CONTENTS

Acknowledgments ix
Introduction to Freshman Composition 1
What Is the Point? 1
What Is Writing? Better Yet, What Is Good Writing? 2
What Does It Take to Pass Composition Classes? 2
How Much Work Will These Classes Be? 3
Tips for Success in College 3
Issues for Non-Native Students 4
Department of English 5
Faculty Office Hours 5
Writing Center 6
MyCourses 7
Turnitin.com 8
Composition: Class Policies and Procedures 11
Attendance 11
Classroom Behavior 12
Late Work and Failure to Turn in Work 12
“Incomplete” Grades 12
Student-Teacher Conferences 12
Contacting Instructors by Email 13
Plagiarism 15
Plagiarism Defined 15
Integrating Sources 15
Types of Plagiarism 16
Penalties for Plagiarism 16
Why Students Plagiarize 17
A Case of Plagiarism 17
Guidelines for Proper Use of Sources 18
Ways to Avoid Plagiarism 18
EN 1103: English Composition I 21
Course Information 21
EN 1103—Student’s Record of Grades 23
Student Writing Skills Self-Evaluation 25
Diagnostic Writing 27
Comp I Grading Sheet 29–38
En 1113: English Composition II 39
Course Information 39
EN 1113 - Student’s Record of Grades 41
Student Writing Skills Self-Evaluation 43
Diagnostic Writing 45
Comp II Grading Sheet 47–54
Critical Reading and Writing Skills 55
Finding the Main Points 57–60
Reading Actively 61–64
Evaluating Author Intent 65–68
What Is a Paragraph? 69
Special Types of Paragraphs 70
Journaling 71
Brainstorming Exercise 73–76
Anticipating Audience Response 77
Visual Essay Organizer 79
Peer Response 81
Using Sources: Summarizing, Paraphrasing, Quoting, MLA 83
Plagiarism Examples 84
Summarizing and Paraphrasing 84
Direct Quotations 88
Integrating Sources: Introduce, Cite, and Follow!! 89
Summarizing Exercise 91
Paraphrasing Exercise 93
Quoting Exercise 93
MLA Documentation Exercise I 95
MLA Documentation Exercise II 97
MLA Works Cited List Exercise I 99
MLA Works Cited List Exercise II 101
Literacy Narrative 103
“Once upon a time”. . . Asking Questions, Telling Stories 103
Using Burke’s Pentad to Ask Questions about Narrative 104
Applying Burke’s Pentad to Frederick Douglass’ Autobiography 105
Excerpt from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave 105
Journaling on Douglass’ Autobiography 108
Recognizing the Qualities of a Narrative Essay 109
Student Essay: “Fighting for America” 111
Mastering the Process of Critical Reading and Writing 112
Guidelines for Responding to Draft of Narrative Essay 116
Writing Your Own Narrative Essay 117
Excerpt from When I was Puerto Rican, “A Shot at It” by Esmeralda Santiago 118
Journaling on Maxine Hong Kingston’s Autobiography 124
Excerpt from The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston 124
Journaling on Maya Angelou’s Autobiography 129
Excerpt from I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou 130
Choosing a Topic for Your Narrative Essay 134
Student Model Essay—Literacy Narrative
“A Way with Words” 137
Student Model Essay—Literacy Narrative
“Cultural Literacy over Chicken Salad” 139
Literacy Narrative Peer Response 141–144
Analysis 145
Understanding The Elements of Persuasion 145
“Letter from Eight White Clergymen—A Call for Unity” 146
Journaling on Martin Luther King’s Letter 147
“Letter from Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King, Jr. 148
Analyzing the Persuasive Elements in King’s Letter 158
Blending the Inductive and Deductive Processes 160
Blending Deduction and Induction 161
Blending Pathos with Sound Reasoning to Achieve Mediational Goals 163
Prewriting on King’s Letter 164
Evaluating an Argument 164
Essay Analysis in Practice 167
“Should Felons Vote?” by Edward Feser 167
Student Model Essay—Analysis
“‘Should Felons Vote’: Convincingly Unconvincing” 171
Analysis of an Argument 172
Student Model Essay—Argument Analysis
“Measuring What Counts” 173
Analysis of Rhetorical Strategies 175
Student Model Essay—Rhetorical Analysis
“An Analysis of Morton M. Kondracke’s Rhetorical Strategies” 176
Analysis Exercise 179
Analysis Peer Response 181–184
Comparative Analysis 185
Comparing Two Arguments 185
Structuring Comparative Analysis 186
Student Model Essay—Comparative Analysis
“An Analytical Comparison of Ellen Hopkins’ ‘Sex Is For Adults’
