Final Exam Questions.
If you passed the midterm, you must do one of the following as a 7 paragraph persuasive essay. If you had a score of close, you must do this as a 10 paragraph persuasive essay. You will have 2 days to do this.
You can use a note card for any of these topics. You may want to research various sites to gain enough information to write academically about any of these topics.
I will need prewriting, an outline, and an essay.
1. Many people read commercially popular magazines and believe that they too can hike into the remote places that are in them and not experience troubles DESPITE not having the ability to seriously hike or the understanding of the local terrain. This happened to Bryce Gillies at the Grand Canyon last week. Persuade your reader on what is the appropriate behavior for a hike of this kind.
2. In recent months, North Korea resumed its nuclear program, which included a 4th of July missile launch towards Hawaii (it didn’t quite get there). This has been going on for many years with stoppages in between when the US and the world paid them to not utilize nuclear weapons. Now, the US is faced with the same decision again as the North Koreans threaten massive retaliation against anyone that tries to stop them. As the world’s leader, what should Obama direct the US to do in this situation?
3. President Obama weighed in against the Cambridge, Massachusetts, police who arrested Henry Louis Gates, an African American professor at Harvard, when he was taken into custody after disorderly conduct that stemmed from him trying to “break into his own home.” The police who arrested Gates were alerted to the house by neighbors who saw 2 black men trying to enter the house. As a result, the police are being accused of racial profiling. Based on facts only, is this racial profiling, or is this the police doing their work to protect the homeowner? Persuade your reader of the dangers of racial profiling or tell your reader about the dangers of calling everything racial profiling. In addition, you can persuade Obama to stay out of affairs that he self-admittedly states that he knows nothing about. If you do that, it’s an essay all to itself.
4. Manuel Zelaya, the former leader of Honduras, was overthrown for corruption. Now, the socialist leaning leader is threatening to come back to the border of his home country in order to resume power. What should the United States do to support this situation?
5. Since the elections in Iran, there has been a lot of tension within the country. This is now escalating as the opposition is looking to mourn the victims of this crackdown with a memorial for slain activist Neda Sollani. Should the Iranian government allow this situation as a good will gesture or should they continue to ban it as a threat to the stability of their country?
6. Some parents (such as Christian Scientists) do not believe in the use of medicine to treat their ill children. In a recent case, a father decided to pray for the recovery of his 11-year old daughter instead of allowing her to get treatment. The daughter died, and he is facing charges that his actions killed her. In this, is it right for the state to weigh in against someone’s religious beliefs when they endanger a minor?
7. Iran, like North Korea, is seeking to create nuclear weapons, which it is feared that they would use on Israel, a country that they hate. Last month, it was reported by a Joe Biden mis-speech that the US would step back and allow Israel to protect itself (this was quickly “corrected” by the powers that be). As a result, Israel started to prepare for the strike on these nuclear facilities before they could become operational. Now, Iran has threatened to strike back at Israel’s nukes if they try to do anything to the Iranian facilities. What can be done to de-escalate this situation?
8. I told you that you could write a persuasive essay in defense of Octomom, but you can’t write one against her. If you want to do this, I am fine with telling me why she is being unfairly singled out for manipulating the welfare system with having 14 children that she can’t afford to take care of on her own.
9. In light of the Iranian Revolution (this final exam may as well be called what we are learning from Iran), which broadcasted everything live on the Internet as it was happening, what are the benefits or drawbacks of a 24/7 news service of anonymous comment from the people?
10. Should the use of Myspace and Facebook be held against potential employees and college students based on what they do legally in their own time? See the case of Stacy Snyder, the Myspace “drunken pirate.”
11. What should people be able to do if they are unfairly and anonymously “revenged” on the Internet with slanderous and unsubstantiated comments? As this is something that you all can and will face in your life, this is a good topic for you to ponder as you become leaders in the business world.
12. What should the U.S. do with the terrorist detainees at Guantanamo Bay? Think of this in light of wear to try them, wear to hold them, and how to prevent them from returning to the battlefield.
