Discuss your thoughts on taking Test #1. Were you prepared for it? If so, what strategies did you use as part of your preparation? If you were not prepared for it, what will you do next time to ensure that you do well on the test? In addition, discuss your thoughts of today's activities.
EN100 TTH TEAM
EN100 TTH TEAMS!
Expository Essay Rubric
Expository Essay Rubric
Writing Rubric
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Click on the image above to get a clearer picture of the rubric.
I was prepared for test #1 because of the steps Dr. Rivera provided us to write a well constructed paper. Some strategies I used was free-writing, listing, and creating an outline. Overall, the test paper was an awakening from writing because I don't write a lot.
ReplyDeleteWriting an essay woke me up too! It has been awhile since I have written one.
DeleteI bet you can do much better on your test #2 :)
DeleteI like to think of those strategies as fooling around with the topic, like thinking of things that relate to it, and i start to jot it down.
DeleteI don't write a lot either, but the writing strategies did help prepare for this essay.
DeleteI agree, I don't write as much but the strategies did help a whole lot.
DeleteI agree, the strategies did help because if there's no organization, your ideas would be everywhere
DeleteI agree, the strategies did help to organize an essay. Organization is key because without it, your essay will be ineffective.
DeleteI was not prepared for writing this essay. In words describing your topic seems to be easy. when i began to write my essay it was apparent that it will be harder than i thought. Much like today standing in front of the class was easier said than done.
ReplyDeleteI don't do well under pressure Dan. If I didn't start my essay earlier, it would be difficult for me as well. Lets stop this procrastination habits together bro.
DeleteDon't feel bad about it being hard to stand in front of the class. Public speaking is listen as the number 1 fear throughout the world. :O
DeleteI thought that too at the beginning and it took me long time to finished the essay:(
DeleteI was worried about not being prepared for this essay. I started earlier so that i could write a good essay.
DeleteThings are always easier said than done but it is really a good experience learning knew things especially being in college. It does not hurt to make mistakes. Life is a learning process and you learn knew things everyday. You will do just fine as time goes by so do not worry about a thing!
DeleteI prepared as much as I could for test #1, I used all the strategies as I could and I felt that I could’ve done much better with my paper. I like hearing other people’s essay, and hearing the way other people interpret their experiences on paper. Next time, I would want to structure my essay much more better and organize better ideas and putting them into good descriptive sentences.
ReplyDeleteThe presentations of our classmates was fascinating to hear about. Your presentation was just as entertaining. It kept me awake.
DeleteSame here, I can't wait to do better on the second essay. (:
DeleteI like your descriptive essay, it was cool!
DeleteI think i can improve my writing skills after hearing other people read their essays. Test #1 seemed easy to write, but i had some trouble getting my ideas onto paper.
DeleteYour essay was so entertaining! I felt bad when you talked about your wardrobe malfunctions. I've seen you perform before and you are fierce!
DeleteI really liked your essay. I love to hear about what you write about because its always so interesting. You're a good writer so keep up the good work.
DeleteI enjoyed listening to your essay! And I couldn't agree with you more; I always feel like I could do better with my writing even if I did do all of the strategies.
DeleteI give you props for reading your essay or at least parts of it. You should get back into dancing because it seems like you really enjoy it :D
DeleteTest 1 made me shake in my shoes. I am always worried about essays because I know writing is something I can always progress in and continue to learn how to do. I was prepared with my stage one, two, and three papers coming to class. I used my break time to go to a comfortable environment, so I wouldn't feel stressed.
ReplyDeleteI'm so anxious to hear my grade because the essays shared in class we so amazing. It was really nice listening to everyone's topic, thesis, what they learned, and the content of the essay. I hope I do as great as the rest of the class!
Writing has not been a strong topic of mine. But, the steps or stages of writing we used really helped me. It is satisfying to do work early to avoid stress, I try to do it all the time.
DeleteI'm so anxious to hear my grade as well. I enjoyed listening to everyone's essays too. They were well writing and very interesting!
DeleteSame here. I always worried about my essays because It is still awkward and difficult to me and it takes long time to develop thoughts and finish the whole essay.
DeleteI really loved your essay! It is normal for people to be anxious to know their grade so you are not alone. I really think you will get a good grade though so do not worry.
