Thanks to the weather we are running behind. You still need to do the writing assignment, which you should submit by email on Feb. 4 by 11:59 pm. (Remember you lose a letter grade for every “day” you submit it late.)
First step: Relax. Every student who submits the assignment as specified here will receive an “A” regardless of what errors I find in the paper's presentation. The assignment has two goals: to demonstrate your writing skill and to give you an opportunity to see how I comment.
Minimum Requirements for an A
Copy and paste your report into your email window. Do not send attachments.
Your email and the report should appear in the format that I covered in class. Have you forgotten? Click this link, read, and follow the directions.
You need to have in-text citations and a works cited page (bibliography) at the end of the email. You will use MLA style. For assistance, you can click this link or you can refer to the works cited page for the “Internet Marketing” essay.
You must cite both articles, “ Search Engines” and “Internet Marketing.” (The class blog is not a source. If you want to use ideas from the blog, click the link in the post to the original article, which you can use as a source.)
Your report should run at least 750 words. Word counts in this class indicate a minimum—not a maximum. The word count also does not include “words” on the works cited page.
Do not use first or second person for reasons that I will explain in class: I, we, me, my, mine, our, ours, you, your, and yours.
Avoid Defining and These Words
You should begin the semester attempting not to define. To repeat yesterday's lecture: Defining is using a “to be verb” (TBV) as the only verb in a sentence. TBV's include am, is, are, was, were, has/had/have been, will/could/should/would have been . How do you avoid it? You cannot. You usually must rewrite the entire sentence. You can use a to-be verb with an “ing” word, such as saying, writing, repeating, beginning.
You also should delete the following words from your writing: important, very, really, interesting, lot, lots, “going to” instead of will for future tense. Some students ask, “But what if it is important?” Then explain the importance with details and facts. Saying something is important merely defines a point with an opinion—which strangers (readers) rarely find convincing.
Do not use expressions such as I think, I believe, I feel . You are hedging. Of course, you think, believe, or feel. You wrote it so the reader already knows that you thought it, believed it, or felt it. You never state the obvious to a reader—unless you want to insult him/her. Not convinced? Tell me which sentence sounds more assured: 1. I believe in God. 2. God exists. The first affirms a personal belief; the second states a fact (albeit one of faith).
Finally, do not use contractions, such as isn't, aren't, won't, and hasn't.
You can check this link for a simpler explanation.
What Do I Expect?
In terms of content, I expect you to do the following:
To read the two assigned readings, “Search Engines” and “Internet Marketing,” and
To create your own theme, idea, or thesis by merging the ideas that you read with your own thinking, creating an “original” idea, a compelling reason why an individual should read your work. I mean original for you and the material you have read—not universally original. This link to the blog may help if you are having trouble.
I do not expect you to do additional research. I am not teaching you how to research. You should focus on how you present your ideas to a reader in a convincing manner. I expect you to struggle in your quest for that manner.
Should you want to do more research, fine. Save time and start with the blog. You will see Label lines at the end of each post. Find one that reads: Internet marketing overview. Read the postings. If one supports your idea, then click the link and read the article. If you use it, cite the article – not the blog.
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