Writing Assignments

I will be grading your writing on its syntax, structure, style, and appearance.

Syntax

You should use proper grammer, spelling, and punctuation. Avoid sentences fragments and run-on sentences, be sure your subjects and verbs agree, use prepositions and articles correctly, etc.

• http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/index.html
  Purdue Online Writing Lab has a number of short pages/handouts on grammer, spelling, and punctuation, as well as a few exercises with which to test your self. It is a great resource.

Structure

Your paper should start with a clear thesis statement. Each paragraph should included a topic sentence that states the point of that paragraph. Detail sentences within a paragraph should support the topic sentence. Even if your document is only a single paragraph, it should have a discernable structure to it.

Longer papers should include introduction and conclusion paragraphs. Paragraphs should be neither too long or too short--around three to five sentences is usually good. You should present your ideas in a logical and coherent manner.

• http://www.webster.edu/acadaffairs/asp/wc/thesis.html
  The page explains the nature of a good thesis sentence.
• http://www.webster.edu/acadaffairs/asp/wc/paragraphs.html
  This page briefly explains possible paragraph structures depending on the position of the topic sentence.

Style and Voice

Writing style largely depends on the audience. Most of your in-class writings should be semi-formal--casual, yet still professional. Avoid using slang or excessive idioms. Your project reports should be a bit more formal. In that case, also try to avoid contractions, such as it's for it is or they're for they are. Try not to sound stilted or overly wordy.

Be consistent in your use of voice--1st person, 2nd person, or 3rd person. 3rd person is recommended for most scholarly writing, though 1st is acceptable if you are describing some action you personally took. 2nd person is best left for manuals and other written directions.

• http://staff.gc.maricopa.edu/~mdinchak/101online/style.htm
  This short page explains a little more about personal writing style and voice. The 3 different English voices (1st, 2nd, and 3rd person) are discussed with a couple examples.
• http://englishwww.humnet.ucla.edu/ta/hyperteach/HTML/tense_consistency.html
  If you have difficulty maintaining verb tense, this page might help you. It is rather long and can be overwhelming in spots, but it does have a number of examples near the end.

Appearance

Make your writing as readable as possible. For print documents, use a standard, readable typeface, such as Arial or Times New Roman. Use a normal font size, such as 10pt or 12pt. Margins should be about 1 inch. Paragraphs should either have a blank line between them or else the first line of each should be indented. If your document is more than a page long, staple, clip, or similarly bind your pages together.

For handwritten documents, write as neatly as possible. I am pretty flexible on this (probably because my own handwriting is pretty poor). If I can read it, it's good. Try to make your writing look neat on the page; avoid excessive crossing-out and correcting.

Grading

There is a lot of overlap among these categories. While grammer is usually simply correct or incorrect, style is more frequently a matter of preference. Though I may note my preferences on your paper, I will try to restrict my grading to more concrete or universally-agreed matters.

The considerations described here are the ideal. I realize that, for many of you, English is your second or third language. For some, this means you write better than native speakers (due to a deeper understanding of the elements of languages); for others, it is a disadvantage. Regardless of your background, this writing-intensive course is meant to improve both your writing and your critical-thinking that writing enforces. I will be pleased if you improve your writing by the end of the term, even if you don't have everything perfect by then. (Who does?)

For each of the four categories, I will give you either a plus (+) for good, a check mark (or "=" if typed) for okay/fair, and a minus (-) for "needs some work." At the end of the term these will be totaled for your writing grade.

Writing quality will be about 10% of your final grade. The in-class, informal writing sessions are to help you practice and get feedback. They will only account for about 3% of your final grade (just enough to encourage you to do them). The quality of your out-of-class homework--especially your project reports--will count for the remaining 7%.

I have listed a number of resourses for each area here. If you are having trouble with a certain area, read more about it. Then keep the rules or exceptions in mind next time you write and try to develop a better habit. If you have questions about your writing, you can email me, attend my office hours, or see me by appointment.

Good luck!

Further Resources

• http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/index.html
  More handouts from Purdue Online Writing Lab on general writing issues and ESL concerns.
• http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~wricntr/index.cgi?section=tools
  Harvard Writing Center, with tips on how to write essays and other longer papers.