individuals take on the night (the same has been done for camping); created a gossip Zine about our class; written solely to make fun of the South; made the Elderly Broadcast System; offered a fanzine about Rod Stewart (yes, it was disturbing); formed a cult; tried to live in Wal-Mart for 24 hours; delved into top annoyances; pretended they were prisoners; and (perhaps too commonly), written about teen issues, sex, drugs, cars, etc... </div> <div> 3) <B>Develop myriad types of writing</B>: Use this as an opportunity to try different styles of writing.  Take some risks (try poetry, reviews, fiction, drama, editorials, etc.). However, make sure that the writing is unique and fits your target audience.  If you are going to write about common topic (music, sports, sex, drugs/drinking) then make sure that the writing is unique.  Banal writing on common topics is unacceptable. Don't think that you are first people to ever go to college, drink, try drugs, have sex, and get arrested.  Don't assume that those topics are shocking enough to cover up poor writing. No topic is "good" enough to make up for bland writing. </div> <div> 4) <B>Using Images/ Packaging: </B>You are responsible for creating and packaging the<B> </B>finished zine.<B> </B>If you include images in your zine, make sure that they go with the written pieces.  Do not use images (except for cover art) that do not correspond to the writing. </div> <div> 5<B>) Grading: </B>This work will constitute a large percentage of your quarter grade.  Since this is a group project, we will also take off points if the group doesn't work well together (believe me, we'll know).  You must workshop well, meet deadlines, and work hard.  <I>Here's where all those group activities we've done in class pay off.  </I>The writing of other people in your group can now affect your grade.  </div> <div> If you have problems with a group member, bring them to our attention early (just remember that many problems can be avoided by choosing your group wisely to begin with; think back to our earlier group activities: Who worked?  Who didn't?  Don't let friendship interfere with your honest assessment of those you'll work with).  </div> <div> At the end of the project, each student will write us a process memo to discuss what tasks they performed, what the others in the group did (or didn't) do, and how well the group worked as a whole (these memos will be kept confidential, but will also affect your individual grade).</div> <div> 6) <B>Amount of Writing: </B>First, we expect you to still go through the drafting process.  We want at least 4-6 pages of quality work brought through two drafts.  Think of that as a starting point.  You will have to hand in rough drafts and final drafts of writing for your assignment.  The total zine (four a group of four) will be 16-24 pages in length, featuring at least one contribution from each writer/group member.</div> <bR> <div>                                                                            *   *   *</div> <bR> <div> COMP I - Mr. Fleck/Dr. Reifenheiser</div> <div> Assignment #11: TV Pilot Project</div> <bR> <div> DIRECTIONS: Your job is to create a proposal (known as a <I>pitch</I>) for a pilot television show (a <I>pilot</I> is TV-slang for the first episode of a new series).  You may do this as a group or individually.  Your proposal will include a summary of the show, suggested casting, and a marketing strategy.</div> <bR> <div> <B>  The Summary</B></div> <bR> <div>      Any proposal needs to explain the general idea of a show.  Your summary should include a discussion of the following:</div> <bR> <div> The <I>genre</I> (type; comedy, cop, MD, soap, <I>etc</I>.)</div> <div> The length (half-hour sit-com, hour-long drama, TV mini-series, <I>etc</I>.)</div> <div> A list of characters and a brief description of each</div> <div> A suggested <U>cast list</U> of actors (or types) for the parts</div> <div> The basic <U>premise</U> or <U>situation</U>--what will happen in the show--written in narrative form like a book report</div> <div> The expected target audience (<I>demographics</I>--what kind of people do you expect to watch the show, and how will you catch their attention?)</div> <bR> <div> <B>The Marketing</B></div> <bR> <div>      TV shows have to have a way to pay for themselves and make a profit for their venue (cable, broadcast, PPV, <I>etc</I>.).  