Your Final Examination Assignment

For your final examination, I want you to write (that is, type, format with one-inch margins on all sides of the paper, and double-space) a few pages in response to ONE of the following items. Print your essay and turn it in at the end of the period. You MAY talk with each other about your choice. Use your time well. Work to get at least two full pages of thoughtful, well-wrought, well-edited text. Yes, it is a challenge. That IS the point of the exercise.

I.

"Wild Geese"

By

Mary Oliver

You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting--
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.


© Mary Oliver, from “American Primitive.”


II.


A man goes to the doctor. He tells the doctor, “I’m at the end of my rope! My brother thinks he’s a chicken! I don’t know what to do!”
The doctor asks, “Why don’t you have him committed?”
The man answers, “I thought about it, but the thing is, I really need the eggs.”
How is this story about what often happens in relationships between two people?


III.

Saint Teresa of Avila is famous, among other things, for having said that “More tears were shed over answered prayers than over unanswered ones.” Write about this observation.

Works Cited Lists

If you are uncertain about how to cite a source or how to format your bibliography or works cited list, you can get help by following the link on the right side of the class blog main page to go to the St. Martins Handbook. Once you enter the handbook site, you will find links that take you to listings of different major accepted methods of citing sources and compiling reference lists. Use the handbook samples to get answers to questions you have about how to format a citation.

To see a sample of citing an article from Lexis-Nexis, follow THIS link.

Final Assignments for English 1102

Your last major essay is due to be turned in as hard copy by the end of class on 28 April. Please don't ask to submit your work by e-mail. If you have any questions about turning in the paper due on this date, please be sure to pose your questions in a timely way. Please be aware that I am available to comment on drafts of this paper as long as you get them to me (drafts ok by email) NO LATER THAN Monday, 23 April 2007. If you send me a draft later than that, I shall not have time to review it.

Your final exam will be held in class on Saturday, 5 May 2007. The exam schedule is as follows: the 8AM class has exam from 8AM until 10AM, and the 11AM class has exam from 12PM until 2PM (please note the special time for the 11AM exam--noon and NOT 11AM--go figure).

You final exam will count 10% of your grade (see class syllabus). It will be an in-class essay composed on a topic to be assigned by me. In fact, I shall give you a choice of topics on which to write. Your final exam essay is due to be turned in at the end of the exam period as hard copy.

I am required to submit your grades no later than 8 May by 10AM. As soon as I post your grades, you should be able to view them online by logging into OWLNET using your KSU ID and password. If you are uncertain as to how to log in to view your grades, you should contact the campus help desk at extension 6999.

I hope all goes well for each of you. I have appreciated your effort, and I am hopeful you will take something of value with you from all the practice you have done this semester. I encourage you to keep writing, to read widely, and to not shy away from thinking about important ideas. I believe that the more you do to find your own true voice, the closer you come to finding your true place in the world.

Assignment for 14 and 21 April

I have thought about what I would like to do for the last few sessions--whether we need to do more reading from the Norton Reader or whether some other source material might be a good choice. While thinking about all this, I have come across another film that relatively few people have seen, but that I think is worthy of a close look. The film is "Turtles Can Fly," a film about life in Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein. Like "Born into Brothels," this new film focuses on the lives of children.

Because "Turtles" allows children to tell their own story, I think it's a good piece with which to end the semester. Given my own tendency to look for what's being left out, minimized or avoided, it occurs to me that in all the discussions we hear and read about what is important in the world (including what our textbook offers), it's often true that what is happening in the world most affects children, and yet we give them relatively few opportunities to say what they have to say about what they see in the world and what it means to them.

The fact that we so rarely allow children to speak--and that so much of what happens in the world affects them more than anyone else--seems to me to be a gross oversight, a terrible hole in the grown-up view. On the one hand we idolize children and try to remain like them as long as we can; on the other hand, we don't pay much attention to what children have to say about the world. Thinking about all this, I'd like to end the class by looking at what these children have to say.

Here, then, is my plan: on 14 April we will see "Turtles Can Fly" in class, and we'll have time to talk about it afterwards. Then you'll have time to write about it in class, but I don't want you to turn in your in-class writing until the following class, which is to say at the end of class on 21 April. on 28 April, your only job is to finish your fourth major essay and turn it in as hard copy by the end of the class.

Like "Born into Brothels," "Turtles Can Fly" is a difficult film; it is also beautiful. I hope you will find something of value in viewing it.

Here is another link to a site that gives information about "Turtles Can Fly".

Assignment for 31 March

Reading: Martin Luther King, Jr., "Letter from Birmingham Jail," in the Norton Reader, P.889.

Spend time in class writing a statement describing your final paper (due the last day of classes) and giving information about at least some of the sources you will use for that paper. By end of class, turn in a couple of pages telling me your paper topic, how you intend to approach the topic, and what sources you are using.

Assignment for Saturday 24 March

Reading: "Rewriting American History" by Frances Fitzgerald in the Norton Reader, P. 828.

