Greetings NDHU OWL GRANT TEAM MEMBERS! This is the first of several such entries that I will be posting on this blog that will serve as the main communication medium for our teamwork. Please listen to this long recording and feel free to take notes. (It is important that you listen to this carefully, as a number of people have applied and expressed interest in this position. If you do not feel you can contribute fully to our cause -- which I am very confident that you can or I would not have hired you -- then please let me know as soon as possible before we sign all the paperwork.) Thank you very much, and best of luck to you! Robert

http://www.bestessays.com/dissertation.php

Custom Dissertation Writing.
One of the most common ways we have of learning to do something is by doing it. But unlike fastening our shoes or baking a cake - processes that have been simplified by the introduction of velcro and "just add oil" mixes - 'doing' research is becoming more complex and controversial. Although qualitative researchers are making substantial contributions to scholarship by describing not only how research is conceptualized but also how its 'products' are finally presented and understood, there is, for novice researchers and traditionally trained faculty members across the wide array of disciplines, a down side. As the number of methodological options and alternative presentations of research increase, so does the ambiguity for those who will be answering questions such as:


• Which paradigm, methodology, or methods do I use?
• What are the particular standards (philosophical, practical) for doing qualitative research?
• What exactly is meant by 'qualitative research'?
• What is the basis for the analysis and interpretation of experience?
• How does any chosen option enable 'justifiable', rigorous research?
• What will the presentation of the research look like?


G. B. Davis and Parker ( 1979 ) defined their purpose of dissertation writing: to assist the student in completing a better quality dissertation in a shorter time by beginning dissertation planning early in the graduate career. They proposed to do this through a systematic approach that allows the writer to structure and manage the project. Three assumptions concerning their approach are made. First, structuring the project can improve performance through the use of topic analyses, proposal documents, plans, schedules, research files, back-up files, and communication aids to the adviser and committee. Second, the student is primarily responsible for managing the dissertation. Third, faculty (both adviser and committee) are a scarce resource.

G. B. Davis and Parker presented a broad outline of what is necessary to complete a dissertation. They provided a thoughtful discussion of the need for a new approach to the entire dissertation project. Their discussion includes committee and adviser selection, planning coursework, reading for dissertation ideas, winnowing these ideas to select one topic, research tools to prepare a good proposal, using time schedules, maintaining diplomatic relations with committee members, carrying out the research and analysis, writing revisions, defending the dissertation, and publication. G. B. Davis and Parker's book provides a useful beginning because it includes references to library sources, selected aids to literature search, and useful appendixes, all of which may serve as a dissertation resource file. However, because of its simple style and its emphasis on management, the authors omitted some crucial details, especially on research and writing.

Even though the student may have a method and some ideas about how to complete the dissertation, there may still be feelings of loneliness and uncertainty. Sternberg ( 1981 ) discussed these stressful psychosocial aspects and motivational problems. According to Sternberg, those who have completed about 50% of all but the dissertation in all fields never complete the dissertation.

So, if you do want to be among those 50% who success email us at dissertation@bestessays.com with the topic of your dissertation and take advantage of our custom dissertation writing service.

Delivery Time Price Per Page
10 Days or less $34.99
10-20 days $24.99
20 Days or more $19.99

Please Note: Our customers' names will never be shared with anyone. To learn more about our business policy please click here

To see sample of our dissertation click here

Paragraph Writing: Paragraphpunch.com - an interactive online Paragraph writing tutorial

Paragraph Writing: Paragraphpunch.com - an interactive online Paragraph writing tutorial: "his web site takes users through the actual steps of writing a basic paragraph.
How to Use this Site or Start Writing Now!
Users develop an idea and write their own topic sentence, body, and a conclusion. The web site provides questions that help to guide users step by step through pre-writing, writing, organizing, editing, rewriting, and publishing.

Completed paragraphs may be transferred to a word processing program, HTML editor, or e-mail application.
For instructions on how to use this site (we suggest that first-time users read this before beginning), click here. Or start writing now by clicking here!
This web site is based on our popular Windows 9x/NT/2000 application, Paragraph Punch. The complete Paragraph Punch program features five different ways to write a paragraph: through reasons, details, sequence, example, and cause and effect.
The current topic, 'If you won a trip to Disney World, whom would you take with you and why?' comes from the 'reasons' section of the program.
Periodically we will change the paragraph topic that is presented on the web site. If you have any suggestions or requests, please contact us. "

Paragraph Punch - an interactive, javascript-enhanced tutorial on writing basic paragraphs, with step-by-step guidance through the pre-writing, writing, organizing, editing, rewriting, and publishing processes
The ABC Guides: Writing, Reading and Note Making - detailed, hypertext instructional guides on academic writing and other styles of writing, covering such topics as analysing a title, appraising, the argument statement, bibliography, citations, conclusions, creative thinking, critical interpretation, criticising, describing, descriptive writing, discursive writing, essay summary, essays, evaluation, explanation, flow, focus, imagination, interpretation, introduction, length, originality, outlines, paragraphs, paraphrasing, pr飩s, rambling, references, reports, reports, sequential writing, short essays, signposts, subheadings, summary, the Harvard system, writing plans, writing structure and more...
Writer's Handbook: Academic Writing - a detailed instructional guide to general issues in writing academic essays, research papers, reviews and scientific reports, covering how to develop a thesis statement, quoting and paraphrasing, documentation, writing annotated bibliographies and more...

http://www.gcal.ac.uk/coursework/writing/

: "Features of academic writing
The emphasis in academic writing is on facts and interpretation of the facts. These should be presented in a logical way using an academic writing style.
Some Academic Writing Tips
Use straightforward language.
Take care with grammar and sentence construction. Avoid using a note-style of writing.
Try not to use pompous language.
For example: use 'find out' rather than 'endeavour to ascertain' - try not to use jargon or clich?s
Provide definitions.
Include explanations of technical or unusual terms, unless you can reasonably expect your reader to know them.
Use impersonal language.
Essays and reports should be written in the third person singular. Avoid personal terms such as 'I' or 'We'; the word 'It' should be used instead:
For example:
'I decided to interview the Tourism Planning Officer...' should read
'It was decided to interview the Tourism Planning Officer...'
The only exceptions to this convention may be where you are asked to link theory to your own professional practice.
Be precise.
Avoid using terms that lack a precise meaning such as 'nice', 'good' or 'excellent'. One person's idea of what is meant by 'good' is not necessarily another's.
Be concise and to the point.
For example: Use 'Now' or 'Currently' instead of phrases like 'At the time of writing' or 'At this point in time'.
Try not to make generalizations.
For example: 'Everyone agrees that"

http://www.utexas.edu/ogs/grs/GRS389W.html

GRS 389W: The Culture of Academic Writing:
A Systematic Approach to Academic and Professional Writing
Course Rationale

Starting in spring 2004, the Culture of Academic Writing will be open to ALL graduate students and will no longer be restricted to international graduate students. In this course, you will have the opportunity to understand and master a systematic procedure for organizing and writing graduate-level papers of all kinds: research papers, conference papers, dissertations, masters reports, publication submissions, literature reviews, and other written documents required of students in their own disciplines. You will apply your new understanding of the writing system as you integrate your writing with your academic reading, listening, speaking, and thinking.

In today’s world, research is often conducted globally, and research and corporate teams may include members from several different countries and cultures. The clear communication of your knowledge and of your scholarly contributions can determine your success in your chosen career. Familiarity with culturally based academic writing can be as important to your success as expertise in the discipline itself. For example, a new professional or a new assistant professor will need to be able to perform an array of writing tasks that are culturally appropriate for different kinds of audiences (e.g., the readers of your research proposals, technical reports, team reports, grant proposals, abstracts, conference papers, memos, critical reviews).

This course provides an opportunity to systematically learn about, practice, and master the writing conventions of American academics and professionals in various disciplines. Students will write in a variety of genres, analyze the structure and discourse conventions of numerous written "products," and learn strategies to produce acceptable texts of your own. Students will apply your new understanding of audience expectations in a customized, full-semester individual writing project. The systematic approach you learn in this course will be applicable to any future professional or academic writing task.

Students' writing will be analyzed to diagnose strengths and weaknesses, and to prioritize needs and strategies for long-term learning. Students will be helped to improve your skills in producing, clear, well-organized, and culturally appropriate academic writing.

Course Objectives:

* In a collaborative learning environment, students will examine their own individual training in writing, identify existing areas of expertise, and learn to manage and adapt composing processes by studying and practicing models of writing.

* Students will gather information about the academic writing conventions in their departments.

* Students will study and practice writing for a variety of academic audiences according to style sheets, writing manuals, reference books, exemplary journal articles, exemplary research reports, and other forms of "best practices" in their fields.

