Homework for Tuesday 12/2

1. On the assignment sheet for Writing Project 2 it says that we have a second draft due of the Proposal essay on Thursday, 12/4. I am going to keep this deadline, so, plan to have a revised draft for that day. (again, please bring 2 copies)

2. Over the break, I am asking you to read Andrea Lunsford and Karen Lunsford's article "'Mistakes are a Fact of Life': A National Comparative Study" (the authors are mother/daughter). This is another long article--23 pages or so. Again, I would NOT wait until the last minute to begin reading it. I would advise you to take a look at the article ahead of time and find a way to break it up into 4-5 parts or sections that you can tackle one at a time. 

A few words on the article itself: it's about errors in student writing. Particularly, it's about mechanical or grammatical errors. We have not talked a great deal about grammar this semester, so this article should give us an opportunity to explore the topic. In this study, the mother/daughter team of Lunsford/Lunsford review a study that was done back in the 1980s on the issue of errors in student papers. They then decide to replicate or "re-do" the study for 2008, to see what is still true about the way college students make errors in their writing and also what has changed since the time of the original study (which was conducted by Lunsford/Connors). Please read the article carefully and expect a quiz. 

3. Blog Entry 19: 

a) What interested you or surprised you in the Lunsford/Lunsford article? 

b) What errors do you make in your writing? Why?

c) What connections can you make, if any, with their study? How does it speak to you and your own experience with writing and errors?

250-300 Words

4. I am looking for (1) volunteer from each of my classes who would be willing to have his/her Proposal Essay critiqued in class on Tuesday. If you are willing, please get in touch ASAP!