Essay Writing Guidelines

A persuasive, analytic essay should contain three main parts: the introductory paragraph, supplementary paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph. Each of these parts and their key components are explained below. Students are required to make use of these guidelines throughout the writing process.

1. The Introductory Paragraph

In the introductory paragraph students should indicate to the reader that they have a good understanding of the focus of the question. This paragraph should include the following information:

·         A thesis statement. This statement should be assertive, brief, and to the point. This will enable students to maintain the focus of their paper and write persuasively.

·         A brief explanation of any key theme or complex idea contained in the thesis. Students should be sure they convey to the reader what is meant by the words and phrases in the thesis and demonstrate a thorough understanding of all the components of the question.

·         A brief listing of the main organizational points that will be used to structure and present the data used to defend the thesis. The emphasis is on the organizational points, not detailed explanations. This list could include the following:

-          Application of the basic concepts

-          Expert opinions

-          Categories of evidence (i.e., statistics or socioeconomic data)

2.  Supplementary Paragraphs

The number, order, and nature of these paragraphs will be determined by the organizational list from the thesis statement in the introductory paragraph. These should provide relevant details that support the thesis statement. A thorough job of linking this information to the thesis should be done, and the following common mistakes should be avoided. 

·         Quoting the author of the textbook and/or documents.

·         Using catch phrases if they are apart of the question.

·         Using first person (in a persuasive paper, this weakens the writer’s argument)

·         Waiting until the end of the paragraph to link points to the thesis (e.g., “Therefore, based on the information above, one can see that…”)

·         Appealing to emotion or answering the question with a question (e.g., “How would feel if this were to happen to you?”)

·         Utilizing overtly simplistic statements and the idea of single causation (e.g., “PAC contributions are a form of bribery that corrupt all members of Congress.”)

·         “Data-dumping”—providing any information without any relevant link to the thesis.

3. Concluding Paragraph

In the essay, the emphasis of this paragraph is a brief summary delineating the case made in support of the thesis.

In the research papers, the emphasis of this paragraph is synthesis as well as summary. Students should go one step higher and draw inferences based on the facts presented in their paper (i.e., “What problems does ‘this’ pose for the future?” or “What possible solutions might alleviate the problem?”).

Additional Considerations Regarding Research Papers:

1. Papers are to be five to six pages in length; typed and double spaced (papers typed on a word processor must have a backup disk).
2. A minimum of five sources other than the textbook must be consulted and properly end noted. Two sources must be from professional publications. It is highly recommended that you make use of as many primary sources as possible.
3. Make outlines of every paper before you start writing. Then use the outline as a real guide. The outline must be turned in with the paper.
4. Read each question carefully and thoroughly discuss it with your group. If further clarification is needed, make an appointment with your teacher.
5. Time frame: four weeks for research and one week for the actual writing of the paper.
6. Wherever possible apply contrast and/or compare other historical events as evidence to back up your arguments.
7. Proofread your papers very carefully- spelling and grammatical errors will detract from your overall grade. 

Advanced Placement U.S. History: A Course Perspective

Advanced Placement U.S. History: A Course Perspective

AP U.S. History is a demanding introduction to American history and culture that assumes a high level of interest and competence. Because this course is similar to a first-year college course, students should expect that the workload will be heavier than most regular high school history courses. The analytical thinking, writing, and reading skills that students develop in AP U.S. History will equip you for college and lifelong learning.

In order to succeed, students need both to be motivated to study and to be able to keep up with the demands of a college-level course. By taking the AP Exam at the end of the course, you have the opportunity to demonstrate that you have, indeed, learned college-level material and are prepared to enter advanced college courses.

