Welcome to KU121

Unit 4 Seminar

Intro to Writing Skills and Strategies

Instructor – Carrie Jantz

You are in the right place :).

Seminar Agenda1. Welcome

2. Shape Matters!

3. WSS Project

4. Thesis

5. Outline

6. Parts of Speech

7. Writing Rascals

8. Unit 4 Assignments

9. Questions

Course Map

Get to know WSS, the sylla-bus, each other, and the writing

process

Review sentence develop-ment and

learn about the Writing

Center

Unit 1 Unit 2 Units 3-8 Unit 9 Unit 10

Explore writing

process steps and create bio essay.

Review basic grammar.

Discuss how to

evaluate and apply feedback to polish

work

Reflect on course

concepts. Plan for future writing

success.

Shape Matters!

Shape Matters!• In writing, shape is called “structure”

• Structure helps us to present ideas clearly and logically

• Structure helps our readers to understand our main point and our supporting details

• The structure of an essay has been compared to a hamburger

Intro

Body

Conclusion

WSS Project

• Last week, you began to generate ideas for your project (prewriting)

• This week, you will define the shape, or structure, of your project (more prewriting)

• You will do this by creating an outline for your essay

• As a part of this process you will also write your thesis statement

… More details about the project are on the next two slides

WSS ProjectProject Description:

Imagine that it is five years in the future. You have completed your educational program at Kaplan University and have been offered your dream job! The company or organization you will be working for wants to issue a biographical essay about you to announce that you are joining them and in what capacity. In order to do so, they need a minimum 500-word background essay from you.

WSS ProjectMore Details:1. One introductory paragraph that identifies who you are, where you live, the company or organization that has hired you and your new job title.

2. One body paragraph that gives appropriate personal details about you and your life—your age, family, hobbies, etc. (NOTE: this is a professional biography so you need to limit personal details to only what is appropriate in the professional environment).

3. One body paragraph that talks about your education. You should include high school or your GED, any previous college experience and your Kaplan program.

4. One paragraph that details professional experiences, including past job experiences, honors and awards and other related professional details.

5. One concluding paragraph that reinforces where you will be working, your job title and what you will be doing.

Once you understand what you need to do, then what?

Last week, you began to generate ideas. This week you will give these ideas

shape (also called structure).

Thesis StatementSums up your main point, • Narrows/defines your topic• Communicates a little bit about

your attitude/position about the topic

• Communicates something about the structure of your essay

Your thesis is like a deflated balloon that you will “blow up” as you write your essay. It provides the basic “stuff” and shape of the essay.

Thesis StatementWhat is the thesis statement?

New to our company is Carrie Jantz, who will be working in our acrobatics department. Carrie is an accomplished trapeze artist. For the past three decades, her life has been shaped by trapeze. She began to learn trapeze as a child, then attended the Cirque du Soleil Flying Institute. Also, Carrie has earned various awards and performed many gravity defying aerial feats.

Outline• Is a plan or “map” of your essay

• Is where you determine the bulk of your content

• Helps you to …• stay on topic• include the info you want to

include• present your info in a way that

makes sense

• Is like a partially inflated balloon – when you complete your outline your essay begins to take shape. You will inflate the “balloon” fully when you draft your essay.

Your Outline (Unit 4 Project)Use the format below for your outline, fill it in with your own sentences, and underline your thesis sentence. Every section should have at least one complete sentence about the content you will include in that paragraph:   I. Introductory paragraph (general to specific ideas)-- The intro will include your thesis sentence

II.   Body paragraph 1

III.   Body paragraph 2

IV.   Body paragraph 3  

V. Concluding paragraph (specific to general ideas)

Your Outline (Unit 4 Project)I. Introductory paragraph -- The intro will include your thesis sentence1. One introductory paragraph that identifies who you are, where you live, thecompany or organization that has hired you and your new job title.

II.   Body paragraph 1 2. One body paragraph that gives appropriate personal details about you and your

life—your age, family, hobbies, etc. (NOTE: this is a professional biography so you need to limit personal details to only what is appropriate in the professional environment).

III.  Body paragraph 23. One body paragraph that talks about your education. You should include high

school or your GED, any previous college experience and your Kaplan program.

IV.  Body paragraph 34. One paragraph that details professional experiences, including past job

experiences, honors and awards and other related professional details.

V. Concluding paragraph (specific to general ideas) 5. One concluding paragraph that reinforces where you will be working, your job title and what you will be doing.

Sample OutlineI. Introduction New to our company is Carrie Jantz, who will be working in our acrobatic department. Carrie is an accomplished trapeze artist. For the past three decades, her life has been shaped by trapeze. She began to learn trapeze as a child, then attended the Cirque du Soleil Flying Institute. Also, Carrie has earned various awards and performed many gravity defying aerial feats.

