Reminder: Essay 2 Draft 2 and Final Draft

Just to remind you: Your final draft of Essay 2 is due next week, on Tuesday, 3/18/2014. I'll accept hard copies only by the start of class, and only with the rubric attached to the front. And I'll accept email submissions only until 11:59 PM Tuesday night, and only in a .doc or .docx Word file attached to an email message sent to my gmail email.

Also: Don't forget that you have a rare chance to collect extra credit points by posting your Essay 2 Draft 2 on your group blog (please use the label "Essay 2 Draft 2"). And you have yet another chance to collect extra credit points by leaving grammar comments on your classmates' Essay 2 Draft 2's. Please be aware: I'll give extra credit only to drafts posted before 11:59 PM on this Sunday, 3/16/2014 and only to grammar comments posted before 11:59 PM on this Monday, 3/17/2014.

For more details, consult your syllabus and course schedule.

Your Sample Search & Other Reminders

I hope you're having a good spring break. For a quick update on your Essay 2 Draft 1 scores, scroll down and check out the post right before this one. But don't forget that you have homework due this week, too. Let me give you some quick notes about that.

-- First, for those of you still thinking deeply about your sample search, maybe you're worried about doing your search and submitting it properly. Here is a short breakdown of the assignment: 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CCfZ54v1EDQRUpcIfwXUAkn1G2RZh2dTNlCxmaWXpyk/edit.

(Be aware: Those of you who have already submitted your search, you're fine. You do not need to submit another search.)

-- Second, for those of you thinking deeply about your critiques (And remember: You have two [2] critiques due this Thursday night, for two [2] different classmates!), you might be worried about how to fill a 500 word critique. That's understandable. But I'll answer this concern very simply: Your critiques are your responsibility, not anybody else's. If you write an insufficient critique, only you lose points. Now, let's just look at the matter a little bit more closely: If there isn't enough to write about in your partners' critiques, then you could easily write about what's not there! Make suggestions; ask questions; invite your critique partners to say more or to organize their drafts better. Use critical thinking and write effectively -- that's what I'm always asking for.

I'm looking forward to seeing your good work. Your research advice was inspiring, and now I only want to read more of your ideas.

Reminders for This Week and Next

Please remember...

-- Since we won't be meeting this Thursday, I'll be posting an online assignment for you to do. This assignment should be up tomorrow, Wednesday, 3/5/2014. This assignment will be due by Saturday night, 11:59 PM.

-- The first draft of your Essay 2 is due on your group blog this Thursday night, 3/6/2014, by 11:59 PM. Please post your draft as a link to a Google Drive document. Just don't forget to "Share" your document with "Anyone with the link." Also: Once you post your link, highlight it and click "LINK" to make that link clickable.

-- Your two critiques (each a complete, casual essay of 500 words) in response to your two (2) critique partners' essays are due in the comments section of each of their drafts next Thursday night, 3/13/2014, by 11:59 PM. You may, if you like, either copy-and-paste your critique into the comments section or provide a link to a Google Drive document (your choice). But please, post your critiques only in the comments section below each of their drafts.

-- Also, by 11:59 PM next Thursday, 3/13/2014, please submit what I'm calling "a search" -- basically, a document (emailed to me) which contains your developing Works Cited page (or, in other words, a list of the citations for all the articles you've used in your research so far). On this Works Cited page, please follow up each citation with a few comments about the content and effectiveness of the article that this citation refers to. These should just be casual comments to help me see what you think you'll use each of your sources for.

-- Lastly, please make sure to keep up with any announcements I might need to make in the meantime.

Have a great Spring Break!

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P. S. -- Those of you who submitted your Essay 1 to me via email: I should have your essay back to you within the next few days. And if you submitted your essay by hard copy and you didn't receive it, or you weren't able to make it to class today, please email me. I can scan the essay with my comments and email you a copy.