Scores Report: Write-Ups 3 & 4 (and your reading assignment)

Here's a link to your scores on Write-Ups 3 and 4 (organized by the last four digits of your student ID):
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ap9oU02C12STdGFFUTU4VGt5SWVwZmFBNjRvMU53Q2c#gid=0.

Remember: The way I give points to write-ups is simple. I have four parameters that I give points to, and for each parameter, you either get a point or you don't. These parameters are ...

1) The summary section (basically, whether it's clear, organized, and finished), 

2) The response section (similarly, whether it's clear and organized, but also whether it matches the depth and organization of the summary somehow; in other words, are you responding to the ideas you're summarizing, as well as thoroughly developing your own point?), 

3) The citation (whether you did it or not, and whether you included most of the basic citation details for the article), and 

4) The overall write-up (whether or not you have a clear, complete, and organized overall write-up).

So take a look at your score, especially if you have anything other than a 4/4, and see if you can figure out which of these parameters you need to work on. I'll give you an initial hint: Many of you aren't doing so well on #2. (And, just as an added note to those who submitted your write-up late: I do take off a point for late submissions.)

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Finally, please read the next chapter in Atul Gawade's book, Better. This chapter is titled, "The Score," and it's goes from page 169 to 200. So it's not a short chapter. Whether or not we get to discuss all of it doesn't matter. In fact, whether or not we get to discuss it at all doesn't matter, either. What matters is this: It seems to me that your writing is improving as a result of reading Gawande's book. I'm seeing both Gawande's well-structured writing and his analytical approach to health topics come out in your writing, too -- in your own unique styles, of course. So let's keep going through this book, and let's keep working on emulating strong writing practices and making them our own.

This Week's Online Activity (Due Saturday, 3/29/2014)

Naysayer for "On Fighting"

Look back over the chapter in Atul Gawande's Better titled, "On Fighting" (p. 154-165). As you look through this chapter, pay special attention to moments where Gawande seems to be considering arguments against his point. Some writers like to call arguments against their own points "The Opposing Side." Other writers like to call such disagreeing arguments "Naysayers." Can you notice a few "Opposing Side" arguments, or "Naysayer" arguments?

Here's what I want you to do in your online activity for this week: Choose one of the following options and respond to it in a short, effectively structured but casual essay of at least 300 words.

Option A:

Present one moment in which Atul Gawande entertains an "Opposing Side" or "Naysayer." Do not quote the point Atul Gawande is trying to make; just carefully introduce -- making sure to say why it struck you, what you see in it, and so on -- then paraphrase his point, in your own words. Once you've done that, introduce and quote the "Opposing Side" or "Naysayer" in this section of the chapter. Then explain what this argument says, and why it goes against Gawande's point. Finally, discuss why it's important to notice these two opposing points -- Gawande's own point on the one hand, and the "Opposing Side" or "Naysayer" point on the other hand.

Option B:

Choose one moment in this chapter, and think of a possible "Opposing Side" or "Naysayer" argument to present against Gawande's point. This doesn't have to be your own opinion; you're welcome to invent a perspective that you don't personally agree with. Now, in your short essay, first, introduce Gawande's point. Like in Option A, do not quote the Gawande's point; just carefully introduce -- making sure to say why it struck you, what you see in it, and so on -- then paraphrase his point, in your own words. Once you've done that, present what a possible "Opposing Side" or "Naysayer" might say in reponse to Gawande's point. Then explain what this argument says, and why it goes against Gawande's point. Finally, discuss why it's important to notice these two opposing points -- Gawande's own point on the one hand, and the "Opposing Side" or "Naysayer" point (that you've thought of on your own) on the other hand.

Submission guidelines: Post your resulting casual essay on your group blog, before 11:59 PM Saturday night, 3/29/2014.

Homework Reminders (Week 11)

This is just to remind you:

-- You have another pair of article write-ups due this week. These write-ups are exactly the same as the previous two, except you have to do them on two different articles from the ones you used before. So you'll have to do a bit more research and find two new articles to work with, if you haven't already done so. Be sure to check out the "article write-ups" label here, or scroll down and check out the posts about article write-ups. You might even want to check out the "research links" label for some help in research. All the instructions are there.

-- Also: Please go on reading in Atul Gawande's book, Better. For this week, please read the chapter, "On Fighting," p. 154-165. This is the last chapter in the second part of the book, "Doing Right." It's all about the distances we expect our doctors to go in their work.

-- One more thing: There's a casual blog post, due the same time that Write-Ups 3 and 4 are due. It's just a casual little post about how your research is going.