The OWL at Purdue What Makes a Good Literature Paper.

This page neatly explains what it means to have a debatable thesis statement, which is a good foundation for your IOP as well.

All instructions are here. 

https://docs.google.com/a/scusd.edu/document/d/1R300b5bVK0-4tfs9x_uv-9pRrAS1vWfieMUIVJ0ZyvY/edit?usp=sharing

4th period assignment

Yes, we’re doing TWO computer assignments today. 

These were the warm ups this week. Please choose one to develop into an essay of approximately 6 paragraphs (intro, 2 paragraphs on Hamlet, 2 paragraphs on The Crucible, and a conclusion). Due 3/29.

This week’s warm-ups require you to write a complex thesis statement. It should include a reference to two plays, and a basic introduction to what you will say about each.
Ex:  “XsubjectX is addressed very differently/similarly in Hamlet and The Crucible: whereas in Hamlet, XXXXX, in The Crucible, XXXXX.”
Prompt: Techniques of characterization in drama are often directed to foregrounding an overall driving theme or idea. Using two plays you have studied, show how the presentation of a character or characters can serve such a purpose.
π

Words that demand action are important in plays. Discuss the ways in which plans, requests, vows or commands function in at least two of the plays you have studied.

Write a thesis statement for a paper that would respond to this prompt.

3/15

Compare how writers in your study have explored the themes of judgment and punishment, or disguise and deceit, or love and friendship, and with what effect.

Write a thesis statement for a paper that would respond to this prompt.

3/16

Explore the ways in which dramatists have made use of monologues and/or soliloquies in at least two plays you have studied.

Write a thesis statement for a paper that would respond to this prompt.

3/17/17
Examine the ways in which rebels, outsiders, or characters alienated in some other way from their society, have been presented in the works you have studied.

Write a thesis statement for a paper that would respond to this prompt.

3/6 A dramatist often creates a gap between what the audience knows and what the characters know. With reference to at least two plays, discuss how and to what effect dramatists have used this technique.

3/7

In dramatic construction there must be variation of pace and rhythm, monotony of any kind being sure to induce boredom.” Comparing at least two plays you have studied in the light of this statement, show how variations of pace and rhythm have been used to attract or heighten the interest of the audience.

3/8

To what extent can the plays you have studied be seen to have, directly or indirectly, a social or political purpose? Refer to two or three plays, exploring how they achieve their purposes.

3/9

The success of any drama depends on the credibility of the protagonists. Referring closely to at least two of the plays you have studied, explore to what extent and in what ways they illustrate the truth of this statement.

3/10
“The dramatic life of any play often emerges from what is not said rather than what is.” Examine the role and significance of all or any of silence, suggestion and subtext in at least two plays you have studied.

What classes do you take the first year?

Well, you actually get to pick your own classes, so it’s going to vary a lot. But in some ways, General Ed is a lot like high school +. You usually have to take English, history, math, science, and electives. But within those boundaries there is a lot of wiggle room. Your science class could be astronomy, geology, or physical anthropology. Your elective could be modern dance, pottery, or psychology of death and dying. And if you want to procrastinate on math and take it as a sophomore instead, you have that flexibility.

Do the professors help you like the teachers do in high school? 

Yes and no. Some professors won’t even know your name. But if you sign up for office hours, you can go meet them, talk to them, and they’ll generally try to help. Some of them you’ll get to know much better. I am friends now with several professors I had in college, and they knew me well and went out of their way to help me out. But they can also be prickly: for example, I try not to get annoyed when I get asked for the 600th time what my email address is (even though it’s on the board!). A professor might — especially when they give you a syllabus and you ask something that is answered right in the syllabus. And they mostly don’t want to hear fake excuses about why you couldn’t turn in your assignment on time, or give you extended deadlines for assigned work.

In general, professors are nice people who really want you to learn and be successful. But they also have a baseline expectation that you will help yourself — that you will pay attention to deadlines, look things up that are easy to look up, and ask questions if you don’t understand.

How many units should you take? 

That depends on a lot. At the CSUs, 12 units and up is full time. 18 units is the MOST anyone should consider, in my opinion. If you work more hours at your job, scale back on number of units.

One mistake I think some people make, though, is taking too few units! If you take weightlifting and English in the Fall and Math and modern dance in the Spring, it is going to take you about a decade to finish school. It can feel really overwhelming to think about it taking that long, so then people drop out! Stay focused on your goals and take the classes that will get you there.

Why do some people earn a Bachelors degree in 4 years and others in 5-6?

Two reasons. First, look at the answer before this one. If you have IB credits, take summer and winter intersession classes, and take a lot of units every semester, you could EASILY get done with college in three years. If you take 9 units every semester, it’s going to take longer.

