Friday's Class

Today you should have turned in your yellow score sheets from the assessment test you took at the Writing Center.  This is worth 50 points.  You'll get all of the points if you complete it on time and zero points if you have not completed it by class today.  You cannot proceed in the class without completing this test.  Let me know if you have questions about this.

I also collected the reaction essays about the Basics for Success workshop that we attended on Monday.

I introduced the extra credit opportunities that are listed in the previous post.  READ THEM!

Lecture on chapter two--reading and how it helps your writing.

Become an active reader.  Write WHILE you read.  Keep a pen in your hand and a notebook at your side and jot down thoughts, reactions, questions, words that may need clarifying etc.  You can also write in your books; you own them!  Use the margins; highlight; if a certain paragraph elicits a strong response in you, make a big exclamation point next to it.  KEEP YOURSELF ENGAGED.

Pre-reading AND pre-writing.  Before you start reading, skim through the pages you will read. Pay attention to headings and margin material.  Prepare yourself for what you are about to read.  Consider pre-writing everything you already know about the topic before you start.  What questions do you have?  What do you hope the material will cover?

When you are finished, complete a post-read. Look through your notes, flip back through the pages one last time for a final skim.

On a somewhat unrelated note, I have seen firsthand that people who read regularly are better writers.  It doesn't have to be academic material, but find something to read DAILY.  If you say you don't like reading, you haven't been reading the right things.
What interests you? fitness? finance? travel? cars? music? Have you thought about taking a trip or trying a new hobby?  FIND SOMETHING WRITTEN about something that interests you and start reading it. Perhaps you may benefit from setting a reading goal.  Pick up a magazine or book or find a website with articles that you can commit to reading every day.

As you read, start to pay attention to punctuation, how sentences are written, arranged, begin/end.  You will eventually begin to model what you see done correctly-- I PROMISE.

We did a freewrite at the end of class for 10 points.

HOMEWORK: Read chapter 2