* Students will use culturally appropriate organizational patterns and rhetorical components of academic discourse genres (e.g., construct and evaluate scholarly arguments, use appropriate supporting evidence, organize the layout of a paper according to disciplinary conventions).

* Students will explore writing and writing resources (including computer software resources) in their particular disciplines in conversations with other graduate students, faculty, editors, publishers, and administrators.

* Students will apply their new knowledge of genre conventions to writing, reading, and interaction with texts (including self-editing and peer-editing exercises, and collaborative team writing exercises).

* Students will develop a long term plan to continue improving academic writing skills.

Writing activities include responding to essay questions, collaborative writing for group projects, outlining, a formal research report, reporting on individual writing projects, organization exercises, among other activities. A minimum of 1-hour per week of grammar practice is expected outside of class – 15 hours total. Attendance is required.

For additional information, please contact Dr. Leslie Jarmon.
ljarmon@mail.utexas.edu

http://www.aston.ac.uk/lis/studyskills/academic.htm

: "MAKING ACADEMIC WRITING MORE READABLE
(Guidelines on study methods - 5)
When you write reports or essays, and even examination answers, do you ever think about the person who is going to read them? Except for a personal diary, the purpose of everything we write is to put a message across to a reader. The reader should be uppermost in our minds, whenever, whatever, we write.
For example, when you write a university assignment your reader (ie your tutor) knows more about the subject than you. So you are writing not to provide him with new knowledge, but to show him you have researched and understood the issues. The way in which you structure and write the assignment should reflect this purpose. If you are in doubt about whether to include or exclude information, your question should be -
'DOES THE READER NEED THIS?' (nt find th' page yer lookin' fer. -- Southern American

It's not there, eh? -- Canadian

и

http://slc.berkeley.edu/nns/l2writing/otherwriting.htm

: "ESSAY EXAMS, STUDY STRATEGIES, AND PROFESSIONAL WRITING
For other types of writing, check out the types of essays page.

COLLEGE ASSIGNMENTS
Essay exams
Studying for exams - should I cram? (York U.) - good strategies for reviewing course material
Reading the question (York U.) - great tips and examples for figuring out what the question is asking you to do, and your strategies for answering
How to write an effective essay exam (Purdue) - good tips for keeping your thoughts organized; includes some exercises
Eight tips for keeping your head on during essay exams (ASU)
Reducing exam anxiety (York U.)
Okay, this is about multiple-choice exams, not essay exams (York U.) - some tips for reading and understanding the questions
Oral presentations
Nice overview of preparing and delivering oral presentations (U. Toronto)
Another nice overview of planning, preparing and delivering presentations (RPI)
Other academic issues
Strategy tips for studying (SLC)
How to study effectively (York U.) - good tips for reading academic work
A guide to reading (York U.) - very wordy, but this multi-page reading strategies site has many good hints for breaking down tough academic writing; a good site for tutors to check out and pass on the most salient points to students
A guide to note-taking (York U.) - ditto the above commentary; this helps describe how lectures are often organized and how students can maximize their liste"

: "Study Skills
Transition from school to university
As with other changes in your life, you will experience some degree of culture shock when you begin your university life. This will come in the form of excitement and anxiety as well as an array of emotions in between. This is normal. And although it may not seem like it, you have been through something like this before, and you have survived. Remember how you felt progressing from primary school to high school? Now the move is from high school to university.

This illustration demonstrates how students in their first year at university move along their study path: you start on a high with some trepidation, followed by a low trough when 'reality hits', and plateau when you become accustomed to the 'normal' routine of university life. Although university life differs from your experiences at school or in the workplace, it is the life you are now living. So how are you going to make the transition as smooth as possible so that you enjoy your time at Curtin and succeed in your studies?
Remember to bring along your IQ - it's your passport into higher education. You do have a good IQ - it's how you attained a place at Curtin. But leave behind most of your anxiety and fear - they are known to be inhibitors of learning.
Here are some tips that will get you starting university in the right direction.
You will need to be organised: you've heard about time management, but it's more effective if you th"

http://startup.curtin.edu.au/study_skills/writing.html

Study Skills Essay Writing
What is an academic essay?
What an academic essay is not
Why do we write essays?
Recommended procedure for essay writing
Academic writing practices
Essay checklist
Your responsibilities

What is an academic essay?
The English word 'essay' comes from the Old French word 'assaier', meaning 'to test' or 'to try'. We can compare it to the English word 'assay' - geologists and metallurgists perform assays on mineral ores. This means that they test the ores; they perform geological trials to find out how much valuable material is in them - how much gold, how much nickel, and so on. Writing an academic essay involves the same kind of process of evaluating, of weighing up a topic - you examine a statement, or a concept, or a situation to test its value, to find its strengths and weaknesses. When you have weighed up the facts you should come to some conclusion on what you've found. This conclusion is called a thesis.
What an academic essay is not.
An academic essay is not a regurgitation of facts. Of course, the facts have to be in the essay and they have to be correct, but the facts are only the first step in essay-writing.
If, in giving the facts, you want to quote from a textbook, use the quote only to support or to illustrate the point you're making. It should be a supplement to your words and ideas, not a substitute of them.
Why do we write essays?
They allow you"

http://www.ceu.hu/writing/wcourses.html

1. Academic Writing for Graduate Students
The aim of this course is to help you develop as a writer within the English speaking academic community by raising awareness of, practicing, and reflecting upon the conventions of written texts. In addition to addressing issues related to academic writing, the course will also focus on the other language skills you will need to complete your graduate level work in English.
During the course, you will:

Acquire an awareness of and ability to use effectively the discourse patterns of academic English
Improve your critical reading skills, enabling you to think and write more clearly and incisively
Become familiar with and practice the genres of the argumentative essay, critique and research paper
Have the opportunity to develop your writing process through generating ideas, drafting, peer evaluation and individual writing consultations
Learn to take into consideration the expectations of your readership with regard to academic English discourse conventions
Reflect on your approach to reading in light of the demands of a graduate program
Learn to incorporate the work of other authors into your own writing within the requirements of English academic practice
Expand and improve your ability to work independently by exploring new strategies for learning
Develop your proof-reading and editing skills so as to be able to polish, edit and refine your own written work without the help of others
Gain confidence in expressing yourself in both spoken and written English, through extensive in-class writing and speaking, homework and consultations.
Most of the materials needed on the course are included in the Course Study Pack. Other program-specific materials will be distributed on a class-by-class basis. Your writing instructor will tell you about assignments and deadlines at the end of each class. In many cases, pre-reading assignments will be given. It is important that you complete the assigned readings before each class because they contain essential information that will be needed in class, and if some students do not have this information, a great deal of time will be wasted. These readings are now also accessible electronically from this webpage in case you have left your Study Pack at home.

Pre-Reading for Lesson 3
Critical Reading - Evaluating Arguments

Pre-Reading for Lesson 5
Macro-level Argumentation - The Argumentative Essay

Pre-Reading for Lesson 8
Micro-level Argumentation - Paragraphing

Pre-Reading for Lesson 9
Making Decisions about Style

Pre-Reading for Lesson 10
The Nature of Research Writing

Pre-Reading for Lessons 11 & 12
Using the Work of other Authors in your Writing

Course Outline
Section A - Critical Reading
Aims:

This section will introduce you to critical reading as a process of evaluating the context and purpose of written texts, and enable you to apply the insights gained from this process to the production of a written critique, as an example of such a text.
Task : The Critique (500-700 words)
A critique is an essay that evaluates a text written by another person. In your department, the terms "position paper", "review" or "critical essay" may be used, but basically, all these types of writing (genres) are similar. We ask you to write a critique not only because it is excellent practice for the kind of writing most of you will have to do in your department but also as a first step on the path to positioning yourself in relation to the ideas of others, one of the most important aspects of academic writing. We will return to this important skill in the third section of the course - research paper writing. Another reason why we start with critical reading and critique writing, is because analysing and criticising the arguments of others will help you to develop strong arguments in your own writing, an aspect we will look at in the second section of the course - essay writing.
1. Introduction to Academic Writing
2. Critical Reading I (Pre-Reading)

3. Critical Reading II

4. Summarizing Ideas from an Academic Text, Writing a Critique

Section B - Argumentation

Aims:

By the end of this section of the course, you will recognize and understand the purposes, conventions, structure, staging and flow of argumentative academic writing. You will also experience, discuss and reflect upon a cooperative, generative writing process.
Task : The Argumentative Essay (600-800 words)
The argumentative essay is used to teach the skills of rhetoric and argumentation. Like the critique, while you will not have to write essays for your department in the same form as you do for the LTC, the skills of argumentation that you learn here will be applicable to much of the writing you do at CEU. Having looked at how others present arguments in section one, you now focus on developing and presenting arguments yourself, supporting them with evidence and refuting the arguments of your opponents. In order to make this simpler, we do not ask you to relate your arguments to the work of other authors at this stage - something that will be essential in writing for your department. The purpose of this section is for you to acquire the skill of written argumentation which you will be able to develop further in section three.
5. The Argumentative Essay: Structure & Argumentation (Pre-Reading)
6 & 7. Workshop on Writing an Argumentative Essay

