Assignment Overview

In this first assignment sequence, you’ll produce  a report  which you’ll submit on February 1. This report will help you become conscious of areas of strength and area where you want to improve. It will also help you become mindful of coure goals. If you’re conscious of something you practice, you’re more likely to improve. You’re also more likely to seek appropriate support.

Learning Goals

• Identify areas you need to improve and areas of strength.
• Report your assessment to me so that I know how you see you understand your work.

Deliverable

A deliverable is a document.  Your deliverable is a Taking Stock report made up of six sections, which you’ll produce separately and assemble, then submit.

Assemble the Report

Put the sections in the following order with bold faced section headings to start each section.

• Introduction
• Taking Stock: Reading
• Taking Stock: Writing
• Taking Stock: Technology/Presentations
• Taking Stock: Habits of Mind
• Conclusion

Checklist

Use the Taking Stock Checklist found in our Google Drive Checklists document to review the document before you submit.

Assessment

Note: If the document appears not to be proofread or copy edited, does not follow the guidelines for the assignment, or ignores basic requirements in terms of format, it will be returned. You will be given twenty four hours to submit and your assignment score will be penalized. For each day late up to three, you’ll be penalized further.

Has the writer offered a portrait of her experiences, where she is strong, and what she needs to learn?

Does the writer show she understands what the reader knows and does not know. For example, the reader has requested the document from the writer and understands its purpose, but the reader does not know the writer and her experiences. Does the writer give the reader information needed to understand the writer’s experiences?

Is the style clear, concise and direct?

Section Headings

You’ll put the sections in this order, but write the introduction and conclusion last.

• Introduction
• Taking Stock: Reading
• Taking Stock: Writing
• Taking Stock: Technology/Presentations
• Taking Stock: Habits of Mind
• Conclusion

Section Instructions:

Introduction: (50 to 100 words)

Write a paragraph that starts, “In the following, you’ll find an inventory of my skills and experiences as they pertain to the goals of WRIT 212, along with a conclusion that assesses my strengths and areas of focus.” Complete the paragraph by telling me something about yourself, such as where you transferred from, what your interests are, and anything else you think might help me be a good teacher for you.

Taking Stock: Reading (150 to 200 words)

On page 10 to 11 of your textbook, The Norton Field Guide, you’ll find a list of questions about how you read. I’d like you to answer each of these questions. You don’t have to number them or re-type them. Answer them in full, thoughtful sentences with examples or illustrations when they are relevant.  Each answer can be a paragraph. If you’ve reached about two hundred words and haven’t answered all of the questions, that’s all right. Stop where you are. Or, if you feel that you might, you might look ahead to the other questions and make a choice about which of the remaining ones you want to answer.

Taking Stock: Writing (150 to 200 words)

On page 10 to 11 of your textbook, The Norton Field Guide, you’ll find a list of questions about how you read. I’d like you to answer each of these questions but substitute “write,” “writing,” and “writing assignment” when you see the words “read,” “reading,” or “reading assignment”.

For the question, “Do you ever highlight…” substitute the following: Describe how you would draft a short paper of three to five pages that required no research. Describe how you write a paper that required you to do research or to summarize, paraphrase, or quote material from course readings.

For the question, “What do you do when you’ve finished….” substitute the following: Describe how you edit and proofread a paper before you turn it in.

You don’t have to number them or re-type the questions. Answer them in full, thoughtful sentences with examples or illustrations of what you write or have written. Each answer can be a paragraph, even if that paragraph is a single sentence long.  In total, this section should be 150 to 200 words long.

Taking Stock: Technology (75 to 150 words)

Please answer the following questions. You don’t have to number them or re-type them. Answer them in full, thoughtful sentences with examples or illustrations when they are relevant. Each answer can be a paragraph.   

• What kind of reading technology do you use in your everyday life? For example, do you read books, articles, or other material on the phone, a kindle, tablet or computer? Do you read a newspaper online?
• What kind of technology do you write with in your everyday life?  Do you write on your phone, using a notes app or other app. Do you communicate regularly via email or do you prefer to text? Do you use facebook to communicate with friends or family?
• What kind of technology do you use as part of keeping up with classes? For example, are you comfortable with MyCourses? Do you read pdfs for class or do you print material out? Do you check your Binghamton email daily?
• What kind of technology do you write with in school?  Do you write on your phone, using a notes app or other app?  Do you use Pages, Microsoft Word, or Google Docs?
• How do you save or manage your documents? Do you use a cloud based program, like DropBox, or Google Drive? Do you save material on your hard drive? Do you backup your documents? When you revise a document, do you create a new document, or do you “write over” your current document?
• Do you use snapchat or instagram? Have you used IMovie, MovieMaker or another video editing program? Have you used programs to design flyers or infographics, such as piktochart?
• Do you know how to insert a picture or a link into a document?

Taking Stock: Presentations (75 to 150 words)

Please answer the following questions. You don’t have to number them or re-type them. Answer them in full, thoughtful sentences with examples or illustrations when they are relevant. Each answer can be a paragraph.  In total, this section should be long.

• Do you feel comfortable participating in full class discussions or prefer small groups? Are you more inclined to listen and take things in, speaking every once in awhile or not at all or do you like to talk? Do you feel that conversation helps you learn or listening and thinking things over?
• If this is applicable, in your work life, do you interact with people frequently, such as retail or a customer service position? Have you worked as a counselor or in an office environment where you need to interact with others? Do you feel comfortable communicating in those situations.
• What kind of presentations have you given in your academic life?  Have you given formal speeches or talks? Participated in debates or done assignments where you take questions from a teacher or an audience?
• How do you usually prepare a presentation? Do you speak off the cuff? Do you write out a script or an outline?
• What kind of presentation technology have you used: keynote, powerpoint, or another program?

