HCC ENGL1301 Discussions Latest 2018 February (Full)

ENGL1301 Composition 1

Week 1 Discussion

Part 1Write a paragraph introducing yourself to the class and instructor. Please answer the following questions in your paragraph:

What do you hope to learn in this class?

What type of writing courses have you taken in the past?

What types of topics might you enjoy learning and writing about?

Please also include any questions you may have about the syllabus. Remember to complete the syllabus quiz by Tuesday, February 20 at 11:59 P.M.

Part 2 Respond to at least two of the introductions/summaries. Write in complete sentences.

 

ENGL1301 Composition 1

Week 2 Discussion

Part 1: Read "Shooting an Elephant" by George Orwell and "Empathy is Actually a Choice".

Write one paragraph answering the following questions: How does the idea of empathy relate to Orwell's story? What did you think about both pieces of writing? How could Orwell have avoided the outcome of his story? Do you believe people can choose to have empathy or is it something that is innate in each person? How will you use both of these pieces in your Introduction essay?

Next, view (or review) the Writing Process Lesson. Write a second paragraph summarizing the lesson and restating any new information you learned.

Part 2: Respond to at least two of your classmate's postings. Write in complete sentences.

 

ENGL1301 Composition 1

Week 3 Discussion

Part 1: Read the following “handouts” carefully and answer the questions thoughtfully. You will take a quiz on this information on March 5, and you will use this information to write your essays.

Read the following handout on audience and answer questions 1-3.

http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/audience/ (Links to an external site.)

Why is it important to know your audience in writing?

Explain the forest/trees metaphor described in this handout. What is the forest? What are the trees?

Summarize the last three bullet points in this handout (under “Putting yourself in the Reader’s Position”).

Read the following handout on brainstorming and answer questions 4-5.

http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/brainstorming/ (Links to an external site.)

Choose one of the brainstorming techniques described in this handout and explain it.

Have you used one of these techniques before? If so, what did you think about it? If not, which one do you plan to use in the future and why?

Read the following handout on plagiarism and answer questions 6-7.

http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/plagiarism/ (Links to an external site.)

What is plagiarism?

What is paraphrasing and do you need to cite your work when you paraphrase?

Part 2: You do not need to respond to your classmates’ postings this week. Once you have posted your assignment, you may look at your classmates’ answers and see if they shared any new or additional information.

 

ENGL1301 Composition 1

Week 4 Discussion

Part 1 Review the Comp 1 Lesson. Choose one of the following poems and write a brief reflection. Write about the theme and the literary elements. You may also include how the poem made you feel or what you thought about it. This is intended to be a prewriting exercise for Composition #1.

“Harlem” by Langston Hughes

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poems/detail/46548 (Links to an external site.)

“Do Not Go Gentle” by Dylan Thomas

https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/do-not-go-gentle-good-night (Links to an external site.)

“Hope is the thing with feathers” by Emily Dickinson

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poems/detail/42889 (Links to an external site.)

“Since Feeling is First” by e.e. cummings

https://genius.com/E-e-cummings-since-feeling-is-first-annotated (Links to an external site.)

“Still I Rise” by Maya Angelo

https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/still-i-rise (Links to an external site.)

“If” by Rudyard Kipling

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poems/detail/46473 (Links to an external site.)

 Part 2 Respond to at least two of your classmate's postings. Write in complete sentences.

 

 

 

 

ENGL1301 Composition 1

Week 5 Discussion

Part 1 This week we will do a Peer-Editing exercise. Post your Composition #1 rough draft (including your title) to the discussion board. If you have specific questions about your draft that you want your classmates to answer or provide feedback on, add those questions to the top of your draft before the introduction.

Part 2 Read and respond to at least two of your classmates' drafts. In your response, answer the following questions:

What theme did they choose? Was the theme clearly stated in the introduction?

How could their introduction or thesis be improved?

What points were particularly strong in their essay? What parts of the essay did you enjoy reading the most?

What were some of the weaker points of the essay? Point out any unclear language, grammatical errors, etc.

How could their essay be improved overall? Perhaps they should elevate the language with more academic vocabulary, proof read for comma errors, use a variety of sentence structures, etc.

 

ENGL1301 Composition 1

Week 6 Discussion

Part 1 Read the Composition #2 Assignment and view the PowerPoint lesson. Choose one of the possible topics to agree or disagree with and read the corresponding article in the link. Write one paragraph summarizing the article and one paragraph explaining why you agree or disagree with the author. These articles are not from the HCC library, but you can use them as a third source in your paper.

Technology has an overall negative effect on American society.

http://www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/as-technology-gets-better-will-society-get-worse (Links to an external site.)

Sports have an overall negative effect on American society.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/quora/does-society-place-too-mu_b_1569299.html (Links to an external site.)

