Paper - Memory and Family
You've read a number of pieces about memory, and what these authors' memories say about their families and who they are as people. Choose a memory from your own childhood to write about. Be as descriptive as possible, using specific detail to bring this moment to life for the reader. What does this memory show about your family? How did you feel about the events at the time? Do you feel any differently now, looking back? What does this memory tell us about you?
Make a connection between your experience and one of the pieces we've read ("Sixty-Nine Cents," "The Great Forgetting," "Wings," or "The Sparrow's Nest"). What similarities do you see between your experience and the author's? To demonstrate the connection, you will need to include a line from the text of your choosing. Use proper MLA style for quotations, as we discussed in class (in-text citation and a works cited).
Since this is a personal essay, you should speak about yourself using the first person ("I"). The paper should be 2-3 pages in length., double-spaced, 12 pt font.
Paper 1 Checklist -
1. Provide an intro that is catchy and interesting, and gives the reader a sense for what you'll be talking about.
2. Describe your memory using sensory detail. Set the scene for us, as if we were watching a movie of your past.
3. Explore why this memory is so important. What does it tell us about who you are, and your relationship with your family?
4. Compare one of the texts we've read to your memory. In what ways did you relate to this story?
5. Include a quote from the piece you chose to illustrate your point.
In addition to following the above guidelines, you need to make sure your paper is well-organized and clear, and demonstrates good grammar and mechanics.
Tortoiseshell Cats Discussion -
1. Why do you think Antony decided to have Mindy cloned?
2. We find out that the clone "Mindy" is different. What explanation does the story give for why this is? Think about the process the company used to create "Mindy." What problems might you see in their methods?
3. Do you think it would be possible to create a clone who is exactly like the original? Why or why not?
4. What do you make of Antony's decision to tell "Mindy" that she's a clone? Do you think he's making the right decision? How do you think she would react? How would you react to such a revelation?
5. If "Mindy" decided not to live with Antony anymore and set out on her own, do you think she could survive in the world? What kind of problems might she face?
6. This world is set slightly in the future with drone deliveries and "shunts." What do you make of this technology? Should we hope for these advancements in reality? (Hint : The shunt is an implant that gives you certain abilities and comes with certain caveats. Look back to p. 86 where it's referenced in the story to remember what those are.)
Small Medicine Discussion -
1. Sofia has "nanos" in her body that allow her to heal instantly and that keep her from aging. However, she seems unhappy about them. Why do you think this is?
2. Would you want nanos yourself? Why or why not?
3. Sofia is a character with, essentially, super powers. However, we don't get a story about her using them to take down evil or save the world. Why do you think this is? What are the struggles she deals with?
4. When Sofia and Grandmother are standing at the cliff at the resort, Grandmother says, "Your grandmother would have liked this," showing us that she knows she's just a copy, not the real thing. Why do you think the "Mori" company decided to make sure the robots knew they were robots?
5. We discover that Grandmother can be re-programmed or shut off completely for long periods of time. Do you think the owners of these robots have the right to do this?
6. If someone close to you died, would you want a Mori robot made of them? After reading the story, how to you think the author feels about this technology?
Proposal for Change -
Look around you: there are problems at University of Bridgeport and the Bridgeport community. You will need to identify one of these problems that you find important, -- a problem that needs a solution. You'll write a proposal that lays out the details of this problem, and then explain how you would solve it.
For this project, you can either work as partners or individually.
1. Find the problem. Decide on an issue you all would be willing to address. It must be either within UB or the Bridgeport area, and must be a problem of significance -- not just something that annoys you, but something that inconveniences and causes difficulties for people. You must be as specific as possible, which will make finding a solution less complicated.
2. Learn about the problem. You need to be as acquainted with the issue as you can, so you'll need to take a few steps.
- Make observations. You will need to go to the source of the problem -- dining courts, bus lines, etc. You will need to take notes about the problem, and outline exactly what's going wrong.
- Conduct interviews. In order to understand the problem better, you will need to talk to people who know about the issue. Find people who have a direct connection to the problem -- whether they're inconvenienced by it, or they are an authority on the matter. Example: for poor treatment of food workers, talk to the employees, people who have witnessed poor treatment, and possibly even a manager of the restaurant. Allow the people you interview to propose solutions to the problem. You will need to conduct at least 3 interviews.
