ENGLISH 110:COLLEGE COMPOSIITON I what this is about…

about…
ENGL110. PRIEBE.
FALL 2010. 3 CREDITS.

Language. Words. We use them everyday, yet

people rarely analyze the hell out of them.
George Carlin has, though. And we all know
how tough it is to make someone laugh with
just words, but David Sedaris does. And…
when it comes to poetry, students think it’s
dumb or that a poem has to rhyme to be
find me:
considered “good.” This course dissects Sybil Priebe, Assistant Professor
language, students’ thoughts, and encourage Haverty 223
writing in many different forms. 671-2346
Office Hours: TBA.
sybil.priebe@ndscs.edu
what it’s about, legally…
legally… www.xanga.com/teacher47
Course Description:
An introduction to college-level writing as a process of
drafting, revising, and editing. This course emphasizes stuff you need:
critical reading, writing, thinking, and research skills as
students write for a variety of audiences and purposes.
Books:
Students will receive guided instruction in the writing ---Brain Droppings, by George Carlin,
process as they begin writing based on personal ISBN-13: 978-0786883219
experiences. An introduction to proper crediting of source ---Dress Your Family in Corduroy and
material and research will occur toward the end of the
course.
Denim, by David Sedaris
Goals: ISBN-13: 978-0316010795
Through writing from personal experience and reading ---The New, Well-Tempered Sentence
examples of others’ self-discovery, students will develop
their ability to read, think, and write critically by applying
knowledge, skills, and abilities gained through guided
Other items:
practice and teamwork, inside and outside the classroom. ---USB.
General Education Learning Outcomes: ---Stapler.
Written and oral communications
Tie to Program Assessment Outcomes:
This course contributes most directly to the Liberal Arts
Program outcome involving communication. Reading and the grade scale*:
scale*:
writing exercises will be completed to assess student 100 - 90 = A
ability in those areas.
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able
80 - 89 = B
to: 70 - 79 = C
- Restrict a subject to a manageable size. 60 - 69 = D
- Express a clear main idea. 59 and below = F
- Focus, organize, and develop a short piece of writing
effectively.
*Since extra credit is offered throughout
- Apply the editing and revision process to written work. the semester, the instructor does not round
- Participate actively in self and peer essay evaluations. up at the end.
- Demonstrate the use of good sentence structure,
paragraph structure, and grammar.
- Recognize and utilize transitional words and phrases in
the writing process.
- Demonstrate comprehension in essay readings by
recalling discussed elements.
- Practice pre-writing strategies for written assignments.
- Use basic MLA formats for written assignments and
crediting of sources.
- Improve writing and critical thinking skills by practice
with a variety of genres.
- Use assigned readings as models of composition in
this is just words.
writing assignments.

pull weeds. plant new seeds.
three big rules:
- No late work accepted.
- Plagiarism not accepted.
- If the requirement is 1000 words,
999 is not acceptable.

the brief schedule:

Week 1: Introductions & first assignments.
Week 2: Intro to P1.
Week 3: George Carlin. lateness policy:
Week 4: First project/paper due. Writing No late work will be accepted without an excused
conferences. absence & proof (doc’s note, military, funeral, school-
Week 5: P1.5Intro. related activity). Calling instructor or dean’s office
Week 6: P1.5 Due/Research for P2. does not constitute an excused absence.
Week 7: Research for P2.
Week 8: Presentations of P2.
Week 9: P3 Intro. attendance policy:
Week 10: P3 Due/Intro to P4. Find Regular and punctual attendance is an integral part of the learning
groupmates. process. Poor attendance is likely to affect students’ quality of
work and overall success in the course.
Week 11: P4 Presentations. In order to support a positive and comfortable learning
Week 12: David Sedaris & P5/P5.5 Intro. environment for students and fair practice in our English and
Week 13: P5 Workdays. Humanities Department courses, the following policies have been
Week 14: P5 Presentations. adopted:
1) Since coursework can be both individual and collaborative,
Week 15: P5.5 Due/Intro to P6. regular attendance is vital. If students have five unexcused
Week 16: P6 Due/P7 Intro. absences, it will be considered excessive and may result in their
Week 17: P7 Due/Final stuff. withdrawal from the course.
2) Excused absences: a) Students are permitted to make up daily
coursework, quizzes, and tests due to documented* illnesses,
mandatory military duty or religious obligations, recognized
projects and papers: college-sponsored activities, or funerals. b) Students must be
P1: Report + Persuasive + Funny = Answer to aware that merely notifying the appropriate Division Dean’s office
or their instructor of their absence does not equate an excused
“What is an Essay?” 50pts. absence.
P1.5: Profile = Magazine-style. 50pts? 3) Unexcused absences: All other reasons for absences.
P2: Research = Multi-Genre. 100pts.
P3: Lyrics + Analysis = Poetry in Disguise. *To document your excused absence(s), you must
50pts? email the instructor with two items: 1) the missed
P4: Geeky Research of homework attached (within a week of last excused
Punctuation/Spelling/Grammar + class date), and 2) proof – doc’s note, email from
Collaborative. 100pts. coach, phone number, link to funeral announcement,
P5: Visual Essay. 150pts. etc.
P5.5: David Sedaris + Visual = Something Cool.
50pts?
P6: Personal Research + Multi-Genre = Answer college expectation of
to “Who Are You?” 100pts.
P7: Combination of Bits & Pieces = Something attendance:
Different AND Cool. 100pts? Regular attendance, promptness, and participation in
classes is expected of each student. A student missing
three consecutive or five non-consecutive classes will
be referred to the Division Academic Counselor.
 yep.

warning warning!
=Not ALL assignments will be completed/introduced on
eCompanion. other assignments:
= Students will not be allowed to use computer problems as an BP=Bits and Pieces. Daily writing
excuse as to why their work is late. They are responsible for practice, essentially. Worth
backing up their work. between 10pts-25pts x about 30-
= Papers will be graded within 2 weeks of their due date, usually. 40 class times = 300-500pts?
= Emails to the instructor must be error-free.
My Words (MW). 5 words you
don’t know meanings to.
disabilities & special needs. Research the following: 1) Where
If you have a disability for which you are or may be requesting an you heard it/found it/read it, 2)
accommodation, you are encouraged to contact both your instructor and the
Definition, 3) Part of Speech, 4)
Disability Support Services Office, Mildred Johnson Library (phone 671-2623) as
early as possible in the semester. History/Etymology, 5) New
original sentence using word.
20pts (4pts per word).
plagiarism a.k.a. don’
don’t steal…
steal… Roundtable Peer Review (RPR).
Integrity is an NDSCS core value and there is an expectation that all students, as
members of the college community, adhere to the highest levels of academic Sharing drafts of papers aids the
integrity. Dishonesty in class, laboratory, shop work or tests is regarded as a writing process. You will be
serious offense and is subject to disciplinary action by the instructor and dean of expected to share drafts with
the respective division. For more information, refer to the NDSCS Student
Planner or College Catalog under College Policies and Basic Regulations of classmates & your instructor. 10-
Conduct. 25pts possible per RPR.

Essentially, if any amount of plagiarism is found in a student’s paper (copying

from the internet without quotations or parenthetical citations, copying parts or breakdown of
whole pages from another student, or any other sign of plagiarism), that student
will be subject to disciplinary action which could result in no credit for the paper points:
oints::
or a complete revision of the paper with a large reduction in points. If a student BP. 300-500pts.
repeatedly plagiarizes, more severe actions will take place.
MW. 20 x 7? = 140pts.
RPR. 25 x 3 times = 75pts?
P1 – P7. About 700pts.
code of conduct: (Bonus) Tests and Quizzes?
Students will come to class on-time and prepared for discussion.
Approximately 1300-1700
All students will be respectful of others’ ideas and opinions. total points.
Participation in class is expected. Cell phones, pagers, and MP3
players will be turned off when you enter the classroom. No
tobacco products are allowed in NDSCS buildings, and, when
you’re outside - in designated areas only.

learning is not illegal. yet.