8. Micro-Level Argumentation - Paragraphing (Pre-Reading)

Section C - Research-based Writing
Aims:

In this part of the course you will develop an awareness of features of the genre of research-based academic writing, notably in the areas of organization of academic papers. You will also become familiar with the conventions of using the work of other authors in English academic discourse, and reflect on how these influence the development of your own voice.
Task: The Research Paper
The research paper is one of the core genres in academic writing, and involves valuable skills that you will also later be able to carry over into thesis writing. What is important here is the combination of the skills of argumentation from the second section of the course with those of positioning yourself in relation to other writers that we looked at in the first section. In writing a research paper we ask you to develop or explore an idea, using as support or criticising the works of other writers in your discipline that you have read in preparation for the task.
9. Making Decisions about Style (Pre-reading)
10. The Nature of Research Writing (Pre-reading)

11. Using Sources I: Voice and Authority (Pre-reading)

12. Using Sources II: Techniques for Incorporating Sources in your Work

13. Introductions: Analysis and Practice in an Academic Environment

14. Looking at the Structure of Academic Texts: Genre Analysis Research

15. Conclusions: Analysis and Practice in an Academic Environment



2. Creative Writing at Central European University
In past years, a number of students at CEU who write poetry or fiction (or who just love literature) have taken part in creative writing workshops held throughout the academic year by a writing center instructor. Members met one evening a week to share and discuss their work in English or their translations of writers from their home countries. At the end of each year, the best of this original student writing, together with contributions from other interested student writers, as well as art and photography has been published in Undercurrents, an independent literary journal established in 2001 with the financial support of the Student Welfare Office. You can view the two annual editions of Undercurrents in PDF format by clicking on the links below.

Undercurrents 2001

Undercurrents 2002

If you are a CEU student and are interested in reviving the group this year, please contact John or Eszter at the Writing Center.

Return to top of page

Teaching Writing Ideas Richard Speaker UNO Department of Curriculum and Instruction

Teaching Writing Ideas Richard Speaker UNO Department of Curriculum and Instruction: "Richard B. Speaker, Jr.
Graduate Studies Coordinator and Associate Professor
Department of Curriculum and Instruction
340 Bicentennial Education Building
University of New Orleans, Lakefront
New Orleans, Louisiana 70148
Office:(504) 280-6607/280-6605
Desk: (504) 280-6534
Fax: (504) 280-6065
e-mail:rspeaker@uno.edu



Teaching Writing Ideas



Writing Workshop Design Ideas
Sensing and Inventing Ideas
Resensing and Revisiting Ideas
Sharing Ideas
Drafting Ideas
Organizing Ideas
Recurring and Learning
Activities Organized by Ability of Readers "

Planning, Implementing, and Evaluating Workplace ESL Programs

http://www.cal.org/ncle/DIGESTS/PLANNINGQA.HTM
Project in Adult Immigrant Education (PAIE)
National Center for ESL Literacy Education (NCLE)


by Allene Guss Grognet
Center for Applied Linguistics


Any employment-related English as a second language (ESL) program, whether conducted on the job or as pre-employment training, is a result of five interrelated steps:
Conducting a needs analysis of the language and culture needed to perform successfully in a specific workplace or occupation. The needs analysis leads to the development of objectives for the program.

Developing a curriculum, based on the objectives, that identifies tasks and skills for verbal interaction on the job, and tasks and skills for reading and writing on the job. The curriculum should also prioritize these tasks and skills.

Planning instruction by gathering text material and realia, determining classroom activities, and identifying opportunities for learners to put their skills in practice outside the classroom.

Determining instructional strategies that include a variety of activities that focus on the objectives, keep the class learner-centered, and include as much paired and group work as possible. Strategies for assessment should also be determined when planning instruction.

Evaluating the program on both a formative and summative basis.


These steps are discussed below from the point of view of what the educator needs to consider in plann"

Second Language Writing at CCCC

Second Language Writing at CCCC: "AW.4. Placement Matters: Options and Implications in the Placement of Second-Language Writers in Composition Courses (Limit 30)
Wednesday, March 20, 1:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
As enrollment by international students increases in both two- and four-year institutions of higher education, an increasing number of composition professionals face the daunting task of placing second-language writers in composition classes that address their needs. Program administrators are charged with developing placement methods, and composition instructors face the challenges of identifying students who might benefit from an alternative course and addressing the needs of students who cannot be reassigned. The purpose of this half-day workshop, therefore, is to help composition administrators and instructors identify placement options and consider their implications."

http://www-writing.berkeley.edu/TESL-EJ/ej07/r1.html

Discussion Starters: Speaking Fluency Activities for Advanced ESL/EFL Students


Keith S. Folse (1996)
Ann Arbor, Michigan: University of Michigan Press
Pp. xv + 181
ISBN 0-472-08334-1 (paperback)
$24.00
Teachers who are having the not uncommon problem of finding interesting, motivating, and pegagogically sound discussion books for their advanced ESL or EFL students should take a look at Keith Folse's latest textbook Discussion Starters. I believe the author has made a valuable contribution to alleviating this shortage.

The principle goal of this thematically organized text is, as reflected in its subtitle, to allow students to focus on developing discussion skills and fluency. In addition, activities are designed to help ensure that all students participate equally in activities, instead of the situation found in many conversation classes where the most proficient, confident, or outgoing students dominate class or group discussions. Many activities in the text require that all students participate, for example, by each student possessing a piece of information that the group requires to successfully complete a story or solve a problem.

It is very clear that this book recognizes the connections between the skills of writing, reading, and speaking. In the preface Folse explains that the text is based on the axiom "that having to write out our thoughts on paper forces us to reexamine, rethink, and recycle our ideas until we have a much neater package" (p. x). He supports the idea that if some time is spent writing down one's thoughts before speaking, it will make a real difference in both the quality and quantity of speech produced. This premise is reflected in the organization of this book, as each unit contains various pre-discussion writing activities which students complete before participating in discussions. Short readings, which are found in each unit, provide students with topic-related vocabulary and background knowledge, and lead into the writing and speaking tasks. These reading and writing activities help students cope with limitations they may have, such as lack of confidence in their language skills, lack of background knowledge and information, lack of interest, or lack of any opinion at all about the topic, which can cause problems in dealing with unit topics. They can be assigned as homework so students can come to class prepared, and as a result, allow valuable classtime to be spent entirely on discussion activities. Each unit contains space for students to write answers right in the book. Vocabulary development is also attended to through a Language Review exercise found at the end of each unit. [1-} There is a wide variety of topics to be found in the book's 32 self-contained units, including both serious subjects such as AIDS, gun control, and endangered species, as well as lighter topics such as tipping, humor, and movies. Most tasks and exercises relate to real situations, court cases, events, people, statistics, and so forth, from different places in the world, although the majority of units refer to the American context. Another important feature is that the author has chosen topics and designed materials that will not become quickly dated.

Diverse is a good word to describe the organization of this text. Several different unit formats are used, and different activities (usually about 10) are found in each unit. The major types of tasks are listed as:


Problem-solving tasks, found in every unit, require students to work together to solve a problem.
Court cases, found in 10 units, are related to the topic or theme of the unit. Students are asked to record their opinions and then come to a group consensus as to what they think the judgment in a case should be. They then read the real outcome to the case, which is found in an appendix at the back of the book.
Finish the story tasks, found in 2 units, have students discuss together possible conclusions to unusual stories.
Speaking puzzles, found in 2 units, require students to provide each other with oral clues that are needed in order to successfully complete a puzzle.
Role-play exercises, related to unit themes, are found in 6 units.
Discussion and oral presentations, found in 5 units, require students to bring in outside materials to present to the class.
Charts and questionnaires, found in 5 units, also require students to work together to complete them.
Put the story together tasks are found in 3 units. In this activity each student has a piece of a strip story and all students must work together in order to solve it.
Small group discussions are found in 4 units.
The use of such a variety of activities helps ensure that students do not get bored with the text too easily.
Three appendices are found at the back of the text. The first is a collection of 55 Communication Activities, each of which is a {-2-} part of a given unit. The second, mentioned previously, lists all the decisions for the court cases found in the text. The third gives the answers for the Language Review Exercises so students can check their answers on their own.

All in all, I believe this book possesses a good number of positive traits. The diversity of unit structures and activities, and the incorporation of reading, writing, and speaking activities in each unit are certainly two of its greatest features. The background readings and the written opinion questions are an excellent way for those students who get nervous about speaking or lack confidence in their speaking abilities to prepare for discussion tasks.