13. Barack Obama is currently touting a new health care system in America that would provide GOVERNMENT health care as a right to all Americans. Is this the right way to fix America’s health care system or is giving people the right to a better privatized system a better way to fix the system?
14. As they are a country with a large Muslim population and no reason to help America in their war on terror, should the United States leverage Pakistan to further support American in our quest to root out the remaining Taliban and Al Qaeda elements that are based in their country?
15. Just over 101 years ago, the Tunguska Event occurred. This was an explosion over Siberia that has been claimed to be an alien spaceship crashing. In honor of this event, do you believe in aliens? Why or why not?
16. In honor of the most famous writer still living in Berks County (Charles Adams), do you believe in ghosts? Why or why not. Also, you can read this article and determine if the principal of the school district acted accordingly in not allowing Charles Adams to do his ghost story thing.
17. Many magazines that specialize in tabloid sales have complained about the media loving tendency of Kate (of Jon and Kate Plus Eight) while constantly making money from her antics and her estranged husband’s affairs. OR After Michael Jackson’s death, a largely forgotten pop star in the midst of a potential comeback was elevated to the status of Elvis with the mix of his music career’s influence, his weird life, and his early death. Looking at these celebrities, make a case that people should care more about the real news events that I have listed above instead of celebrity news.
18. You can argue against my position on banning slasher movies. You can’t argue for it.
19. Defend the censorship of any OTHER cultural medium or defend freedom of speech as an ABSOLUTE value that cannot be censored in any case.
20. After watching Thomas Friedman's The World is Flat, EITHER attack outsourcing as unfair and economy crippling or defend it as a cost-cutting necessity that will strengthen our economy.
21. Should Americans pay tax dollars to help rebuild Gulf Coast cities after hurricanes?
22. Based on our discussion of Global Warming, is it a real situation that needs to be addressed immediately to prevent catastrophe, or is it a politically influenced hoax designed to forward liberal ideas?
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
MLA Handout
Researching the MLA paper - SQ3R is your friend. Really.
SURVEY What do you know about the topic?
QUESTION What do you need to know about the topic to complete the paper?
RULE #2: “YOU HAVE MY PERMISSION TO BE LAZY”
Remember, this means that you are not writing a book. You are writing about a single defined aspect of this topic. This has nothing to do with procrastination or a half-hearted attempt at writing a paper. That stuff is anathema.
READ Now find your research material and create either 50 note cards or 8-10 pages of handwritten research.
WHAT ARE SOME GOOD WEBSITES TO USE?
Sites that end in .edu or .gov are as absolute and perfect as they come. If your site is a .org, that means it could be good (if you know the organization), but it might be not so good if it belongs to people who are just looking to push their bizarre nature onto other people (http://www.rael.org/)
Also, be careful that you don’t use sites that are commercial (for instance, sell steroids). There are many sites like this online. Stick with the above the boards stuff.
MLA DOCUMENTATION All research (except common knowledge) is cited. Your paper is cited in MLA. While APA is also a way to cite, it’s not what we’re doing here. Don’t ask me what CMS is. I’ve never used. You most likely won’t either.
You can get directions in your Blair Handbook, or you can also go here:
http://www.studyguide.org/MLAdocumentation.htm
http://citationmachine.net/
You are required to have at least 5 sources. Two of these sources must be from the Internet. One must be in print (magazine, book, etc.). After that, you can use whatever you want. You may use more than 5 sources. You will have 1-2 primary sources (Main sources of information) and the rest will be secondary sources (1 to a few pieces of information that back up the claims of your primary source).
BOOK ONE AUTHOR
Gorman, Elizabeth. Prairie Women. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1986.
CLASS NOTES
Smith, John. "Beowulf: Archetypal Hero." English 102 Class. Vestavia Hills High School, Vestavia Hills, AL. March 28, 2003.
MAGAZINE
Cannon, Angie. "Just Saying No to Tests." U.S. News & World Report. Oct. 1999: 34.
INTERVIEW
Whitehurst, Daniel, former mayor of Fresno. Personal interview. 5 Mar. 2003.
