Assignment for Thursday

For Thursday, follow the Assignment Schedule:  Read ACS, pp. 24-28.  Write one page in response to the Focus on Writing prompt on p. 26 or p. 28. Read Thomas Jefferson, “The Declaration of Independence,” and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, “Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions,” in 50 Essays. In class, read and view John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address (handout and video).  We will reschedule reading James Baldwin, "Notes of a Native Son." Also, the essay that was due Monday is due Thursday, without exception, for those who chose not to turn it in on the original due date. 

Revised Assignment for Monday, 9/29

For class on Monday, read Advanced Composition Skills (the orange book), pp. 10-12, and write an essay in response to the Focus on Writing on p. 12. This essay should be approximately three pages in length. 

Also, look over the handout on rhetorical fallacies distributed on Thursday; you should look at those that have a dot next to them, especially the ad hominem argument, the argument from authority, the appeal to ignorance, the hasty generalization, the false dichotomy, scare tactics, the faulty analogy, and the straw man argument. (Keep in mind that the handout's definition of "straw man" is inadequate; consider this one from fallacyfiles.org:  "Imagine a fight in which one of the combatants sets up a man of straw, attacks it, then proclaims victory. All the while, the real opponent stands by untouched....[In a straw man argument] the arguer is attempting to refute his opponent's position, and in the context required to do so, but instead attacks a position--the 'straw man'--not held by his opponent.")

If it is not cancelled, watch the presidential debate on Friday at 9:00. Bonus points will be given to those who identify rhetorical fallacies during the debate. 

Revised assignment for Friday 9/19

For this Friday, do not complete the assignment in Advanced Composition Skills. Instead, read Lars Eighner's "On Dumpster Diving" (in 50 Essays) very carefully and write a one-page typed response to the fourth discussion question at the end of the essay.