Dear sophomores,

You’ve been working hard to inspire others to follow you, both as an expert on a specific research topic and as a speechwriter. Your dream speeches are an important contribution to our class, our community, and our world. Your thoughts and ideas can have wide-ranging implications to help ease suffering and usher in a new era of peace and prosperity. All you have to do is imagine!

1. Review: Make sure that your dream speech is just the way you want it, free from simple spelling and grammar errors, and full of those persuasive rhetorical techniques we have studied.

2. Publish: Click on the ‘leave a comment’ link at the top of this post. Follow the directions for uploading your ‘comment,’ in this case your dream speech. If you want, you can click an option to have your classmates’ comments emailed to you. I recommend this.

3. Read and reply: Once your classmates begin to upload their dream speeches, you can reply. Identify what you like about the speech; look for good examples of rhetorical techniques. Share other questions or ideas you have about the speech. Keep it positive. If you have a concern, you might consider speaking to that person directly rather than leaving a comment. Please comment on AT LEAST TWO of your classmates’ speeches. Also, our goal is to leave comments with each student writer, so everyone feels acknowledged for their ideas and hard work.

Thank you for all of your hard work and risk taking!

Kind Regards,

Mr. Coey

Dear sophomores,

You’ve been working hard to inspire others to follow you, both as an expert on a specific research topic and as a speechwriter. Your dream speeches are an important contribution to our class, our community, and our world. Your thoughts and ideas can have wide-ranging implications to help ease suffering and usher in a new era of peace and prosperity. All you have to do is imagine!

1. Review: Make sure that your dream speech is just the way you want it, free from simple spelling and grammar errors, and full of those persuasive rhetorical techniques we have studied.

2. Publish: Click on the ‘leave a comment’ link at the top of this post. Follow the directions for uploading your ‘comment,’ in this case your dream speech. If you want, you can click an option to have your classmates’ comments emailed to you. I recommend this.

3. Read and reply: Once your classmates begin to upload their dream speeches, you can reply. Identify what you like about the speech; look for good examples of rhetorical techniques. Share other questions or ideas you have about the speech. Keep it positive. If you have a concern, you might consider speaking to that person directly rather than leaving a comment. Please comment on AT LEAST TWO of your classmates’ speeches. Also, our goal is to leave comments with each student writer, so everyone feels acknowledged for their ideas and hard work.

Thank you for all of your hard work and risk taking!

Kind Regards,

Mr. Coey

Dear sophomores,

You’ve been working hard to inspire others to follow you, both as an expert on a specific research topic and as a speechwriter. Your dream speeches are an important contribution to our class, our community, and our world. Your thoughts and ideas can have wide-ranging implications to help ease suffering and usher in a new era of peace and prosperity. All you have to do is imagine!

1. Review: Make sure that your dream speech is just the way you want it, free from simple spelling and grammar errors, and full of those persuasive rhetorical techniques we have studied.

2. Publish: Click on the ‘leave a comment’ link at the top of this post. Follow the directions for uploading your ‘comment,’ in this case your dream speech. If you want, you can click an option to have your classmates’ comments emailed to you. I recommend this.

3. Read and reply: Once your classmates begin to upload their dream speeches, you can reply. Identify what you like about the speech; look for good examples of rhetorical techniques. Share other questions or ideas you have about the speech. Keep it positive. If you have a concern, you might consider speaking to that person directly rather than leaving a comment. Please comment on AT LEAST TWO of your classmates’ speeches. Also, our goal is to leave comments with each student writer, so everyone feels acknowledged for their ideas and hard work.

Thank you for all of your hard work and risk taking!

Kind Regards,

Mr. Coey

Dear Sophomores,

Like our dear Mr. Bigweld once said, “See a need, fill a need,” which in other words means if you notice a something in the world that you can improve, then do it! Our theme for the second half of our semester has also been “What responsibility do I have to my community?” With those themes in mind, we are now going to begin a week long research project of your choice. This should be a topic that is important to you and would give you great personal satisfaction when researching.

Click on this link Problem Solution Research Paper for more details!

We have the entire week reserved in F8A, and I expect you to use all of that time to research and develop your research paper.

Objective 1. Learn to distinguish between reliable and unreliable sources of information.

Objective 2. Properly cite reliable sources in your research.

Objective 3. Learn to use saclibrary.org and its research tools, including GALE and EBSCO.