and Carol F. Roye’s ‘Protect Our Children’” 189
Student Model Essay—Comparative Analysis
“Made Worthy or Rendered Unnatural” 191
Student Model Essay—Comparative Analysis
“The Woman’s Voice in Women’s Rights: Comparing the Tactics of
Wollstonecraft and Stanton” 193
Comparative Analysis Exercise 197
Comparative Analysis Essay Plan Sheet 199
Comparative Analysis Peer Response 201–204
Argument 205
Arguing a Position 207
Writing an Argument without Sources 208
Argument Exercise 209
Student Model Essay—Argument in Response to an Article
“Academic Success through Frequent Assessment” 211
“Free Downloads Play Sweet Music” by Janis Ian 213
Student Model Essay—Argument Response to an Article
“Free Music Sounds Better” 216
Student Model Essay—Argument with Sources
“Art Education: A Win-Win Situation” 217
Student Model Essay—Argument with Sources
“Equal but Unique: The Importance of Tracking” 219
Student Model Essay—Argument with Sources
“Effective Service Learning In Institutions of Higher Education” 222
Argument without Sources Peer Response 225–228
Argument with Sources Peer Response 229–232
Research 233
Research—The Purpose and Procedure 233
“The Process of Research: Joining the Conversation”
by M.J. Braun and Sarah Prineas 234
Evaluating Information Found on the Web 239
Differentiating Between Journals and Magazines 240
Library Databases vs. Search Engines 241
Finding Sources in Mitchell Memorial Library 242
Library Exercise 243
Introductions, Body Paragraphs, and Conclusions for Exploratory Papers 245
Organizing an Exploratory Essay 245
Student Model Essay—Research Project
“How I Chose My Research Question” 247
Model Exploratory Exercise 249
Student Model Essay—Exploratory Essay
“The Effects of Single-Parenthood on Children” 251
Student Model—Journaling: Choosing the Argument
“How I Chose My Argument Topic” 254
Student Model—Annotated Bibliography
“An Annotated Bibliography for Two Many Parents:
The Necessity of Single-Parent Assistance” 255
Student Model—Outline
“An Outline for Two Many Parents: The Necessity of Single-Parent Assistance” 258
Student Model Essay—Argumentative Research Essay
“Two Many Parents: The Necessity of Single-Parent Assistance” 260
Student Model Essay—Research
“Two Steps Back is Two Steps Forward:
The Impact of Goats in Landscape Architecture” 263
Research Topic Exercise 267
Exploratory Exercise 269
Creating an Annotated Bibliography 271
Organization of the Research Paper 271
Research Presentation Peer Response 273
Exploratory Research Peer Response 275–278
Writing about Literature 279
Why Write about Literature 279
Basic Elements of Writing about Literature 280
Activities for Writing about Literature 289
Types of Assignments 292
Student Model Essay—Fiction
“The Caged Bird in ‘The Story of an Hour”’ 295
Student Model Essay—Fiction
“The Doors of Emily’s Home” 297
Student Model Essay—Fiction
“‘The Yellow Wallpaper’ and ‘The Story of an Hour’:
Freedom Within Despite External Captivity” 300
Student Model Essay—Fiction
“Lonely is the Protagonist” 302
Student Model Essay—Fiction
“Not Just a ‘Girl’” 304
Fiction Exercise 307
Fiction Research Exercise 311
Fiction Essay Plan Sheet 313
Fiction Peer Response 317–320
“My Life had stood—a Loaded Gun” by Emily Dickinson 321
Student Model Essay—Poetry
“A Gun’s Perspective” 322
“The Soldier” by Rupert Brooke 323
“Anthem for Doomed Youth” by Wilfred Owen 323
Student Model Essay—Poetry
“Is the Soldier a Doomed Youth?” 324
“The Man He Killed” by Thomas Hardy 326
“An Irish Airman Foresees His Death” by William Butler Yeats 326
Student Model Essay—Poetry
“War: The Game Where No One Wins” 327
Student Model Essay—Poetry
“White Lies” 329
Emily Dickenson
“I never saw a Moor—” 331
“‘Faith’ is a fine invention” 331
“Apparently with no surprise” 331
“I know that He exists” 331
Student Model Essay—Poetry
“Religious Faith in Four Poems by Emily Dickinson” 332
Poetry Exercise 335
Poetry Research Exercise 339
Poetry Essay Plan Sheet 341
Poetry Project Cover Sheet 345–348
Appendix 349
Statement of Composition Policies and
Mississippi State University Freshman Composition Program Standard Release Form 351–358

For questions or information about this page contact: Marty Price

Last Modified: August 12, 2011