Assignment: Write an essay of 700 to 900 words in which you respond to ONE of the following prompts: 2.1 In “The Myth of the Latin Woman” (on pages 913-920 in The Norton Field Guide), Judith Ortiz Cofer explains that the way Puerto Rican women dress in Puerto Rico is “read” very differently by other people there than when they dress in the same way elsewhere in the United States. What is the difference between the two responses? What does she say to explain why in one place the young women are respected and revered and in the other are disrespected and treated rudely? Now think about the way you dress. What image are you trying create through your clothing and accessories? How do others read your image? Do they read it in ways you mean it to be read or in other ways that go against your intentions. Write an essay in which you analyze Cofer’s experience and compare it to your own. 2.2 Search on the web for “well-behaved women seldom [or rarely] make history,” from Laurel Thatcher Ulrich’s essay by the same name (found on pages 737-747 in The Norton Field Guide) to find three different objects on which the slogan appears. Write an essay analyzing how the slogan’s meaning might be understood by those who purchase these objects. Describe the objects and those—whether businesses, organizations, or individuals—who are promoting them. What meaning do you think the promoters assume potential buyers will perceive? How closely does that meaning relate to the point Ulrich originally made with this phrase? 2.3 In her essay “Changing the Face of Poverty,” Diana George analyzes how poverty is represented by nonprofit organizations such as Habitat for Humanity. What problems does George identify as a result of such representation? Find one or two advertisements that represent another charitable or philanthropic organization and analyze them to see how the issues they present compare to those raised by George. What do you think causes these issues to arise? In your text, insert screenshots of the advertisements with captions. Do you know a person or family living in poverty? How do you think they may be influenced by the way poverty is represented? Outcomes for ENC1101 By completing the process of writing Essay 2: Summary and Analysis, you will have met the following course outcomes: Write original, focused, and well-developed essays appropriate for the purpose and audience. Summarize, analyze, and respond to varied texts. Produce writing that adheres to the conventions of MLA style, including essay formatting and documentation. Craft sentences using academic English, largely free from errors that impede clear communication of ideas. Produce and improve written work through self-assessment, feedback, and revision of multiple drafts. Audience—For essays in this class, readers include an academic audience. Formal writing avoids slang and clichés. Read and study “Audience” on pages 61-64 in The Norton Field Guide. Purpose—As the editors of The Norton Field Guide observe, “All academic writing is part of a larger conversation” to which you are “adding your own voice” (4). Before you can contribute to the conversation, you must first summarize and then analyze what the other participants have already written on the subject. Read and study “Purpose” on pages 59-60 in The Norton Field Guide. Skills–This writing assignment requires the skills of summary and analysis: Summary states the main point (thesis) and key supporting points of the source essay in your own words. A summary is much shorter than the original text. Therefore, you must decide which of the author’s ideas to include and which to omit. Analysis is the act of separating something into the elements that constitute it. Your analysis of the text should help you find evidence that will support your response to the question posed in the essay prompt. Guidelines Word Count Write an essay of 700 to 900 words. Stay within 25 words of this count. Headings, title, and Works Cited page are not included in the word count. MLA Paper Format Use MLA paper format as shown in the sample essay on pages 608-614 in The Norton Field Guide. Give your essay an interesting and original title. Introduction Write an introduction that begins with an interesting first sentence, or hook. In the middle of the introduction Include a three- or four-sentence summary that states the main points of the source essay. Place your thesis as the last sentence of the introduction. This thesis must be specific and focused on the prompt. Boldface your thesis for identification. Topic Sentences Begin each body paragraph with a topic sentence that is specific and focused on the prompt. Each topic sentence should support the content and organization of the thesis. Each topic sentence should also establish focus and organization for the paragraph. Each topic sentence should be the first sentence of its paragraph. Boldface the topic sentences for identification. Body Paragraphs and Evidence Write body paragraphs that include eight sentences: topic sentence, analysis and evidence, and conclusion sentence. A conclusion sentence refers back to the main point of the paragraph. Body paragraphs do not include the introduction and conclusion. Integrate partial quotations into each body paragraph using signal phrases. Integrate two quotations from the source essay into each body paragraph. Avoid stringing quotations together. Conclusion Include a conclusion of four or five sentences that reflect the main point of the essay. MLA Documentation Document quotations and paraphrases using MLA documentation. MLA documentation includes signal phrases, in-text citations, and a Works Cited page. Some Academic Dos Writing with an academic audience in mind. Write without the following pronouns: first-person I/me/my/we/us/our or second person you/your/you are. Write without
