Patterns of
Essay Development: Part 1
PART I
Modules 1 through 4 Homework Assignments will be a
continuation of a writing process. You
will construct your essay by answering the following prompt, which will be
given at the beginning of each homework assignment. This is a step-by-step process, so if you are
unfamiliar with what a descriptive essay is, do not worry. By the end of Module 4, you will have a much
better understanding of a descriptive essay and will have written one
successfully. As long as you read the
textbook and all the lecture notes and complete the activities, you will not
encounter much difficulty.
Prompt: Write a descriptive essay
about a specific place that you know well and have observed. You will construct a traditional,
five-paragraph essay (introductory paragraph, three body paragraphs, and a
concluding paragraph).
1. Continuing
from Modules 1 and 2 Homework Assignments, take out your outline and
introductory paragraph and reread them.
2. Using your
outline, write the 3 body paragraphs of your descriptive essay. Include as much descriptive detail as
possible. Make sure that you properly
transition between sentences and paragraphs.
3. You will turn
in the body paragraphs (in paragraph form, not outline form) along with the
introduction.
You have successfully written the body of your
descriptive essay. You are now ready to
write the concluding paragraph of your essay in Module 4 Homework Assignment.
[iBoard example]
Shopping online may be more convenient for some; however, nothing can
truly replace shopping in an actual store.
Most believe that shopping online can save time, but when buying certain
items, it may be best to visit the actual store and try the product out
beforehand. Many times, online policies
can be difficult to comprehend, especially in regards to returning merchandise. The traditional way of shopping is more
efficient than online shopping because a product can be tried out before being
purchased, the price can be determined accurately, and physical activity is
involved in the process.
Being able to try out a product before it is purchased is a critical
example of why traditional shopping is more effective than online
shopping. For instance, online shopping
does not allow shoppers to try on clothing; instead, the shopper has to rely on
images of a model, who may be of perfect size, and see if the article will look
just as good on the model as it should on the shopper. Shopping in the actual department allows the
shopper to try on the actual article of clothing, make sure that the size is
right, the material is suitable, and get an overall impression of how it
looks. Then the shopper can determine if
the item is worth the purchase.
Pricing is another example of how traditional shopping wins over online
shopping. The price on the tag is
exactly the price that is charged, whereas in online shopping, an additional
charge for shipping and handling is tacked on.
Many shoppers have a limited budget and can only afford the cost of the
item plus tax; therefore, traditional shopping may be a more budget friendly
environment than shopping online.
The last example of how traditional shopping is much more effective than
online shopping is the actual physical activity involved. Many people are constantly sitting at the
desk working on the computer and rarely get up and stretch. Traditional shopping allows these cooped up
individuals the change to venture outdoors and stretch the legs. Also, by venturing outside, shoppers will
know what is popular and in style and what is outdated by simply observing
other shoppers and their buying habits.
Online shopping does offer reviews on certain products, but these
reviews are hardly helpful. Actual
visual examples are more helpful.
PART II
Directions: Please read âBorn to be Different?â by Camille Lewis on
page 311 of your textbook. When you have
finished reading the article, answer the following questions with at least 250
words per question.
1.
Which of the
following statements best represents the implied thesis of âBorn to Be Differentâ? Explain.
a.
Although the
author believed that gender differences were learned rather than inborn,
experience with her own children convinced her otherwise.
b.
Researchers have
described the typical female mental process as âempathizingâ and the typical
male process as âsystemizing.â
c.
Many of the
differences in the ways men and women think and behave may be due to their
biological makeup.
d.
In order to live
together happily, men and women need to appreciate one another.
2.
Which statement
would best serve as a topic sentence for paragraphs 6 and 7?
a.
Because of their
different construction, menâs and womenâs brains function differently.
b.
Women are skilled
at doing several tasks or holding several conversations simultaneously.
c.
Although menâs brains
are larger than womenâs, men and women score equally on tests of intelligence.
d.
Menâs brains have
a larger allocation of white matter, which contributes to the ability to focus
narrowly on a particular task.
3.
What statement
below would best serve as the topic sentence of paragraph 11?
a.
Men solve problems
quickly to demonstrate power and competence.
b.
Menâs approach to
solving problems usually involves giving instructions.
c.
Menâs gestures of
love are often unhelpful to women.
d.
Menâs approach to
problem solving is the opposite of womenâs
4.
Paragraph 8 states
that the âempathizingâ mindset âcan be observed in virtually all aspects of
womenâs lives.â What evidence does Lewis
provide to support that claim?
5.
According to the
author, what are the three major differences between men and women?