The court cases, found in several units, are especially interesting, and the fact that they are real motivates students to try to come up with a decision and then see how it compares with the judge's or jury's real decisions. Two other very good features of this text are, in my opinion, the avoidance of stereotyping, and the presentation of various viewpoints that are held on controversial topics such as assisted suicide and drug use.

I would highly recommend _Discussion Starters_ to teachers of advanced adult ESL and EFL students anywhere because of its attempt to take an international perspective with its choice of content, and because of its numerous positive pedagogical features, which add up to make it a highly interesting and motivating discussion text for the student, and one that is a pleasure to use for the teacher.


Lynn Worthington
Tamkang University
lynnw@hpap.tku.edu.tw

Writing Center - Henderson State University

Writing Center - Henderson State University: " "

http://literacy.kent.edu/illinois/illteach4.htm

Internet Sites for
Teachers and Tutors
Internet Sites


English as a Second Language

BBC's Learning English
Exciting choices include Games in the Classroom, Teacher Talking Time, The Net for Teachers and Learn It.

Dave's ESL Cafe
Great site for ESL learners of all levels to practice verbs, idioms, slang, grammar, find a friend to chat with, and enter a discussion. Teachers and tutors check out the Idea Cookbook! Links to helpful and practical ideas, games and much more to use with beginning and advanced ESL learners.

E Square!

ESL Independent Study Lab
Great links here to practice grammar, pronunciation, writing, reading, listening and much more! This site is great for ESL learners.

English Listening Lounge
This is a wonderful site for beginning, intermediate and advanced ESL learners. Choices include: New Listener, Regular Listener and Advanced Listener. Learners can listen to real audio stories about daily life and other topics. Each story has questions to answer.

Focus on Basics
Check out Writing Instruction, December 1999. Click on "Why I Like Writing in My Journal" for journal ideas and samples of student journals. Click on "Seven Easy Pieces" for ESL writing activities for beginning learners.

40 Hints and Tips for making your ESL teaching easier and more fun!
This site from Hands On English offers great advice for ESL teachers and tutors. Check it out!

Linguistic Funland
This site presents resources for students and teachers of English.

Randall's ESL Cyber-Listening Lab
This is a great site for beginning, intermediate and advanced ESL learners.

The English Zone

Tower of English
This site features links to many interactive activities. Check out all the rooms by clicking on the elevator. Links to Post Office, Study Hall, Movie Theater, Music Room, Mystery Room, Game Room, and much more.

Treasure Hunts for ESL Students

http://fog.ccsf.org/~abogomol/grammar.html

ESL 102 Academic Writing
Fall 2002

Course Outline



Instructor: Shayla Sivert

Office: A20E

Office Hours: TBA

Telephone: (760) 744-1150, x2652

e-mail: ssivert@palomar.edu



Course
The main purpose of this course is to assist you in developing fluency as a writer in English. To that end, ESL 102 is a review of sentence-level grammar, paragraph organization, and development of an essay. It introduces writing as a response to articles, emphasizes writing as a process, and develops analytical and critical thinking skills.



Materials (All should be brought with you to class each day.)
· The most recent issue of US News and World Report

· Other reading material, including one novel to be read, both in and out of class, by you throughout the course of the semester. Check out these lists of books if you don't know what you might like to read: http://www.ala.org/yalsa/booklists/obcb/fiction.html

· 3.5” floppy disk, on which you will save all of your typed work. I’ll set up a folder for you in the ESL Computer Lab, but I suggest keeping backups there and on a floppy disk in case something gets lost or damaged.

· freewriting/reading journal. This can be part of your notebook, but you should have a separate section for it.

· loose-leaf notebook with tabs and folders (for notes and exercises, DEJs, your semester’s writing)



Homework
Most of your homework will consist of assigned writing. At times, I will assign grammar or reading exercises as well.



Tests
You will have 5-6 in-class writing tests (which will largely influence your English placement for next semester), and occasional grammar tests. You will never be allowed to use a dictionary while writing in-class essays, so you should practice writing your out-of-class papers without one as well. Burn your bilingual dictionaries. I have a hammer handy if your electronic dictionary needs destroying. J



Participation
In addition to homework and tests, you will be evaluated on how well you prepare for and participate in group activities. Preparing for a group activity will often mean reading and comprehending text found in our text.





Grade
· 50% Writing assignments (includes out-of-class essays (12 points each), each of which will include a first draft and a revised draft, the latter which will be graded, DEJs (3 points each), and teacher/student conferences (5 points each))

· 40% In-class writing tests (including final project)

· 5% Grammar tests

· 5% Participation



It is entirely possible for a person to get an “A” in this class yet not be recommended for English 100 by the end of the term.



Each 1st draft of your out-of-class essays will be thoroughly commented upon and edited for errors in sentence structure. You will then be responsible for rewriting each draft, for which you will receive a grade based on the 12-point grading scale. Always turn your revision in stapled to the top of your 1st draft. You must turn all of your work in on time. If you do not turn your first draft in on time, I won’t comment on it or help you edit it unless you come to see me in my office. If you turn your revision in late, your grade will suffer.



Each in-class essay exam will be graded only; it will be minimally commented on, at best. You will need a blue book for your in-class essays. Towards the end of the semester, you will extensively revise 1 of your in-class essays for your final project. This paper will be graded based on the 12-point grading scale as well, and I will be extremely tough.



All essay work will be graded according to the 12-point scale: 6 points for organization and 6 points for sentence structure.



Content
Writing topics (subject to change)

· Experiences from your life

· Current Events

· Anthropology

· Literature

· Economics

· Ecology

· Music



Writing Skills
· Detailing

· Writing thesis statements

· Writing introductions

· Writing topic sentences

· Developing main body paragraphs

· Writing conclusions

· Quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing



Grammar Topics
· Verbs, nouns, pronouns, articles, prepositions

· Phrases – participial, appositive, gerund, infinitive

· Clause – adverbial, adjective, noun

· Parallelism

· Coherence

· Modals





Course Goals
You will need to be able to perform the following skills at a satisfactory level by the end of the semester in order to move up to a higher English class:

· Write a well-developed, carefully organized essay that shows thoughtful analysis or discussion of the topic.

· Write an appropriate introduction for an essay with a clear, well-formed thesis statement.

· Write a clear topic sentence for each main body paragraph.

· Use appropriate quotes or paraphrases that are integrated smoothly into the main body.

· Use adequate details, statistics, examples, experiences, or observations in the main body.

· Write an appropriate conclusion for an essay.

· Write clear sentences with adverbial clauses, adjective clauses, participial phrases, appositive phrases, noun clauses, gerund phrases, and infinitive phrases.

· Write sentences with appropriate verb forms, tenses, articles, subject-verb agreement, pronoun agreement, word order, and singular and plural nouns.

· Write sentences with parallel grammar elements.

· Write paragraphs that flow without overuse of transition words.



Essays
For all out-of-class essays, you must follow these guidelines:

· Type your essays using a computer.

· Leave a one-inch margin all around your paper.

· Type your name, assignment (topic, 1st draft, 2nd draft, etc.), and date at the top on the left side.

· Double-space your essay from beginning to end.

· Use 12-point font. Please don’t use any wild fonts.

· Indent the first line of each paragraph. Use the TAB key, not 5 pushes on the space bar.

· Check your paper carefully for grammar and spelling. Never ever turn a paper in to me without your having read and reread your paper at least twice.

· Make a copy of your paper to keep, just in case.

· Staple your papers in the upper left corner.



Responsibilities
You will gain more from this class if you do the following:

· Be familiar with everything on the syllabus.

· Keep track of your grades. You should never be surprised by the grade you are earning in the class. I’ll even give you a grade checklist.

· Get to class on time.

· Come to class.

· Visit me during my office hours, keep your appointments, and be present for teacher-student conference time. You are required to visit with me at least 3 times during the semester, once before midterm, the other after.

· Do your assigned reading and exercises before coming to class.

· Turn your homework in on time. I am not responsible for correcting papers that come to me late.

· Study well for tests.

· Participate fully in group activities.

· Speak only English from the moment you walk in my door until the moment you walk out.

· Analyze your writing weaknesses and make a strong effort to improve. I could spend hours correcting your work, and it won’t do a bit of good if you don’t spend time looking over the comments and corrections and revise based on those marks.

· Ask for help when you don’t understand something.



DEJ

(Double-entry Journal)



One entry will be required from you each week beginning Week 2, ending Week 11. I will be giving you a sample of a DEJ in class. When you write, be careful NOT to summarize the story. Rather, I would like you to make some connection to what you have read by writing, in detail, what you liked about it, what it reminded you of, what may have confused you, and what you think will happen.



