1. A classification essay takes several different objects or subjects, and groups them into different categories. These different objects or subjects are grouped according to the qualities and the characteristics they share, or don’t share. Classification essays are nice for categorizing subjects, but categorizing too many subjects should be avoided.
2.
• “During the silent picture era, movie studios produced three main categories of films.” The fact that the author states that there are three main categories defines the essay as a classification-type essay.
• The topic sentence for the first body paragraph is, “Western films were very popular due to a number of factors.” The topic sentence for the second body paragraph is, “Another category of the film story line was the slapstick comedy.” The topic sentence for the last body paragraph is, “Romance films by far were the most popular due to several factors.”
• I think the author uses great examples to enhance her classification. The author uses names of directors, actresses, and even the titles of certain silent films, which is pretty impressive.
• The author’s use of transitions in this essay are kind of lacking, although he/she does use one transition to move fairly nicely from the second paragraph to the third paragraph. The transition used at the beginning of the third paragraph is, “Another,” which does the job, but seems a little bit choppy.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Friday, October 5, 2007
Deadline #10, C/C Rough Draft
High school and the college life are like night and day. They’re poles apart. High school is like junior varsity, and college is like finally making it to the big varsity game. Even though high school and college are only months apart from one another, and are only one step apart from each other in the education process, they are nothing alike. In high school, the teachers tell you what to do and when to do it, whereas college professors expect their students to be responsible enough to do the work on their own. High school teachers make connections more on a personal level with their students, and college professors oftentimes do not even know their students names. And, obviously, one of the most important differences of high school and college is the expenses.
All throughout high school, students are told exactly what to do by their teachers. They are told what assignments need to be done, how they are to be done, and when they are supposed to be done. And if they aren’t done just how the teacher says to do it? Students then face consequences from detention to parent conferences. In college, however, a student is counted on to be responsible enough to do all the assignments that are assigned on time, and to the teachers’ expectations. If a student doesn’t do the assignments assigned on time in college, the only consequence is a bad grade. And thank heavens. Getting calls home for not doing homework can really become a pain.
Also, high school teachers tend to make more of a connection with their students. Because the class sizes tend to be smaller, the teachers in high school can get to know their students on more of a personal level. In some students’ cases, this also means that the teachers get to know the parents a little better too. On the flip side, college professors have bigger classes and have a harder time getting to know their students. Many college courses have upwards of a hundred people, so it can be pretty difficult for a professor to get to know each one of their students. For the student that feels like they need to be the center of attention, this sucks. But for the student that likes to lay low and not really be noticed or make a scene, this is the best.
The biggest difference in many students’ minds is the expenses. High school is basically expense free. Minus, of course, the trips out to lunch. And lost books. But other than that, high school is pretty much expense-free. High school seems so blissful compared to college. The years spent in high school seem worry-free, because of the College is a completely different story though. In college, there are so many things to be paid for. Books need to be paid for, taking the classes themselves need to be paid for, food needs to be paid for, and a place to live needs to be paid for. And typically, the general allowance dealt out by parents is cut because the student is now “on their own,” so students also now need money for wide-ranging weekend purposes and dates.
It’s funny how the perception of high school and college seem to be so similar. The fact remains that, while students are getting prepared for college their entire lives through elementary school, junior high or middle school, and high school, the typical student isn’t ever completely ready for college. A student may be academically ready for the change, but the social change from high school to college is something that students always have to get used to. From changes in teacher behavior to changes in the expenses of school, students always have some getting used to.
All throughout high school, students are told exactly what to do by their teachers. They are told what assignments need to be done, how they are to be done, and when they are supposed to be done. And if they aren’t done just how the teacher says to do it? Students then face consequences from detention to parent conferences. In college, however, a student is counted on to be responsible enough to do all the assignments that are assigned on time, and to the teachers’ expectations. If a student doesn’t do the assignments assigned on time in college, the only consequence is a bad grade. And thank heavens. Getting calls home for not doing homework can really become a pain.
Also, high school teachers tend to make more of a connection with their students. Because the class sizes tend to be smaller, the teachers in high school can get to know their students on more of a personal level. In some students’ cases, this also means that the teachers get to know the parents a little better too. On the flip side, college professors have bigger classes and have a harder time getting to know their students. Many college courses have upwards of a hundred people, so it can be pretty difficult for a professor to get to know each one of their students. For the student that feels like they need to be the center of attention, this sucks. But for the student that likes to lay low and not really be noticed or make a scene, this is the best.