To that end, your proposal should contain:</div> <bR> <bR> <div> An idea of what companies would likely sponsor your show and why, including a detailed list of three specific suggestions (<I>i.e</I>., Coca Cola, Nike, Zales, <I>etc</I>.)</div> <div> A detailed suggestion as to what network, what day, and what time your pilot should air, giving a good description as to why it would be a good lead-in or follow-up to shows already on the schedule</div> <bR> <div> <B>The Pilot Episode</B></div> <bR> <div>      You should submit 5-10 pages of the pilot script in the proper format (see the material on the screenplay format below).</div> <bR> <div> <B>Grading</B></div> <bR> <div>      The total pilot pitch will be worth three grades this quarter.  Groups will provide grades for each member.</div> <bR> <div> Due Date: ___________________ __________ _______, ______________</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Television Statistics</B></FONT> (Compiled by <I>TV-Free America</I> c. 2001, so consider the source)</div> <bR> <div> <I>According to the A.C. Nielsen Co., the average American watches more than 4 hours of TV each day (or 28 hours/week, or 2 months of nonstop TV-watching per year). In a 65-year life, that person will have spent 9 years glued to the tube.  At the very least, TV must be considered a major--if not </I><I><U>the</U></I><I> major-- market force.</I></div> <div>  </div> <div> <B>I. FAMILY LIFE </B></div> <bR> <div> Percentage of households that possess at least one television: 99 (Nov. 2005 Unemployment Rate = 5%; <I>not sure why these two stats are often compared, but it's safe to say that more people have TV's than have jobs</I>) </div> <div> Number of TV sets in the average U.S. household: 2.24 (<I>I have three.</I>)</div> <div> Percentage of U.S. homes with three or more TV sets: 66 </div> <div> Number of hours per day that TV is on in an average U.S. home: 6 hours, 47 minutes </div> <div> Percentage of Americans that regularly watch television while eating dinner: 66 </div> <div> Number of hours of TV watched annually by Americans: 250 billion </div> <div> Value of that time assuming an average wage of $5/hour: $1.25 trillion </div> <div> Percentage of Americans who pay for cable TV: 56 </div> <div> Number of videos rented daily in the U.S.: 6 million </div> <div> Number of public library items checked out daily: 3 million (<I>Does this include DVDs and videos?</I>)</div> <div> Percentage of Americans who say they watch too much TV: 49 </div> <div>  </div> <div> <B>II. CHILDREN </B></div> <bR> <div> Approximate number of studies examining TV's effects on children: 4,000 </div> <div> Number of minutes per week that parents spend in meaningful </div> <div>       conversation with their children: 3.5 (<I>I've always wondered how they know this.</I>) </div> <div> Number of minutes per week that the average child watches television: 1,680 </div> <div> Percentage of day care centers that use TV during a typical day: 70 </div> <div> Percentage of parents who would like to limit their children's TV watching: 73 </div> <div> Percentage of 4-6 year-olds who, when asked to choose between watching TV </div> <div> or spending time with their fathers, preferred television: 54 </div> <div> Hours per year the average American youth spends in school: 900 hours </div> <div> Hours per year the average American youth watches television: 1500 </div> <div>  </div> <div> <B>III. VIOLENCE </B></div> <bR> <div> Number of murders seen on TV by the time an average child finishes elementary school: 8,000 </div> <div> Number of violent acts seen on TV by age 18: 200,000 </div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> Percentage of Americans who believe TV violence helps precipitate real life mayhem: 79 (<I>this connection may very well be a myth; while some studies suggest that children become more aggressive after watching TV, other studies show that children are more likely to be violent if they have been exposed to violent adults</I>)</div> <div>  </div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>IV. COMMERCIALISM </B>(<I>It should be noted that popular shows command more advertising dollars because more people will see the commercial; see Super Bowl note below.