Today's Class

Hi Jack & Ahmed,

Today we'll be talking about how to use sources in an essay; that means we'll be considering what is the purpose of sources, why they are necessary and the value they add to your essays. We'll be talking about these point in particular:

• How sources provide context
• How they strengthen your argument
• How sources make your paper more interesting
• Sources give you new ideas for your paper
• Sources reveal controversy--disagreements--about certain things
• That sources can help you understand how reasoned arguments work

We'll also look briefly at how to select sources. Now that we've got some general experience looking for sources in the library, we'll start focusing on how to find the best sources for your specific topics. This skill is particularly important because your homework that is due in class today was to have a completed draft of your essay. It is necessary to have the best sources possible in order to revise and expand your essay to its full potential by the end of term.

See you soon,

Ben

About Outlines (homework for 10 November)

Ahmed and Jack,

Don't forget to update your outlines tonight, including details about each of the bullet points you showed me in class today and a sentence or two about your sources and references for the information.

Ben

Homework, due 08 November (MONDAY)

Ahmed and Jack,

Here is your homework for the weekend. It is due on Monday before class.

Your assignment in class on Thursday was to find two new sources. If you did not complete the assignment in class, it is homework for the weekend to do so.

Once you have your three sources (two from Thursday and one from the week before), write summaries of each of them. Your summaries can be about the entire source or about the parts of the source you plan to use. Write around 150 words for each article summary and post them to the class blog (this one). I know we have already summarized the older source; perhaps it would be a good idea to update it and model your two new summaries after it.

It is also homework to catch-up on anything that you might not have completed this week; you can also use this weekend to revise and edit anything you'd like to improve upon. Right now, I think you should work on: introduction, thesis statements, conclusion and the outline of the body (as well as the three summaries, which are mandatory).

Have a good weekend, and, as always, contact me if you need any help working,

Ben

Homework, due 04 November 2010

Jack and Ahmed,


Like we discussed this afternoon in class, the homework which is due tomorrow is: a draft of your introduction (and thesis) as well as a draft of your conclusion. Post these on your personal blog. Also, please make a comment on each other's work.


I will post the sample outline soon.


Ben