We will discuss the reading, and we'll also talk about coherence in writing. If there's time I'd also like to say a few things about "Born into Brothels."

The second half of the class you will have time to finish your 3rd major essay, which is due to be handed in as hard copy by the end of the class. Please come prepared to print out your copy.

Born Into Brothels

Having viewed "Born into Brothels," I would like to ask you to spend some time writing a response to the movie. Invent your way through this assignment: figure out what you want to say and then structure it as you see fit. I'd like to ask you to produce at least two full pages of text, but if you want to write more, that is ok, too.

You can go here to visit a website set up to supplement the film "Born into Brothels." The website gives information about the children involved in the film and the work they have been doing as photographers. It also gives you the opportunity to talk with the children, if you're interested. I think it will help you to have a look at the movie's website, because it gives you an update on the conditions of the remarkable people who are presented in Briski's movie.

However you decide to respond to the movie, e-mail your response to me no later than midnight on Monday, 19 March. You can follow a link here to send e-mail to me, in case you can't find my address.

Reading Assignment for 10 March

Remember that we don't meet on 3 March, as that is the second day of the semester break. I hope you use the time to regroup, rest, catch your breath and figure out how you can make the best of the time you have left in your courses. As for me, I'll be heading to the beach, doing a little kayaking, sleeping and eating fresh seafood.

Your reading assignment for 10 March is as follows:

Turner, P. 702

Gould, P. 720.

Be prepared to write during part of class time. I'm inclined to have you work again in small groups for this exercise. I am going to think this idea through and let you know for sure when we meet again.

Remember also that this year daylight savings time begins on 11 March. This means we have one less hour to enjoy on Saturday, but of course, we get it back in November.

Reading Assignment for 24 February

Please read the following essays in the Norton Reader for 24 February:

Carson, "Tides," Page 568

Petrunkevitch, "The Spider and the Wasp," Page 595

Please come prepared to write an in-class assignment on one of the essays.

Reading Assignment for 17 February

On 17 February during the first hour we will discuss Eric Fromm's "The Nature of Symbolic Language," which begins on P. 534 in the Norton Reader. We will also look at some handouts I have to give you that treat principles of writing clearly. After the mid-class break, we'll reconvene so you can finish up your second major essay, which will be due to be turned in by the end of the class period as a hard copy (printed out). I've finally determined I'm too poor a manager to handle having you e-mail me your work, so I need for you to submit your essay in hard-copy printout.

Suggestions for Writing

I have been asked to make a list of the essays in the Norton Reader that I think are among the best in the book. As I've looked through the book, I can hardly find fault with any of the choices that have been made by the editors. Nonetheless, here I offer a list of the essays that stand out for me as being particularly rich:

Eighner, P. 22
Bettelheim, P. 56
White, P. 82
Didion, P. 90
Wolfe, P. 123
Sanders, P. 140
Atwood, P. 171
Golding, P. 217
Asimov, P. 223
Kübler-Ross, P. 274
Gould, P. 280
Burgess, P. 286
Gates, P. 299
Steinem, P. 354
Ivins, P. 389
Welty, P.413
Rodriguez, P. 492
Orwell, P. 540
Faulkner, P. 563
Carson, P. 568
Petrunkevitch, P.595
Twain, P. 647
Tisdale, P. 713
Tuchman, P. 759
Swift, P. 857
Lincoln, P. 880
King, P. 889
Kuhn, P.928
Woolf, P. 1074


The more I think about this list, the more arbitrary I find it to be. I don't believe there is a single piece of bad writing in your book. I hope you find among my "favorites" here a few choices that help you write.

Assignment for 3 February

In both classes on 3 February we will begin class by looking at an essay in the reader by Fred Strebeigh, "The Wheels of Freedom: Bicycles in China." This essay begins on Page 330 of the Norton Reader. I HOPE we will talk as a group about this essay, but at the very least, I shall present my analysis of the essay to give you an example of responding to a text.

The 8AM class will reconvene in the Library after the class break to attend a session with the reference librarian on using library resources to do research (note this session will be repeated for the 11Am class THE FOLLOWING SATURDAY, 10 February).

During the second hour of the 11AM class, we will look at grammar exercises, talk about writing resources, and talk about principles of writing clearly.

Regarding Essay #1

I want you all to review the essay you turned in on 20 January and submit it again. In particular, I want you to look carefully for formal problems such as fused sentences, comma splices, and sentence fragments. Do not, however, stop there: look for ways of expressing yourself more clearly and correctly; look for ways of making your work clearer, more fully stated and more formally correct.

I would prefer that you exchange papers with a class member, review each others' work, suggest changes and then, finally, review you own work, revise it and then turn it in. Some people don't have much to do on their papers, and some have a great deal to do. The point is this: I want you all to take another look at the paper you handed in on 20 January, proofread it carefully, revise it and then turn it in again to me by email. I will then grade the second copy you hand in, and I'll return it with the first copy, which I have graded and which I shall hold to return to you with the second copy. The grade I shall record will be the grade on the second copy.

