Wednesday, August 29, 2007

ENG 121 – reading for 9/5 from The Sun

Find the August 2007 issue of The Sun. The RRCC Library has it with its recent periodicals (if you have trouble finding it, ask a librarian for help).

Skim through the entire issue, noticing how it is organized and the different types of writing published (essays, letters, poems, etc.).

Read “Correspondence” and note what the letters reveal about readers of The Sun and about The Sun itself.

Then, photocopy and read any of the pieces under “Essays, Memoirs, and True Stories.” Bring the photocopy to class.

Monday, August 27, 2007

Sunday, August 26, 2007

ENG 122 - link to article about Wikipedia

Here's “All the News That’s Fit to Print Out” by Jonathan Dee

Saturday, August 25, 2007

Sunday, August 12, 2007

What is the difference between a summary and a response?

A summary expresses the main points of something without personal opinion or critique. It is a very “just the facts, ma’am” type of document. For example, I might summarize my summer by saying, “I was very busy this summer. I traveled to Illinois and Texas, worked on several writing projects, and did some work around my house.” Notice that the summary doesn’t indicate whether I enjoyed my summer or what my favorite part of the summer was.

You can find more information about summaries here.

A response expresses personal opinion, such as agreement or disagreement, or critiques something. For example, I might respond to my summer by saying, “I was hoping my summer would be very relaxing, but an unexpected trip to Texas threw me off. After I got back from Texas, I was stressed out and didn’t get as much done around the house as I wanted to. I’m really disappointed that I didn’t finish painting the basement.” Notice that the response indicates several emotions: surprise (about the trip to Texas), feeling stressed out, and disappointment.

You can find more information about responses here.