AP U.S. History integrates political, social, economic, cultural, diplomatic, and intellectual history in order to convey the experiences of particular groups within the broader perspective of the American past. At the same time, it connects events and issues from the past to the concerns of the present. History shows Americans continuously adapting to new developments as they shape the world in which they live. Often, ordinary Americans from a diverse range of backgrounds are thrust into extraordinary circumstances and the result is an exciting study in the "American experiment." As you study this long-term process, they will also encounter the unexpected -- unique events, unintended outcomes, and singular individuals. This course will attempt to prepare you to become "students of history" and will include the following points for emphasis:

    * chronological organization

    * geographical literacy

    * point of view

    * political dynamics

    * economic patterns

          o social and cultural trends

          o intellectual developments

          o influences on the arts

Throughout the year, I will use a variety of teaching methods and strategies to assist you students in learning the necessary content and skills for the course. Typically, a course in AP U.S. History will include a quality college-level text and access to primary documents (in texts, in libraries, or on the Web). In general, the first semester will begin with early colonization in the 1500s and 1600s and end with Reconstruction or the late 1800s. The second semester will cover the period from the early twentieth century to the present. In addition to the historical content the course will hopefully train you to analyze and interpret historical documents, assess the validity of historical propositions and build an effective argument. It is desirable to practice writing skills frequently in order to prepare for the free response section of the examination. The coursework has to be completed by the end of April to allow time for a review of material for the AP U.S. History Exam in early May.

Advanced Placement Tutoring

Is your child studying AP United States History, AP English, AP US Government or preparing for the SAT subject matter exams in social science? I can help your child maximize their potential and reach their educational goals. I offer rigorous tutoring in objective (multiple choice) and subjective (essay writing) skill sets which will propel your students to the head of the class.

My teaching responsibilities have included planning and teaching Advanced Placement United States History, Advanced Placement United States Government, US History, World History and Economics. I am also a reader for ETS for the Advanced Placement United States History exam. I hold Bachelors and Masters Degrees from New York University where I graduated at the top of my class and earning the prestigious Founder's Day Award. I earned my California Clear Credential with a CLAD emphasis from the UCLA TEACHLA program.

I am confident in my teaching abilities and I am fully prepared for the rigors of today's urban classroom. I am currently a Teacher Fellow at several universities and continue to attend various teacher institutes sponsored by the UCLA History-Geography Project, Cal State LA, USC and the University of California at Santa Barbara, as life-long learning is a necessary prerequisite for success in the classroom. Prior to my secondary experiences, I was privileged to lecture at New York City Technical College and New York University where I was assigned classes in Advertising Account Management and Media History during my graduate semesters.

Administrators and school sites welcomed. I am available for after school tutoring and professional development of your advanced placement staff. Let's change those 1's and 2's into 4's and 5's

Your investment in your child's education: $50.00 per hour; $125.00 per 3 hours per week or $425.00 per month based on 3 hours per week. Books and study materials included.

Academic Preparation:
MA New York University 2000 Culture/Communications and Media
BA New York University 1998 Social Sciences/Organizational Development
AAS New York University 1997 Business Management
Teaching Credential UCLA 2004 Secondary Education/CLAD

Courses Taught:

Advanced Placement United States History
Advanced Placement United States Government and Politics
Advanced Placement World History
20th Century United States History
Economics
Creative Writing
Media History and Advertising Account Management
Advertising Account Management

Academic Proficiencies:

• Curriculum Design and Development
• Differentiated Instruction
• Cooperative Learning
• Student Motivation
• Interactive Learning
• Classroom Management
• Student-Centered Learning
• Multicultural Awareness
• Student Assessment
• Whole Group Learning
• Talented and Gifted instruction
• Academic Research and Development
• Advanced Placement United States History Reader

Honors, Prizes, and Awards:

• Founder's Award -- New York University, 1998
• Inductee, Alpha Sigma Lambda -- National Honor Society, New York University chapter 1996
• New York University Dean's List 1995-2000

Professional Organizations:
• Foundation for Teaching Economics -- Member
• Organization of American Historians -- Member
• UCLA History-Geography Project -- Teacher Fellow
• UCSB History-Geography Project -- Teacher Fellow
• USC-CALIS Teacher Leadership Program -- Teacher Fellow
• World History Association -- Member

Final Assignments

Complete blog posts. Each student should have 112 blog posts. Each student is responsible for a minimum of 25 comments on others blogs in the cadre.

Each student is also responsible for an Autobiographical Personal Essay. The work will be between 500 and750 words. All papers are to be laid out with one inch margins, written in 10 or 12 point font, and double-spaced.

