ENGL 1013 Writing Studies – Module 7 Guide
Final Essay Workshop
Essay 3 Rough Draft: Argumentation
Over the course of the semester, we have been thinking about language, power, and identity. In the coming weeks, we will expand our discussion to include technology and gender. For Essay 3, you will write an argument inspired by one of the three issues outlined below. You are free to choose your specific focus from within these categories.
For Essay 3, we will add research to the writing skills you’ve been building over the course of the semester. You will find 2-3 credible sources through your own research to support your argument. One of these sources must be a scholarly (peer-reviewed) source.
In addition to the sources that you find through your own research, you must support your argument using evidence from two of the following works we have read in the course:
Issue 1: Technology, Authenticity, & Language
- Adam Alter, “Why our screens make us less happy” (TED Talk)
- Beth McMurtrie, “Cheating Has Become Normal”
- Brooke Erin Duffy and Ysabel Gerrard, “BeReal and the Doomed Quest for Online Authenticity”
- Kenneth Goldsmith, “Go Ahead: Waste Time on the Internet”
- Benjamin Horne, “Fake News Starts with the Title” (see Module 3)
Issue 2: Gender & Language
- Chimamanda Adichie, “Happy Feminist” (TED Talk)
- Roxane Gay, “The Careless Language of Sexual Violence”
- Sherryl Kleinman, Matthew Ezzell, and A. Corey Frost, “The Social Harms of Bitch”
- bell hooks, “Feminist Masculinity”
- Michael Kimmel, “Bros before Hoes: The Guy Code”
Issue 3: Identity & Language (see Module 1)
- Curtis Carroll, “How I learned to read—and trade stocks—in prison” (TED Talk)
- Ta-Nehisi Coates, from The Message
- Jamila Lyiscott, “3 Ways to Speak English” (TED Talk)
- Meredith McCarroll, “Appalachian Accent and Academic Power”
- Amy Tan, “Mother Tongue”
- Sherman Alexie, “Superman and Me”
Guidelines
Your essay should be 5-6 pages in length (at least 5 full pages) and should be formatted according to MLA guidelines.
Additionally, because you are writing for an academic audience, follow the conventions of academic writing. This means having a clear introduction with a thesis statement, body paragraphs with clear main ideas and evidence, analysis that evaluates how and why the evidence supports the overall argument, and a formal tone throughout with proper MLA documentation of evidence and sources.
Your Works Cited Page should include 4-5 sources:
- 1 scholarly/peer-reviewed source you find through your own research
- 1-2 additional sources that you find through your own research (these can also be scholarly)
- 2 sources from the course readings listed above
Essay 3 Peer Review
Peer review, or the process of having a few of your classmates read your draft and provide feedback, is an essential part of the writing process. Research shows that the instructor is often not the best source of feedback on an early draft. The more eyes on your paper, the better, as you’re revising to make your paper as strong as possible!
Read the essays of ALL your group members (same groups as last time). Give the type and number of comments you want to receive on your own paper. No one likes being in a group when they are the only one participating and doing the work.
In-Text Edits/Comments: Leave comments and edits even if you do not think you are the strongest writer. Everyone can highlight a sentence that is not clear (even if you don’t know the grammar issue) or give kudos for a sentence that is really strong. This kind of feedback is helpful for everyone!
Answer the Peer Review Questions: Copy and paste the peer review questions below at the end of each peers’ draft. Answer the questions for every member of your group. The questions correspond with the rubric and are questions you should think about for your own paper.
Guidelines
For each student in your group, answer the following peer review questions (copy and paste them) AND provide in-text edits to their paper. For the in-text edits, focus on flagging sentences that are unclear or where they are missing key details from the prompt.
- Intro: Does the essay have a clear introduction that sets up the thesis? Is the intro moving from broad issues into the specific argument that the author presents?
- Thesis Statement: Does the essay have thesis statement that clearly states the main topic and the central claim/argument? Is the relationship between these parts clear?
- Structure: Does the author have a clear structure to the essay, evident in the topic sentences? In other words, does the author emphasize what they are going to argue in each paragraph and clearly develop that argument in each body paragraph?
- Summary: Does the author accurately summarize the sources throughout the essay? Is it clear what is summary vs. what is original arguments the author is making?
- Quotations: Does the author integrate quotations into his/her sentences (or do they stand alone)?
- Analysis/Synthesis:
- Does the author analyze whythe quotation matters for the source’s overall thesis?
- Does the author make it clear if they agree/disagree/combination for each quotation?
Module 7 Group Discussion: Revision Plan
Consider your rough draft of Essay 3 and the assignment requirements. What specific areas do you feel you need to focus on as you revise your essay? What should you focus on to improve your essay?
- Write 1-2 paragraphs detailing your plan to revise your essay, then interact with your classmates by responding to at least one post.
- See where your experiences with Essay 3 overlap.
- Your response should be 1-2 paragraphs in length.