</I>)</div> <bR> <div> Number of 30-second TV commercials seen in a year by an average child: 20,000 (<I>note</I>: the industry standard is now 15 second commercials)</div> <div> Number of TV commercials seen by the average person by age 65: 2 million </div> <div> Percentage of survey participants (1993) who said that TV commercials </div> <div>       aimed at children make them too materialistic: 92 </div> <div> Rank of food products/fast-food restaurants among TV advertisements to kids: 1 </div> <div> Total spending by 100 leading TV advertisers in 1993: $15 billion (<I>What must that be now?  If figures hold steady, an inflationary adjustment would make it 19.7 billion in 2005.</I>)</div> <div> 2005 Super Bowl Rate: $2.4 million/30 seconds ($800,000/second)</div> <div>  </div> <div> <B>V. GENERAL </B></div> <bR> <div> Percentage of local TV news broadcast time devoted to advertising: 30 </div> <div> Percentage devoted to stories about crime, disaster and war: 53.8 </div> <div> Percentage devoted to public service announcements: 0.7 </div> <div> Percentage of Americans who can name The Three Stooges: 59 </div> <div> Percentage who can name at least three justices of the U.S. Supreme Court: 17 </div> <bR> <div> <B>VI. TYPES OF TV</B></div> <bR> <div> Cable - You pay a company for hook-ups and programming</div> <div> Pay-Per-View/Movies on Demand - You pay for a one-time viewing</div> <div> Satellite (the Dish) - You pay a company for equipment</div> <div> Public Broadcast - Government and private funding pay; you're asked to donate</div> <div> Broadcast (AKA Commercial) - You pay for products; the manufacturers pay the TV stations to air their commercials with that money; higher rates are charged by the networks for commercials aired during popular programs (as determined by the Nielson Ratings)</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>VII. Commercials = Big Business</B></div> <bR> <div> Commercials are paid advertisements for goods, services, events, etc.  They generally run in 15, 30, and (rarely these days) 60-second lengths.  There are also extended commercials called Infomercials.  At times, products are "planted" in shows, sports events, etc.</div> <div> Hit shows generate fantastic sums of ad money--all four leads on <U>Seinfeld</U>, for example, were earning at list <I>$1 million per episode</I> when it folded!  That's all money generated from commercial revenue.</div> <div> Commercials target specific demographics (groups of people with similar interests and disposable incomes).  Commercials are designed to appeal to specific consumer markets called Target Markets (<I>e.g</I>., Men 18 - 24, Women over 40, Parents, Senior Citizens, <I>etc</I>.)</div> <div> Markets are fairly predictable--just watch TV!  Toy commercials?  Saturday morning!  Beer and car commercials?  Sports!  Life insurance, diet boosters?  Late afternoon.  "Home" products?  During the soaps.</div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> *   *   *</div> <bR> <div> <B>THE FORMAT</B></div> <bR> <div> Dramas are written in a specific way to communicate with those who will perform them (directors, actors, set designers, etc.).  The format for your drama follows.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> TITLE PAGE</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> "Title of Your Drama"</div> <div> by</div> <div> Your Name</div> <bR> <bR> <div> List of Characters: Protagonist</div> <div>                                Supporting Character</div> <div>                                Supporting Character</div> <div>                                …and so on</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> Setting for Your Drama: City, State, Country, etc.</div> <div>                                         Settings (<I>e.g.,</I> wilderness, L.A., Smallville USA)</div> <div>                                         Time/Time Period (when your drama occurs; <I>e.g.,</I> 1984, present</div> <div>                                                                        day, the future)</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> ALL OTHER PAGES</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>ACT I</B></div> <bR> <div> <I>Begin with a description of where the drama opens, stating exactly what the audience is supposed to see.  As the characters arrive, briefly introduce and describe them.  As an example: After the titles, we FADE IN.  We see the outside of an older, two-story house.  