- Conduct a survey. In order to get a larger set of opinions on the issue, you will design a short survey. The survey should allow those surveyed to express their feelings about the seriousness of the problem, as well as their support for proposed solutions. A good survey has 5-10 questions.
3. Decide on a solution. Once you've gathered information about the problem and heard some possible solutions, you need to decide on one that best addresses the problem, is the most practical, and has the least downsides. Consider at least two possible solutions, and create pro and con lists for each. Choose the solution for which the pros clearly outweigh the cons.
4. Convince others. You will create a written proposal that will:
- Outline the problem. Use the data you collected from the observations, interviews, and survey to acquaint the reader with the specifics of the problem. Use descriptive language from the observations, quotations from the interviews, and statistics from the survey to make your point compelling.
- Show why it matters. Explain whom it affects, and why it's important that the issue must be addressed.
- Describe your solution. What steps need to be taken, who needs to take the steps, and how will those steps fix the problem?
- Address the costs and benefits of the solution. Show how the costs are better than the current problem, and how considerable the benefits will be.
- Keep a professional tone, showing your authority on the matter.
Paper Requirements -
Read "The Trigger Warning Myth" and "We've Gone Too Far with Trigger Warnings."
Each of these articles takes a different stance on the issue of trigger warnings in colleges. Now, you need to decide your position and defend it.
Write an argumentative paper in which you explain your position on the following questions:
Should trigger warnings be used in colleges? If so, to what extent? If not, why not?
You need to have a strong and clear thesis, which you defend throughout the paper. You must reference both articles to explain your position in relation to both of the authors' opinions. You need to include quotations that will strengthen your argument. Be sure to use proper MLA citations.
However, do not spend the entire paper simply summarizing the article you agree with more. Your paper should be your own unique viewpoint on the issue, and you will make a stronger argument if you incorporate your own experiences, and describe how your experiences have shaped your views.
You will complete this paper during the class period. I would highly recommend creating an outline first, and leaving time at the end so you can look back and edit and revise your work. There is no minimum length, but be thorough and thoughtful in your response.
Writing Journal -
WJ 1
Why, according to the author of "Intro to Reading and Writing About Literature," is it
WJ 2
1. What is your earliest childhood memory?
2. What did you learn about the nature of memory from "The Great Forgetting?"
WJ 3
1. Which swtory -- "Wings" or "The Sparrow's Nest" -- did you enjoy more? Why?
2. Which memory do you think you'll write about for Paper 1?
WJ 4
1. What are the major focuses of your revisions to Paper 1?
2. What, according to you, is science fiction? Why do you think it's so popular?
WJ 5
1. Out of all of the stories we've read so far, which have you enjoyed the most?
2. In the story, what is a "bridesicle?"
WJ 6
What did you think of the articles under "Where the Science Is Today?" What interested or surprised you?
WJ 7
Brainstorming -- write down any ideas you have for Paper 2.
WJ 8
How is Paper 2 coming? What are you struggling with? What, if any aspect, have you enjoyed?
WJ 9
1. Why did the author of "The Sanctuary of School" consider school such a positive place?
2. Which problems did the author of "Why School Is Bad for Children" point out?
WJ 10
What are some problems you see at UB or in the Bridgeport area?
WJ 11
1. What can you do to make sure an interview goes well?
2. What makes a good interview question? A bad one?
WJ 12
1. How does the author of "Online Higher Education's Inividualist Fallacy" feel about online education?
2. Do you agree or disagree with the points he makes?
WJ 13
1. Why do we write proposals
2. What makes a proposal effective?
WJ 14
Brainstorming for Proposal
1. How do we hook the reader's interest?
2. How do we convince the reader that the problem needs to be solved?
WJ 15
1. What do you think are the strengths of your proposal rough tdaft?
2. What are the things you plan to continue to work on?
WJ 16
1. What do you think of trigger warnings? Are they necessary in schools? Why or why not?
WJ 17
1. What are some problems that you think need to be solved in America?
WJ 18
1. What are some do's and don't's for writing a successful research paper?
WJ 19
1. How can you tell if a source is reliable, and provides you with factual information?
WJ 20
1. What did you enjoy most about this course?
2. What are some changes you might suggest for future semesters?
Attachment:- Assignment Files.rar