Writing Assignment 1 – A Literacy Narrative

ENGL 110C

Assignment: Write a 1,000-word literacy narrative

Deadlines: Due Sept. 15

Length: 1,000 words

Description: A narrative is a form of writing that presents a complicated event, experience, issue or circumstance and tells a story about this subject – the objective, though, is to present a story that offers a learning point to the audience. A literacy narrative is a sub-genre where the writer tells a story, reflecting on their journey in developing their writing, reading or some other necessary skill. The literacy narrative should explain how the complication unfolded, how the writer or person featured resolved the complication and what the significance of the complication is.

     In drafting your literacy narrative, you will include the following elements:

• Start at the beginning of the story – What has happened? Set the stage by letting the reader know who is involved, where the story takes place, what the story is about, when it occurs and how the event or incident happened. This can encompass the first several paragraphs. The introduction, though, should grab the reader’s attention by offering details that make the reader want to know what’s going to happen next.
• Detail the sequence of events as they occurred and lead up to the climactic moment or moments. Chronologically explaining events helps the reader to follow the story.
• Explain the turning point or climactic moment. The details of an unexpected moment or response to an action need precision. You want your audience to feel like they witnessed the incident.
• Explain the resolution – People need solutions to the conflicts they face. Sometimes there is no solution, but people still need a resolution. This occurs sometimes by analyzing an event until an understanding of it arrives. Once there’s an understanding, people try to come to an acceptance. How do the people accomplish this? Sometimes this part of a story can be more interesting than the events that occurred.
• What can the audience learn from this story? Explain the learning point. The best speakers and writers use stories to help offer a broader message that they hope will help others.

Topic: In choosing a subject, select one in which you can tell a story and demonstrate a meaning to the narrative. For literacy narrative ideas, refer to “Writing Project: Literacy Narrative,” pp. 28-29 in An Insider’s Guide to Academic Writing: A Brief Rhetoric.

Audience: Classmates and instructor

Style/Format: In writing the narrative, you will be discussing a personal event that you experienced or your observation of an issue or experience affecting someone else, and in doing so, you will use first person (I, me, we or us).

     If you use references, cite the references, using the Modern Languages Association (MLA) style. But for the assignment, you are not required to use references.

Value: 20 points

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Writing Assignment 2 – Short Expository Research Paper

ENGL 110C

Assignment: Write a 1,200-word expository research essay

Deadlines: Oct. 20

Length: 1,200 words

Description: An expository essay is a type of writing “that requires the student to investigate an idea, evaluate evidence, expound on the idea, and set forth an argument concerning that idea in a clear and concise manner” (“Expository Essays”). In the essay, the writer will examine the topic using different strategies that will enable the audience to understand the topic. Some of the strategies may include comparing and contrasting, describing, defining or classifying items with similarities and differences. To investigate the topic, you will need to find references, no more than three, that enable you to support your idea.

     To draft your expository essay, here are the sections and what they should contain:

Introduction – In the introduction, you’ll 1) explain the issue or topic and provide your thesis, which will identify the purpose (your position on the issue) of the topic for your short expository research paper. You’ll 2) provide background information (briefly explaining the history of the issue) and briefly 3) identify what individual points or ideas you’ll examine.

(Unlike a typical argument essay, in your expository essay, you’ll examine the topic (narrowed) without focusing solely on one side of it.)

Body Paragraphs – In this section, you’ll provide 1) background information on the topic, so the reader will understand it. This doesn’t have to be long for such a short assignment. You’ll then discuss 2) your points or ideas on the paper topic within separate paragraphs, and you’ll provide examples to help the reader understand the points and evidence from your references that support the points you make. Keep in mind that you’ll examine any alternative ideas or opposition to your points to assure the audience understands the narrowed topic fully.

Conclusion – Just as with any other conclusion, you’ll restate the topic and reemphasize your discoveries. You don’t want your conclusion to be a copy of the introductory paragraph. Instead, you want to place emphasis on your supporting details (“Expository Essay”).

Topic: Choose a topic you find interesting and that you believe your audience would find interesting. If you can’t think of a topic to write about, you can choose one of the following topics:

1.Thereare some people in the world today who don’t believe in climate change. In light of the evidence, why might they doubt the information presented?

2. What is the COVID-19 virus and where did it originate?

3. The United States has two major political parties, Republicans and Democrats. What are some of the differences and similarities in their beliefs? (Stick to three elements.)

Audience: Classmates, instructor, and others interested in the particular area of research you choose.

Style/Format: In writing the expository essay, you will discuss the subject in third person. Avoid using first and second person (I, me, we, us or you).

Be sure to document (cite) your research using the Modern Languages Association Handbook style for both in-text and works cited page citations. Also, double-space with margins of at least one-inch on all sides and follow the MLA paper format.

Before submitting the final assignment, be sure to keep photocopies of the work for your own protection.

Value: 20 points

riting Assignment 3 – Profile Essay

ENGL 110C

Assignment: Write a 1,200-word expository research essay

Deadlines: Nov. 17

Length: 1,200 words

Description: A profile is a piece of writing that allows the writer to describe a subject,

providing a glimpse of the basic qualities and/or functions of the subject, which could be

a person, place or service. In other words, you’re describing the subject based on its

characteristics and functions, detailing what makes it unique and important.

