FRST 1101-015 College WritingFall 2014Pam Cross, Instructor

Office: J-105i; office phone: 609-652-4899 (x4899); cell: 609-442-2293

e-mail: course blog:

Graded essay #2, worth 100 points:

Inside scoop on your freshman seminar instructor, due Friday, September 26, by 4:00 p.m. at the latest.

Your second essay is a mini research project that introduces some beginning principles of research.Here’s your research question: What does a student need to know to succeed with Professor ______?

Important!Your thesis should contain at least two bits of advice; one can be pretty safe and straightforward, but at least one bit of advice should be edgy or fun. Imagine someone disagreeing with you or coming up with a different piece of advice. See my sample!

Pam’s tips for completing the assignment:

  1. Do some research on your freshman seminar instructor.Talk to the professor and to people who know him/her. Avoid flawed sources such as RateMyProfessors or Facebook and see what you can find out from the College Bulletin or other official sources.
  1. See if you are ready to answer your research question and arrive at a two-part thesis—one bit of standard advice and one bit of more radical or playful advice.
  1. Start crafting the paper: Give your essay a two-part academic title that hints at your content and your thesis. See my sample.
  1. Then start with an intro that engages your reader and shares your own perceptions of this faculty member. Then, by the end of the first paragraph, include your thesis. See my sample. USE my sample. Remember, a good thesis helps a writer stay organized and creates a contract of sorts with the reader.
  1. Defend this thesis one paragraph at a time with evidence you have found. Construct topic sentences to introduce the content of each paragraph. Use quotations and integrate these quotations into your essay sandwich style: introduce, quote, explain. Link your paragraphs together and provide meaningful transitions for your reader.
  1. In a concluding paragraph end with a final thought you want to leave with the reader.

These essays may be brief, around 600 – 850 words—my sample is 835 words—but they should show a college-level effort and pride in presentation. Format your essay MLA style. See page 55 in Hacker for a model.

Remember: I want you all to work with a tutor.The Writing Center is open until 6:00 p.m. in J105, and we have tutors at the TRLC from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. and in the Learning Commons of the Library from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. On Fridays we are open in J-105 until 4:00 p.m.