THE LIBRARY HAS INFORMATION FOR HOW TO CITE GALE NET AND EBSCO HOST – I don’t require their use, but if you use them, know how.
WEBSITES
Last Name, First Name. Title. Date Created. Date Accessed. URL.
While there are a million little ways that you may cite websites, this way will work for the purpose of this class. NOTE: You will not always have a date created (if you don’t have day, month, and year, you also don’t have a date), and you won’t always have an author, but you will have the other 3. Improvise accordingly.
I DO WANT ALL OF YOUR INFORMATION TO BE CURRENT. FOR EXAMPLE, STEROIDS AND SPACE MATERIAL IS TIME SENSITIVE WITH NEW INFORMATION AND CHANGES REGARDING NEW DISCOVERIES.
RECITE This is where you take your notes. You can underline handouts or printouts. You can copy notes (whatever it takes to get to your required amount of stuff). Just find the info.
REVIEW Organize and outline. Reassess your thesis and go back to the library or computer to research some more. Make sure you understand what you are researching. Just because you have the material doesn’t mean that it makes sense. Ask me!!
OH YEAH Send all of your URLs so that I can check their validity.
IN PARAGRAPH CITATIONS You must cite everything. Every fact, every name, number, bit of information or external opinion about the topic has to come from somewhere (except common knowledge stuff). This is 1 of the reasons that we do topics that I choose. Ever since I had a student know everything about Jeff Gordon and think that he didn’t have to cite his facts, I realized that it’s best to have students research teacher-acceptable topics.
As a result, this paper is here to help you.
QUOTES It is very important to understand your information in your own words. Some information can only come across in sentences written a certain way (“John Daniel. Glass Jr. was born on August 26, 1971”). It’s not plagiarism to take this information and use it the only way it really can be written. Most information (99.9999999999999%) must be put into your own words. In some instances (Comp and Lit papers), it becomes necessary to take big hunks of sentences and use them word for word in a book or really long paper.
YOU WILL NOT DO THIS IN THIS PAPER. THE LONGEST QUOTE YOU MAY USE IS A SINGLE SENTENCE, AND YOU MUST INCORPORATE IT INTO THE PAPER. IN THIS, WHILE YOU ARE “TECHNICALLY CORRECT” IN BEING ALLOWED TO USE IT, YOU MAY NOT USE IT. YOU MUST PARAPHRASE IT IN YOUR OWN WORDS. IF YOU DO THIS, I WILL CONSIDER YOUR PAPER SHORT DUE TO HEAVILY BORROWING FROM THE WORKS OF OTHER PEOPLE AND I WILL DEDUCT SENTENCE SENSE POINTS AS WELL FOR YOU NOT UNDERSTANDING YOUR RESEARCH. NO EXCEPTIONS.
FOR EXAMPLE (the quote is in black): Steroids have created a variety of new injuries. While the athletes pay the price, there is a different person who is doing the collecting: Dr. James Andrews, wonder surgeon to sports injuries. Noted sports columnist A. Cynic summarized Andrews multi-million dollar business by stating, “Andrews owes his homes, cars, and vacations to the fact that sports stars aren’t smart enough to realize when they aren’t exercising, but are tearing muscle off of the bones.” (Cynic)
THE ABOVE IS GOOD (incorporated).
THE BELOW IS BAD (no flow and should have been paraphrased).
Sports injuries are bad. They affect many players and teams. This year, they affected the Yankees. Carl Pavano is a perfect example of a bad sports injury. “The Pavano news is bad. He had been throwing on the side, and got up on the mound on Sunday, but though the team kept saying he was getting better, he didn't seem so optimistic. He is going to see Dr. James Andrews in Alabama and may, in fact, need Tommy John surgery, which would finish him for this season and probably next season, too, possibly ending is career.” (Amore)
PRINT SOURCES
(Author’s last name Page # (IF AVAILABLE))
(If no Author or you use the author multiple times, then switch to first important word of the title underlined or in quotes appropriately Page #)
NOTE: there is no comma between these items and there is no word “page”, “p.,” “para” or “paragraph” either.