However, there are also other factors. For example, an impacted major may make it difficult to get the classes you want. Here’s a nightmare scenario: you want to take Math 250 (I made that up), which is a prerequisite* for Math 251, which is only offered in the Spring. In the Fall, you can’t get Math 250 (the classes are too full), so you have to wait until Spring, which means you can’t take Math 251 until Spring of the NEXT year. That kind of thing happens sometimes, and if you have the bad luck to have it happen a few times, that can easily extend your expected graduation by a year or more.

*A prerequisite is a class you HAVE to pass before you can take another class.

Do college placement tests transfer to all the colleges I’ve applied to? 

No. Most colleges have their own placement tests.

What is the ELM/EPT exemption score from the CAASPP? DO we have to take the placement test?

I don’t know what the numerical score is, but it will say on your results whether you got a “Standard Exceeded” or “Standard Met.” Both qualify (although the “Standard Met” result means you have to get at least a C in your senior year English class). If you got “Standard Exceeded” or “Standard Met,” you do not have to take the placement test at CSU schools.

Which college will accept me? 

Time to do some research! First, go on Infinite Campus and calculate your weighted GPA. Then get your SAT or ACT scores handy. Now go look up the name of some colleges and “Freshman profile.”

UCLA shows that they admit about 17% of the people who apply. About the lowest GPA they admit is 3.63, and about the highest is 4.29. SAT scores range from 1550 to 2020. Only 8% of admitted freshmen had less than a 3.7 GPA.

Look at your own numbers again: If you have a 3.5 GPA and a 1400 SAT score, I probably wouldn’t bother applying to UCLA. If you have a 4.1 and a 1600, it may well be worth it to apply.

CSU Chico, for contrast, admits people with an average GPA of 3.44 and an SAT score of 1037. So you’d be very likely to get in there.

The worst-case scenario is that none of your top choices lets you in. Go enroll at a community college and do a transfer agreement. You can basically guarantee admission to a huge number of schools in that manner. And to be honest, your degree will say “UC Davis” (or wherever): no one will ever know that you didn’t spend all four years there unless you tell them.

See! Even the worst case scenario isn’t that bad!

How the heck am I gonna survive? 

Bless your heart. Please see yesterday’s post about dealing with stress. But you’re going to survive the same way you always have! Certainly this isn’t the first challenge you’ve faced. Do your best, know your limits, and lean on support when you need it. You’ve got this!

Are we still able to sign up for the placement test? 

Unfortunately, I’m not sure which one you’re asking about. Try Googling “[School name] placement test registration.” You can also ask your counselor or Miss Ross. My feeling is that you can probably still take placement tests for several months. I know mine were in August before the semester started.

What is the ELM/EPT test? 

The short answer is that it’s the test you take in math and English to help you know what class to take when you get to a CSU. If you score below a certain level, they will require you to take an “Early Start” class over summer before school starts. They call it a “development” class to help you develop the skills you need for the college-level class. They don’t really advertise it, but you CAN do “directed self-placement” in English, which means you can skip the “development” class and take college-level English even if you didn’t pass the test. This is not true in math (and it’s not true at the Los Rios community colleges).
More information is here, particularly on pages 13-14.

What scholarships are SF State willing to offer me?

Specific to them, you should be able to log into your “my campus portal” (or whatever it’s called there) and see what financial aid is on offer.
However, a lot of scholarships come from places other than the school. Have you been to see Miss Ross in the College and Career center? They usually have lists of scholarships you can apply for.
This is also a great resource.  (Please don’t go to ANY web site that says to send them money for a list of scholarships, or asks money to apply.) You may have heard that there are scholarships for people who are left-handed. There are. There are also scholarships for building the best pillow fort, from the “Clowns of America,” and for taking trivia quizzes. Some are more money than others, and some require more of you than others (many ask for a short essay). Some are very competitive and some are fairly easy to get. But if you need scholarship money, you need to go apply for ALL the ones you are eligible for. I had a student a few years ago who got about TEN scholarships — but she had HUSTLED to apply for them. You have to do this work, too — no one is going to call you up and offer you money.

The Florin Road Foundation gives scholarships, which are less competitive because they’re restricted to local kids.

My teachers’ union also gives out scholarships. They usually announce it in April.

Easy classes or hard classes first? When do we get to make our schedule? 

That’s up to you. Personally, I always strive for balance. One class that’s going to be REALLY hard for me, and a few that are moderate or easy. Or two really hard ones and two easy ones.

You will select your freshman classes in June or July, but after that, usually about two weeks before the next semester starts.

Do we have to turn in an actual transcript? 