Objective 3. Organize research using an outline

Objective 4. Publish your research with a wider audience

Objective 5. Create a works cited page in APA style

Objective 6. Reflect on the process and learn from your experience.

Tuesday: Identify a viable problem/solution research topic using saclibrary.org and by clicking on “RESEARCH” then “STUDENTS K-12” then “OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS IN CONTEXT.” Once you click on that link, you will be asked to input your library card number and password. This is something that you should have in advance.

Once you have access to OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS try the “BROWSE ISSUES” button at the top of the screen. You’ll find hundreds of topics. Click on one that interests you. Click on several. It’s an amazing resource for seeing different perspectives on one topic! And best of all, you can cite your sources from right there!

Once you find your topic, begin learning everything you can about it! Oh, and be sure to copy your cited sources into a Google Doc as you go along. That way, you have your sources cited as you discover them, and that’s much easier than trying to remember, “oh which website did I visit?”

Wednesday: Identify factors that contribute to the problem; identify naysayers, and develop rebuttals. Click on this link for an example.

Thursday: Use my sample outline to begin developing your research paper. The outline is meant to give you an idea about how you might organize your ideas/research, but it is not meant to be prescriptive and tell you exactly how to write your paper.

Friday 1/20: Develop your research paper. Complete your works cited page.  Entries must be properly cited using AP
A style. A sample APA style research paper can be found at Purdue University. Pay attention to the use of (dates) in the paper, the “References” page and the abstract.

1. All cited sources should be included in APA style https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
2. Use easybib.com to format your citation or use EBSCO

Friday 1/27: Your final draft will be due, complete with the three parts: abstract (100-200 words), research paper (600-1000 words) and “References” page with your citations.

Monday of next week will be our review day; however, if you want to start reviewing now, I suggest looking at your daily guiding questions. The final exam will take the entire two hours and you will have an opportunity to show your knowledge of all the content, approaches, and skills we have learned this semester. I’ll publish a review guide later this week!

Thank you for all of your hard work!

Kind Regards,

Mr. Coey

Welcome class of 2018!

You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one! Your ideas about how to solve our current social and environmental problems are an important step in changing the future. So I applaud you for taking a risk and thinking about how to reach a larger audience.

1. Be sure to ‘subscribe’ to this website by typing in your email address in the ‘subscribe’ box. Once that is done, all subsequent (following) emails will be directed to you. Don’t worry; I don’t email very often.

2. Type your “Dream Speech” in Microsoft word. Save the document as you are working. Read your speech aloud prior to publishing. Make revisions. Then, you can publish on our website.

3. Publish: Click on the ‘comments’ link at the bottom of this post. Follow the directions for uploading your ‘comment’ in this case your dream speech. If you want, you can click an option to have your classmates’ comments emailed to you.

4. Reply: Once your classmates begin to upload their dream speeches, you can reply. Identify what you like about the speech; look for good examples of rhetorical techniques. Share other questions or ideas you have about the speech. Keep it positive. If you have a concern, you might consider speaking to that person directly rather than leaving a comment. Please comment on AT LEAST TWO of your classmates’ speeches. Also, our goal is to leave comments with each student writer, so everyone feels acknowledged for their ideas and hard work.

5. Share with the World! Using the King Center’s web page, share your dream speech with the world. Your dream can be available for a larger audience!

Due Wednesday, February 17

Kind Regards,

Mr. Coey

Welcome class of 2018!

You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one! Your ideas about how to solve our current social and environmental problems are an important step in changing the future. So I applaud you for taking a risk and thinking about how to reach a larger audience.

1. Be sure to ‘subscribe’ to this website by typing in your email address in the ‘subscribe’ box. Once that is done, all subsequent (following) emails will be directed to you. Don’t worry; I don’t email very often.

2. Type your “Dream Speech” in Microsoft word. Save the document as you are working. Read your speech aloud prior to publishing. Make revisions. Then, you can publish on our website.

3. Publish: Click on the ‘comments’ link at the bottom of this post. Follow the directions for uploading your ‘comment’ in this case your dream speech. If you want, you can click an option to have your classmates’ comments emailed to you.

4. Reply: Once your classmates begin to upload their dream speeches, you can reply. Identify what you like about the speech; look for good examples of rhetorical techniques. Share other questions or ideas you have about the speech. Keep it positive. If you have a concern, you might consider speaking to that person directly rather than leaving a comment. Please comment on AT LEAST TWO of your classmates’ speeches. Also, our goal is to leave comments with each student writer, so everyone feels acknowledged for their ideas and hard work.

