Principles of College Writing

Teacher: Sandra
Customers Who Have Viewed This Course: 3873
$227.00

Section 1: Introduction

1 Lesson 1: Overview of Course 14:07

In this lesson, students

  • will learn
    • how to succeed in this course
    • the goal of the course (for both teacher and student)
    • why I am qualified to lead them through this journey
    • an overview of who the course will progress
    • the assessments involved in the course
    • that throughout the course I'll be offering miscellaneous other college tips that will help them
    • that, while often time-consuming, this is not hard
    • that this process is very formulaic and therefore relatively easy to follow
    • that writing is actually two very different things and why both have to be spot-on to result in an outstanding essay
  • will get Notes Sheet/Study Guide #1 and that to maximize learning they should
    • take notes as we go through the lessons in a notebook
    • transfer those notes to the Notes Sheet/Study Guide at the end of each lesson as a way to reinforce learning
    • correct and/or add to these notes when I go over it during the review/quiz lesson 

2 Lesson 2: Why This Knowledge & These Skills are CRUCIAL! 13:01

In this lesson, students

  • will learn:
    • the differences between high school and college, especially in terms of grades
    • the importance of focus and effort
    • the qualities of high-level writing
    • why this kind of writing cannot be rushed
    • the consequences of being a weak writer in college
  • will get an article to read to reinforce these concepts and their importance even beyond college: Why Good Writing Skills Ar Important in Today's Workplace and Tips for Developing Them (also available online)

Section 2: Types of Writing and Variables

3 Lesson 3: Types of Writing 09:53

In this lesson, students 

  • will learn
    • the 4 main types of writing and why it's important to know what you're doing
    • which two are the main focus of this course and why
  • will do the exercise worksheet Identifying Types of Writing (key is provided and discussed in the video

4 Lesson 4: Writing Variables Part 1 13:31

In this lesson, students 

  • will learn
    • that in order to write well, writers have to make some decisions before they begin
    • how these decisions are related and how they affect each other
    • how these variables function in various situations and in this course
    • that the focus of this course is primarily on process, structure, and form and this is why
      • the topic of the collaborative essay is a relatively simple one
      • the topic chosen by the student should not be overly complicated (we go over topic selection in Part 2 of Lesson 4)
  • will work through an oral exercise with me in the video to see some possible ways these variables can work together
  • will get the worksheet Matching Purpose to Type (we go over this in the video)
  • will receive the following resources that are explained in the video
    • Different Forms of Writing

5 Lesson 4: Writing Variables Part II - Topic Selection 19:53

In this lesson, students

  • will learn
    • how to narrow a topic
    • how to begin the process of topic selection
  • will get the following resources that we do go over in the video
    • Narrowing a Topic
    • Topic Ideas

Assignment: Decide on the topic for the independent essay

Section 3: Structure, Form and Process

6 Lesson 5: Structure and Form 15:02

In this lesson, students

  • will learn:
    • the definitions of important terms necessary to facilitate learning in this course
    • basic 3-part essay structure (introduction, body, conclusion)
    • the similarities and differences between the traditional 5-paragraph structure and what college professors (and AP and IB teachers) expect
    • the various traditional styles with a particular focus on MLA - this will be covered in more detail in Section 7
  • will get the following resource which we do go over in the video: Basic Structure of an Academic Essay

7 Lesson 6: Process Overview and Thinking Skills 12:12

In this lesson, students

  • will learn that
    • the steps of the writing process
    • that high-level essays cannot be rushed or written at the last minute
    • how to avoid writer's block  Students will learn 
    • the four main thinking skills (analysis, evaluation, synthesis, and inference) and how using and improving these skills will facilitate better essays

8 Lesson 7: Prewriting Part 1: Generating Ideas 10:53

In this lesson, students

  • will learn
    • the importance of generating copious ideas before they begin writing
    • the rules of brainstorming
    • how to create effective maps, lists, and clusters
    • the difference between effective and ineffective idea gathering 
  • will be asked to stop the video and generate ideas for the collaborative essay
  • will be provided the following resource, which we do go over in the video
    • "key" to ideas for the collaborative essay
    • Map/Cluster Sample
    • Free-Writing Sample

Assignment: Using whichever method you choose, generate a long list of ideas for the independent essay