I’m not 100% sure, because some colleges may accept them electronically, but for others, you may in fact need to get an official one signed by our registrar.

What do you have to do when you’re admitted? Do you have to go there and do paperwork?

Usually there will be a deadline by which you have to tell the university that you plan to attend. As for whether you have to go there, I think a lot of it is done online now. So for example, if you were going to UCLA, you might arrange for a dorm, schedule classes, and take placement tests online, and only go down there physically at the beginning of September to move in.

Is it possible to balance part-time jobs with your classes? 

Sure, and I think most people do (or at least I rarely meet the lucky ducks who don’t have to!). But as I always say, strive for balance. If you’re working 30 hours, don’t take 18 units. I feel like 10-20 work hours is manageable, but more than that might be difficult to handle.
I’m going to make another pitch for work study here: If you work at Macy’s, then every semester you’re going to have to talk to your manager, ask if it’s okay to switch from Mondays and Wednesdays to Tuesdays and Thursdays (or whatever), and hope they don’t get too annoyed with you for asking. At an on-campus job, they’re 100% used to it and prepared for it, because everyone that works there is dealing with the same thing. I think that offers you more flexibility. It also means you don’t have to worry about getting across town from school to your job, because they’re both in the same location!

(The second part of this question was about how the student might get an apartment instead of living in the dorm. I’d recommend against it: again, there’s the transportation issue. Plus, it often costs more. And finally, I found it very lonely!)

How do I register for my classes in college?

I can only speak for CSUS, but I used to get informed of what time my registration opened, and then I’d have a list of the classes I wanted, and I’d go online and sign up for the ones I wanted. I always preferred to have a back-up class or two ready in case I didn’t get my first choice (the classes fill up FAST, so I never wanted to have to wait around while I found another class that fit my schedule and my needs).

If you got accepted to a college, does that mean you got accepted for EOP as well (if you applied for it)? 

No. You should get a separate notification from EOP.

Phew, that was a lot! As always, feel free to ask me more questions as they come up.
Hope that’s helpful.

Ms. Synhorst

In the beginning of February, I asked you guys to share some of your lingering questions about college. Here are some of my answers.
Before we get started, I want to encourage you to double-check my answers with your counselor on on the college of your choice’s web site. I am doing my best to answer the questions accurately, but PLEASE make sure.

Did I get in? Other people have acceptances and I don’t. OMG Becky! (<Actual quote from student question.)

Calm down. The acceptances can roll out over months. Usually you’ll know by the end of March.

What is college? How is college? 

I’m not sure if this one is serious. How is college? I mean… it’s really stressful and hard and also one of the best experiences of my life. I really loved choosing my own courses (and hours, and break schedule), I loved being challenged to think more holistically, I liked being rewarded for hard work, and I finally could stop taking math!

Is college worth the stress it’s putting me through?

Probably. I mean, college isn’t for everyone. But there are a lot of ways to look at its benefits. First, there’s the fact that a college degree, on average, means more money in your career. For me, I really like having a relatively cushy life instead of #thestruggle all the time. I also like having more choices in careers. Before my degree, it was like “which boring minimum wage job should I go apply for?” But the degree gives a lot more flexibility in terms of what you’re qualified for. I also, personally, just really liked learning and gaining knowledge. Your mileage may vary on that, you know?
There are less tangible benefits, too. You make friends in college, can attend cultural events, get to hear diverse viewpoints and be around people who are unlike you, see lectures and readings and art shows and dance performances and… I mean, it’s pretty awesome, tbh.
On the other hand, if you *don’t* like school and *don’t* enjoy that kind of structure and really want to work with your hands or whatever, then you do you, boo (but I know who wrote this question, and I REALLY think you’re going to like college, actually).

How do you know which classes to take?

Schedule a visit with an academic advisor as soon as you can. But in the meantime, you can also usually look up online which general ed classes are required, and you can choose from among them. If you happen to go to Sac State, you could look here. Otherwise, just Google your college name and “general ed.”

Later on, when you start your major, your department will have more detailed information on that.

Which college would fit me best?

That’s a pretty personal question, and you should make that decision on a number of factors. What do you want to major in? Does the college you’re thinking of attending even HAVE that major (and is it available or impacted)? Does it have a good reputation in that department (you should be able to Google that).
Also, are you comfortable living far away from your parents? (Are you DYING to live far away from your parents?) Do you want to live in a city or in a more rural area? Check the diversity of your campus – one might have a vibrant Southeast Asian community, and one may not. Could you live in a city with no kapoon? Would a smaller school feel more comfortable than a larger one? Do you hate the heat or the cold? Would you be better off in a school taught mostly in small seminars or are you fine with huge lecture halls?

