Giddings Noodleblog

As you finish your papers this weekend, remember the resources linked from this post.  There are links to formatting notes at OWL and on the blog.  There is a sample paper and a veritable plethora of resources!

Hopefully you all got enough done this week that you can get out in the sun this weekend too.

Please, though, do both of us a favor and don’t leave your paper until Sunday night –I’m as little interested in reading poor papers as you are in getting a poor grade on that poor paper!  :)

Enjoy your 3-day weekend!

Oh and community or immigration too. 

So look over the research paper assignment sheet and see what question appeals to you the most.  Make sure to take a peek at the essays in the conversation section that corresponds to that question as those sources may inform your decision.  The assignment sheet is the first link on this page.

Good luck on your papers this weekend.  Remember that Easybib and MLA at OWL are your friends.  Scroll down to the bottom of the MLA at OWL site for various topics concerning formatting your paper.  See especially In-Text Citations: The Basics and In-Text Citations: Author-Page Style.

Here are further resources for writing and formatting your paper:

• Research Paper Resources (including the research paper format example)
• Research Paper Format Example

Have a good weekend!

For your homework tonight, read “He Doesn’t Like To Watch” on page 779 and blog the questions on 781 (there are only 4 of them).

I hope the synthesis essay went well for you.  That said, this Museum one is a bit confusing and I think kids from places with large, famous museums have an advantage over kids from say Fife.  That’s why we used it as a practice.  Our graded timed writes will be on much more accessible topics.

There will be a blog post tomorrow for your weekend homework.  You’ll be watching “Mean Girls” and analyzing it briefly on the blog in light of Denby’s article we read right before Spring Break.  There will also be the last two conversation section entries to do over the weekend.

Mr. Kile will start the movie tomorrow about 5 minutes before class officially starts.  We’re doing that so that you can see the end without staying after class (the human brain tends to like resolution).  Most of you are here 5 minutes early or more anyway, but just a heads up.

On Monday, we’ll go over the timed write and talk about the essay question in preparation for going to the computer lab Tuesday and Wednesday.

Remember that Monday is a WASL day so school starts at 9:40!

Here are the synthesis observations your class generated yesterday:

Purple Cobras aka Darth Levitt

The (In)appropriately Sized Group

Chia_Pets

The Super Awesome Flaming Group of Destiny (or something like that)

For your further reference:

Original AP Class

Last Semester

Our first synthesis paper will be on Entering the Conversation question number 3 on page 787 (in the popular culture conversation section we’ve been working on).  Note that you must use at least three of our conversation sources, though you may also use any of the pop culture essays and articles we’ve read in class.

We will talk about this in class as well and be working through the conversation section essays this week, but I wanted to give you a heads up on this assignment.  Also you may have noticed that the planning page says this paper is due April 24th.  I will be gone that Friday and Saturday at a National Boards class and so thought you might appreciate the extra weekend since I wouldn’t be picking them up until Monday anyway.  I hope that doesn’t inconvenience anyone.

Synthesis Paper Requirements:

• 1200 words
• MLA format (page style, in-text citations, and works cited page — see MLA at Owl and Easybib links under the AP heading to the left as well as this post for class MLA modifications for help on this)
• Synthesize at least three sources from the conversation section (other sources are okay, but not required on this essay)

Due: Monday, April 27th

Suggestions:

• Remember that your argument is paramount and your sources are there to support you, not the other way around
• Key notes on Synthesis in our book are in chapter 3, especially the last sentence before the new section on page 62; the paragraph beginning “Sources should enhance” on page 65; and pages 81-85
• Finish early and revise! When you revise, think about the following:
  • These revision guidelines
  • organization
  • how your sources interact with your audience (see p.69 ff.)
  • transitions!
  • remember that this is an argument, it’s just one that is both informed and formally supported
• Write a clear, convincing, awesome essay!

Part 1: Read chapter 3 in our text book.  Then, blog your answers to questions 1-7 on page 68.

Part 2: After finishing the reading, blog a paragraph or so exploring your thoughts on what synthesis really is, the skills it requires, and what makes for a good synthesis essay.

Part 3: Relax.  Watch a movie on TV, not because you’ve wanted to see it, but just because it happens to be on.  Eat popcorn for lunch.