English Homework Help

3.–The Impact of Proper Punctuation

Each week, you will be asked to respond to the prompt or prompts in the discussion forum. Your initial post should be 75-150 words in length, and is due on Sunday. By Tuesday, you should respond to two additional posts from your peers. 

A simple change in the punctuation of a sentence, or the placement of structure can alter the meaning of the sentence itself. Perhaps you have come across the following example before:

• Let’s eat, Grandma! (In this sentence, there is an excitement about eating with one’s beloved Grandma.)
• Let’s eat Grandma! (In this sentence Grandma is the main meal!)

Utilizing appropriate punctuation and mechanics ensures that the right message is received by a reader. Read the following article:

http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20180723-the-commas-that-cost-companies- 

Share your thoughts about this article, and the various examples given about how punctuation cost millions of dollars, as well as someone’s life. Did anything surprise you in the article? Can you share an example of how punctuation has perhaps confused a message you have written to someone, or perhaps confused you as a reader?

View your discussion rubric. ******next questionBusiness Memo

Imagine you are VP of operations in a business. It has come to your attention that a policy, or a procedure needs changing within the company. Here are a few ideas:

– customer return policy, personal use of company property policy, staff training procedure, emergency evacuation procedure,

Be sure to address:

o   Who does the change affect?

o   What the change will be?

o   When the change is effective?

o   Where can the change be identified?

o   Why did the change take place?

o   How will the change will be implemented?

You may use bullet points for this assignment, however you must write in complete sentences. More than one sentence per bullet may be needed to provide complete explanation under the “what”, “why”, and “how” categories especially. Create a heading with a creative company name!

Utilize your text, Pocket Keys for Writers Pages 181-186 to help you compose a business memo. Evaluate your writing to ensure you do not have confusing sentence syntax, misplaced modifiers, dangling modifiers, or abrupt shifts as you provide reasoning within your memo. 

Your business memo should be at least 250 words, but no more than 500 words.

Use proper punctuation and capitalization as practiced!4.Verbs in Action

Each week, you will be asked to respond to the prompt or prompts in the discussion forum. Your initial post should be 75-150 words in length, and is due on Sunday. By Tuesday, you should respond to two additional posts from your peers. 

“People who love to eat are always the best people. – Julia Child”

If you have ever attempted to follow a recipe then you know how important verbs, and their proper use are! Here are a few listed: whip, mix, grate, layer, slice, chop, stir, separate, add, roast, grill, sauté, spread, melt, peel, and hundreds more.

Sometimes the recipe directions are excellent, but there are times when those delicious instructions are unclear. Additional instruction, and knowing what action to take as a chef would be beneficial. 

Look up the following site:

https://www.youtube.com/user/allrecipes/videos?app=desktop

For this discussion, choose a video recipe to watch. Every video recipe has the written recipe link included in the information section. Analyze the video, and compare it to the written recipe. What four instructions would you add to the written instructions to provide clarity? Each instruction should be in written as a complete sentence, and of course utilize a verb.

Be sure to include a link of your specific recipe so that everyone else can view it!

In response to your peers, choose one instruction you felt added the most information or clarity. Explain to them why you would find it helpful in the kitchen.4.

Instructional Brochure

You are to create an instructional brochure about visiting your hometown, or where you currently reside. Within your brochure provide four sections of information:

o   One outdoor activity, one indoor activity, one place to eat

o   Helpful FAQs

You don’t have to “match” these. You may randomly suggest an outdoor 4th of July activity, but a December indoor activity. The eatery you suggest may be world-famous, or the restaurant can be your personal favorite.

Utilize your text, Pocket Keys for Writers Pages 187-196 to help you compose your instructional brochure. Write in the second person to speak to your audience using the pronouns of you, your, you’re, and yours etc. (see page 203 if needed).

Use the brochure template to develop your tri-fold brochure.  NOTE: While this layout does not seem to make sense if you view it as a flat Word document, recall that the final product would be folded.

Verbs – You will be using plenty of verbs to instruct your reader where to go, what to participate in, what to do, and what to avoid. As you compose evaluate your use of using the correct verbs, irregular verbs, auxiliary verbs, and varied verb tenses within your writing.

Your instructional brochure should be at least 250 words, but no more than 500 words.*****5.Subject and Verb: Keeping Information Straight

Each week, you will be asked to respond to the prompt or prompts in the discussion forum. Your initial post should be 75-150 words in length, and is due on Sunday. By Tuesday, you should respond to two additional posts from your peers. 

Written communication is very different from verbal communication. When having a verbal conversation, a listener can ask clarification questions of the speaker when information is unclear.

In writing the communication is one-sided. The writer presents information, and the reader receives it, usually without immediate opportunity to ask for clarification.

For the Week 5 discussion, we are going to practice conveying information. Explore the Storycorps link provided below. Most clips are less than 4 minutes. Watch a few of them, and select one story that interests you.

For your initial post of 75-150 words, write a detailed paragraph sharing the story. Explain who they are, what their story or experience was about, and why it held significance for you. Include details! Don’t forget to include the link to your specific story chosen.  

https://www.youtube.com/user/storycorps/videos5.

Letter of Complaint/Letter of Commendation

There are appropriate times in which a formal letter is required to address a situation or circumstance. In this week’s assignment, you are given an opportunity to write such formal letter. It is advised that you write about an actual experience to provide details.

Please choose ONE option to write a letter with the length of 250-500 words:

1.    Letter of Complaint-Write a letter of complaint about an issue experienced with the poor service or products a business provides.

2.    Letter of Commendation-Write a letter of commendation about a service, product, or person within a business that impressed you.

Utilize your text, Pocket Keys for Writers Pages 197-202 to help you compose your letter. Demonstrate the correct use of subject verb agreement by including in the letter the following items in bold:

Agreement with a collective noun(23e), agreement with an indefinite pronoun(23g), and agreement expressing quantity (23h).  6.