Reading Journal (optional)
Each time you finish reading (at least once a week), write 2 questions about the reading, 2 quotes (parts that you thought were important or that you really liked), and 5 new words that you have learned.



Other suggestions:

1. Write at the top of every page you read a word, phrase, a sentence or a summary to help you remember what happened on that page.

2. Highlight or underline vocabulary that you do not understand; ask you teacher or tutor or classmate what the words mean.



Freewriting/Reading Journal
At least once a week during class, you will spend 20 minutes in class freewriting on a topic assigned by me, from the list below, or from your own thoughts.



ESL 102 Notebook
From the beginning of the semester until the end, I want you to keep ALL of your papers and your disks neatly organized in a 3-ring binder which has the following tabs:



Handouts
Out-of-Class Essays
In-Class Essays
DEJs, and Freewriting/Reading Journals
Disk page


At the end of the semester. I may ask you to submit this notebook. It will, of course, be returned to you.







Grade Worksheet

Name: _____________________________



In-class Writing (40%)
Grade (12)

#1 ______

#2 ______

#3 ______

#4 ______

#5 ______

#6 ______

Final Proj ______



Out-of-class writing (50%--includes essays, dej, and conference)


1st draft revision (12)



#1 ______ ______

#2 ______ ______

#3 ______ ______

#4 ______ ______

#5 ______ ______

#6 ______ ______

#7 ______ ______

#8 ______ ______





DEJ (Total Possible = 30 points)

Grade (3)

#1 ______

#2 ______

#3 ______

#4 ______

#5 ______

#6 ______

#7 ______

#8 ______

#9 ______

#10 ______

Office Visits (5 points each)

Date ______ ______

Date ______ ______



Grammar/Other Quizzes (5%)

Quiz Info Points/Points Possible



____________________ __________

____________________ __________

____________________ __________

____________________ __________

Participation (includes attendance/asking and answering questions/group participation) (5%)



_____ _____ _____ _____ _____

_____ _____ _____ _____ _____

_____ _____ _____ _____ _____

_____ _____ _____ _____ _____

_____ _____ _____ _____ _____

_____ _____ _____ _____ _____

_____ _____ _____ _____ _____

http://academics.smcvt.edu/cbauer-ramazani/GSL520/Materials/Website%20Reviews

WEBSITE REVIEW - for ESL 520 by Karl Sklar 3/1/98

1. Site Description:


Site Title: Purdue University’s On-line Writing Laboratory (OWL)
URL: http://owl.english.purdue.edu

System Requirements:

This site requires a minimum of computational resource. Notably (and happily) absent are elaborate and resource hogging, "photorealistic" graphics, so pages loaded quickly . I was using a fairly powerful machine, A pentium 200 which had no problems presenting the text. There is no sound associated with this site.

Site Manager:

Muriel Singer - Perdue University Writing Lab

Subject area:

This sight covers all aspects of writing in English Language usage and includes a ESL specific pages for writers and teachers.

Audience:

Purdue’s OWL should appeal to persons of high school age and beyond engaged in learning, teaching and/or or otherwise using the English Language.

2. Summary:


The site is rich in content and links to other resources. It is meant to be a writers "companion" and appears to succeed in that. It wisely eschews graphic excess so it loads and runs quickly and well.
3. Contents:

Purdue’s OWL is a rich resource for teachers and students of English as a first or second language. The site’s Main Page presents six major choices on large captioned buttons:






Our Writing Lab,
Resources for Writers,
On-Line writing Labs,
Resources for Teachers,
Internet Search Tools,
Purdue Resources..



(The Perdue OWL is obviously a huge site. For the sake of brevity, and to stay within the boundries of this review I will outline the first three of these options and of these, only parts. Be sure to keep in mind that all labels displayed below are "hypertext" which link the user to underlying documents many of which will take him/her even further.)

Our Writing Lab is a set of pages which give information about:



the lab itself
general instructions for its use
information for teachers
its staff, hours, statistics
(there is even an Online Writing Lab Newsletter).



Resources for Writers is just that. It provides comprehensive coverage of all aspects of expository writing. Pointers to resources are as below:





Indexes for Writers

Online Reference Resources

Guides to Style and Editing

Business and Technical Writing
Children and Writing
Professional Organizations
ESL-Related Sites
Academic Writing Concerns
Listserv Groups
Web-Publishing Help



These links, by their titles, indicate a world of useful langauge related information. It would be well beyond the scope of this review to cover them all so I limit it to the "ESL Related Sites" page.
This page (ESL Related Sites) provides links to 2 ESL related sub-pages labeled Teachers and Students. Each is rich in useful resources for teacher and student.

The Resources for Teachers page is organized as below:

Online Journals


Internet TESL Journal,
TESL-EJ, Language Learning and Technology,

EFL Web Journal

Syllabi and Assignments


•ESL Resources for Adult Educators
•The University of Illinois'Writer's Workshop Resources for ESL Teachers

•The ESLoop

•The University of Washington Index of Online Resources

General Advice


•Dene Scoggins' Annotated Bibliography for ESL Instructors
•The ESL Study Hall

The Resources for Students page is organized as below:

ESL Resources for Students

General Questions


•Dave Sperling's ESL Cafe
•The ESL Study Hall

•The Frizzy University Network

•Studycom's English on the Internet

(Studycom provides a free course in ESL).

Grammar


•The Grammar Safari
•The English Institute's Elementary Grammar

•English Consulting and Language Reference Service

•Dave Sperling's Phrasal Verb page

•The University of Aizu, Japan's Working with the future tense page

•The Hampstead School of English's An Online English Grammar

•Jack Lynch's Grammar and Style Notes

Idioms


•The Comenius Group's Weekly Idiom
•Dave Sperling's Idiom page

Vocabulary and Games


•The Daily Word
•A Word a Day

•Longman Dictionary's Word Games and Vocabulary Workouts

•Cool Word of the Day

•Internet TESL Journal's Crossword Puzzles

Academic Conventions

From the University of Washington ESL Center


•Naming your paper
From the University of Aizu


•Capitalization Exercises
•Using Numbers in Academic Papers

•Punctuation Rules and Exercises

Quizzes


•Dave Sperling's ESL Quiz Center
•Internet TESL Journal's Self-Study Quizzes for ESL Students

Conversations, E-mail Lists, MOOs, and MUDs to join


•Dave Sperling's ESL Discussion Center and Graffiti Wall
•SL Lists International's List of ESL/EFL Student List-servs.

4. Evaluation


This is a huge, in a sense, endless site. Learning about all that’s available and using it effectively will take time and effort. But, to anyone concerned with written English, worth the effort. Its design is no-nonsense, there’s little in the way of graphics. Not built for amusement, this site is literally an information machine! It’s logical orgnization reduces but certainly doesn’t eliminate the intimidation factor for the first time user. There are a number of other so-called OWLS on the web.

http://www-writing.berkeley.edu/TESL-EJ/ej03/a1.html

: "Meeting In The Writing Center: The Field Of ESL

Lynne Ronesi
University of Rhode Island


Abstract
More and more ESL students are seeking writing help at U.S. college and university writing centers. This trend emphasizes the complementary role of the writing center and ESL writing instruction in improving ESL writing skills. Writing center and ESL writing pedagogy share the process and collaborative approaches, which emphasize the writing process using revision and reader feedback. Often difficult to implement in a classroom setting, these approaches can be used successfully with ESL students in the writing center. However, many writing center instructors, unfamiliar with the needs of ESL students, are often ill-equipped to work successfully with this special population. This has caused writing center faculties to turn to the ESL profession for help in establishing suitable strategies. The growing need for ESL expertise in the writing center has created a variety of capacities to which ESL instructors can contribute.
ESL students are flooding the writing centers of colleges and universities nation-wide. The students' path between their ESL instruction and the writing center offers tangible evidence of the two fields' inevitable alliance. Indeed, the writing center and ESL composition share much in writing theory, goals, and approaches. ESL professionals need to understand how ESL writing instruction and the writing center can play a complementary role in [-1-] helping the growing n"

http://www.cdtl.nus.edu.sg/link/jan2000/lgw1.htm

Interesting Site to Visit to Learn More about PEER GROUP WORK...

http://www.cdtl.nus.edu.sg/link/jan2000/peer2.htm

Participation & Evaluation in Group Writing Projects

Ms J. E. Lisa Meyer
Centre for English Language Communication

We teachers at NUS are still faced with several questions regarding the use of group writing projects (GWPs). These include: (1) How much do we know about our students’ attitude toward, and behaviour during, a GWP? (2) How can we ensure equal participation and fairly grade the resulting written projects? I hoped to answer these questions through research conducted in 1998/99. Students taking CS2301 (Business and Technical Communication) in the School of Computing completed questionnaires after doing a group report-writing project. Here I will focus on my findings for Question 2.