It is dark, and a Jack O'Lantern glows on the front porch.  It looks as if we are seeing all the action that follows through the camera's eye.  A girl of about 17, JUDITH MEYERS, and her BOYFRIEND, a boy of about the same age, can be seen through the window of the house.  The BOYFRIEND plays around with a Halloween mask.</I></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>BOYFRIEND</B></div> <bR> <div> Are we alone?</div> <bR> <div> <B>JUDITH</B></div> <bR> <div> Michael's around someplace.</div> <bR> <div> <I>Through the window, we see Judith and the boyfriend kissing on the couch.</I></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>BOYFRIEND</B></div> <bR> <div> Let's go upstairs.</div> <bR> <div> <B>JUDITH</B></div> <bR> <div> Okay.</div> <bR> <div> <I>We see them go.  The camera backs away from the window and looks up at the second floor bedroom.  The light goes out.  We see the side of the house and the back door as the camera creeps around and goes in the house through the kitchen.  We see a hand reach into a drawer and pull out a large knife.  We then creep through the dining room into the living room.  The BOYFRIEND is now coming down the stairs, tucking in his shirt.</I></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>BOYFRIEND</B></div> <bR> <div> It's late.  I gotta go.</div> <bR> <div> <B>JUDITH'S VOICE</B></div> <bR> <div> Will you call me tomorrow?</div> <bR> <div> <B>BOYFRIEND</B></div> <div> Yeah, sure.</div> <bR> <div> <I>We see him leave through the front door.  The camera creeps up the steps, and we hear the clock toll 10.  We see a hand reach out to pick up the BOYFRIEND'S mask.  The rest of the action we see through the eye-cutouts of this mask.  The camera creeps to JUDITH'S room.  We see that the sheets on her bed are a mess.  We then see JUDITH brushing her hair at a table.  She turns to the camera, annoyed.</I></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>JUDITH</B></div> <bR> <div> Michael!!</div> <bR> <div> <I>We see the knife slash her several times.  She falls to the floor, dead.  We see the camera run out of the room and down the stairs.  It runs through the front door, where we see a car pull up, and MR. and MRS. MEYERS get out.  They approach the camera.</I></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>MR. MEYERS</B></div> <div> (<I>to the camera</I>)</div> <bR> <div> Michael?</div> <bR> <div> <I>We see him pull the eye-cutouts off the camera.  We CUT for the first time.  We see MICHAEL MEYERS, a 6-year old boy dressed in a clown suit, holding a knife.  His costume is covered in blood.  He stares strangely at the camera as we pull back to see his PARENTS staring at him.  The scene FADES.</I></div> <bR> <div> --From <U>Halloween</U> by John Carpenter and Debra Hill</div> <bR> <div>                                                                     *   *   *</div> <bR> <div> COMP I - Mr. Fleck/Dr. Reifenheiser</div> <div> Assignment: The Penn & Teller/Mythbusters Paper</div> <bR> <div> <B>YOUR JOB</B></div> <bR> <div> We're going to be looking at various aspects of psychic phenomena over the next few days.  When we're done, you'll have a choice of two possible assignments:</div> <bR> <div> <I>Assignment 1</I>: Research report.  Write about an aspect of popular mythology (something everybody believes), giving a description, a brief history, and how it's used today.  Then, DEBUNK IT (demonstrate that it's not true).  We'll be using psychics as an example in class, but you're not limited to that topic.  You can take ANY popular/common belief and attack it.</div> <bR> <div> <I>Assignment 2</I>: Take a page from Penn & Teller's famous non-scientific demonstrations (e.g., the Water Steward, or the Lady Who Got People to Sign the Petition to Have Water Banned).  Come up with some demonstration on your own, then perform it!  Write me a report describing what you did, how you did it, and how it worked.  Include comments from your subjects….especially the ones they made after they found out you duped them!</div> <bR> <div> Feel free to do a <U>Mythbusters</U> type of experiment if that suits you more than P&T.</div> <bR> <div> At my discretion, this may be satisfied as a group project.  I'll let you know.</div> <bR> <div> <I>I predict many of you will have fun with this assignment.