Lit 11 - Writing Assignments

Before looking at the actual writing assignments, lets begin by identifying the Georgia Performance Standards they will address as well as the process we will use in this class.

The Standards:

ELA11W1 The student produces writing that establishes an appropriate organizational structure, sets a context and engages the reader, maintains a coherent focus throughout, and signals a satisfying closure.

ELA11W2 The student demonstrates competence in a variety of genres.

ELA11W3 The student uses research and technology to support writing.

ELA11W4 The student practices both timed and process writing and, when applicable, uses the writing process to develop, revise, and evaluate writing.

As you compose your rough drafts, you should always keep these standards in mind. They will also be instrumental in our editing process.
The Writing Process:

You will receive three grades for each of the four writing assignments you will complete:

1. Rough Draft -- have two pages of double-spaced Times New Roman 12-point text by the day it is due for editing.
2. Editing -- You will edit with one of your peers. This is a timed exercise, and it should be easy to earn a high score on this portion of your writing process.
3. Final Draft -- This will be my evaluation of your writing. You may complete more drafts to earn a higher score if you choose. Any essay scoring below an 80 will need to be revised.

Your Writing Assignments:

1. Writing One: Persuasive Writing --Persuasive writing is a form with which you are probably very familiar. It appears in newspapers and magazines, and you are likely to have already written your fair share of persuasive writing. The topics for the Georgia High School Graduation Writing Test are usually persuasive in nature.
   
   Persuasive Writing is a piece of writing in which you try to persuade someone to agree with you or to convince them to share your opinion of something.
   
   You may choose a political issue like immigration, upcoming elections, state graduation tests, drivers' licence policies for teanagers, or the war in Iraq to attempt to get others to share your feelings on the issue.
   You may choose to argue that your favorite entertainer, athlete, team, television show or movie is the best.
   You may choose to convice people that something going on today needs to be changed.
   You can read some good examples of persuasive writing here, here, here, and here.
   EVIDENCE is one of the most important elements of persuasive writing. If you are attempting to change someone's mind, or influence their opinion, you need to provide examples of why you feel the way you do.
   
   
   
   Some Student examples that may be helpful to you:
   
   
   Curt Cobain did not Kill Himself -- Morgan Chapman
   Immigration -- Carlos Baires
   Monopoly at McDonald's is not a Rip-off -- Anisha Hayes
   The Attendance Policy is Dumb -- Toikia Hancock
   
   
   
2. Writing Two -- Analytical Writing -- Students in Lit 11 should submit a piece of analytical writing. To analyze something means to break it into small pieces to understand it better. For instance, if I wanted to learn more about engines, I might take one apart to better understand how it works. Analytical writing is a little different. You may want to analyze the work of your favorite musician or visual artist, or you may want to analyze how a certain political decision affects people, or whether or not a decision was the correct one to make.
   
   
   
   
   Examples you should read: Analytical Writing -- Kayla Fortson -- Rhythm and Blues
   Analytical Writing -- Andrea Coleman -- Reggae
   Analytical Writing -- Caleb Pope -- Emo Subculture
   Analytical Writing -- Jeff Green -- The Magic of Athens
   
   
   
   
   Are Baseball Umpires Racist?
   
   
   
   
   Should Huck Finn be Banned?
   
   A Track-by-Track Breakdown of Lil' Wayne's Rebirth
   
   
   Or you can read one of mine:
   
   Atlanta Sports Fans
   Records or CDs?
   
3. Research Writing --
   
   
   
   Your next writing assignment will require you to do some research on a topic of your choice. Completing this assignment responsibly will help you with your senior project research paper when that time comes for you.

   
   

   This research report will be pretty brief (the usual two pages of double-spaced 12pt Times New Roman), and you will need at least two reliable sources from which you get your information. If you are having a difficult time choosing reliable sources, check out the post titled Taking Research Notes, which will also instruct you on how to get necessary bibliographic information from your sources. When it is time to start writing, you should also review the post titled Citing Your Sources, which will show you how to give credit to the people from whom you collected your research. Students who choose to learn these skills with this piece of writing will have a much easier time when it is time to write your big research paper.

   
   

   So? What do you research?

   
   

   I would choose something in which you are interested, but know little about. Researching something about which you are already knowledgeable can be difficult.

   
   

   Some ideas:

   
   

   The history of public school in Athens, Ga

   
   

   The requirements for starting a career in which you are interested

   
   

   The history of a school you would like to attend

   
   

   The development of your favorite sport or game

   
   

   The origins of a law or policy with which you agree or disagree

   
   

   The posibilities are endless, but you should discuss your topic with me before you start. I do not want you researching a topic that will make this assignment any more difficult than it needs to be.
   
   Here are some examples that may help you out:
   
   Amber Gaines -- Lizzie Borden
   Todd Roberts -- How to Run for President
   Tony Bolton -- Wilt Chamberlain
   Victoria Slaboda -- Geisha (a great example of citations)
   
   
4. 
   
   
   Timed Writing Exercise -- GHSGWT Practice -- Stay tuned