Encouragement and Evaluation of Participation

Naturally, it is important that all students participate equally in a GWP. Some students would agree with this—one student wrote that, in order to manage the GWP successfully, it was necessary to make sure all group-mates were hardworking, that there were no ‘leeches’. However, in my questionnaire I found that only 30% of the students rated level of participation as an important measurement of their success in the GWP. Therefore, we teachers must shoulder some of the responsibility for encouraging equal participation.

Many teachers feel it is also necessary to evaluate level of participation so as to give fairer grades. But what is the best way to do this? Students find it difficult to point out a group-member’s failure to participate equally, or do satisfactory work. This is one topic they struggle to be straightforward in.

To try to overcome this, I originally used a ‘secret’ peer evaluation of participation. In my follow-up questionnaire, I asked the students what they felt about this method of participation evaluation, about the need for peer evaluation, and about their willingness to do peer evaluation.

Generally, students reported that peer evaluations of participation are not needed. The following response was typical: “I believe at our level, most of us are able to control the group and make sure there are no free-riders. We do not need such a review at all.”

Probably for the same reasons they hesitate to bring up lack of participation with their group members, students are not willing to complete even a ‘secret’ peer evaluation honestly. One student commented, “Some of us may want to avoid ‘unhappiness’ among our peers and give false evaluation just to make the whole group happy.”

Regarding my peer evaluation form, only about 50% of students found it useful or fair. Some students confessed that lack confidence in their ability to give accurate and thus fair peer evaluation. “The problem is how are we going to assess the level of participation? Rather subjective.” One extreme fear was that “this may lead to SABOTAGE on unsuspecting innocents.” It seems students only feel the peer evaluation is fair and useful when “any particular group member is really a hardcore free-rider” or “there are grievances to be voiced”.
Several introspective students gave me suggestions for ways to improve my peer evaluation system. One suggested that I provide a task checklist:

“You can come a list with all the tasks concerning report...and the group is supposed to fill it up (who did which task) and submit to their tutor. I think this is the only way to make them really reflect back and think what they have contributed to the project. Maybe in this way, there won’t be cases of false evaluations.”

A second respondent suggested I leave it up to the students to list the tasks each group member completed. “Let the group list out the parts they are responsible for and the rest of the group members would comment on whether he/she has done enough.”

Last semester, I followed the mature advice of this second respondent and replaced my anonymous peer evaluation with a ‘Record of Participation’ form. Throughout the written project, each group member was supposed to record all the tasks they completed or took part in. It had to be signed by all the group members and then submitted with the report. However, of 60 group reports, the ‘Record of Participation’ forms revealed only two cases of unequal participation. In most cases, even if there was any unequal participation, in the words of one of the course instructors, the students “would never admit to it”.

So, although this ‘Record of Participation’ may not be very helpful in teacher evaluation of group participation, we are at least showing our students that we value equal participation, and that we are giving them the responsibility to ensure it occurs within their groups.

Writing Assignment Ideas: http://ht.psdr3.org/6east/gaal/projects.html

What is your Opinion about MONEY?
A). Make a list of your financial needs and wants
a. My needs/wants for the week (short term goal)
b. My needs/wants for the year (mid range goal)
c.My needs/wants for a 5 year period (long term goal)

B)What is your Opinion about:
Saving:
Borrowing:
Investing:



Bread Lines and Debts (January 21)
Looking for Work: Main idea:
Paragraph 1: People lost money in the stock market and now could not afford new items like appliances. Without customers, stores went out of business.

Paragraph 2: Workers had no financial protection (savings) for when they lost their job. No new jobs were available: "no help wanted".


Paragraph 3: Employment agencies attract hundreds of workers looking for jobs.



Word Corrections (January 12)
These words were used but they are not correctly spelled. Write out the correct spelling: dollers, minete, countrey, there book,
Im, indestry, buisness, would of been,
usualy, tought, bussinuss, iorn, recived

Click on student work for spelling answers



Assignment : 3 - 4 Paragraph Write on the Immigrant Experience in America
TOPIC: Work School Play (circle the topic you read in packet)

Evaluation form of writing (Each task is worth 3 points. 30 total points possible)

Instructions followed:
3-4 Paragraph length
Linking or Transitions words used (3 identified)
Topic clear to the reader
Nouns used and clarify topic
Paragraph form followed
Topic sentence2 -3 Support details that support the topic
Information presented covers the topic
Presentation
Sentence form used (clear topic/ verb/ object)
Spelling is correct
Writing is clear and neat to the reader

Writing demonstrates skill at level of:

Developing: learning the writing process and working on skills described in this evaluation form
Growing: Writing skills applied with some errors but they are not serious distractions, vocabulary illustrates content and sentence form in writing is on target. Writing shows thought
Advanced: Writing skills applied with few or no errors.
Vocabulary illustrates topic and is varied to create reading interest. Content is clear and with a focus.
Sentence form varies and flows in writing. Writing shows thought and may include personal reflection.






Current Projects and Assignments



You Pick Two

5 pts

Visit Aiisf.org and answer: What group of immigrants was Angel Island so important to and why?
5pts

Visit ellisisland.org and research your own family name for records. Create a paragraph telling about what you found. Be sure to get input from your parents!



10 pts

Develop a graph showing immigration statistics to the USA at the turn of the last century. See Ms. Gaal for raw data.
10 pts

Visit this website and develop a paragraph telling why so many Jews came to America from 1850 to 1920.




The "You Pick Two" assignment is worth 15 points! Remember to choose one 5 point item and one 10 point item to


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Paragraph Writing from the information on your WEB Graphic Organizer


A. Topic Sentence: (The Main Idea - What are you going to tell the reader about this paragraph?)
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
B. Supporting Idea: Write a sentence to explain your main idea.
__________________________________________________________________
Supporting Idea: Write another sentence to give more detail to explain your main idea.__________________________________________________________________
Supporting Idea: Write one more sentence to give more details to explain your main idea. _______________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
C. Conclusion: Write a sentence to summarize what you have written in the sentences above. __________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
NOTE: Nouns to clearly communicate your topic and transition words used. Correct sentence form, punctuation, spelling and

Writing Evaluation Form

Writing Evaluation Form: "Emma Lazarus' Poem, 'The New Colussus'
'Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!' cries she
With silent lips. 'Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!'"

English 352 - Undergraduate Technical Writing at New Jersey Institute of Technology

English 352 - Undergraduate Technical Writing at New Jersey Institute of Technology: "Big Changes
Starting in the Fall of 2003, we began assessing 'best' technical writing papers to provide a measure for continual curriculum change and improvement. In the Spring of 2004, we instituted our first change - a common, required syllabus ending with a web portfolio. This syllabus was designed in conjunction with the technical communication instructors. Future changes will also be suggested by the instructors.
The data from the assessment already shows that there was significant improvement in student work between the Fall 2003 and Spring 2004 semesters - our first step in curriculum change was successful. We followed up the Fall assessment with a paper portfolio reading during the spring semester which provided more data for correlation purposes.
The most dramatic innovation in the Spring 2004 curriculum was that, at the end of the semester, each Engl. 352 student had to design their own web portfolio to display their semester's work. Since not all instructors had web experience, the students broke into groups and taught each other. The results that we saw at assessment were very impressive.
If you have comments or would like to test the syllabus, email me at cjohnson@njit.edu."

GRE WRITING EVALUATION http://www.gre.org/writing.html

GRE Analytical Writing Measure
A powerful way to enhance admissions decision making.



The development of the GRE Analytical Writing Measure was approved by the GRE Board because of widespread concern among the graduate community that many entry-level graduate students — even those with otherwise excellent credentials — were unprepared for academic writing. In addition, it was felt that present application requirements did not necessarily elicit evidence of an applicant's skills in this area. The analytical writing measure fills this gap.

The GRE Analytical Writing Measure gives graduate schools valuable information that can be factored into the admissions decision.

Candidates now have the opportunity to demonstrate, in a controlled testing situation, the kinds of high-level thinking and writing skills generally recognized as essential for success in many graduate programs. The addition of the GRE Analytical Writing Measure substantially expands the range of skills assessed by the GRE General Test, including the applicant's ability to

articulate complex ideas clearly and effectively
examine claims and accompanying evidence
support ideas with relevant reasons and examples
sustain a well-focused, coherent discussion
control the elements of standard written English
The GRE Analytical Writing Measure consists of two analytical writing tasks:
a 45-minute "Present Your Perspective on an Issue" task
a 30-minute "Analyze an Argument" task
The Issue task states an opinion on an issue of broad interest and asks test takers to address the issue from any perspective(s) they wish, so long as they provide relevant reasons and examples to explain and support their views.

The Argument task presents a different challenge: it requires test takers to critique an argument by discussing how well reasoned they find it. Test takers are asked to consider the logical soundness of the argument rather than agree or disagree with the position it presents.