The biggest difference in many students’ minds is the expenses. High school is basically expense free. Minus, of course, the trips out to lunch. And lost books. But other than that, high school is pretty much expense-free. High school seems so blissful compared to college. The years spent in high school seem worry-free, because of the College is a completely different story though. In college, there are so many things to be paid for. Books need to be paid for, taking the classes themselves need to be paid for, food needs to be paid for, and a place to live needs to be paid for. And typically, the general allowance dealt out by parents is cut because the student is now “on their own,” so students also now need money for wide-ranging weekend purposes and dates.
It’s funny how the perception of high school and college seem to be so similar. The fact remains that, while students are getting prepared for college their entire lives through elementary school, junior high or middle school, and high school, the typical student isn’t ever completely ready for college. A student may be academically ready for the change, but the social change from high school to college is something that students always have to get used to. From changes in teacher behavior to changes in the expenses of school, students always have some getting used to.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Deadline #9, Outline
Thesis: College and high school, despite being only twelve months apart from each other and simply the next step in the schooling process, are very different from one another.
I. College is more independent study, whereas high school is much stricter. Teachers tell you what to do and when to do it in high school.
II. College professors oftentimes do not know their students names. High school teachers make a connection with their students like most other college professors wouldn’t.
III. College is the first time a student needs to worry about expenses, unless they previously went to a private school.
Conclusion: College and high school, despite being only twelve months apart from each other and simple the next step in the schooling process, are very different from one another.
I. College is more independent study, whereas high school is much stricter. Teachers tell you what to do and when to do it in high school.
II. College professors oftentimes do not know their students names. High school teachers make a connection with their students like most other college professors wouldn’t.
III. College is the first time a student needs to worry about expenses, unless they previously went to a private school.
Conclusion: College and high school, despite being only twelve months apart from each other and simple the next step in the schooling process, are very different from one another.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Deadline #8, Com / Con
• Compare and contrast essays explain either similarities or differences between two people, places, objects, or ideas in order to explain or clarify one or the other. One way to organize a comparison and/or a contrast essay is the block or thought-grouped method. Another method of organizing a comparison and/or a contrast essay is the point-by-point or alternating method.
•
1. The thesis of this essay is the last sentence in the opening paragraph, which states, “There are two main types of men in the world: the committer and the non-committer.”
2. This essay is organized in a block pattern.
3. I think the author uses excellent examples to point out the differences between the two types of men. The examples the author uses are funny and seem to be pretty relatively accurate.
4. The author only uses a couple transitions (unlike and however) to help the reader move back and forth between the discussions of the two types of men. Other than that, the author simply jumps from the one type of man to the other.
5. The tone of the author in this essay was playful. The author pointed out the stereotypical features of two types of men in a sort of silly way.
•
1. The thesis of this essay is the last sentence in the opening paragraph, which states, “There are two main types of men in the world: the committer and the non-committer.”
2. This essay is organized in a block pattern.
3. I think the author uses excellent examples to point out the differences between the two types of men. The examples the author uses are funny and seem to be pretty relatively accurate.
4. The author only uses a couple transitions (unlike and however) to help the reader move back and forth between the discussions of the two types of men. Other than that, the author simply jumps from the one type of man to the other.
5. The tone of the author in this essay was playful. The author pointed out the stereotypical features of two types of men in a sort of silly way.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Deadline #7, Point of View
Public schools ought to require their students to wear uniforms. Being subjected to many prejudices already, students shouldn’t have to deal with the prejudice of what kinds of clothes to wear… or not wear. If all students wore uniforms, they wouldn’t be faced with the prejudice that goes along with wearing expensive designer clothes, or wearing second hand clothes that went out of style when Mr. Adams was a student in school. Another benefit of mandatory school uniforms is the anonymity of economic status. Safety is another big reason uniforms should be required at school. Today, it can be dangerous to wear the wrong colors or accessories such as bandannas. Gang members have taken such offense at an innocent student’s clothing as to injure or even kill the unsuspecting student because of their choice of attire. If school uniforms were instituted, students wouldn’t have to make that frantic last minute dash to find something “cool” to wear for school. There also wouldn’t be such a pressure to “fit in” as far as clothing was concerned because students would know exactly what they would wear on any given day, enabling them to know without a doubt that they would look like they “belonged.” Logically, making school uniforms mandatory would solve many problems facing students concerning what to wear to school.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Deadline 6, Narrative Draft
The Foolishness of Feigning a Felony
My record was as clean as clean could be. It looked like that was all going to change that chilly December night, however. It all started out with me and six of my friends stuffing our bored selves with Taco Bell and talking about our favorite show on MTV, “Jackass.” It was at this point that one of us got the bright idea to reenact one of our favorite pranks from the show. We would tie up one of our friends, throw him in the trunk of one our cars, and let him pop out at a major intersection, making it look like he had been kidnapped. Well, it sounded funny to a bunch of seventeen year old kids, looking for a little excitement and a good laugh. Little did we know we would get a lot more than that little bit of excitement we were hoping for. We would soon realize that faking a kidnapping is a true act of idiocy.