If the paraphrase includes where the source is from (“In his book Now I Can Die in Peace, Bill Simmons expresses how Boston….”), then you can just use the page number. INTERNET SOURCES
(Author’s last name (IF AVAILABLE))
(First important word of title underlined or quoted appropriately (OTHERWISE))
WHEN IN DOUBT, SEE ME!! DON’T ASSUME!!!!!
IF YOU ASSUME OR DEVIATE FROM THESE RULES, THEN YOUR BAD GRADE IS YOUR FAULT. I DON’T CARE IF WE ARE USING CHANGES SINCE THE BLAIR HANDBOOK CAME OUT; YOU PAID $65 FOR THIS BOOK, SO WE’RE USING ITS RULES. IF YOU ARE USING RULES FROM BEFORE IT WAS PUBLISHED, THEN IT IS ALSO ON YOU. I DON’T MAKE EXCEPTIONS FOR BEING GIVEN MISINFORMATION FROM OUTSIDE SOURCES.
E-MAIL ME FOR SAMPLE ESSAYS!!
SURVEY What do you know about the topic?
QUESTION What do you need to know about the topic to complete the paper?
RULE #2: “YOU HAVE MY PERMISSION TO BE LAZY”
Remember, this means that you are not writing a book. You are writing about a single defined aspect of this topic. This has nothing to do with procrastination or a half-hearted attempt at writing a paper. That stuff is anathema.
READ Now find your research material and create either 50 note cards or 8-10 pages of handwritten research.
WHAT ARE SOME GOOD WEBSITES TO USE?
Sites that end in .edu or .gov are as absolute and perfect as they come. If your site is a .org, that means it could be good (if you know the organization), but it might be not so good if it belongs to people who are just looking to push their bizarre nature onto other people (http://www.rael.org/)
Also, be careful that you don’t use sites that are commercial (for instance, sell steroids). There are many sites like this online. Stick with the above the boards stuff.
MLA DOCUMENTATION All research (except common knowledge) is cited. Your paper is cited in MLA. While APA is also a way to cite, it’s not what we’re doing here. Don’t ask me what CMS is. I’ve never used. You most likely won’t either.
You can get directions in your Blair Handbook, or you can also go here:
http://www.studyguide.org/MLAdocumentation.htm
http://citationmachine.net/
You are required to have at least 5 sources. Two of these sources must be from the Internet. One must be in print (magazine, book, etc.). After that, you can use whatever you want. You may use more than 5 sources. You will have 1-2 primary sources (Main sources of information) and the rest will be secondary sources (1 to a few pieces of information that back up the claims of your primary source).
BOOK ONE AUTHOR
Gorman, Elizabeth. Prairie Women. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1986.
CLASS NOTES
Smith, John. "Beowulf: Archetypal Hero." English 102 Class. Vestavia Hills High School, Vestavia Hills, AL. March 28, 2003.
MAGAZINE
Cannon, Angie. "Just Saying No to Tests." U.S. News & World Report. Oct. 1999: 34.
INTERVIEW
Whitehurst, Daniel, former mayor of Fresno. Personal interview. 5 Mar. 2003.
THE LIBRARY HAS INFORMATION FOR HOW TO CITE GALE NET AND EBSCO HOST – I don’t require their use, but if you use them, know how.
WEBSITES
Last Name, First Name. Title. Date Created. Date Accessed. URL.
While there are a million little ways that you may cite websites, this way will work for the purpose of this class. NOTE: You will not always have a date created (if you don’t have day, month, and year, you also don’t have a date), and you won’t always have an author, but you will have the other 3. Improvise accordingly.
I DO WANT ALL OF YOUR INFORMATION TO BE CURRENT. FOR EXAMPLE, STEROIDS AND SPACE MATERIAL IS TIME SENSITIVE WITH NEW INFORMATION AND CHANGES REGARDING NEW DISCOVERIES.
RECITE This is where you take your notes. You can underline handouts or printouts. You can copy notes (whatever it takes to get to your required amount of stuff). Just find the info.
REVIEW Organize and outline. Reassess your thesis and go back to the library or computer to research some more. Make sure you understand what you are researching. Just because you have the material doesn’t mean that it makes sense. Ask me!!
