Section outline

  • Overview of the Course

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    General Description and Goals of the Course

    The emphasis of the course is on the  paragraph and learning through practice. Participants will receive one-on-one mentorship and individual attention to their writing needs. The course begins with the paragraph and progresses on to essay writing. Participants learn to identify and use rhetorical modes and methods of development, to apply writing strategies in developing ideas, to write paragraphs and essays with unity, substance, and clarity; to develop effective sentence structure and variety, and to identify and correct errors in their writing. The major purpose of the goals is to give students the skills required to put together a well-organized paragraph in preparation for a research paper. 

    Software

    Hardware

    Mobile Devices (Laptops, Tablets (iPad), Smart Phones)

  • Syllabus

    Course Structure

    The following are the primary elements of the course:

    • Generate ideas
    • Write paragraphs
    • Write paragraphs with unity, substance and clarity that support their main ideas
    • Organize paragraphs in a logical sequence through the use of outlinin

    Topics of the Course

    • Paragraph structure
    • Unity and coherence
    • Supporting details: facts, quotations and statistics.
    • Paraphrase and summary



  • Communication

    This unite includes a student lounge, Q & A, and introduction area. It will serve us throughout the course. 

    • Q & A Discussion Forum
      Students must
      Mark as done
    • Introductions (Homework) Forum
      Students must
      Post replies: 1

      Please introduce yourself and include the following items:

      • Reasons for taking the course
      • Strengths you have when it comes to writing
      • Challenges you face when it comes to writing
      • Hopes and dreams for yourself (general) 
    • Students must
      Mark as done

      Reflective Writing

      Every week, you will be reflecting on the campus-based lesson (event) and what you learned in class. If you are absent, you will need to ask two people to explain what was learned, add their names and reflect on the information you got from them.


    • Reflective Writing (Instructions) Page
      Students must
      View

      Guidelines to reflect on an event (course, lecture, conference session, webinar, presentation, workshop)

       

    • Support Forum

      Please use this forum to ask questions, add comments, and make suggestions. 

  • Information on Academic Writing

    In this section, you will find information to help improve your academic writing.

    • How to Improve Your Academic Writing by University of Essex URL
      Students must
      Mark as done

      "In a recent survey, academic staff at the University identified the interrelated skills of writing and reasoning as the two most important skills for success in higher education; when asked which skills students most often lacked, writing was again at the top of their list" (University of Essex, 2008). 

      University of Essex. (2008). How to improve your academic writing. Essex: University of Essex.

    • The Instructor’s Challenge: Moving Students beyond Opinions to Critical Thinking URL
      Students must
      Mark as done
    • 5 tips to improve your writing Page
      Students must
      Mark as done

      5 tips to improve your writing Learn English with Emma. 

    • Referencing APA URL
      Students must
      Mark as done
    • Students must
      Mark as done

      Paragraph (Kinds)

    • Kinds of Paragraphs File
      Students must
      Mark as done

      Kinds of paragraphs, including introduction, conclusion and citations

  • Purpose of Academic Writing

    What is the purpose of academic writing? Respond to the discussion forum below. 


    • Purpose of Academic Writing Homework Forum
      Students must
      Start discussions: 1
      Post replies: 2
      Receive a grade

      Conduct a google search on the Internet and find out the purpose of academic writing. Write at least 3 reasons for academic writing in a paragraph form. Use cite fast to generate a reference of the website and add it at the end of the paragraph APA style. 

      To get full points, please share at least 3 reasons, rate 2 other people and explain why you rated them that way. Base your ratings on the following scale:

      • Effective opening.
      • Has at least 3 topic sentences.
      • No grammatical errors. 
      • No spelling mistakes 
      • Effective closing. 
      • References added APA style.
    • Evaluation Rubric for an Essay Checklist Page
      Students must
      Mark as done

      Use the evaluation rubric checklist for all your essays. 

    • Reflective Writing (Instructions) Page
      Students must
      View
    • Support Forum

      Please use this forum to ask questions, add comments, and make suggestions. 

  • Paragraph and Unity

    I this section, we will focus on the structure of the paragraph and unity and coherence. 

    A paragraph should relate to the thesis and consists of:

    • a topic sentence 
    • supporting ideas
    • concluding sentence


    There are 7 kinds of paragraphs:

    • definition
    • classification
    • choice
    • compare and contrast
    • description
    • explanation
    • sequence
    • evaluation

    Choose a topic, write a topic sentence, 2 supporting ideas, and a concluding sentence. Explain what kind of paragraph you used from the list above. Use the discussion forum below to share your work.

  • Writing Process

    The writing process involves:

    • Freewriting
    • Brainstorming
    • Brainistorming with others
    • Mind Mapping
    • Writing Process Homework Forum
      Students must
      Start discussions: 1
      Post replies: 2
      Receive a grade

      Choose a problem or challenge you're facing in your teaching or learning. Conduct a google search on the Internet to find out more about the problem and possible solutions. Summarize your findings. Use APA style to cite in the text and add a reference list at the end of your work. 

      To get full points, please rate 2 other people and explain why you rated them that way. Base your ratings on the following scale:

      • Effective opening.
      • Has at least 3 topic sentences.
      • No grammatical errors. 
      • No spelling mistakes 
      • Effective closing. 
      • Citations and references added APA style.

  • Types of Essays

    There are various types of essays: 

    • Analysis
    • Argumentative
    • Cause and Effect
    • Classification
    • Compare and Contrast
    • Critical
    • Definition
    • Descriptive
    • Division
    • Narrative
    • Persuation
    • Process

    • Types of Essays Homework Forum
      Students must
      Start discussions: 1
      Post replies: 2
      Receive a grade

      Conduct a google search on the Internet to find definitions and explain each of the following essay types:

      • Analysis
      • Argumentative
      • Cause and Effect
      • Classification
      • Compare and Contrast
      • Critical
      • Definition
      • Descriptive
      • Division
      • Narrative
      • Persuation
      • Process

      Use cite fast to generate a reference of the website add it at the end of the paragraph APA style. 

      To get full points, describe and examples of each type of essay, rate 2 other people and explain why you rated them that way. Base your ratings on the following scale:

      • Effective opening.
      • Has at least 3 topic sentences.
      • No grammatical errors. 
      • No spelling mistakes 
      • Effective closing. 
      • References added APA style.

  • Paraphrase and Summarize

    Paraphrase and summarize

    • Paraphrase and Summarize Homework Forum
      Students must
      Start discussions: 1
      Post replies: 2
      Receive a grade

      Conduct a google search on the Internet to find definitions for paraphrasing and summarizing. Write at least 3 elements of each, and explain them in a paragraph. Use cite fast to generate a reference of the website add it at the end of the paragraph APA style. 

      To get full points, please share at least 3 elements involved in the writing process, rate 2 other people and explain why you rated them that way. Base your ratings on the following scale:

      • Effective opening.
      • Has at least 3 topic sentences.
      • No grammatical errors. 
      • No spelling mistakes 
      • Effective closing. 
      • References added APA style.

  • Certificate of Completion