9 Lesson 8: Prewriting Part 2: Organizing Ideas 29:42

in this lesson, students

  • will learn
    •  that no ideas are bad ideas, even if they aren't used in the essay, and why this is so
    • what they might do with discarded ideas
    • how to structure their thinking into main points and support
    • how to organize those main points and support in a logical manner
    • how to make sure that they have no extraneous or irrelevant information
    • how to make sure that all the connections between main points and support are clear and tight
    • the difference between a sentence outline and a topic outline
    • how to develop each type of outline and when/how each may be of use to them
  • will get the following resources, which we do go over in the video
    • Color-Coded Idea List (to show one possible organizational structure)
    • Working Outline Form (to use with independent essay and for future essays)
    • Working Outline Form "Key" for collaborative essay

10 Lesson 9: Review of and Quiz on Sections 1-3 25:32

In this lesson, students will

  • be reminded of how they should be taking notes for the quiz
  • the learn the answers to the questions on Notes Sheet/Study Guide #1
  • take the quiz on Unit 1 (Sections 1-3)
  • learn the answers to the quiz

Section:4: Drafting, Introductions and Conclusions

11 Lesson 10: Writing the First Draft 14:56

In this lesson, students

  • will learn
    • a review of drafting as a step in the process
    • the dos and don'ts of drafting
    • how to not waste their time
    • whether or not it's time to draft
    • what a first draft is and what it should look like 
    • how to structure the body of their essay
    • the different parts of the brain (the creator and the editor) and when to engage each
    • how to turn the outline into a first draft (I model this with the collaborative essay)
  • will get
    • Notes Sheet/Study Guide #2 for Unit 2
    • Draft 1 of the collaborative essay

Assignment: Do Draft 1 of the independent essay

12 Lesson 11: Writing Effective Introductions 25:44

In this lesson, students

  • will learn:
    • the purpose and placement of the introduction
    • the required components of a good introduction
    • the purpose and placement of those components
    • what cannot be in an introduction
    • what the hooks are and how to write them
    • how this all works with a basic sample essay outline
  • get the following exercise worksheet: Sample Introductions -Exercise (we go over these in the video)
  • get the following resources, which we do go over in the video
    • Writing Effective Introductions - Plan Yours (for use with the independent and future essays)Writing Effective Introductions - Plan Yours "Key" for the collaborative essay
    • Article from which the hook in the collaborative essay comes 
    • Introduction/Conclusion Examples (Wizard of Oz)

Assignment: Plan the introduction of the independent essay

13 Lesson 12: Writing Effective Conclusions 18:49

In this lesson, students

  • will learn:
    • the purpose and placement of the conclusion
    • the required components of a good conclusion
    • the purpose and placement of those components
    • what cannot be in a conclusion
    • what the clinchers are and how to write them
    • how it all works together in a basic sample essay outline (same resource from Lesson 11)
  • will get the following exercise worksheet: Sample Conclusions - Exercise (we go over this in the video)
  • will get the following resources, which we do go over in the video
    • Writing Effective Conclusions - Plan Yours (for use with the independent and future essays)
    • Writing Effective Conclusions - Plan Yours "Key" (for the collaborative essay) 

Assignment: Plan the conclusion for the independent essay

14 Lesson 13: Subsequent Drafts 16:58

In this lesson, students

  • will learn
    • how to explain the connections between their main points and support in the body of the essay
    • how to either explain and make those connections, or go back to prewriting and come up with points they can explain and connect
    • that this process is not linear and that they will move back and forth between prewriting and revising to produce additional drafts as they fine-tune their work
  • get the following resource: Second Draft (which includes the introduction, conclusion, and elaboration) of the collaborative essay

Assignment: Produce the Second Draft of the independent essay (include your introduction, conclusion and make sure you elaborate well and have obvious, tight connections)

Section 5: Revision: Editing

15 Lesson 14: Importance and Types of Revision 09:31

In this lesson, students will learn:

  • the crucial nature of this step in the process (review)
  • the different parts of the brain (the creator and the editor) and when to engage each (review)
  • the difference between editing and proofreading (what to do and when to do each)
  • editing is content (always first)
  • proofreading is mechanics (always last)
  • an overview of the main elements for which to revise (unity, coherence, brevity, clarity, specificity, and diction)