You might ask older students (your friends who were seniors last year) where they are and if they like it. Consider going somewhere that a buddy is going so you have a built-in support system!

It can be hard, but a really great thing to do is pick a couple of your top choices and go visit them. At the very least, read about them online. And good luck!

How much money are you giving me? What’s the catch?

Me? Nothing. But go check your school’s web site to see how much they’re offering you. If it’s through a grant, there’s almost no catch (other than that you can’t just walk away with the money — you have to attend school for a minimum number of units and get a minimum GPA). If it’s loans, the catch is that you pay it back someday, but it’s still a better deal than a credit card, personal loan, or (the HORROR) a payday loan. Work study’s catch is that it’s a j-o-b that you actually have to go work at. But on the other hand, it’s usually on campus, which means nearby and usually flexible with your schedule.

Tell me about the ELM test. 

I am afraid I don’t know that much about it, as I took mine 24 years ago (eek!), and it has probably changed since then. This may have better information for you. 

How would you take an out of state placement test?

I’d look it up on the university’s web site. I looked up the University of Oregon, just as an example, and theirs is an online test.

Do we have to pay for the placement tests? 

I looked it up for the CSU system, and it would seem that yes, you do. It looks like it’s $40 for both tests ($20 each), and there’s no fee waiver. HOWEVER! Please make sure you actually have to take it first. Your EPT test from last year could have exempted you, and your IB score can exempt you.

What do credits/units mean?

Usually it’s something like how many hours per week you spent in class. Most CSU classes are three hours per week and give you three units. So if you took “College Composition” in the Fall of 2017, you’d get 3 units for passing. Your university will have a requirement like “48 semester units in general education” which would mean about 16 total classes (for the first two-ish years).

How do you let them know that you’re going to their school? 

Usually it will say in your acceptance. Often you log on to the “Campus Portal” or something like that.

What’s the purpose of passing my IB exams/coursework with a good score?

The sense of accomplishment, pride, and the learning you’ve done! Oh, also? You can usually get college credit for them, which means that if you look at the question two above this one, that number starts going DOWN. If you attend a CSU, and they require 48 units for your general ed, and you passed my IB English class with a 4 or higher, that knocks 3 units off the total. Now you only need 15 classes to be done with G.E.  Add passing scores in Bio, HOTA and math, and now you’ve knocked an entire semester off your college experience.

If I don’t send my ACT or SAT scores, can they really revoke my admission? 

Yup. They can also do it if you fail a bunch of classes this semester. Basically, if they agreed to let you in on the assumption that you were going to do something (send scores, pass classes) and you don’t, they can revoke your admission.

What would have happened if college didn’t exist? 

Dang, TOK style question today! Well, people would still learn complicated math, study anthropology, debate the meaning of life, and make films. They would just have to do it autodidact-style (that means self-taught). My guess is that all the people who wanted to know more about math would start finding each other, getting together to discuss it, listening to lectures by people who understood it better than them, and eventually paying for the privilege. In other words, if college didn’t exist, we’d probably invent it.

How do you handle the stress? 

Lots of ways: Facetiming your mom or your bestie, working out, dancing, listening to music, meditation, walks in the woods, talking with a counselor/psychologist, drinking more water, writing in a journal, praying, taking tae kwon do, watching jellyfish on Netflix (is that just me?), bowling… You have to find what works for you. The only thing that really doesn’t work is doing nothing. If you feel stressed and you just keep trying to plow through, you’re going to have a meltdown. Take some time out to care for your body and mind.

Okay, that was the first batch, and I’ll do the rest later. Good questions, everyone.

Ms. S

Ms. Proudlove, the librarian, has arranged for us to have access to a research database called “Student Resources in Context.”

To use it, follow these instructions (you’ll have to get the password from me).

1. Go to SCUSD HomePage
2. Scroll down to Destiny (Library Services)
3. Go To High Schools and click on Luther Burbank
4. Click on Student Resources in Context

Please remember that as with ANY recipe, you can probably add some things or leave some things out if it suits your needs better. But this is a pretty good base to start from.

Advanced Paragraph Recipe

I. Topic Sentence, using language from the prompt: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
II. Commentary, further explaining your topic sentence ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
III. Integrated Concrete Detail blended with commentary: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
IV. Commentary/Explanation/Analysis + Context ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
V. Commentary related to both the concrete detail and the topic sentence: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
VI. Integrated Concrete Detail blended with commentary: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
VII. Commentary/Explanation/Analysis + Context ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
VIII. Commentary related to both the concrete detail and the topic sentence ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
IX. Commentary w/ transition to next topic or conclusion related to the writing prompt: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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