Transcript Welcome to De Anza! Agenda • Schedule • Reflective Essays Schedule • Wednesday: Introduce reflective essays • Thursday: Check-ins – I will give you advice.

Welcome to De Anza!
Agenda
• Schedule
• Reflective Essays
Schedule
• Wednesday: Introduce reflective essays
• Thursday: Check-ins
– I will give you advice for the final draft of your
analytical essay.
– I will let you know whether you are in danger of failing.
If you are in danger of failing you might need to do
more than one draft of your analytical essay before
class on Monday.
• Friday: Turn in drafts for feedback
• Monday: Final portfolio due (extension possible
until Tuesday)
Reflective Essays
• For now, expect your essay to consist of
four paragraphs:
– Introduction
– Analytical Essay
– In-Class Essay
– Conclusion
• It is ok if there are similarities between
your reflective essays. I have no concerns
about the originality of your essays.
Reflective Essays
• Each paragraph should be about ½ page
long. The paragraph about the analytical
essay should be longest.
Reflective Essays
• Analytical Essay paragraph
– Quick brainstorm: What is something that you
did for this essay that you did not do for
essays in your previous classes?
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More than one draft before the final draft
Refining my product until it looked good
Did more research
Other people revised; grammar workshop
Citing sources
How to use sources
Reflective Essays
• Analytical Essay paragraph
– Quick brainstorm: What is something that you
did for this essay that you did not do for
essays in your previous classes?
– The results for this brainstorm will make a
good introduction (we will return to this point)
Reflective Essays
• Analytical Essay paragraph
– What are the differences between the drafts of
your analytical essay?
– How did your drafts change according to the
criteria from the portfolio scoring guide?
– What are areas that needed improvement, and
how did you make improvements?
Reflective Essays
• Analytical Essay paragraph
– At the beginning of this paragraph you should
give the question and the thesis statement for
your essay.
– You should describe the ways your essay
changed with each draft.
Reflective Essays
• Analytical Essay paragraph
– Check-in: Does it look like you have enough
material for a paragraph that will cover more
than one-half page? Does it look like you will
need two paragraphs?
Reflective Essays
• In-class Essay
– Check-in: How do you feel about the in-class
essay that you did yesterday?
Reflective Essays
• In-class essay
– For now, assume that the in-class essay that
you did yesterday is the best one.
Reflective Essays
• In-class essay
– Brainstorm: What is something that has
changed this quarter in your approach to timed
writing?
• Better time management
• Write better outlines; organizing timed writing
– Organization; writing process
• I look at the question more critically
• While writing the outline, outlining the body before
the intro or conclusion
• Planning more before actually writing
• Not to focus too much on the intro; wasting too
much time on it before getting to the body of the
essay.
Reflective Essays
• In-class essay
– State the question and your thesis early in the
paragraph.
– Describe your process for writing the essay.
– State what you believe makes this essay
better than your previous in-class essays.
Reflective Essays
• Introduction, Conclusion
• Your reflective essay should be structured
like a narrative.
• The introduction refers to the past, the
paragraphs about the analytical essay and
the in-class essay refer to the near-past
and present, and the conclusion refers to
the future.
Reflective Essays
• Introduction
– The thesis of this essay should answer this
question: What have you learned in EWRT
211?
– The introduction should end with your thesis.
– Try to find a way to state in a single sentence
how both your analytical essay and your inclass essays changed over the course of the
quarter.
• Write your thesis now.
Reflective Essays
• Introduction
– The thesis of this essay should answer this
question: What have you learned in EWRT
211?
• EWRT 211 has taught me how to expand
my writing by going into detail for important
points, connecting my ideas together to
have a focal point when writing my essays,
and the importance of including contrary
ideas.
Reflective Essays
• Conclusion
– The previous paragraphs should lead to your
conclusion.
– Sum up what you feel still needs improvement
in your writing.
– I advise you to state that you will continue to
work on the things you identified in your
writing that need improvement.
– The final sentence should refer to your writing
in EWRT1A and beyond (for your major or in
your career).
Homework
• Check-ins. I will give you instructions for
completing your portfolio and I will give you
my tentative assessment about whether
you have evidence in your portfolio that
you are prepared to take EWRT1A.
• You can sign up for appointments for me to
discuss your reflective essays with you.