16 Lesson 15: Editing for Unity 14:42

In this lesson, students

  • will learn
    • the definition of unity and why it's one of the most important aspects of a good essay
    • how most of that work is most likely already done 
    • how to tweak main points so the support connects and how that affects the claim/thesis and the rest of the essay
    • how this might need to be done again, later in the revision process, if subsequent drafts are drastically changed for whatever reason
  • will get the following resource, which we do go over on the video
    • "Clean" Draft 2 of the collaborative essay (introduction and conclusion added, elaboration in red)
    • "Green" Draft 2 of the collaborative essay, with revisions for unity marked in green

Assignment:

  • revise Draft 2 for unity
  • make those changes and print a clean Draft 3

17 Lesson 16: Editing for Coherence 17:10

In this lesson, students

  • will learn
    • that writing needs to flow seamlessly from one idea to the next
    • to accomplish this by using either transitional words and phrases or direct reference transitions 
    • the proper placement of transitions
    • the importance of accuracy in transitions' meanings
    • the importance of variety when making use of these
  • will receive the following resources, which we do go over in the video
    • "Clean" Draft 3 (revised for unity)
    • Useful Transitions
    • Transition Placement
    • "Green" Draft 3 (revisions for coherehence marked in green)

Assignment:

  • revise the independent essay for Coherence
  • make those changes and print a clean Draft 4

18 Lesson 17: Editing for Specificity 26:28

In this lesson, students

  • will learn
    • the difference between vague and specific language
    • several types of vagueness in writing and how to correct it
    • how adjectives should be limited in this type of writing in favor of specific nouns and verbs
    • how revising for this also helps with brevity
  • will get the exercise worksheet Ladder of Abstraction Exercise (key is provided and I also go over it in the video)
  • will get the following resources, which I do go over in the video
    • "Clean" 4th Draft of collaborative essay (changes made for unity and coherence)
    • Ladder of Abstraction
    • "Green" 4th Draft of collaborative essay (revisions for specificity are in green)

Assignment:

  • revise the independent essay for specificity
  • make those changes and print a clean Draft 5

19 Lesson 18: Editing for Clarity 20:24

In this lesson, students

  • will learn
    • that written language does not have the benefit of hand and facial gestures, body language, voice inflection, etc.
    • that writing has to be extremely clear in order for communication to take place
    • the various types of unclear language and how to correct them
    • that brief, rushed, or unfocused revisions cannot accomplish this at a competitive college level
  • will get the following resources, which I do go over in the video
    • "Clean" Draft 5 of the collaborative essay (revised for unity, coherence and specificity)
    • Examples of Awkward Language
    • "Green" Draft 5 of the collaborative essay (revisions for clarity marked in green)

Assignment:

  • revise the independent essay for clarity
  • make those changes and print a clean Draft 6

20 Lesson 19: Editing for Brevity 28:34

In this lesson, students

  • will learn:
    • about  wordiness, redundancy, and repetition
    • how to cull their essays to eliminate these destroyers of brevity
    • that not revising for brevity is one of the things that really lowers an essay's level of maturity and sophistication
    • that sometimes brevity must be sacrificed in favor of clarity
      • that making this decision is a skill that they will continually work to develop
      • that clarity always takes precedence when in doubt
  • will get the following exercise worksheet Brevity: Revising Exercise (key provided and I go over it in the video)
  • will receive the following resources, which I do go over in the video
    • "Clean" Draft 6 of the collaborative essay (revised for unity, coherence, specificity, and clarity)
    • "Brain Droppings" example of brevity issues
    • Examples of Brevity Problems
    • "Green" Draft 6 of the collaborative essay (revisions for brevity marked in green)

Assignment

  • revise the independent essay for brevity
  • make those changes and print a clean Draft 7

 

21 Lesson 20: Editing for Diction 26:59

In this lesson, students

  • will learn
    • the definition of dictionand why it's important 
    • the two main types of diction and when they'd be best used
    • what constitutes formal diction
    • about first vs. third person point of view
  • wil get the following resources, which I do go over in the video
    • Formal Diction
    • "Green" Draft 7 (revisions for diction marked in green)

Assignment:

  • review the indepdent essay for diction
  • make those changes and print a clean Draft 8

22 Lesson 21: Review of and Quiz on Sections 4 & 5 29:44

In this lesson, students will

  • be reminded of how they should be taking notes for the quiz
  • the learn the answers to the questions on Notes Sheet/Study Guide #2
  • take the quiz on Unit 2 (Sections 4-5)
  • learn the answers to the quiz

Section 6: Revision: Proofreading

23 Lesson 22: Revision: Proofreading Overview, Titles, Homophones 23:39

  • In this lesson, students
  • will learn:
    • what proofreading for mechanics means
    • about OWL at Purdue and how helpful it can be
    • the importance of proper grammar and usage
    • about effective titles
    • what the "big four" are (homophones/commonly misused words, commas, agreement, and voice) - each will be covered in a subsequent lesson
    • about homophones
  • will get the following resources, which I do go over in the video
    • Note Sheet/Study Guide #3 (for Quiz 3)
    • "Clean" Draft 8 for the collaborative essay (revised for all content issues)
    • Title Dos and Don'ts
    • Homophones: Look it Up, Don't Make it Up! (most commonly confused)
    • Affect and Effect
    • article used as support in the collaborative essay "Nutrition and Brain Health"
    • "Green" Draft 8 (revisions for homohones and "working" title in green)

Assignment:

  • revise the independent essay for homophones and give it a working title
  • make these changes and print a clean Draft 9

 

 

24 Lesson 23: Proper Use of Commas 24:56

In this lesson, students

  • will learn
    • how language is hindered by misuse of this incredible little mark and how its presence or absence can entirely change the meaning of a sentence and, thereby, make communication ineffectual
    • the 7 comma rules
    • how to proofread to find errors
    • how/when to apply the rules to advance the level of their writing
  • will get the following exercise worksheet Comma Exercises (I go over this in the video)
  • will get the following resources which I do go over in the video
    • "Clean" Draft 9 of the collaborative essay (revised for content, homophones, and title)
    • What's the Problem Here?
    • The 7 Comma Rules
    • "Green" Draft 9 (revisions for commas marked in green)

Assignment:

  • revise the independent essay for commas, applying the rules
  • make these changes and print a clean Draft 10

25 Lesson 24: Subject/Verb Agreement 30:34

In this lesson, students

  • will learn
    • what subjects and verbs are
    • how to make them agree
    • why it's important
    • how to revise for it  
  • will get the following exercise worksheet Subject/Verb Agreement Exercise (I go over this in the video)
  • will get the following resources, which I do go over in the video
    • "Clean" Draft 10 (revised for content, homophones, title, and commas)
    • Subject-Verb Agreement: Short Version

Assignment: 

  • revise the independent essay for subject/verb agreement applying the rules (you can wait until after the next lesson to produce a clean Draft 11, or you can do it now, whichever you prefer)

26 Lesson 25: Pronoun/Antecedent Agreement 29:42

In this lesson, students

  • will learn
    • what pronouns and antecedents are
    • the rules to follow to make them agree
    • why it's important
    • how to revise for it
  • will get the exercise worksheet Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement Exercise (I go over this in the video)
  • will get the following resource, which I do go over in the video
    • Pronoun-Antecedent Rules: Short Version
    • "Green" Draft 10 of the collaborative essay (revisions for agreement marked in green)

Assignment:

  • revise the independent essay for pronoun/antecedent agreement
  • make those changes and print a clean Draft 11

27 Lesson 26: Active & Passive Voice and Commonly Confused Words 16:38

In this lesson, students

  • will learn:
    • to define and distinguish between active and passive voice
    • how and why active voice raises the level of academic (and other types of) writing
    • how to locate passive constructions
    • how to change passive constructions to make them active
    • commonly confused words
  • will get the exercise worksheet Active/Passive Voice (I go over it in the video)
  • will get the following resources, which I do go over in the video
    • "Clean" Draft 11 (revised for content, homophones, title, commas, and agreement)
    • Commonly Confused Words Reference Sheet
    • "Green" Draft 11 (revisions for voice marked in green)

Assignment:

  • revise the independent essay for voice and commonly confused words
  • make these changes and print a clean Draft 12