DeleteAll of us are very anxious, as well. Hopefully we will all get a good grade. Your essay was very unique. I loved how you used a metaphor to compare love to doughnuts. It was a different approach of starting out your essay and I really liked it.
DeleteCompleting Test 1.. Whew! I don't believe I was as prepared as I could have been. I think I would prepare myself better for the next essay by putting more effort and time into the writings. Today's activity - I think setting the bar off the chart was something I shouldn't have done not realizing I wasn't expected to read aloud my entire essay. YAY ME! Next time I'll be #2 and not volunteer to make the same mistake again.
ReplyDeleteI love essays that really do explain one's personal life, because its so interesting. To live such a unique lifestyle is a great topic to write about.
DeleteYour essay was so inspiring to me! I'm glad that you did share it with us. Being a mom and working long shifts always takes a toll on a woman, but I applaud you!
DeleteTest #1 wasn't the easiest essay for me to write. I thought we had to read our whole essay, and i didn't want to do that.
DeleteYour essay was very interesting and well written! Mad props to you for being a super mom :) Also, thank you for serving our island. Biba!
DeleteI really enjoyed listening to your essay! It was nice that you talked about being a mother along with being a police officer! You're essay inspired me to achieve higher greatness :)
DeleteI LOVED YOUR ESSAY! You're really good with words and I love the way your thoughts flowed onto the paper! I hope that we can work together so I can be a better writer like yourself! =)
DeleteSorry I missed the beginning and interrupted, but from everything else I heard it was a great essay. Especially the part where cops don't eat donuts all the time.
DeleteI loved the way your words followed in your essay! I want to thank you, I never truly realized how much it takes to be a mom or a police officer.
DeleteIt is good that you read it though because it gave people more courage to share their stories. You are such a genuine mother and I really think you are a good role model!
DeleteI was prepared for test #1 descriptive essay. But even though I prepared for the test, I still think I need to improve my writing skills. The strategies I used was what we have learned in class, such as free writing, brainstorming, and clustering. I also have my outline as part of the writing process.
ReplyDeleteIn addition, I like today's activity because I like to listen different people share their thoughts and topic and thesis of the essay.
I need to improve my writing skills as well. Writing is something I find important to continue to grow on.
DeleteI, too, also was prepared for the test, but feel like I can still do better. The unique topics that our own classmates shared was awesome!
DeleteI also thought that I could improve my essay! It's difficult to compose something with a topic you're not interested in. So, future reference write about something that appeals to you :)
DeleteI was fairly prepared for this essay, I had the idea of what I was going to talk about, but the problem was getting it on paper. I used the three strategies of writing to help prepare myself for this essay. I thought it was cool hearing other people read their essays and I noticed differences in how people write.
ReplyDeleteI agree. It is easy to think about what to write about, but writing it down is always the hard part for me.
DeleteI know,I have that problem as well, getting alot of thoughts and trying to bundle them up is alittle hard #essayproblems
DeleteI think the hardest part was getting started but i totally agree with you. The stages did help to get started as well.
DeleteI liked the topic you chose to write about! I've been to Far East competitions too and they're really fun and memorable so I'm sure it was relatively easy to write about! I look forward to hearing more of your work!
DeleteYeah I noticed that even though the topics are the same they used different strategies to make their essays. Yeah, I think the hardest part was putting it all on paper.
DeleteIn today’s class, we all shared our essay topics and theses. Some of my classmates even read their whole essay, which was pretty cool. Every essay and topic was enlightening to hear about. I realized that we all have different lives and experiences, and we enjoy sharing those things with others. For test #1, I learned that procrastination is the enemy. Some of my classmates and I have learned the hard way, but it was kind of fun. I could have prepared for this test in a way that I would not have to stress. At first, I could not decide what to write about. That was probably the hard part, but thinking about the topic I did end up writing about, I am glad that it made my writing a bit easier.
ReplyDeleteProcrastination is always the enemy. Laziness is its bodygaurds. I love hearing about other peoples experiences as well.
DeleteTest #1 was difficult to prepare for. At first, I struggled with finding a topic to write about. However, when I did find an ideal topic to write about, my ideas flowed naturally. For my preparation I utilized the stages of the writing process; I brainstormed, listed, outlined, and drafted. Today’s activities were very interesting. Hearing the different topics my colleagues presented were very appealing and entertaining.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you used a topic that relates to you. It's easier to write an essay if you know what you're talking about. Good job:)
DeleteAlthough we had the same topic but we took different approaches I liked yours because its something that everyone can relate too! I'm looking forward to hearing more of your writing instead of just the concluding sentence! Hehe!
