Unit 9: Wrapping Up

Unit 9: Wrapping Up CM 107: College Composition I

Common Mistakes . . . • APA Errors: APA errors are easily avoided with a little care. Like spelling and grammar, correct APA format is an essential part of your essay. Adhering to a specific format is a hallmark of good writing and editing. If you have questions about APA, check out the Writing Center’s help sheet at http://www.kaplan.edu/MyDesk2/Studentcenter/success/writing/pdfs/research/An_Introduction_To_APA.pdf

Common Mistakes . . . Some people do not believe that global warming is a legitimate problem. They feel that it is an agenda being pushed by liberals. They cite shaky scientific evidence as a reason not to buy into the global warming craze. I think it’s interesting that a small group of scientists say that climate change is just part of living on Earth like when the Ice Age froze nearly every corner of the planet. If we overreact, we may be working toward an unstoppable phenomenon anyway. What’s missing here? How could we fix it?

Common Mistakes • Reporting broad ideas with no specific research. How could these 3 quotes help? “The sun has been a bit absent in 2009. Temperatures are about what we would expect for this time of year, and perhaps even cooler than normal given the early snows and mild summer. If this deep solar minimum continues,” Li Soon,2009 . “Global-warming priests, while sermonizing about the need to spend trillions on new energy sources, almost never have a kind word for nuclear power - casting doubt on their motives. If the goal were really to reduce our carbon output (and not to recast our way of life), clean, efficient, affordable nuclear power would be the obvious choice,” Mona Charon, 2009. “In contrast with human-created DDT, CO2, a ‘greenhouse gas’ has been part of the earth's atmosphere as long as the earth has existed. About 450 million years ago, the earth's atmospheric CO2 level was about 2,000 percent higher than it is today, at the same time the earth's atmosphere was about the same temperature as today,” Michael Arnold Glueck, M.D., and Robert J. Cihak, M.D., 2006.

Incorporating Research Student Writing Research Some people do not believe that global warming is a legitimate problem. They feel that it is an agenda being pushed by liberals. They cite shaky scientific evidence as a reason not to buy into the global warming craze. I think it’s interesting that a small group of scientists say that climate change is just part of living on Earth like when the Ice Age froze nearly every corner of the planet. If we overreact, we may be working toward an unstoppable phenomenon anyway. The sun has been a bit absent in 2009. Temperatures are about what we would expect for this time of year, and perhaps even cooler than normal given the early snows and mild summer. If this deep solar minimum continues,” Li Soon,2009 . “Global-warming priests, while sermonizing about the need to spend trillions on new energy sources, almost never have a kind word for nuclear power - casting doubt on their motives. If the goal were really to reduce our carbon output (and not to recast our way of life), clean, efficient, affordable nuclear power would be the obvious choice,” Mona Charon, 2009. “In contrast with human-created DDT, CO2, a ‘greenhouse gas’ has been part of the earth's atmosphere as long as the earth has existed. About 450 million years ago, the earth's atmospheric CO2 level was about 2,000 percent higher than it is today, at the same time the earth's atmosphere was about the same temperature as today,” Michael Arnold Glueck, M.D., and Robert J. Cihak, M.D., 2006.

First Person Writing • Essay writing falls into the category of formal writing. • Formal writing does not use “I, me, my, mine.” • First-person writing is too casual—like slang or contractions. • Undermines authority.

Source Material • Online sources versus Print resources • Depending on a single source • What has worked? What hasn’t?

Structure • Topic sentences carry the thesis through the essay • Restatement of thesis at the beginning of the conclusion • Organizational strategies to consider: • Broad to specific • Cause and effect • Process analysis • Classification • Problem-solution

Style • Introductions and conclusions are an ideal way to incorporate your sense of style into your essay • The goal is to be engaging and informative • Conclusions work like an upside-down introduction; think of a funnel and then reversing that funnel

Sample Introduction Two words probably do not exist which can stir up more of a conversational frenzy than affirmative action. The debate surrounding such policies presents itself daily in the media, a seemingly never-ending saga destined to go back and forth forever. Proponents argue that they not give an advantage to underrepresented minority groups; opponents argue that they encourage acceptance of underqualified applications and that sufficient reparation time has elapsed. The bottom line is that none of us chooses our race. To treat someone differently because of race is ignorance. However, if this is true, we cannot judge people poorly because of their race, we cannot judge them superior for the same reason. In fact, affirmative action can backfire and create a culture where people’s talents are overlooked, feelings of resentment brew, and, tragically, reinforces the belief that some races are inferior.

Common Mistakes . . . • Omitting one or more parts of the essay: 1. Make a checklist 2. Check that adequate time is spent discussing the thesis 3. Proofread

Q & A • We’ll use the rest of the period for two purposes: • You may stay here for any questions you’d like to ask • You may leave seminar to work on your final project

Unit 9: Wrapping Up