Each student will also write and submit a Short Story. Stories can be written in the genre of student’s choice. Short Stories will be between 500 and 1,000 words. Again, the standard technical layout applies. Be sure to include the following information as an attachment to your story:

Point of View—the main character’s/narrator’s POV.
Character Analysis—identify each character (i.e. gender, strengths, weaknesses, purpose etc.)
Plot/Central Conflict—what is the central conflict/issue of the story?
Setting—where/when does the story take place?
End/Resolution—how is the conflict resolved

All work is due on January 19, 2011; no exceptions.

Setting

Setting as the World

Setting is the environment in which a story takes place. A story’s setting can have both physical as well as psychological effects on the action and characters of the story. How much differently might a story turn out if it were set in a crowded city instead of on a deserted island?

Your routine, your neighborhood, your take on home, history, climate, and the cosmos are unique, like your voice, and inseparable from your voice. As a writer you need to be alert to your own vision and to create for us, even make strange to us, the world you think most familiar.

Description has earned a bad rap with overlong, self-indulgent eulogies to wallflowers, furniture, or even alien planets. Bur setting involves everything that supports and impinges on your characters. The props of the world artifacts and architecture, infrastructure, books, food, fabrics, tools and technology—create and sustain identity. People behaving in relation to their surroundings define both space and time, and reveal much more.

Assignment:

Draw the floor plan of the first house you remember living in. Take a mental tour through the house, pausing (and marking on the floor plan) where significant occurred. Walk through again, making a list of these events. Pick one of them and write about it. Pay attention to the setting and the atmosphere of the event. How does your relation to the space, light, weather, walls, furniture, and objects affect what you are doing and feeling? Explain in detail, does the space represent safety or confinement? 

Memoir and Personal Essay

A memoir is a story retrieved from the author’s memory, with the writer as protagonist—the “I” remembering and commenting on events described in the essay. Memoir tends to place the emphasis on the story, and the “point” is likely to emerge, as it does in fiction, largely from the events and characters themselves, rather than the through the author’s speculation and reflection.

The personal essay has its origin in something that has happened in the writer’s life, but it may be something that happened yesterday afternoon, or it may represent an area of interest deliberately explored, and it is likely to give rise to reflection or intellectual exploration. In his book, The Art of the Personal Essay, Philip Lopate refers to the personal essay as, “…the drive toward candor and self-exposure.

Assignment: Write narrative style essays for the following prompts as indicated:

Memoir

People often say “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” Describe a time when you misjudged someone based on his or her appearance or when someone misjudged you.

Personal Essay

The way a person handles disappointment reveals a great deal about what is important to him or her. Tell about a time in your life when you confronted disappointment and how you handled it.

The essays should be at least 250 words but no more than 750 words. Essays are due Wednesday, November 10^th at the beginning of class. Also, please post them on your blogs.

Figures of Speech

English is a language unusually rich in tropes or figures of speech—that is, expressions not meant to be taken literally, but as standing for something related in some way (the word trope comes from a Greek word meaning to twist or turn). Tropes almost invariably involve an image. The number and variety of common figures of speech make English difficult to learn as a foreign language, but also makes it a fertile ground for creative writing. (Notice that fertile ground here is a trope, specifically a metaphor in which the language is compared to soil.)

There are many different kinds of figures of speech, but there are five major tropes are usually considered to be:

Metonymy – in which one thing is represented by another thing associate with it, as in all crowns of Europe (where crowns stands for kings)

Synecdoche – in which a part stands for the whole, as in all hands on deck (where hands stands for men)

Personification – in which human characteristics are bestowed on anything non human, as in the breathing city or the gentle breeze

Metaphor – a comparison as in the woman is a rose.

Simile – a comparison as in the woman is like a rose.

Though these are five of the most frequently used figures of speech in English, you may be familiar with others, such as hyperbole, which is extreme exaggeration, and oxymoron, which links two contradictory words. And who hasn’t enjoyed groaning at a pun? In medieval and Renaissance rhetoric, dozens of tropes were identified, classified, and debate, and skill using these “ornaments” much admired.

Assignment:

Write three (3) poems of two (2) verses each in the following format: The first line consists of an abstraction, plus a verb, plus a place. The second line describes attire. The third line summarizes an action.

Beauty creeps out the window
Wearing nothing but taut bare skin
Leaving a trail of wrinkles behind her.

Hunger yells in the hallway,
Draped in cymbals;
He stomps and shouts, “Hear me now!”

Example by Carrisa Neff