Topic: For your topic, profile a service available to you as an online, asynchronous

student at Old Dominion University. You may have used this service or you are aware of

its existence. You aren’t required to use references, but if you research your topic,

you’ll need to cite all references used.

     To write your profile you will use the following format and include the following specific

details in each section:

1. Introduction – Begin your profile by identifying your topic, the service,explaining briefly what this service is. Keep in mind this basic bit of informationwill serve as your thesis. You will also want to include at least three importantelements of this service and how it functions, and to make your claim, you’ll statewhy this type of service is important.
2. Description – In your first body paragraph, describe the service, its location orenvironment and how it functions. In this section, you want the audience tovisualize what this service is like, where it can be found and what it looks like.For example, students at some universities have an online writing center wherethey submit their essays to have them viewed by a live tutor. Someone who hasnever used such a service may not know the service is available or its location. You’ll wantto paint a picture of a typical scenario of when this service may be used and where it can be found.
3. Purpose and function – Identify three ways the service helps students or itsusers. You’ll want to explain why this service is available and what it offers to aidits users. For example, a service that allows students to check their essays forplagiarism might also offer other writing aids. What else does the checker offerand how do they work? Where does this service find information to detect sucherrors?
4. Benefits and Problems – Explain the benefits to the students who use thisservice. Also, identify any pitfalls to the service or any complications that mightoccur.
5. Analysis – After completing the basic elements of the essay – a description,purpose, function and benefits/problems – provide your analysis of the service. Inother words, what fascinated you or impressed you about the service?
6. Conclusion – In the profile conclusion, like any other essay or research paper,you’ll reemphasize the most important facts on your topic, explaining briefly whythey are important based on what you found for your profile. For more information on a profile, refer to “Writing Project: Profile of a Writer,”

on p. 11 in An Insider’s Guide to Academic Writing: A Brief Rhetoric for ideas on what a

profile might include.

Audience: Classmates and instructor

Style/Format: In writing profile, you may use first and/or third person (I, me, we, us, he,

she, it, and they).

     The essay should follow the Modern Languages Association handbook style and format.

For your own protection, keep photocopies of submitted work.

Value: 20 points

Assignment: Write a 300-word reflection essay

Deadlines: Due Exam Week, Dec. 9 by Midnight

Length: 300 words

Description: A reflection essay is an assignment that gives the student writer the opportunity to express what he/she has learned in a course by examining those concepts as they are recalled. Some of the questions you’ll answer in the essay include the following:

1. How did the concepts influence your thinking and perception of a particular issue?
2. Did the concepts offer a new or clearer understanding, enabling you to write more effectively?
3. Did you change your writing and research style based on the concepts studied?

Topic: For this assignment, you’ll choose three concepts you have studied in the course and write about their influence on your writing and understanding of rhetoric. You’ll also explain what appealed to you about the concepts and what made learning about them helpful. No references are required.

Course concepts for consideration include the following:

1. Rhetorical devices – ethos, pathos and logos

2. The rhetorical situation – topic, angle, purpose, context and audience

3. Academic writing – elements of academic writing

4. Genre writing – how genres differ and their purposes

5. The Modern Languages Association style of documenting references

6. Importance of managing the writing process

7. Importance of expression – Aristotle’s position

8. Reflecting on writing and reading – why is this important?

Essay: To write the reflection, you will use the standard essay format that includes an introduction, a body of multiple paragraphs, and a conclusion.

1. In the introduction, you’ll want to include a thesis, identify the concepts you intend to examine in the paper body and provide a little background on what you’re trying to accomplish.

2. The body will include multiple paragraphs. You will explain each concept, explain its influence on your writing and understanding of rhetoric (ethical persuasion), what appealed to you about the concept and what made it helpful to you. Provide examples to illustrate your points on each concept. For example, if you choose managing the writing process, you could explain how you have changed your management of your writing:

Managing the writing process serves to aid the student in completing an essay by making sure the assignment is understood, choosing a topic . . . Before taking this course, I believed I could write anything with minimal amounts of preparation. I believed my skills were natural, and I didn’t need to focus on the course, much less the topic for my assignment. But after learning about managing and scheduling my writing, I realized that by understanding my assignment and selecting a strong topic, I’d do better. Also, by setting deadlines for myself for each step of the writing process, I could accomplish more and not be rushed the night before my paper was due. I actually spent time on my assignments this semester writing a rough draft based on what I already knew about my topic. Then, I gathered references that had information on my topic and read them. Before this course, I didn’t bother to read my references. I would just take notes from a section or two of my references that had information on my topic. Sometimes the information didn’t even support what I was trying to say about my topic . . .

3. The conclusion serves to remind the reader of the points you discussed in the essay. This is your last chance to convince the reader or inform the reader of the topic and its importance. In your reflection conclusion, you’ll want to summarize the three concepts you’ve chosen and reemphasize how you feel about what you’ve learned.

Audience: Classmates and instructor

Style/Format: In writing the reflection, you will discuss your perspective in first person.

     Be sure your essay is double-spaced with 1-inch margins. Follow the Modern Languages Association Handbook paper style.

Value: 0 points – required for the course e-portfolio