Download Writing Workshop WED 2012

How to Write an Excellent Paper
for A107!
Before Beginning to Write
• Look at the heading for each examination
question
• Identify the essential components of the question
you choose
• Remember: part of the writing process is making
choices!
• Ask: How will you organize your thoughts?
The Autobiography of Learning: Crossing the Ecological Borders
A-107: The Ecology of Education focuses on the ecological territories and
boundaries that we negotiate and cross throughout our lives, particularly in our
roles as students, educators, and parents. In this brief assignment we ask you
to trace—in considerable detail—a time when you crossed an ecological
boundary. Specifically, we invite you to critically reflect on a moment of
educational dissonance in your life; when the border crossing seemed hard,
upsetting, or disorienting; when the journey required code switching, the
navigation of contrasts. (The “dissonance” you describe, however, need not be
thought of as negative.)
In your paper, be sure to explain the context of the boundary crossing. In
addition to telling your story in detail, you should also discuss what you took
away or learned from your experience.
Building an Argument
• Relate the texts to each other—you are looking for
similarities but don’t ignore the differences—acknowledge
the complexities in the texts. This is something that can be
addressed in your transitional sentences.
• Relate the text and lecture content to your overall
argument.
• Select particular moments that can illuminate your overall
argument.
• Quantity is not as important as quality when it comes to
integrating lecture—or other materials for that matter.
Pitfalls to Avoid
• Do not regurgitate the lecture. Use the
lecture to support your argument.
• Do not regurgitate the text. But
synthesize/analyze the texts.
• Don’t name drop. If you are going to mention
an author, take time to both quote and
analyze.