Within five minutes of the idea being presented at Taco Bell, we had Brad stripped down to his boxers, tied up and gagged. This was going to be hilarious. When we pulled up to the light at McKellips and Gilbert there had to have been at least a million people in attendance for our little hoax. There were bleachers, if I remember correctly, that were just built on the sides of the road that were filled to capacity. Children were on the edge of their seats. There were even popcorn and cotton candy vendors selling what they could before the practical joke went down.
When it seemed like the intersection couldn’t contain any more cars or people, the trunk was popped. Brad came bursting out of the trunk, struggling against the ropes and mustering up a pretty good “help,” despite the duct tape on his mouth. He went running across the intersection in nothing but some dirty boxers that looked like he had been wearing for more than a week, a strip of duct tape, and some rope. It was a pretty convincing show he put on, but not convincing enough. So. Tim and I jumped out of the car, screaming at Brad to get back in the trunk, “Or else!” If our audience didn’t believe Brad’s performance alone, the show Tim and I put on was Broadway-worthy. All traffic stopped. The only noises that could be heard were the screams of me and Tim chasing Brad into a nearby neighborhood. And the sirens.
This was about the time that we realized our little prank might not have been very smart. We turned to see the police officer pull over the car we had just emerged from and we nearly got run over by our getaway car, driven by another friend. Almost immediately after hopping in our getaway car, a police helicopter was hovering above us with its spotlight on us. At this point we knew we were idiots. Within another two minutes there was another police helicopter hanging over us with its spotlight right on us. The light from those two spotlights was enough to make me think the sun had decided to come up a little earlier than usual. If having two police helicopters balancing above us wasn’t gut-wrenching enough, we turned around in our seats to see that we had a train of eight police cars closely following us. At the exact same time, all eight cars flipped on their lights and sirens, informing us of our need to pull over immediately. The people in this neighborhood must have either thought that this was their moment to make a cameo appearance on COPS, or that the circus was rolling through town, because all that noise and all those lights attracted every living soul within a five mile radius.
My already small bladder got even smaller when four of the police officers approached our car with their guns drawn, screaming at us to get out of the car with our hands in the air. We all got out and proceeded to get yelled at more by all sixteen of the police officers when we recounted our version of the “kidnapping.” After the police officers had called off the news helicopters, we had to sit out on the cold curb for an hour while the police officers lectured us one by one, until all those that needed to vent their anger had vented. Despite our stupidity, the police surprisingly found a little humor in our little stunt, after they had cooled down a bit, of course. My record remained as clean as clean could be, however, we definitely learned an important lesson that night: faking a felony is not something to joke around about.
My record was as clean as clean could be. It looked like that was all going to change that chilly December night, however. It all started out with me and six of my friends stuffing our bored selves with Taco Bell and talking about our favorite show on MTV, “Jackass.” It was at this point that one of us got the bright idea to reenact one of our favorite pranks from the show. We would tie up one of our friends, throw him in the trunk of one our cars, and let him pop out at a major intersection, making it look like he had been kidnapped. Well, it sounded funny to a bunch of seventeen year old kids, looking for a little excitement and a good laugh. Little did we know we would get a lot more than that little bit of excitement we were hoping for. We would soon realize that faking a kidnapping is a true act of idiocy.
Within five minutes of the idea being presented at Taco Bell, we had Brad stripped down to his boxers, tied up and gagged. This was going to be hilarious. When we pulled up to the light at McKellips and Gilbert there had to have been at least a million people in attendance for our little hoax. There were bleachers, if I remember correctly, that were just built on the sides of the road that were filled to capacity. Children were on the edge of their seats. There were even popcorn and cotton candy vendors selling what they could before the practical joke went down.