The drinking age in the United States should be lowered to 18.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/opinions/2003/05/04/let-my-teenager-drink/b760aa1a-368c-4a6a-899c-7cad7a3fff40/?utm_term=.03ed2585b228 (Links to an external site.)

Our national security is more important than our privacy.

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2016/02/heartland-monitor-privacy-security/459657/ (Links to an external site.)

It is unethical to eat meat.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/06/magazine/the-ethicist-contest-winner-give-thanks-for-meat.html (Links to an external site.)

Money can’t buy happiness.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/can-money-buy-happiness-heres-what-science-has-to-say-1415569538 (Links to an external site.)

Part 2 Respond to at least two of your classmate's postings, ideally someone who chose the same topic as you. Write in complete sentences.

 

ENGL1301 Composition 1

Week 7 Discussion

Part 1 Choose a different topic and read the corresponding article in the link. Write one paragraph summarizing the article and one paragraph explaining why you agree or disagree with the author. After this week, you should decide which topic you want to write about for Composition #2.

Technology has an overall negative effect on American society.

http://www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/as-technology-gets-better-will-society-get-worse (Links to an external site.)

Sports have an overall negative effect on American society.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/quora/does-society-place-too-mu_b_1569299.html (Links to an external site.)

The drinking age in the United States should be lowered to 18.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/opinions/2003/05/04/let-my-teenager-drink/b760aa1a-368c-4a6a-899c-7cad7a3fff40/?utm_term=.03ed2585b228 (Links to an external site.)

Our national security is more important than our privacy.

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2016/02/heartland-monitor-privacy-security/459657/ (Links to an external site.)

It is unethical to eat meat.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/06/magazine/the-ethicist-contest-winner-give-thanks-for-meat.html (Links to an external site.)

Money can’t buy happiness.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/can-money-buy-happiness-heres-what-science-has-to-say-1415569538 (Links to an external site.)

Part 2 Respond to at least two of your classmate's postings, ideally someone who chose the same topic as you. Write in complete sentences.

 

 

 

 

 

ENGL1301 Composition 1

Week 8 Discussion

Part 1 Write a preliminary thesis statement and an outline for Composition #2 with topic sentences and specific details. Be sure to include arguments that use Aristotle’s Appeals (explained in the PowerPoint). 

Part 2 Respond to at least two of your classmate's postings. Give them advice on how their thesis or organization could be improved. Write in complete sentences.

 

ENGL1301 Composition 1

Week 9 Discussion

Part 1 This week we will do a Peer-Editing exercise. Post your Composition #2 rough draft (including your title) to the discussion board. If you have specific questions about your draft that you want your classmates to answer or provide feedback on, you may want to add those questions to the top of your draft before the introduction. 

Part 2 Read and respond to at least two of your classmates' drafts. In your response, answer the following questions:

How could their introduction be improved?

What points were particularly strong in their essay? What parts of the essay did you enjoy reading the most?

What were some of the weaker points of the essay? Point out any unclear language, grammatical errors, etc.

How could their essay be improved overall? Perhaps they should elevate the language with more academic vocabulary, proof read for comma errors, use a variety of sentence structures, etc.

 

ENGL1301 Composition 1

Week 10 Discussion

Part 1 Composition #3 Narrative Graphic Organization

Directions:

1) Read the Composition #3 Lesson and the Composition #3 Assignment sheet.

2) Download and fill out the following worksheet (attached below as a Word Document) to help organize your thoughts before you begin writing Composition #3.

3) Upload your completed chart to the discussion board. If that does not work, you can just type out your answers leaving spaces between each section. This is a brainstorming activity to help you organize and synthesize your story.

Setting:

Theme or Lesson Learned about Empathy:

What sensory details can you include about your experience?

Your narrative should follow the typical 5 step plot: Beginning, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, Resolution. In this paper, your Resolution will probably be what lessons you learned. Write a few sentences about each of the following.

Beginning:

Rising Action:

Climax:

Falling Action:

Resolution:

Note: Be sure to include transition words and phrases and you move from idea to idea.

http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/transitions/ (Links to an external site.)

(You don’t need to write anything in this box.)

 

ENGL1301 Composition 1

Week 11 Discussion

Part 1 This week we will do a Peer-Editing exercise. Post your Composition #3 rough draft (including your title) to the discussion board. If you have specific questions about your draft that you want your classmates to answer or provide feedback on, add those questions to the top of your draft before the introduction. 

Part 2 Read and respond to at least two of your classmates' drafts. In your response, answer the following questions:

How could their introduction be improved?

What points were particularly strong in their essay? What parts of the essay did you enjoy reading the most?

What were some of the weaker points of the essay? Point out any unclear language, grammatical errors, etc.

How could their essay be improved overall? Perhaps they should elevate the language with more academic vocabulary, proof read for comma errors, use a variety of sentence structures, etc.