OH YEAH Send all of your URLs so that I can check their validity.
IN PARAGRAPH CITATIONS You must cite everything. Every fact, every name, number, bit of information or external opinion about the topic has to come from somewhere (except common knowledge stuff). This is 1 of the reasons that we do topics that I choose. Ever since I had a student know everything about Jeff Gordon and think that he didn’t have to cite his facts, I realized that it’s best to have students research teacher-acceptable topics.
As a result, this paper is here to help you.
QUOTES It is very important to understand your information in your own words. Some information can only come across in sentences written a certain way (“John Daniel. Glass Jr. was born on August 26, 1971”). It’s not plagiarism to take this information and use it the only way it really can be written. Most information (99.9999999999999%) must be put into your own words. In some instances (Comp and Lit papers), it becomes necessary to take big hunks of sentences and use them word for word in a book or really long paper.
YOU WILL NOT DO THIS IN THIS PAPER. THE LONGEST QUOTE YOU MAY USE IS A SINGLE SENTENCE, AND YOU MUST INCORPORATE IT INTO THE PAPER. IN THIS, WHILE YOU ARE “TECHNICALLY CORRECT” IN BEING ALLOWED TO USE IT, YOU MAY NOT USE IT. YOU MUST PARAPHRASE IT IN YOUR OWN WORDS. IF YOU DO THIS, I WILL CONSIDER YOUR PAPER SHORT DUE TO HEAVILY BORROWING FROM THE WORKS OF OTHER PEOPLE AND I WILL DEDUCT SENTENCE SENSE POINTS AS WELL FOR YOU NOT UNDERSTANDING YOUR RESEARCH. NO EXCEPTIONS.
FOR EXAMPLE (the quote is in black): Steroids have created a variety of new injuries. While the athletes pay the price, there is a different person who is doing the collecting: Dr. James Andrews, wonder surgeon to sports injuries. Noted sports columnist A. Cynic summarized Andrews multi-million dollar business by stating, “Andrews owes his homes, cars, and vacations to the fact that sports stars aren’t smart enough to realize when they aren’t exercising, but are tearing muscle off of the bones.” (Cynic)
THE ABOVE IS GOOD (incorporated).
THE BELOW IS BAD (no flow and should have been paraphrased).
Sports injuries are bad. They affect many players and teams. This year, they affected the Yankees. Carl Pavano is a perfect example of a bad sports injury. “The Pavano news is bad. He had been throwing on the side, and got up on the mound on Sunday, but though the team kept saying he was getting better, he didn't seem so optimistic. He is going to see Dr. James Andrews in Alabama and may, in fact, need Tommy John surgery, which would finish him for this season and probably next season, too, possibly ending is career.” (Amore)
PRINT SOURCES
(Author’s last name Page # (IF AVAILABLE))
(If no Author or you use the author multiple times, then switch to first important word of the title underlined or in quotes appropriately Page #)
NOTE: there is no comma between these items and there is no word “page”, “p.,” “para” or “paragraph” either.
If the paraphrase includes where the source is from (“In his book Now I Can Die in Peace, Bill Simmons expresses how Boston….”), then you can just use the page number. INTERNET SOURCES
(Author’s last name (IF AVAILABLE))
(First important word of title underlined or quoted appropriately (OTHERWISE))
WHEN IN DOUBT, SEE ME!! DON’T ASSUME!!!!!
IF YOU ASSUME OR DEVIATE FROM THESE RULES, THEN YOUR BAD GRADE IS YOUR FAULT. I DON’T CARE IF WE ARE USING CHANGES SINCE THE BLAIR HANDBOOK CAME OUT; YOU PAID $65 FOR THIS BOOK, SO WE’RE USING ITS RULES. IF YOU ARE USING RULES FROM BEFORE IT WAS PUBLISHED, THEN IT IS ALSO ON YOU. I DON’T MAKE EXCEPTIONS FOR BEING GIVEN MISINFORMATION FROM OUTSIDE SOURCES.
E-MAIL ME FOR SAMPLE ESSAYS!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