Taking Stock: Habits of Mind (150 to 200 words)

Re-read your notes on the reading “Developing Academic Habits of Mind” on pages 45 to 52 in our textbook. Think of this sections as having two parts (each which can consist of as many paragraphs or words as you like). In the first part, describe yourself in terms of the Habits of Mind you identify with– those you see as part of your way of carrying out your work. In the second part, describe yourself in terms of the habits you’d like to acquire or strengthen. Please provide examples and illustrations that help readers understand your analysis.

Conclusion: (50 to 100 words)

Write a single paragraph that begins with a version of the following sentence: “In this class, I feel confident of ………………; I would like to focus on………………….” Then, complete the paragraph so that the first part of the paragraph elaborates on what you feel confident of and the second part of the paragraph what you intend to focus on in class.

• MLA Format for Margins and Heading
• 12 point type
• Times New Roman
• Double spaced

Checklist: Taking Stock

Used MLA format for

• Margins
• Heading
• Line Spacing (double spaced)
• Title
• Page Numbers

Type Size and Font

• Times New Roman, 12 Point Type

Used correct organization for assignment

• Sections in the correct order
• Headings correct
• Title as specified in the assignment document

Edit

• Checked responses against the assignment sheet to be sure tasks are complete as directed
• Revised sentences and paragraphs to make sure ideas are clear to a reader

Proofread

• Checked for typographical errors, misspellings, missed words, punctuation errors, etc.
• Made sure heading was correct
• Made title is correct, as per MLA and assignment guidelines
• Made sure page numbers are to the left and Times New Roman, 12 point

Submission

• Printed a copy of the document and placed it in the appropriate section of notebook for the class when the document is due
• Upload the document by class time on the due date into your submissions folder
• Uploaded into the correct assignment folder as a word document or google doc (not a pdf)
• File correctly named as per the instructions in the course guide found on the course website

Overview:

When you began the course, you wrote the “Taking Stock” report to describe where you were “at” when the semester began– you looked at your experience prior to the course. The learning theory behind this activity is the following: When we are conscious of what we need to learn and reflect on our experience, we’re more likely to acquire new skills. Our practice becomes conscious.

The current version of your taking stock report should account for the work you’ve done over the course of the semester. Your Collection with Introduction, Position Paper, and Digital Essay how you can apply what you’ve learned to producing a text. Your “Taking Stock” report shows how you think about the work you do. You may be able to describe, right now, what you need to learn, what you’ve tried to do, and what you plan to practice, although find you’re not able to put what you know into practice.

Your goal is to show me that you can use the concepts and techniques we’ve studied, whether through my comments, class sessions, the Norton Field Guide, or Grounds for Argument, to your own work as a writer.

This report, which you’ll submit as part of your portfolio, can use the work of the semester as examples to show what you’ve learned and what you need to learn. You can refer to what you’ve wrote in the original report. Part of your task is to show that you can take my comments, which were intended to help you understand how to approach the writing of this report, and apply that understanding to a new version that “Takes Stock” of your learning this semester.

To Take Stock, you’ll use the “Outcomes Checklist” for the course.  You can also access it via our course website.

Sections:

You’ll put the sections in this order, but write the introduction and conclusion last.

• Introduction: Habits of Mind
• Reading, Note Taking and The Research Process
• Composing, Using Comments, Revising, Editing and Proofreading
• Analyzing Arguments and Using Sources
• Using Technology to Write and Research
• Presentationd
• Conclusion

Section Instructions:

Introduction: Habits of Mind (150 to 200 Words)

Re-read “Developing Academic Habits of Mind” on pages 45 to 52 in our textbook. Tell the story of your work this semester in the third person (he, she) to discuss your view of your academic habits of mind.

Analyzing the Outcomes: Use the “Outcomes Checklist” for the course to analyze your work in each of the categories.  You can also access the outcomes checklist via our course website. You might try either of the following writing strategies for the sections. You can use a “Once/Now” approach. You can write a section show it shows how you might have approached the topic of the section and how you would do it now. You can use a “Hindsight” approach. In this approach, you compose the section so that you look back and tell us about what you did when you approached the work and analyze the experience. You can use a “Foresight” approach, where look back and your experience and describe what you might do differently in the future. Or you may simply tell the story of your work on class projects, highlighting what you did, or might do differently given another chance. Remember, though, you must use your experience to illustrate how you assess the outcomes stated for your work in the class. Be sure to show your knowledge of the class and its priorities.

• Reading, Note Taking and The Research Process (150 to 200 words)
• Composing, Using Comments, Revising, Editing and Proofreading (150 to 200 words)
• Analyzing Arguments and Using Sources (150 to 200 words)
• Using Technology to Write and Research (100 to 150 words)
• Presentations (75 to 100 words)

Conclusion: (100 to 150 words)

Based on what you’ve written, choose any of the following as the basis for your conclusion:

• Compose a letter to yourself on the first day of class. Advise your past self on what to think about as you begin this study of writing.
• Compose a letter to yourself on the first day of fall 18. Advise your future self on how to approach your writing in next year’s classes so that you continue to learn and succeed.
• Imagine yourself from the vantage point of the last day of Spring 19. What will you have done over the course of the semester.