Course Documents
Please look over the following four course documents:
1. Symbols List
2. Reading journal
3. Peer analysis
4. Grading profile

You will use these forms throughout the semester.

The symbols list provides you with the symbols that I use to mark your journals and essays. I do not expect for you to know how to correct all these errors at the beginning of the semester; however I do want you to know what they mean so that you can use this information to target and work on your weak areas. After you complete the diagnostic essay and receive my feedback on it, you should have a good sense of what your weaknesses are. Do not get nervous though about the length of the list. You will find that even though the list is long, you probably only have about two – three areas in which you consistently make mistakes. Remember as a critical thinker, you will use this information then to target those weak areas for improvement. Throughout the semester we will work on content and development of your thoughts as well as specific grammar reviews so that you improve in both areas.

The reading journal format is a guide to help you write the four assigned journals for the class. Each journal is your response to a particular essay or article. I have provided a sample essay and a student journal response to it in the resource section (7) of the course, which is the last unit listed. Be sure to review it before you write and submit your first journal, which is assigned in the next unit, unit two in response to one of the assigned Narrative/descriptive essays. Journal two is part of unit three in response to one of the comparison/contrast essays, journal three is in unit four in response to one of the definition essays, and journal four will be a response to an assigned article for the persuasive/argumentative essay.

After you complete reading journals in each unit, then you will choose your own topics and begin to work on your assigned essay for that unit. Once you complete the rough draft of your essay, you will use the peer analysis form. You will provide a copy of your essay and this form to one of your classmates for constructive criticism on how to improve the essay before you submit it to me for grading.

The grading profile is the form that I/we use to grade your essays. We will both grade the essay. I require that you attach a copy of the grading profile that you have scored with the final draft of the essay that you submit to me for a grade. As critical thinkers, I know that you recognize that what is most important in order for you to improve your writing skills is to recognize what you are doing well and where you need to improve. The grading profile assists you with this. I have also attached a sample scored grading profile in Unit 7 – resources.

After you review these documents, please post any questions you have in our Unit One questions discussion forum.

SYMBOLS

FRAG - fragment
ROS run on sentence/fused
CS comma splice
AWK awkward sentence construction
RW re-word sentence
SVA subject verb agreement - singular subject/singular verb Plural subject/plural verb
VT verb tense – time –present, past and future
WC word choice (thing, deal, slang, informal language, improper use of homonyms such as: to/too, there/their, contractions, all inclusive/exclusive terms such as: most all, never, always etc.)
PA pronoun agreement /agrees in number and gender with its antecedent
PC pronoun case (subjective/ objective/ possessive)
SIP shift in person (1st person speaking: I/we 2nd person spoken to: you your 3rd person spoken about: he/ she /they)
*OT off topic
RED redundant/ repeating unnecessarily
UNNEC unnecessary (information that is generally known by the reader/audience)
FALL fallacy (erroneous logic such as sweeping/hasty generalizations, personal attack/ad hominem or circular reasoning)
Op Opinion presented as fact
SP