</I></div> <bR> <div> <B>SUGGESTED TOPICS</B></div> <bR> <div> Yeah, we'll be looking at psychics in class as an example, but--as I mentioned before--you're not limited to that topic.  People believe all sorts of weird things.  If you can't think of anything you'd like to tackle on your own, perhaps these suggestions will stimulate your thinking:</div> <bR> <div> Gun Control</div> <div> Magnet Therapy</div> <div> Twin ESP</div> <div> Miracles</div> <div> Miraculous Images</div> <div> Homeopathy</div> <div> Chiropractics</div> <div> The School Shooting Epidemic</div> <div> DDT</div> <div> The Moon Landing</div> <div> UFO's</div> <div> Conspiracy Theories (9/11, Kennedy, Marilyn Monroe, etc.)</div> <div> Myths in Education</div> <div> Urban Myths</div> <div> E-mail Myths (e.g., Congress Doesn't Pay Into Social Security)</div> <bR> <bR> <div> PSYCHIC FRIENDS</div> <bR> <div> As a demonstration of the process, we'll be looking into claims made by psychics (and those who believe in them) in class.</div> <bR> <div> The term psychic comes from the Greek psyche, meaning "spirit" or "soul."  Later meanings incorporate the idea of the mind and what makes us tick.  Today, psychic covers a myriad of supernatural phenomena:</div> <bR> <div> --telepathy (mind reading)</div> <div> --extrasensory perception (ESP; "feeling events that occur away from you)</div> <div> --psychic mediums or "channeling" (communication with the dead; often, the medium</div> <div>    is "possessed" by the spirit)</div> <div> --magical/divine healing (miracles)</div> <div> --levitation</div> <div> --fortune telling/prophecy (telling the future)</div> <div> --remote viewing</div> <bR> <div> PSYCHIC HOTLINES</div> <bR> <div> There are many methods by which those who claim to have psychic powers attempt to contact the supernatural.  These include:</div> <bR> <div> --palm reading (exploits natural desire to find meaning in patterns)</div> <div> --séances</div> <div> --astrology (the idea that the stars hold they key to our fate)</div> <div> --tarot card/playing card readings</div> <div> --Ouija Boards</div> <div> --I Ching (yarrow sticks)</div> <div> --"hot" readings</div> <div> --"cold" readings</div> <bR> <div> THE ART OF PSYCHIC COLD READS</div> <bR> <div> Barring the use of actual psychic power, the goal of a cold read is to convince the subject that you're psychic.  Secondarily, you attempt to draw information out of them by "fishing."  "Cold Read" means you have no prior information on the subject ("Hot Read" means you have prior info, and the subject doesn't know it).  A talented cold reader will make statements and/or ask questions that might be true of everybody.  For example:</div> <bR> <div> "You're a very private person, aren't you?"</div> <div> "Everybody thinks they know you, but they really don't."</div> <div> "I'm picking up the letter 'M' very strongly; who do you know whose name has</div> <div>  an 'M' in it?"</div> <div> "I feel like there's a part of you that wishes you had a second chance at a very important</div> <div>  relationship.  Why do I feel that?"</div> <bR> <bR> <div> WHEN ONE SIZE MIGHT FIT ALL</div> <bR> <div> Cold readers often employ "try-on" phrases to see if they fit your situation.  If the question "hits," great; if not, they can try something else.</div> <bR> <div> Try-On Phrases (to get the subject working with you):</div> <bR> <div> "Why do I fell that you have something you've never said to your Mom?" (or, "I get the</div> <div>   feeling that you have something to say to your Mom that is hard to say.")</div> <div> "Possibly….[fill in the blank with a generality]…"</div> <div> "It might mean…."</div> <div> "Why would he/she show me…..?"</div> <bR> <div> Reinforcers (to be used after the subject provides info):</div> <bR> <div> "Yes, I got that very strongly."</div> <div> "I was just going to mention that!</div> <bR> <div> Combinations of these phrases and a little observation (coupled with a healthy dose of controlled blarney) can get you a long way.</div> <bR> <div> READINGS SERVED HOT</div> <bR> <div> Hot reads can be truly evil, because a so-called psychic often employs underhanded means to get information about you.  Facts gleaned from the internet, caller ID, credit card slips, "interviews," etc., can then be slipped into the reading to amaze you.</div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> *   *   *</div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>