28 Lesson 27: Review of and Quiz on Section 6 20:30

In this lesson, students will

  • be reminded of how they should be taking notes for the quiz
  • the learn the answers to the questions on Notes Sheet/Study Guide #3
  • take the quiz on Unit 3 (Sections 6)
  • learn the answers to the quiz

Section 7: Preventing Plagiarism

29 Lesson 28: MLA 28:38

In this lesson, students

  • will learn
    • proper MLA style/format with respect to paper appearance
    • that there are other possible styles and when they might be used
    • that OWL at Purdue is a great tool
    • how to set a paper up in MLA format via a video of me doing that on my computer
  • will get the following resources, which I do go over in the video
    • Notes Sheet/Study Guide #4 (for Quiz 4)
    • "Clean" Draft 12 of the collaborative essay (revised for content and proofread for mechanics)
    • Screenshot of Purdue Online Writing Lab face page
    • MLA Sample Paper with notes
    • MLA Checklist
    • "Clean" Draft 13 of the collaborative essay (MLA correct)

Assignment:

  • revise the independent for perfect MLA format
  • print a clean Draft 13

30 Lesson 29: What is Plagiarism? 10:02

In this lesson, students

  • will learn
    • what constitutes plagiarism
    • that plagiarism is a very, very serious offense (it's theft)
    • that the consequences are dire
    • what forms plagiarism can take and how it can be committed, either intentionally or accidentally
    • steps to take to avoid it
  • will get the following resources, which I do go over in the video
    • Article from the College Press Understanding Plagiarism and its Dangers (read to reinforce the lesson)
    • Summary, Paraphrase, and Quotation: Some Examples from The Writing Center (study this to understand the difference between legitimate forms of these three things and plagiarism)

 

31 Lesson 30: Works Cited Page and In-Text Citations 30:06

In this lesson, students

  • will learn
    • the purpose of the Works Cited page and in-text citations
    • how meticulous they must be to avoid plagiarism
    • how to properly structure in-text citations
    • how to create and format the Works Cited page
    • the importance of an alphabetical match between them
    • the difference between a Works Cited page and a Bibliography
    • via video demonstration of my adding these to the collaborative essay
  • will get the following resources, which I do go over in the video
    • Hammond Paper Sample
    • MLS In-Text Citations: The Basics
    • Sample Essay From OWL
    • First Article from which citations come in the collaborative essay: Los Angeles Daily News
    • MLA Electronic Sources
    • Chart Regarding Citations for Summary, Paraphrase and Quotation
    • Second Article from which citations come in the collaborative essay: "Nutrition and the Brain"

Assignment: 

  • make sure you have at least two outside sources involved in the independent essay (if not, find some)
  • create the proper in-text citations and Works Cited page
  • print the a clean Draft 14

Section 8: Publishing and Presenting

32 Lesson 31: Publishing/Presenting: Are You Really Done? 14:50

In this lesson, students

  • will learn
    • to go over their essay with a fine-tooth comb, using the Revision Checklist
    • that they should never, ever just print and submit; they must always check the requirements of the essay and make sure that they not only met those requirements but that they did so at an outstanding level
  • will get the following resources, which I do go over in the video
    • "Clean" Draft 14 of the collaborative essay (ready for final revisions)
    • Revision Checklist
    • "Green" Draft 14 of the collaborative essay (final revisions marked in green)
    • Final Version of the collaborative essay
    • Steps in the Writing Process (use as a resource/review when writing future essays)

33 Lesson 32: Review of and Quiz on Sections 7 and 8 16:37

In this lesson, students will

  • be reminded of how they should be taking notes for the quiz
  • the learn the answers to the questions on Notes Sheet/Study Guide #4
  • take the quiz on Unit 3 (Sections 7-8)
  • learn the answers to the quiz

34 Lesson 33: Course Conclusion & Advice 04:03

This lesson students will learn:

  • the fact that all this will get easier and faster with practice
  • that this is foundational knowledge and skills and they should remember that they still have more to learn, especially in terms of
    • content generation
    • different essay types
  • that they should save and refer to various handouts from this course for use on future essays
  • that if their independent essay fell short on the rubric (Revision Checklist), they should keep revising until it meets all requirements
  • that they should be very, very proud of themselves because of all the focus and effort they've invested in themselves with this course
  • and that, if they did the work to assure their learning of both knowledge and skills - they are going to be WAY ahead of the game in college and in life where written communication skills are concerned. Bravo!!