DeleteToday, we presented our essays. I enjoyed listening to everyone’s essay, because it reflects our different personalities. Some essays were funny and some were quite sad, but I loved every one of it! What I learned from today was that even if I procrastinate, I find it easier for me to get things done. I know it is not the best way to do things, but I work well under pressure. Overall, just like any other class in the Computer Center, I enjoyed today’s class.
ReplyDeleteI agree, procrastination is bad but it helps me a lot when I do things.
DeleteI totally agree! I think I do not do well under pressure, but I always get things done after procrastinating.
DeleteBeing in this room really does seem as if class is better.
DeleteI loved the take home test. I had so much time to think up my topic. I was prepared for it because the writing process helped me to stay organized. The strategies I used were specifically the stages. The brainstorming and outline really helped a lot with writing my descriptive essay. I really liked how everyone presented their topic. It was a good experience to be completely honest. Everyone’s essays so far are really good.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you :) The strategies did make it easier to write an essay.
DeleteI definitely agree!
DeleteToday was our first exam ever!!! I would say that this was challenging because I’ve been in “summer mode” for quite a while because I haven’t been writing any essays. It was fun writing the essay because I learned that the more you write, the easier it gets. Some essays were really interesting and I give props to those who actually read out their essays.
ReplyDeleteI haven't wrote an essay in a long time too :( but it was nice refreshing on write them because we will need it in the long run!
DeleteThe last essay I wrote was in June so it was definitely a challenge. I agree, most of the essays were really interesting :)
DeleteI really enjoyed today’s class! My favorite part was listing to the others sharing of their essay. We have so many talented writers and hearing what they wrote helps better me in my own writing. I’m looking forward to more test days so I can hear more of the works my classmates have!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your essay. It really shows your writing skills. Good job :)
DeleteI enjoyed your essay, simply because I can feel that pain. I lost my brother.
DeleteI really enjoyed listening to your essay. Your choice or words and adjectives were on point! I applaud you for reading your whole essay! Good Job!
DeleteYour essay was very moving and captivating. Very well written and it flowed so eloquently. Awesome Job!
DeleteI really loved your essay! Although, Dr. Rivera mentioned some parts being narrative, It was very descriptive and detailed. Your choice of words were on point and it flowed very nicely. You definitely captured your audiences attention. I felt as if I was there from the way you described it. Your last line was very touching. Nicely done! I'm not a wordy person so I hope that I could write essays as good as yours one day.
DeleteI was fairly excited to take the 1st take home test of the semester. I think I was as prepared as the rest of my classmates. Out of the strategies that we practiced in class, I did the listing of ideas, free writing, Six Questions and outline. So, I guess you can say that I am prepared for taking the test. Since I started listing my ideas, I selected the topic that I was comfortable with the most and since then, words started to flow when I started typing my essay. The only difficulty I experienced was accepting the critique from the proofreaders of my essay. Although it was not needed, I read my essay in front of the class. I wanted to practice presenting. I was nervous, but the only way to eliminate being nervous is to practice presenting.
ReplyDeleteI was excited as well cause its not everyday that we have take home tests. It gave me a whole lot of time to think up a topic and what i wanted to write on paper.
DeleteYou're absolutely dead on when you stated, "the only way to eliminate being nervous is to practice". Public speaking, and presentations in front of an audience can always be nerve racking. But every so often, I have to remind myself that sharing useful information especially when one is advocating safety... When you think of the cause and why you're presenting or speaking to an audience, the greater good takes over a washes the butterflies or queasiness when standing in front of - and all eyes are on you. I enjoyed your topic and hope to, one day, hear you sing!
DeleteYesssss! Test #1 down, 3 more to go. Writing a descriptive essay was fairly easy knowing all the steps to write one. Being organized is key and having an open mind allows everything to flow. Overall, my experience writing an descriptive essay and getting it over with feels good.
ReplyDeleteBeing organized really helped me as well! I had such a hard time because I had so much ideas flowing but as I went through the stages it became more organized. The feeling of finishing your test is always awesome!
DeleteI most definitely agree with you, i found it very easy to do test #1 because all the steps were given and in order. I took it very helpful by using each of the tools in the book.