0 0 0 0 W6 Discussion

Pinpointing Pronouns and Point of View

Each week, you will be asked to respond to the prompt or prompts in the discussion forum. Your initial post should be 75-150 words in length, and is due on Sunday. By Tuesday, you should respond to two additional posts from your peers. 

Maintaining a consistent point of view in your writing helps a reader better follow the written presentation. In doing so, the correct corresponding pronouns are to be used.

• I think my experience as a writer has been interesting. (1st person point of view; I, my)
• Each time you write your confidence improves. (2nd person point of view; you, you)
• English 100 students should be proud of themselves in Week 6 of their course! (3rd person point of view; themselves, their)

Review page the graph on page 203 in the Pocket Keys for Writers text to help with your initial post. For your week 6 discussion, please watch the TED Talk in the link below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2tOp7OxyQ8 We need to talk about an injustice, Bryan Stevenson

First, respond to the talk in three ways using the proper pronouns, with a few sentences for each point-of-view:

• First Person (Reflect personally on Bryan’s thoughts)
• Second Person (Write a reply as though someone has inquired how they can make a difference on any of Bryan’s topics)
• Third Person (Write as a newspaper reporter about Bryan’s talk)

Second, explain what point of view is most challenging or easiest for you to write. Which do you prefer to read?****6.Proposal for Change

At the end of Bryan Stevenson’s Ted Talk for your discussion prompt, the question of “what can we do” was asked. Use the following link to look up your own state senator:

https://www.senate.gov/senators/

Each senator has their own webpage that generally presents their stance on current events, and ongoing policy. Choose a topic that interests you and write a proposal for change to your senator.

Utilize your text, Pocket Keys for Writers Pages 203-208 to help you compose your proposal. Make sure to evaluate within your writing the proper pronoun agreement with the antecedent. Bold four pronouns and their antecedents.

Your proposal should be at least 250 words, but no more than 500 words.7.Adjectives and Adverbs: It’s in the details

Each week, you will be asked to respond to the prompt or prompts in the discussion forum. Your initial post should be 75-150 words in length, and is due on Sunday. By Tuesday, you should respond to two additional posts from your peers. 

Writing in a concise manner is best generally speaking, however the used of adjectives and adverbs help connect a reader! Think about the use of descriptive words that appeal to your five senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch.

Jackson bought a book. vs. Jackson thoughtfully purchased a tattered book at the used bookstore.

Prison reform is needed. vs. The unfortunate reality is that America’s outdated prisons have systematically failed to yield positive results, so a reform is needed.

Adjectives, and adverbs better convey what is meant. Watch the TED talk link below:

Think of a personal experience you have had regarding your own culture, or encountering a culture unfamiliar to you. Write about this experience in your initial post giving detailed descriptions, so that a reader can connect with your writing. It can be as simple as a conversation you once had with someone of a different cultural background, or an experience had while traveling.

Your initial post should be no less than 75-150 words total.7.

Academic Paper Outline Draft – 250-500 words

Choose a topic of interest to research, and write about it! You must include an introduction, thesis statement, supporting paragraphs, and a conclusion. Work on creating your draft paying close attention to the use of adverbs and adjectives. Utilize your text, Pocket Keys for Writers Pages 209-211 to evaluate your use of those descriptive words. Bold four adjectives and use the yellow highlight to distinguish three adverbs.

For an academic paper, it is advisable to find at least one source of reference, but not required. Use the following link to find a source if interested https://scholar.google.com/, or use Grantham’s online library (linked on the top of Blackboard).

There are a few topics that you will not be allowed to write about:  anti-gay marriage, anti-gay adoption, abortion, gun control/gun rights, partisan politics, drinking age, and legalizing marijuana.8.Reflection

Each week, you will be asked to respond to the prompt or prompts in the discussion forum. Your initial post should be 75-150 words in length, and is due on Sunday. By Tuesday, you should respond to two additional posts from your peers. 

“The point of writing is to have something to say, and to make a difference in saying it.” Grant Wiggins

Most students will not graduate to then write academic papers for a living. The writing that is required of many individuals in their careers and personal lives is usually more precise. Even so, being able to communicate effectively in writing using standard conventions demonstrates a level of competency, no matter what career is chosen. Bad grammar, though usually forgiven, can unfortunately be a distraction from a writer’s competency. Read the following two articles provided in the links below:

https://www.npr.org/2012/08/02/157616528/r-grammar-gaffes-ruining-the-language-maybe-not

https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303410404577466662919275448

Reflect on these two articles, and our last seven weeks of study in EN100.

How has our study of grammar, and standard English conventions broadened your understanding? Why is effective written communication such a vital skill beyond the classroom? What does your writing ability potentially reveal about your other abilities to others (peers, employers, etc.)?8.

Academic Final Paper – 500-750 words

Submit a revised copy of your academic draft! Check your composition for an introduction, thesis statement, supporting paragraphs, and a conclusion. Utilize your text, Pocket Keys for Writers Pages 240-250 to evaluate your use of infinitives, nouns and articles, as well as overall sentence structure. Bold two infinitives. Use the yellow highlight to distinguish two nouns with articles. Use the blue highlight to distinguish two uncountable or plural nouns without articles.

Remember to apply all of the concepts studied, and reviewed in our course for this assignment!

For an academic paper, it is advisable to find at least one source of reference, but not required. Use the following link to find a source if interested https://scholar.google.com/, or use Grantham’s online library (linked on the top of Blackboard).

There are a few topics that you will not be allowed to write about:  anti-gay marriage, anti-gay adoption, abortion, gun control/gun rights, partisan politics, drinking age, and legalizing marijuana.