II. Body Para 1 – Personal DetailsFor the past three decades, her life has been shaped by trapeze. - Trapeze is her love, both privately and professionally- Family and friends are trapeze artists- Home includes trapeze swings- Hobbies center around trapeze

III. Body Para 2 – EducationShe began to learn trapeze as a child, then attended the Cirque du Soleil Flying Institute.

- Trapeze lessons as a child- Cirque du Soleil Flying Institute

IV. Body Para 3 – Professional ExperiencesCarrie has earned various awards and performed many gravity defying aerial feats. - World Cup- Olympics- One handed super flip- Triple hurricane twist

V. ConclusionCarrie’s passion, expertise, and skill will be a great asset to our company.

What makes the sample outline a solid outline?

Parts of Speech (1)

ChorusSo you wanna know about nouns, you wanna know about verbsAnd you probably know that there are several other types of wordsSo if you yearn to learn, hey, we’re psyched to teachNow listen up and let me tell you about the parts of speech.

Parts of Speech. (2006). Track 4, Language arts. Cambridge, MA: Rhythm, Rhyme, Results.

Parts of Speech (2)

Verse IA noun is a person or a place or at thingLike you or your school or all your bling-blingBut the tricky kinds of nouns are ideas and thoughtsLike your strength or intelligenceMan there are lots of these nounsTo list them all, that would be impressive!But to describe them, all we need are adjectivesLike hot, cool, false, true, spicy, or blandAnd now I think you understand

Parts of Speech. (2006). Track 4, Language arts. Cambridge, MA: Rhythm, Rhyme, Results.

Parts of Speech (3)

Verse IIVerbs. That’s what we call the action wordsAnything you can do, even if it’s absurdWhenever you eat, drink, move, think, go, or stopEven if you just are, that’s a verb that you’ve got“But, Mr. Jackson, how do I describe these words?”You use another part of speech we call adverbsLike loudly, proudly, and well, don’t ask me why, butMost of them end in -ly.

Parts of Speech. (2006). Track 4, Language arts. Cambridge, MA: Rhythm, Rhyme, Results.

Parts of Speech (4)

Verse IIIA preposition gives location, just so you knowWhether an object is between, in, by, or belowBut it can also talk about time, as a matter of fact;If something happened before this, or is gonna happen after thatThey always have a prepositional phraseit’s the traditional way that every preposition operatesSo just make sure that the object is thereOr else you’ll never know what goes where

Parts of Speech. (2006). Track 4, Language arts. Cambridge, MA: Rhythm, Rhyme, Results.

Parts of Speech (5)

Verse IVA conjunction joins phrases or words togetherLike and, but, or, as, if, and whetherSome appear in pairs, like neither and nor,You know I’d love to list them all but there are so many moreSo let’s go on to pronouns, they replace nounsSo you can say “it” instead of saying the same noun againIt can be just a breeze, you seeInstead of names, saying “he” or “she”

Parts of Speech. (2006). Track 4, Language arts. Cambridge, MA: Rhythm, Rhyme, Results.

Parts of Speech (6)

Verse VHold up! Almost forgot about the next oneI’m speaking, of course, of the interjection:Whoa!, yo!, yikes!, holy cow!You know the parts of speech, well I think you do now

Parts of Speech. (2006). Track 4, Language arts. Cambridge, MA: Rhythm, Rhyme, Results.

Parts of Speech - AdjectivesAdjective = a word that describes, identifies, qualifies, or limits a noun or pronoun

Which one? What kind? How many?

Find the adjectives:

1.The molasses in the gingerbread is overwhelming.2.Here are the dreaded dahlias.3.Where are the blue highways?4.He missed an urgent appointment.Sentence examples modified from: Gordon, K. (1993). The deluxe transitive vampire: The ultimate handbook of grammar for the innocent, the eager, and the doomed. NY: Pantheon.

Parts of Speech - AdverbsAdverb = a word that describes, identifies, qualifies, or limits the meaning of a verb

How?When?Where?How often?

Fill in the blanks:

1.Cheryl moved __________ because of her stiff neck.2.I arrived ___________.3.He telephoned ___________.Sentence examples modified from: McWhorter, K. (2010). Pathways writing scenarios: Sentences and paragraphs. NY: Pearson.

Writing Rascals

What is a Writing Rascal?

• An issue with language that prevents clear communication

• Can include grammar, spelling, punctuation, or sentence structure

• Can be found and fixed with review and editing (like Whack-a-Mole!)

Writing Rascal #1

The train is slowly.

Writing Rascal #2

Which 2 are correct?

• I am well.

• I am good.

• I am doing well.

• I am doing good.

Writing Rascal #3

The man was incredible tall.

Writing Rascal #4

We need to leave quick if we are going to make it to the movie on time.

Unit 4 To Do

Reading Discussion (20) Seminar (5) MWL Exercises (20) Quiz (5) Project (50)

What other questions do you have?

Thanks for coming!

Works Cited

Gordon, K. (1993). The deluxe transitive vampire: The ultimate

handbook of grammar for the innocent, the eager, and the doomed. NY: Pantheon.

McWhorter, K. (2010). Pathways writing scenarios: Sentences and paragraphs. NY: Pearson.

Parts of Speech. (2006). Track 4, Language arts. Cambridge, MA: Rhythm, Rhyme, Results.