Thus the two tasks are complementary in that one requires test takers to construct their own arguments by making claims and providing evidence supporting their position on the issue, whereas the other requires them to critique someone else's argument by assessing its claims and evaluating the evidence it provides.

To learn more about the GRE Analytical Writing Measure


view the actual Issue topics, directions, scoring guide and sample essays; and the Argument topics, directions, scoring guide and sample essays
download An Introduction to the Analytical Writing Secion of the GRE General Test, which contains the topics, screen directions, scoring guides, and sample essays for both tasks
read the procedures for validating the initial use of analytical writing scores in How to Interpret and Use GRE Analytical Writing Scores
view analytical writing score level descriptions
read about the GRE analytical writing research. The development of this test has been guided by faculty committees and by several years of primary research and field testing.
read the GRE DataViews January 2000 issue, "Early Validity Evidence for the Writing Assessment"
read the GRE DataViews September 1996 issue, "Personal Statement: A Writing Sample" — a discussion of graduate and undergraduate admissions committees' uses of personal writing samples.
For additional information about the GRE Analytical Writing Measure, send an email to gretests@ets.org.

Preparing for Peer Evaluation

ACADEMIC WRITING EVALUATION GUIDELINES

IEP: Intensive English Language Institute, Utah State University

Assessment plan and procedures

Goal of Assessment
The goal of assessment in IELI is to determine if students have improved their English for Academic (EAP) skills while in the IELI program and if they have met the exit goals of the program upon completion of level 4. Results of assessment are used to guide programmatic decisions over time. Results are not used to make short-term or immediate decisions regarding the academic readiness of any particular student, the effectiveness of any particular teacher, or the effectiveness of any particular course.

Short-term or immediate decisions regarding student achievement are made through placement and advancement procedures described under IELI Placement and Advancement Procedures. Evaluation of faculty is conducted in accordance with procedures outlined in the USU Personnel Policies and Procedures and includes student evaluation of faculty and IELI Director performance evaluations of faculty.

Program Level Assessment

Program level assessment is carried out primarily by IELI administration.

Information about Students
1
Activity
Survey of entering students

Method
Questionnaire

Participants
New students

Information Collected
How new students learned about USU

Frequency
Second day of each semester

Use of Information
Assess effectiveness of program promotion

2
Activity
End-of-term survey

Method
Questionnaire

Participants
All students

Information Collected
Student views on curriculum, preparedness for non-IELI classes and cultural adjustment

Frequency
End of each semester

Use of Information
Curricular and programmatic adjustments

3
Activity
In-program progress of students

Method
Transcript analysis

Participants
All students from the beginning of their study in IELI though the 3rd semester in non-IELI classes (for those continuing into a university degree program)

Information Collected
Comparison of GPA over time

Pattern of student movement through the program

Frequency
Once a year

Use of Information
Curricular and programmatic adjustments

4
Activity
Survey of students leaving the program

Method
Interview

Participants
Students leaving the program and who are not continuing into a university degree program

Information Collected
Reason(s) why they are leaving the program

Frequency
Whenever a student leaves

Use of Information
To learn why students leave the program

5
Activity
Post-IELI views

Method
Interview

Participants
Randomly selected students who have been out of the program and in a university degree program for more than one year

Information Collected
Student perception of the value of the IELI program to study in their degree program

Frequency
Once a year

Use of Information
Curricular and programmatic adjustments


Information about Placement and Advancement

1
Activity
Placement

Method
Placement test

Participants
In-coming students

Information Collected
Initial level of placement within the program

Frequency
Beginning of first term in IELI

Use of Information
Determine initial placement of students

2
Activity
Re-evaluation of placement

Method
Observation of students by teachers; in-class evaluation

Participants
All students

Information Collected
Appropriateness of class level

Frequency
First two weeks of term

Use of Information
To adjust placement of students who may have been misplaced

3
Activity
Mid-term evaluation of student progress

Method
Faculty reports

Participants
All students

Information Collected
How students are doing at midterm

Frequency
Middle of every term

Use of Information
To inform students of their progress at midterm; to provide formative feedback to students; short-term curricular adjustments

4
Activity
In-class assessment

Method
Testing, class participation, etc.

Participants
All students

Information Collected
Whether or not students advance in each class

Frequency
Throughout the term; decisions made at the end of the term

Use of Information
To determine if students meet exit criteria of each class. At level 4 to determine if students meet program exit criteria


Information about Curriculum and Teaching
1
Activity
In-house review

Method
Faculty discussion and review

Participants
Faculty

Information Collected
Faculty views on strengths and weaknesses of curriculum; appropriateness of materials

Frequency
On-going

Use of Information
To assess effectiveness and coherence of curriculum

2
Activity
Outside evaluation

Method
CEA accreditation review; accreditation updates

Participants
Faculty and students

Information Collected
Strengths and weaknesses of curriculum

Frequency
Accreditation reviews once every 5 years

Use of Information
To make necessary curricular changes

3
Activity
Self-evaluation of teaching

Method
Teaching portfolios; videos; self-assessment; peer review of teaching

Participants
Faculty

Information Collected
Peer and self-assessment of teaching

Frequency
At each faculty members discretion

Use of Information
Improvement of teaching

4
Activity
Student evaluation of teaching

Method
USU teaching evaluation form

Participants
Students

Information Collected
Student perception of quality of classes and instruction

Frequency
Every class at the end of each term

Use of Information
Teaching improvement; curricular change

5
Activity
Comparison of class learning goals with University Studies competencies

Method
Mapping

Participants

Information Collected
Shows how IELI class goals support university studies

Frequency
When there are major curricular changes in either IELI or in University Studies

Use of Information
To assess relevance of IELI curriculum to University Studies


Information from Constituencies
1
Activity
Discuss needs related to attending USU, IELI, curriculum, student activities, and so on

Method
Discussion / Interview

Participants
Interested students

Information Collected
Student needs

Frequency
Annually

Use of Information
Determine actions required to meet student needs

2
Activity
Meet with IELI administrators and interested faculty to discuss the relationships between IELI and the rest of the university as well as the broader community

Method
Discussion / Interview

Participants
IELI faculty, administrators, IELI Advisory Board, interested community members

Information Collected
Perspectives on IELI role and relationships in the university and the community

Frequency
Annually

Use of Information
Determine actions required to improve relationships, develop new relationships


Curricular Assessment
Curricular assessment is intended to determine if students are meeting the exit goals of the curriculum.

Academic Writing
Learning Objectives / Exit Goals
Produce documented writings that are well-organized, comprehensible and incorporate paraphrased and summarized information from several information sources, including books, magazines / journals, and the Internet.

Exit Criteria

Students will work to achieving the following exit criteria by engaging in tasks such as those listed beneath each criterion.

Criterion: Write and organize several types of academic articles

Examples:

Summarize printed articles

Write extended definitions

Present detailed explanation

Present data and draw conclusions

Present an issue and take a stand

Evaluate and present results of the evaluation

Synthesize (observations, listenings, and readings) and present the synthesis in writing

Criterion: Display academic writing skills

Gather information and develop ideas for writing

Construct fully developed, documented academic paragraphs

Paraphrase and summarize the ideas of others

Show the credibility of sources

Acknowledge ideas of other writers through in-text citations and reference lists

Understand the principle and avoidance of plagerism

Criterion: Display computer skills essential to participating in a writing class

Type and format writings in Microsoft Word

Send and receive emails with attachments

Criterion: Display library and Internet search skills

Use on-line resources to find journal and magazine articles

Use the Internet to find information

Evaluate sources of information for relevance and quality

Assessment (Are students meeting curricular goals re. writing?)
A faculty committee meets annually to assess whether exiting students

(1) have enhanced their academic writing and research skills while in the program,

(2) have met the academic writing exit criteria, and

(3) perform satisfactorily in university writing classes.

Procedure
Meeting Exit Goals

First and second drafts of academic writings of randomly selected papers are reviewed to determine the extent the writings show students are meeting exit goals. Student names and teacher / identification are removed prior to the selection of papers. Faculty reviewers have a list of exit criteria and check off those criteria that are evident in student papers.

Improvement Over Time

Faculty randomly select portfoliios of student writings to judge whether or not students have enhanced their academic writing skills while in the program.

Performance in University Writing Classes

IELI administration will track grades students who have exited IELI earn in undergraduate writing classes. In addition, IELI will collect anecdotal information regarding student writing in undergraduate and graduate classes and investigate any complaints regarding student writing.