DeleteI agree with you about being organized in writing an essay. It helped me massively when I was writing mine. Alexis is right, the feeling of finishing a test, especially like the one we had, is awesome!
DeleteIn preparation for this essay i learned that planning and the stages can help in building a strong essay. I learned that their are more types of ways to do it and that it will help in the end. It was also a new experience and that it is not as easy as it sounds.
ReplyDeletePreparing for this essay using the stages did make writing it easier. True, it is not easy at all, but we will get better at it.
DeleteI was not entirely prepared to do my essay. It was kind of challenging because of all the ideas that was going through my head. Although, I was having a hard time at first, as time went by I understood how to make my perfect descriptive essay with the help of all the steps we learned in class. Class today was very interesting because of all the essays shared. Some were very touching and some were very funny. I could not help but share my essay since some of my fellow classmates did. I felt that since they decided to share some of their life stories I should let them know some of mine as well. Overall, I loved class today and I really enjoyed listening to all the essays!
ReplyDeleteWow, I like how you feel the sense of urge to share your essay because of the others who shared. Unfortunately, I was not as open and willing as you. Hopefully, I will share next time.
DeleteI was glad that others had shared their essays as well. It inspired me to share mine even though I was completely uncomfortable with sharing.
DeleteI thought I was ready for test #1 but boy, was I put in my place! I used just about every strategy given because of how nervous I was to submit my first essay. Although it took so much time, each step made a huge impact on my essay. For future references, I would not ask as many people for input. Of course, I'd ask for two or three but five different perspectives confused me. As much as I love different perspectives, it confused me so much. I lastly went to a more experienced writer and had to change a few things my essay last night, luckily I had all my ideas. Like a peer said in class, EASIER SAID THAN DONE!
ReplyDeletetoday's activity, like every other activity, helped me as a writer. I saw the different sides of people and their outlooks on life. I loved everyone's essay!
I agree! I too, thought that writing about your best friend would be easy. However, it was not. I redid my essay three times and it was a headache. Your final essay turned out real nice. The changes you made were a huge difference from your first. Nicely done!
DeleteAt first, I thought I was ready for test #1 also, but then turned out I was not because I had to do just about every strategy available in the book. Doing those strategies has definitely helped me in writing my ideas and essay more smoothly.
DeleteI’ll consider that advice on having too many people peer-reviewing my essays because one input is good, but too many can be confusing, like you said. Thanks for the advice!
I'm glad I got through test #1. I found really hard for me to find something to write but I'm glad I found something anyways. I was really nervous to read my essay out loud to the class. I wasn't expecting that at all but I'm glad I got to share part of my essay to the class. Next test, I will be more prepared for it.
ReplyDeleteAlthough i wasn't in your class im pretty sure you did an amazing job, everyone has there days.
DeletePresenting our descriptive essay and actually doing it as a take home test was something that was a bit challenging to do but with the help of Dr. Rivera s lectures during class i was able to write the essay without any hesitations by remembering the steps on writing an essay, much more with the descriptive essay that i have written. As i was sitting in class, i was amazed to see the different topics of others and how they were able to describe it very uniquely. If only all our tests were like this for the rest of my classes.
ReplyDeleteI was not prepared for the test, but I did manage to use some of the techniques that Dr. Rivera taught us during the lectures. I had under-estimated the difficulty of the in-class test and from that, I learn to never do it again. I would've done better if I took it home. Well, at least now I know how short 45 minutes is when trying to do an essay
ReplyDeleteI wasn't too prepared for the test today, but I managed to pull myself together and get everything done before I entered the class. I can definitely say that I procrastinate too much. I thought the descriptive essay would be easy to write, so I did not worry about it too much. Little did I know, I would be staying up before the test day to finish up my essay. I also had trouble distinguishing if my sentences were more of a narrative or a descriptive. I’m still a bit confused about that, but I am glad I asked Dr. Rivera about it. I will definitely manage my time more wisely, especially when it comes to our tests. After all, there is only four major essays. I guess that means I should start picking a narrative topic now. Hopefully, today’s test was a wake up call for those of us who were not prepared. I hope we will be much more confident and prepared on our next essay. Good luck, guys!
ReplyDeleteProcrastination is a habit that is very difficult to break, but managing our time wisely is a start. I suffer the same thing as well. And good luck to you, too.
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