5. Share with the World! Using the King Center’s web page, share your dream speech with the world. Your dream can be available for a larger audience!

Due Wednesday, February 17

Kind Regards,

Mr. Coey

Welcome class of 2018!

You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one! Your ideas about how to solve our current social and environmental problems are an important step in changing the future. So I applaud you for taking a risk and thinking about how to reach a larger audience.

1. Be sure to ‘subscribe’ to this website by typing in your email address in the ‘subscribe’ box. Once that is done, all subsequent (following) emails will be directed to you. Don’t worry; I don’t email very often.

2. Type your “Dream Speech” in Microsoft word. Save the document as you are working. Read your speech aloud prior to publishing. Make revisions. Then, you can publish on our website.

3. Publish: Click on the ‘comments’ link at the bottom of this post. Follow the directions for uploading your ‘comment’ in this case your dream speech. If you want, you can click an option to have your classmates’ comments emailed to you.

4. Reply: Once your classmates begin to upload their dream speeches, you can reply. Identify what you like about the speech; look for good examples of rhetorical techniques. Share other questions or ideas you have about the speech. Keep it positive. If you have a concern, you might consider speaking to that person directly rather than leaving a comment. Please comment on AT LEAST TWO of your classmates’ speeches. Also, our goal is to leave comments with each student writer, so everyone feels acknowledged for their ideas and hard work.

5. Share with the World! Using the King Center’s web page, share your dream speech with the world. Your dream can be available for a larger audience!

Due Wednesday, February 17

Kind Regards,

Mr. Coey

Dear sophomores/almost juniors:

In an effort to support your Oedipus essay, I would like to suggest that you refer to this e-book from Project Gutenberg. Just be sure to cite this source in addition to the book we are using in class, which by the way can be cited as this:

Sophocles. The Complete Plays of Sophocles. Trans. Jebb. Ed. Moses Hadas. Toronto: Bantam, 1982. Print.

You can use easybib.com to create your MLA citation.

For further resources related to proper MLA citation refer to Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab

Remember your 1st draft, 800-1,000 word essay is due Tuesday!

Be sure to check your essay for topic sentences, advanced paragraphs, revision of ‘dead words,’ active voice present-tense verbs, and a conclusion in which you discuss the writer’s choices (e.g. Sophocles).

You can do it!

Coey

Greetings plebeians,

Your 600-800 word essay is due Monday, June 03.  Be sure to use your original ideas; in other words, you are not permitted to plagiarize at all. You may not borrow ideas from other essays (unless you properly cite the work both in your paper and your works cited page). Sparknotes is not necessarily forbidden from your research; however, you don’t want to write an essay with generic ideas. You want your thinking to be fresh and insightful and that can only be accomplished when you take a risk with your interpretation.

For an ebook copy of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar use Project Gutenberg.

For an example of a properly cited essay on Julius Caesar, check out this example from Northern Michigan University.

The rubric used for grading your essay is this Rubric for Development of Literary Analysis

Have a Growth Mindset!

Yours,

Mr. Coey

Dear students,

I hope you are well and healthy. If you would like to send me a draft of your research paper, you can email it to jccoey@gmail.com
Given my current flu symptoms, it would not be wise for me to return to school today. I hope to return on Tuesday!

Today we are working to avoid plagiarism, which is the act of intentionally or unintentionally using someone’s ideas as if they are yours.  Being a great researcher is often about giving credit where credit is due, even if large pieces of your paper have been quoted, summarized, or paraphrased. But how do you avoid plagiarism?

Look at this sample problem sentence:

• Native American women value a deep spiritual connection to the environment.

What is the problem here? where did I find this? Who said it? Are these my ideas?

Let’s try adding a signal phrase, the most famous of course is ‘According to.’

• According to John Smith, Native American women value a deep spiritual connection to the environment.

So this is better. We gave credit to John Smith. But we still don’t know when it was written or who John Smith is. Let’s try adding an appositive phrase to help define John Smith and let’s cite the year this book was written.

• According to John Smith (2006), author of Pocahontas Is My Love, “Native American women value a deep spiritual connection to the environment.“

So there you have it. For further explanation about this example, visit the OWL at Purdue University, which has a comprehensive archive of topics related to research.

Each of your in-text citations should follow this process so that you avoid plagiarism, which is a serious academic failing and could lead to reprimand or worse expulsion! Gulp!!!

Kind Regards,

Mr. Coey