Using the Introductory Chapters
Writing Assignment for the Introductory
Chapter
We usually assign the introductory chapter on the first day of class and use
it in combination with our syllabus to start a discussion on the second day of
class about how an inquiry-based course seems to be different from previous
writing courses students have had.
Assignment Objectives: encourage students to read and think about
the first chapter in relation to their prior experiences; gauge writing and
critical reading ability
Notes:
despite the directions suggesting that they need not produce a
five-paragraph type essay, most students will do so. Few students will notice
the directions to carry on a conversation with the authors, which gives us the
chance to talk about audience and purpose from chapter 2 using examples from
this writing.
Options: consider having students
do the authorial notes in class on the day you make this assignment due (for us
that is always the second day since we want to signal both the serious work load
and get a quick sense of our students' abilities. See
Self-Reflection for
suggestions about working with authorial notes. For another way to structure an
initial writing assignment see
Teaching Reading to
Comprehend -- Structuring a Reading Response.
Directions to students:
word version of directions to download
Assignment
1) Response to Introduction
After reading through the introductory chapter of
Composing Inquiry, write a response to the authors of this text in
which you discuss your own literacy experiences, especially your experiences
with writing at the college level. You needn't worry about making your
response a formal piece of writing that is shaped with an introduction,
supporting detail and a conclusion. Instead, think of your work as a kind of
written conversation with these authors, but take time to present your
thoughts clearly and write in a way that represents your best abilities. You
might think about such questions as: Which parts of this material made sense
to you and reflected your own experiences? Which parts seemed confusing, or
even wrong? Which, if any, of the practice activities did you do and what
happened when you did them? What do this chapter and the course syllabus
lead you to expect from this course and what do you think about that? Don't
worry about answering all of these questions, or even using any of them if
other issues seem to you more pressing. And, don't try to please your
teacher, or say what you think she wants to hear at the expense of being
honest and thoughtful.
When you have finished your work, take a few
minutes to think about the process you followed in doing this work. Write a
few authorial notes to consider how that process helped you complete the
assignment, or kept you from doing your best work. Think about whether you
complete all of your writing assignments in the same way or if you use
different strategies, or work in very different ways, depending on the
assignment. Bring your authorial notes with you to class.
See other resources for Teaching Inquiry
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