Your in-class essays are Monday, August 20th. I highly suggest that you get started this weekend by not only narrowing down your choices of topics, but by writing a thesis statement (or statements, for Eng II students). The following from Purdue's OWL has some good advice on developing strong, arguable thesis statements:
OWL: Establishing Arguments
Once you have decided what you would like to prove, then you can set about finding the evidence to help you do so. As noted in class, one of the best ways to do this is by taking notes. Make sure you write down page numbers or mark them with post-its or tabs so that you can easily access them in class. Of course, you can also highlight or underline passages in your book.
You might also consider creating an outline, no matter how detailed or skeletal, as it will help you stay focused on Monday. Creating an outline is also a good way to determine if your thesis is too broad. Remember that you only have 50 minutes and around 500 words to complete your idea, so plan accordingly.
Finally, if you are still reading this, then you are probably a very studious and conscientious student -- and this will be understood without saying it -- but the more prepared you are, the less stressed you will be on Monday, and the happier you will be with the result. See you then.
OWL: Establishing Arguments
Once you have decided what you would like to prove, then you can set about finding the evidence to help you do so. As noted in class, one of the best ways to do this is by taking notes. Make sure you write down page numbers or mark them with post-its or tabs so that you can easily access them in class. Of course, you can also highlight or underline passages in your book.
You might also consider creating an outline, no matter how detailed or skeletal, as it will help you stay focused on Monday. Creating an outline is also a good way to determine if your thesis is too broad. Remember that you only have 50 minutes and around 500 words to complete your idea, so plan accordingly.
Finally, if you are still reading this, then you are probably a very studious and conscientious student -- and this will be understood without saying it -- but the more prepared you are, the less stressed you will be on Monday, and the happier you will be with the result. See you then.