Final Assignment:

Your first assignment for this course was to write a short position paper describing and analyzing your relation to this writing class. Your second, third and fourth papers were spent investigating writing programs here and at other universities from the point-of view of a member of your interest group. Now, you get to be yourself again. For this assignment, you'll need to make a claim what features of the writing programs you investigated would work best for you. Then, you'll support that claim with details about your observations, experiences, things you’ve read and heard while taking this class. (Though I do NOT expect you to do more research for this paper, I do expect you to use the sources you've read and the information you've discovered to make your argument.) Show me where you started the semester, and how your thinking on this subject has developed over the course of the semester through your interactions with each other, with texts, and with other people.

Purpose This paper will serve several purposes:

• it gives me a chance to look at your writing at the end of the semester and assess how this class has served you.

• it gives you a chance to show me what you have learned about writing and writing programs.

• it provides you with an opportunity to spell out how you think writing instruction can be improved for you, and what issues you find most central to redesigning a composition program.

Audience Although I am your central audience here (I will be grading this), think of a secondary audience of teachers, administrator, students, and employers across the campus and in the local community. Your insights and work will be compiled to help us think about ways to go with our program. In the end, you need to be convincing them, so write carefully, think carefully, and show them what you know and what you think (honestly).

Planning and Drafting As you begin working on your paper, you will want to:

• Do a quick pre-writing focusing on which issues seem most pressing or central to you. Talk briefly with members of other groups (we'll do this in class).

• List responses: What are your concerns about the writing program now in place? How do you know what these problems are? What do you see as viable solutions? Why do these seem viable? What other alternatives might be out there? Why do you not care for these options?

• Once you have notes, focus your paper on a single, arguable point that can be developed with several kinds of evidence.

• Develop your argument with specific examples and support: from your own experience, your reading this semester, your observations of other students struggling with the same issues, your interview or survey results.

• Remember, though I am asking you to use sources (and cite those you use), remember that this is about you—your experiences and opinions. Feel free to use first person voice in your paper.

• Let me know (right now in class) if we need to go over citing sources on Wednesday.

• Please turn in a hard copy and e-mail me a copy as well. In addition, if you have not already given me a hard copy, please e-mail me copies of your first paper, and any other papers you would be willing to share with future students. I know this is extra work, but I appreciate it.

Evaluation Criteria Paper:

• engages your reader with an interesting, focused discussion of some aspect of the topic.

• demonstrates a knowledge of basic organizational techniques: forecasts, topic sentences, transitions. (Should we talk a little about this?)

• employs specific examples to elaborate on assertion—from your reading, research, and experience.

• attempts to use language in ways that are interesting (show your personality).

• shows concern for proofreading: spell check, careful editing, interest in grammatical correctness.

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