Use of Information

: "A National Study of Writing Evaluation Practices http://isis.fastmail.usf.edu/eval/survey.htm

We are surveying faculty who teach courses in which writing skill and cognitive level enhancement play a large role. Specifically, we wish to know how student papers are graded. If you teach multiple courses and evaluate each differently, complete this web page survey for each course. You may be assured that this is a confidential survey. Data collected which might be used to identify individuals and/or institutions are collected only to provide feedback to participants. If you do provide your email address, in no event will your email address be added to a listserve or spamming engine. For questions in this regard or about the survey, email Dr. Porter at the University of South Florida.

Please respond only for those course(s) in which writing skills play a large part of the student's evaluation.
What is the approximate number of writing assignments given per term? Choose a Number 0 No Writing Assignments Per Se 1 2 3 4 5 More than 5
Approximately how many words do all of these assignments total?
In what type of administrative unit is this course taught? Choose an Administrative Unit Agriculture Architecture Arts and Sciences Business Administration Education Engineering Medicine Nursing Public Health Visual and Performing Arts Other Administrative Unit Not Listed Here
Which of the titles on the right best describe your teaching role? Choose One ... Please Teaching Assistant working on a Masters Degree Teaching Assistant working o"

: "GRADUATE STUDENT WRITING: SWC Writing Workshop

: "GRADUATE STUDENT WRITING

At the Sweetland Writing Center, faculty offer skillful, supportive advice to graduate writers as they draft their course papers, projects, and theses. We act as an interested outside audience, ask intelligent questions, direct students to resources, and give specific suggestions about organization, flow, evidence, clarity, grammar and style. Our aim is to help writers become more confident, skilled, and knowledgeable about writing and the subjects they write about.
Why do graduate students need such advice and support? Writing for graduate faculty, dissertation committees, and potential funders and employers can be daunting, even for students who are already good writers. The newness and complexity of advanced material may result in tangled sentences, unarticulated ideas, and grammatical confusion that is often incorrectly judged as 'poor writing ability,' 'poor thinking ability,' 'low motivation,' or 'poor preparation.'
Writers who are working in their second, third, or fourth languages may find their knowledge of grammar and syntax eroding as they engage with complex ideas. Mid-career professionals have been out of school for years, perhaps writing for other audiences and purposes, perhaps not writing much at all.
Even when graduate students write with confidence and skill, they may run into trouble when the w"

University of Michigan BIBLIOGRAPH OF ARTICLES RELATED TO TEACHING WRITING

: "SWC Bibliography of Articles
Related to Teaching Writing
Faculty Development
Graduate Student Support and Development
The Sweetland Fellows Seminar
Let Sweetland Help Your Students

These articles are kept on file at the Sweetland Writing Center and are available upon request. Please feel free to browse our selection. If you would like a single copy of an article sent to you, please email jmetsker@umich.edu with your request. If you would like to pick up a copy, come to the Sweetland Writing Center, located at 1139 Angell Hall.
All of our articles are organized under the following topics:
Argumentative Writing
Assessment: Grading
Assessment: In-Class Writing
Assessment: Writing Portfolio
Basic Writing
Collaboration/Peer Critique
Composition Studies
Conferencing
Developing Voice
Diagnostic Tools/Assignments
Discussion Leading
ESL/Multicultural Writers
Faculty Development
First Year Writers/Course
Gender and Writing
Grammar and Mechanics
GSI Training
Internet Research
Learning Disabilities
Non-Academic Writing
Non-Writing Courses
Peer Tutoring
Peer Critique/Editing
Plagiarism
Portfolios
Research Papers/Teaching Research
Responding to Writing
Revising
Student Development/Motivation
Student Feedback
SWC, History of
Syllabi
Teaching Writing with Sources
Teaching with Technology
Theories of Writing/Teaching Writing
Writing in the Disciplines: Humanities
Writing in the Disciplines: Sciences
Writing in the Disciplines: Social Sciences
Writing in the Disciplines/WAC: Acade"

University of Michigan WRITING SUPPORT CENTER

: "WRITING SUPPORT
Writing Workshop
Writing Workshop: After Hours
Peer Tutoring
Online Writing and Learning (OWL)
Multi-Literacy Center
Writing Resources

Whereas most writing centers around the country are staffed with graduate and undergraduate students, the SWC Writing Workshop is staffed primarily by professional writing teachers with faculty status. Writing Workshop serves both undergraduates and graduate students. Students can make a 30-minute appointment by phone up to a week in advance or drop by on a walk-in basis. Graduate students are permitted one-hour appointments once a week. The Writing Workshop also offers walk-in appointments during After Hours one or two days per week.
The Peer Tutoring Service: Because students often feel most comfortable talking about their writing with peers, many prefer to visit tutors rather than faculty in the Writing Workshop. The Peer Tutoring service is staffed by upper-level undergraduates who have completed the Peer Tutor Program.
Online Writing and Learning (OWL) was conceived as a supplement to face-to-face tutoring as a way to reach students not located on the central campus or who otherwise cannot come in for face-to-face peer tutoring.
Writing Resources: There are many writing resources available to students on-line. This section of the Sweetland website contains a listing of many of these resources.
Home || Site Map || About the SWC || SWC Newsletter
Writing Requirements || SWC Courses || Writing Support || Graduate Writing
Wri"

U-M Sweetland Writing Center - Home

U-M Sweetland Writing Center - Home: "
University of Michigan Writing Center Website is quite well-known. Let's check it out.

Writing Assignment Evaluation Rubric (Academic Papers of Various Types)

Writing Assignment Evaluation Rubric (Academic Papers of Various Types): "Working With Ideas, Topics, And Texts


Engaging or interacting with ideas, topics and texts is essential to learning.

There are degrees and stages of engagement. You can say you think an idea is 'ridiculous', for example, or you can restate the idea, talk about several ways of thinking about it, and then make a considered judgment about the idea based on specific evidence. One way to describe the degrees or stages associated with something is by using a rubric, which organizes stages into categories. Often these categories build on each other, like the steps of a ladder. The following is a rubric explaining various progressive stages of engagement with ideas, topics and texts. "

Saturday, July 10, 2004

TOEFL WRITING SCORING CRITERION (http://www.toefl.org/educator/edtwegui.html#guide)

TOEFL Help Center

What is the TOEFL writing section?

The TOEFL writing section presents you with a question that you must answer. There is no choice of questions. You think of and organize your ideas, use supportive evidence and examples, and write the essay in 30 minutes. This is an important section whose score is included when your final TOEFL score is sent to the universities you want to apply to. This is why we offer practice tests.

What is on the TOEFL writing section?

The writing section of the TOEFL gives you a question which is clear and is not based on a particular cultural background. You will not be asked to read a short story and comment on it. The writing section is not a test of reading skills. Again, after being given the question, you will have 30 minutes to organize your ideas, support your ideas with evidence or examples, and to demonstrate proper and grammatically correct use of English.

How is the TOEFL writing section scored?

Your writing is scored using a scale of 1-6; 6 is the highest and 1 is the lowest. The average score is approximately 3.75.

How do they determine my grade?

The following is the scoring guide that the TOEFL and TWE makers use:

score reason for the score
6 Demonstrates clear competence in writing on both the rhetorical and syntactic levels, though it may have occasional errors.
A paper in this category

effectively addresses the writing task
is well organized and well developed
uses clearly appropriate details to support a thesis or illustrate ideas
displays consistent facility in the use of language
demonstrates syntactic variety and appropriate word choice

5 Demonstrates competence in writing on both the rhetorical and syntactic levels, though it will probably have occasional errors.
A paper in this category

may address some parts of the task more effectively than others
is generally well organized and developed
uses details to support a thesis or illustrate an idea
displays facility in the use of language
demonstrates some syntactic variety and range of vocabulary

4 Demonstrates minimal competence in writing on both the rhetorical and syntactic levels.
A paper in this category

addresses the writing topic adequately but may slight parts of the task
is adequately organized and developed
uses some details to support a thesis or illustrate an idea
demonstrates adequate but possibly inconsistent facility with syntax and usage
may contain some errors that occasionally obscure meaning

3 Demonstrates some developing competence in writing, but it remains flawed on either the rhetorical or syntactic level, or both.
A paper in this category may reveal one or more of the following weaknesses:

inadequate organization or development
inappropriate or insufficient details to support or illustrate generalizations
a noticeably inappropriate choice of words or word forms
an accumulation of errors in sentence structure and/or usage

2 Suggests incompetence in writing.
A paper in this category is seriously flawed by one or more of the following weaknesses:

serious disorganization or underdevelopment
little or no detail, or irrelevant specifics
serious and frequent errors in sentence structure or usage
serious problems with focus

1 Demonstrates incompetence in writing.
A paper in this category

may be incoherent
may be undeveloped
may contain severe and persistent writing errors


The above chart is from the TOEFL.org Web site, page http://www.toefl.org/educator/edtwegui.html#guide, Educational Testing Service, Princeton, New Jersey, USA, copyright 2001.