I want you to complete this task so that you have submitted your second version of Essay #1 by the end of day on Tuesday, 30 January 2007. Again, please submit your revised essay to me by email, and please submit it by the end of the day on Tuesday. I shall make every effort to return the papers to you on Saturday, 3 February, but I may not be able to get them all done by then.

Thanks for your hard work, good luck in everything you do, and please let me know if you have any questions.

Exercise for Saturday, 27 January

For this class I want students to get into groups of three or, at the most, four. I don't want you to work in groups of two. Having grouped together, I want you to choose one of the readings you were assigned to read for today, discuss it, and then compose a group response. You may disagree with each other in your response, or you may focus in your response on talking about views you have in common about the piece you have chosen. Whatever approach you choose, you need to map out your response, compose it, revise it, and turn it in to me by the end of the class as printed copy. Please do not email me your final product for this exercise--please print it out. The printed copy should show the names of the people in your group, the title of the essay you chose, and the class title and section number. Your written response should be at least two full pages of text, formatted per the specifications on the course syllabus.

To get you started, I have some questions for you to consider:

What do you think Jacob Bronowski's intention was in writing "The Reach of Imagination"? Is he giving information, trying to change your mind about something, or trying to get you to behave differently? Does he talk about imagination in ways you find new? How does he employ the idea of seeing in his essay? Do you note anything about his choice of words that strikes you in any particular way? How do you feel as you read the essay? How do you feel after having read it? Did the essay have any effect on you, emotional or otherwise?

Concerning Amy Cunningham's "Why Women Smile," what would you say is the central point of the essay? Do you find anything ironic about the essay? Does the essay help you to see anything new about the idea of smiling? Do you think what Cunningham says applies mostly to women, or could any of it apply equally to men? Does the essay make you think at all about how you--or anyone you frequently deal with--use smiling as a coping strategy in your daily life? Did the essay surprise you in any way? Is there anything about what Cunningham chooses not to say on this subject that strikes you in any particular way? What overall effect did the essay have on you: did you feel a certain way, did you find yourself thinking about something in particular, or was there anything else you noticed about your own awareness after you read this essay?

Resources for Improving Sentence Structure

To help people who need guidance improving their sentence structure, I have found a number of online resources aimed at making you more able to revise your prose into solid, standard, formal English. Here are the resources I have gathered:


The University of Guelph Sentence Structure Guide

University of Houston Writing Center Grammar Guide

The KSU Writing Center Guide to Grammar

The University of Houston Guide includes a link to a multimedia presentation that walks you step-by-step through recognizing and editing improperly structured sentences. The KSU guide includes exercises designed to help you recognize and edit incorrect sentences. All of these resources reflect the best practices in academic and non-academic professional writing. Please know this: it is critical to your advancement in the career world that you master proper, grammatically correct English.

Reading Assignment for 27 January

On 28 January we will spend time discussing two readings from your text:

"The Reach of Imagination" by Jacob Bronowski (P. 210) and
"Why Women Smile" by Amy Cunningham (P. 261).

In addition to covering the readings, I shall give you a writing exercise in class, and the exercise will be due by the end of the class period.

Review of Assignment for 20 January

Again, on 20 January we will spend the first hour talking about writing, and the second hour you will have to finish your first major essay. The essay is due to be turned in by the end of class. You should be prepared to print the essay as hardcopy to submit to me--please DO NOT send me your essay by email. The essay you turn in on 20 January is to be based on any reading you find in the Norton Reader. Your essay should be written as a response to the reading you have chosen, and it is to be between three and five pages long, formatted as per the requirements set forth in the course syllabus.

Assignment for 20 January

There is no reading assignment for this day. Here's what we will do on 20 January:

We begin by talking about what I mean by clear writing;

continue by reviewing what is meant by "Toulmin" argument structure; and

conclude by talking about some common mistakes people make in writing and how to avoid them.

This will bring us to the end of the first hour.

The second hour or so, you will have time to finish work on your first essay, which is due at the END OF THE CLASS PERIOD. You should spend time before class crafting a draft of the essay you want to hand in on 20 January, so that what you bring to class is ready for final editing. During the writing portion of the class, you'll have time to exchange drafts with your peers, talk with me (pending my availability) about what you have, and finish up your work to hand in to me, again, at the end of the class.

First In-Class Response

This exercise is due by end of day today, January 13. You may e-mail it to me at my gmail account. If you mail me your work, be sure to mail it as a Word attachment.

Choose either Hurston's piece, "What it means to be colored me" or Eiseley's piece, "The Brown Wasps," and write an essay that begins by saying what you think the piece is about, followed by whatever reaction you think or feel is most appropriate to what you find in the piece. Your response should be at least two full pages of text, conforming with the formatting standards set forth in the class syllabus. Email me or call me with any questions, or post a comment to this blog posting and I'll respond to you.

Link to Mary Oliver poem

Click HERE to go to an online copy of the poem "Wild Geese" by Mary Oliver.