When it seemed like the intersection couldn’t contain any more cars or people, the trunk was popped. Brad came bursting out of the trunk, struggling against the ropes and mustering up a pretty good “help,” despite the duct tape on his mouth. He went running across the intersection in nothing but some dirty boxers that looked like he had been wearing for more than a week, a strip of duct tape, and some rope. It was a pretty convincing show he put on, but not convincing enough. So. Tim and I jumped out of the car, screaming at Brad to get back in the trunk, “Or else!” If our audience didn’t believe Brad’s performance alone, the show Tim and I put on was Broadway-worthy. All traffic stopped. The only noises that could be heard were the screams of me and Tim chasing Brad into a nearby neighborhood. And the sirens.
This was about the time that we realized our little prank might not have been very smart. We turned to see the police officer pull over the car we had just emerged from and we nearly got run over by our getaway car, driven by another friend. Almost immediately after hopping in our getaway car, a police helicopter was hovering above us with its spotlight on us. At this point we knew we were idiots. Within another two minutes there was another police helicopter hanging over us with its spotlight right on us. The light from those two spotlights was enough to make me think the sun had decided to come up a little earlier than usual. If having two police helicopters balancing above us wasn’t gut-wrenching enough, we turned around in our seats to see that we had a train of eight police cars closely following us. At the exact same time, all eight cars flipped on their lights and sirens, informing us of our need to pull over immediately. The people in this neighborhood must have either thought that this was their moment to make a cameo appearance on COPS, or that the circus was rolling through town, because all that noise and all those lights attracted every living soul within a five mile radius.
My already small bladder got even smaller when four of the police officers approached our car with their guns drawn, screaming at us to get out of the car with our hands in the air. We all got out and proceeded to get yelled at more by all sixteen of the police officers when we recounted our version of the “kidnapping.” After the police officers had called off the news helicopters, we had to sit out on the cold curb for an hour while the police officers lectured us one by one, until all those that needed to vent their anger had vented. Despite our stupidity, the police surprisingly found a little humor in our little stunt, after they had cooled down a bit, of course. My record remained as clean as clean could be, however, we definitely learned an important lesson that night: faking a felony is not something to joke around about.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Deadline #4
1.
• A narrative essay tells a story in chronological order.
• Narrative essays are organized in chronological order.
• Transitional words and phrases display the chronological order of the narrative essay.
• Some common transitional words and phrases used in narrative essays are: next, then, later, after that, and finally.
2.
• The opening paragraph creates an interest that makes me want to keep reading because the figurative language she uses describing her as a baby is entertaining and amusing.
• The thesis of the essay is that everyone has beauty that is waiting to be shown to the world, and the girl in this essay was helped by her father to realize the beauty she possessed.
• The narration in this essay begins at the very beginning, starting with the very first sentence.
• The author describes herself as a baby using phrases like, “Michelin tire legs” and “two chins,” and describes her legs as a young woman in the awkward stages of puberty as “colonial columns.”
• These descriptions contribute a lot to the essay. It was the comical phrases used to describe herself as a baby that kept me interested in the essay, and the description of her legs helps to portray the awkwardness and ugly duckling-like features of a young woman going through puberty.
• A narrative essay tells a story in chronological order.
• Narrative essays are organized in chronological order.
• Transitional words and phrases display the chronological order of the narrative essay.
• Some common transitional words and phrases used in narrative essays are: next, then, later, after that, and finally.
2.
• The opening paragraph creates an interest that makes me want to keep reading because the figurative language she uses describing her as a baby is entertaining and amusing.
• The thesis of the essay is that everyone has beauty that is waiting to be shown to the world, and the girl in this essay was helped by her father to realize the beauty she possessed.
• The narration in this essay begins at the very beginning, starting with the very first sentence.
• The author describes herself as a baby using phrases like, “Michelin tire legs” and “two chins,” and describes her legs as a young woman in the awkward stages of puberty as “colonial columns.”
• These descriptions contribute a lot to the essay. It was the comical phrases used to describe herself as a baby that kept me interested in the essay, and the description of her legs helps to portray the awkwardness and ugly duckling-like features of a young woman going through puberty.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)