Course Overview & Important Notes:

 

Writing is a different animal! Learning to write well does not come about by using worksheets, but by actually working through the process of creating and crafting an independent essay.  Students will do this throughout this course. Lessons will instruct, provide practice where appropriate, and model these steps.  Students need to apply each lesson to their own essays as we progress through the course. These steps will be their "assignments." These "assignments" should take anywhere between 10 and 45 minutes, depending on the lesson, the student's skill level, and his/her chosen essay topic. The only "help" parents need to provide is to make sure that the student is, in fact, doing this work.  There is a great deal of resource material to help students do this and, where appropriate, there are worksheets involved.  Answers to these worksheets can be found in the keys provided and/or in the step-by-step explanations provided in the videos. Sometimes, students are instructed to stop the video, do the exercises, then come back for explanations to make sure they're ready to move on.  See the descriptions of the individual lessons for specifics on exercises and resource material. Also, please note that some of the errors in the collaborative essay are intentional so that I can demonstrate how to revise for/correct them.

 

This Course Contains

  • 4 Units
  • 4 Notes Sheets/Study Guides (one for each Unit)
  • 4 Quizzes (one for each unit)
  • 8 Sections
  • 33 Lessons
  • 78 Resources
  • 11 Exercise Worksheets
  • 11 Keys and/or video explanations of answers to Exercise Worksheets
  • Over 11 hours of video instruction

 

Course Goals:

Upon completion of this course, students will have

  • a thorough understanding of
    • the process, structure, and form of outstanding college-level academic essays
    • all elements required to begin an essay at this level
    • the writing process, it's importance, and how to successfully and economically perform each step
    • plagiarism and how to avoid it
  • completed an outstanding, mature, sophisticated, competitive academic essay at the college level
  • the intention of this course it not to have students get Cs in community college, but to be outstanding at a four-year university

 

Target Audience:

This course is primarily intended 9th and 10th-grade students.  However, 11th and 12th-grade students, as well as college entry-level students, will find this material valuable if they have not been previously exposed to it.

 

Course Requirements:

  • Prerequisite: It is necessary that students taking this course have a basic knowledge and understanding of
    • sentence structure
    • paragraph structure
    • fundamental grammar and punctuation (capitalization, periods, etc.)
  • Students will be required to
    • watch the video lessons (more than once if necessary)
    • review all resource material with me and study it 
    • study all drafts and revisions as we progress
      • draft with green written changes
      • the next draft with those changes made and highlighted in yellow
    • do all exercises (more than once if necessary)
    • take and pass all four quizzes
    • apply the content of each lesson to an independent essay

COURSE TOPICS

Unit 1:

  • Section 1:
    • Lesson 1: Overview of the Course
    • Lesson 2: Why This Knowledge and These Skills are CRUCIAL!
  • Section 2:
    • Lesson 3: Types of Writing
    • Lesson 4 Part 1: Writing Variables
    • Lesson 4 Part 2: Writing Variables
  • Section 3:
    • Lesson 5: Structure and Form
    • Lesson 6: Process Overview and Thinking Skills
    • Lesson 7: Prewriting Part 1: Topics and Generating Ideas
    • Lesson 8: Prewriting Part 2: Organizing Ideas
  • Lesson 9: Unit Review, Unit Quiz, Quiz Answers

Unit 2:

  • Section 4:
    • Lesson 10: Writing the First Draft
    • Lesson 11: Writing Effective Introductions
    • Lesson 12: Writing Effective Conclusions
    • Lesson 13: Writing Subsequent Drafts
  • Section 5:
    • Lesson 14: The Importance and Types of Revision
    • Lesson 15: Editing for Unity
    • Lesson 16: Editing for Coherence
    • Lesson 17: Editing for Specificity
    • Lesson 18: Editing for Clarity
    • Lesson 19: Editing for Brevity
    • Lesson 20: Editing for Diction
  • Lesson 21: Unit Review, Unit Quiz, Quiz Answers

Unit 3:

  • Section 6:
    • Lesson 22: Proofreading Overview, Titles, and Homophones
    • Lesson 23: Proper Use of Commas
    • Lesson 24: Subject/Verb Agreement
    • Lesson 25: Pronoun/Antecedent Agreement
    • Lesson 26: Active/Passive Voice and Commonly Confused Words
  • Lesson 27: Unit Review, Unit Quiz, Quiz Answers

Unit 4:

  • Section 7:
    • Lesson 28: MLA Format
    • Lesson 29: What is Plagiarism?
    • Lesson 30: Works Cited Page and In-Text Citations
  • Section 8:
    • Lesson 31: Are You Really Done?
  • Lesson 32: Unit Review, Unit Quiz, Quiz Answers
  • Lesson 33: Course Conclusion

 

 

  • Teacher: Sandra
  • Areas of expertise: English Language Arts, especially writing, both creative and academic
  • Education: Associate Degree in Liberal Arts (Oakland Community College) Bachelor Degree in Education (University of Michigan, Ann Arbor) Master Degree in Teaching (Marygrove College) Master of Arts Degree in English (Oakland University)
  • Interests: Reading (especially novels), writing (both creatively and academically), teaching (designing and delivering lessons, watching students learn!), kayaking, biking, hiking
  • Skills: Writing, teaching, getting and staying organized, being extremely efficient
  • Associations:
  • Issues I care about: Education, the environment, women's rights, social justice

I have an abiding passion for young people and their education and for the power of language. Language is the foundation of communication and, with so many public schools focusing more on data collection and standardized test preparation than on teaching and leaning, I see the knowledge and skill development of so many students being neglected due to lack of thorough instruction and lack of the practice and nurturing that solid development of these skills requires. I am resolved to do whatever I can to ameliorate this. Through my tutoring and association with Lernsys, I am able to make much more of a difference than I had been able to do in my last years as a public school teacher. Communication skills, whether written or spoken, critical or creative, are truly invaluable, and it is my pleasure to impart my knowledge and skills in this area to young people and to anyone else who may need to increase their knowledge or improve their skills.

Test Preparation Document

Digital Quizzes and Tests Answer Keys Document

Steps in the Writing Process

I put this under Resources rather than give it to students because it can be overwhelming for some kids.  However, other students like to have a roadmap to their destination.  I'll leave the decision of when to share this with students up to the parents since they know their children best.  In any event, it does outline a great deal of what we'll be covering in this course (although not all of it), and it will make a valuable resource in the future.  

Tutorial on How to Use Owl at Purdue

This is quite a comprehensive course on college writing, and we cover some of the major grammar problems writers have. However, each individual student and his/her own strengths and weaknesses and this resource is wonderful and free.  Purdue is a major university in Indiana and on this site, students can find answers to just about any writing question they might have, including exercises and answer keys to help them practice skills they need to improve.  It is also very helpful with citations and Works Cited entries for both MLA and APA.  

Revision Checklist

I've included this under Resources, even though I will provide it to students at the end of the course, so that parents can see the high level to which students are required to write for the final essay.  They will walk through creating this mature and sophisticated essay with me, step-by-step, but this document is the "key" with which parents can assess whether or not their student has actually produced a such a high-quality essay.  

 

Students will be directed at the end of the course to do one final revision using this document, which will be attached to the lesson. When they are certain they've done their very best work, they should submit that essay to parents. Parents should then also assess the essay using the same Revision Checklist as an assessment tool.  Should any components, specifications, etc. be missing, done incorrectly, insufficiently, etc., then parents should have the student return to the relevant lesson(s) until he/she is able to produce an essay that meets all the requirements on the Revision Checklist/Assessment Tool.  Once students master this incredibly important skill, they can use that Revision Checklist to ascertain whether or not any future/college essays are ready for presentation/publication.  

 

Suggestion:  If you can, have your student look out an essay he/she has previously written. Set that aside and compare it to the final essay for this course.  Students are usually shocked at their level of improvement and very, very proud of themselves (rightfully so!).  

 

Note:  There is a section at the end of the Revision Checklist that pertains to essays written about literature, which this was not.  However, should the student ever write about literature in the future, it would be a good idea to make use of this section of the Revision Checklist to be sure that that essay, too, is written at a high, mature, sophisticated level.  

 

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