Unit 4: Research-Based Argument (Fall 2013)

WEEK 10___________________________________

Tuesday 10/22—From TIC to RBA

• Handouts:
  • Research-Based Argument and Research Proposal Assignment Sheets
• Class Activities–MEET IN LIBRARY:
  • Moving from the TIC to the RBA–From Conversation to Argument: forming a hypothesis, kinds of arguments, new research
  • Planning the Next Stage: draft a rough hypothesis and chart out your plans for research
  • Library Workshop II

Thursday 10/24—From TIC to RBA:

• Class Activities:
  • Dueling Thesis Statements
  • Style Workshop #5:
    • From The Art of Styling Sentences, patterns 11, 12, 13 & 14.
    • From Writing Tools, tools 17, 20,  & 22.
    • From They Say / I Say: “So What? Who Cares? Saying Why It Matters” (92-101).

• Assignment Due:
  • Bring a near-final draft of your TIC to class (hard copy or on your computer). Your final drafts are due at 8pm on Friday evening in the Dropbox.

WEEK 11___________________________________

Tuesday 10/29—RBA: Proposals and Hypotheses

• Class Activities:
  • Proposal Roundtable Activity: Asking Questions
  • Thoughts on Research and Taking a Role in the “Conversation”
  • Preparing for the final stretch: what we know, what we need to know
• Assignment Due:
  • Bring a hard copy of your Research Proposal to class

Thursday 10/31—Proposals and Thesis Statements

• Class Activities:
  • Discuss RBA Sample (available under the “readings” tab)
  • Revised Dueling Thesis Statement Workshop
  • Handouts: RBA Outline
• Assignments Due:
  • Dueling Thesis Statement–bring hard copy to class

WEEK 12___________________________________

Tuesday 11/5—RBA Strategies and Structures

• Handouts:
  • On Argument
• Class Activities:
  • Writing an Argument vs. Telling a Story
  • RBA Strategies Review: Structure, Transitions, Integrating Quotes, Argumentative Arc / Story
  • Discuss RBA Sample 2
  • Fill out Argument Rubric for our own papers and for the Sample
  • Bring working draft of your RBA to class–either hard copy or on your computer. This should be a fairly complete draft.
  • 10 things
• Assignment Due:
  • Read RBA Sample 2 (available under readings)
  • STYLE WORKSHOP: Please read sentence patterns 16, 17, and 18 from The Art of Styling Sentences, tools 27, 31, 33, 34, and 36 from Writing Tools; and chapter 10 from They Say / I Say.

Thursday 11/7–Consultation, Research, Writing Day: I will be in my office from 8-9:15 and 11 – 3:00

*** DUE: RBA Rough Drafts due Friday by 5pm ***

WEEK 13___________________________________

Tuesday 11/12—Conference Week and Peer Review:

• Class Activities:
  • One-on-one RBA Conferences will take place of Tuesday’s class

Thursday 11/14—Peer Review:

• Class Activities:
  • Peer Review & other revision activities
  • Discuss blog 5
• Assignment Due:
  • Bring ONE Copies of your RBA Complete Rough Drafts to Class

WEEK 14____________________________________

Tuesday 11/19–RBA Final Due

• Class Activities:
  • Celebrate and Share: Blog Presentations
  • Shifting Gears: Beyond the Personal Essay
  • Assignment Sheet: Professional Narrative
  • Review Professional Narrative samples (supplied in class)
  • Professional Narrative Brainstorm
• Assignment Due: 
  • Tuesday 11/19 by the start of class–Blog 5: post highly polished introductions with a gesture towards the conclusion. Because your “dueling” thesis statements already offer a “mirror” and “map” for your paper, the intro section (which include those initial moves + the dueling thesis statements) should set up your concluding moves quite nicely if you add a proper transition.  Remember to use hyperlinks, tags, and insert media (video) or pictures.