 chart:subject
chart:subject to changes, deletions, and additions…
additions…
Unit Monday Wednesday Friday Notes:
1 August 23: 25 27
Classes start at 4pm. Introductions. Assign BP#1. Share BP#1. My Words = “Erin McKean
Pre-Test? Redefines The Dictionary,” TED talk. 100
Words handout. CB/BP?
1 August 30 September 1 3 Sept. 1:
Essays that need work. “Shitty First BP. “Strongbad,” “Totally Like Whatever.” Intro to P1. Dave Eggers essay. Steve Last Day
Drafts,” “10 Grammar Mistakes that Bedford St. Martin’s video (re:writing) on Carell essay. BP. to Add
make you look stupid.” BP. Organization? BSM: Revising?
1 6: 8 10
Labor Day. Intro to Brain Droppings& George Carlin. BP. “The Impotence of Proofreading.”
101 Greatest GC Quotes. BP. Peer Review for P1. Sign up for WC.
1 13 15 17
WC = Writing Conferences. WC. P1 Due Saturday.Bonus Spelling Test. BP.
1 20 22 24
Intro to P1.5: Profile. Samples from BP. P1.5 Due Next Monday in class.
magazines? BP. BSM videos? WC in class? Bonus Test? BP.
1/2 27 29 October 1:
P1.5 Due. Intro to P2. BP. Library Day. Instructor @TYCA.
BSM videos? “Lies, Damned Lies and BP due online? Continue to research P2.
Statistics,” TED talk, 6 min.
2 4 6 8:
Works Cited pages = WTH. BP. Peer Review. Test PPTs. Instructor @GPACW. Work on P2.
2 11 13 15
P2 Presentations. BP? P2 Presentations. BP? P2 Presentations. BP?
Lucas Self-Assessment/Doc Sharing.
3 18 20 22
Intro to P3/Intro to Poetry Booklet. P3 Research. Look at: The Rosa Parks of Blogs Peer Review.
“James Geary, Metaphorically blog? BP. BP.
Speaking,” TED talk, 9 min.
3/4 25 27 29
P3 Due. BP? Intro to P4: Essays on texting (Mar/Apr’08 on P4 Work. BP?
Intro New, Well-Tempered Sent. Delicious). “Pay Attention”/“Does Facebook Bonus Test on New, Well-Tempered Sent?
Unite Us or Divide Us?” TED talk.
4 November 1 3 5
BP? P4 Presentations. P4 Presentations. Bonus Test?
5 8 10 12
Intro to Sedaris. BP. Intro to P5. Intro to P5.5. P5 Workday. Bonus Test on Sedaris.
5 15 17 19
P5 Workday. BP = Sedaris. P5 Workday. BP = Sedaris. Test PPTs. P5 Presentations. BP = Sedaris.
5 22 24 26:
P5 Presentations. BP? P5 Presentations. BP? Thanksgiving.
6 29 December 1 3
P5.5 Due in class. BP. BP.
Intro to P6. BP: ABC Experiment. Bonus Test?
6/7 6 8 10
Instructor @TIES conf? BP. P6 Due in class.Intro to P7: BP Combo? BP. Bonus Test?
7 13 Finals Week. Finals Week.
Student Evals? Final Test. P7 Due. Bonus Test emailed out?
bits and pieces:
1. Be bad: Write a bad essay. Attempt writing badly. Minimum: 500 words. Single-spaced please.
2. [Before P1] Change your outfit: Take some bits&pieces you’ve already created and make it into something different. Like, make an essay
into a poem or a poem into a newspaper article or an essay into a tabloid/gossip article, etc.
3. [GC] Watch your language: What are the words you love, or the phrases you wish would come back in fashion?
4. Interest Inventory: What are your favorite things? Favorite movies, musicians, stores, foods, etc.
5. Address the public: Revive the lost art of letter writing by addressing fellow citizens.
6. [Before P1] Two sides to every story: Pick anything, any topic, and list all the Pros and Cons.
7. [GC] Play favorites: Create some top ten lists.
8. [GC] Be yourself: What are the things that you think only YOU love?
9. [GC] Promote truth: Give us some of your own unique beliefs. [Steve Carell’s essay?]
10. [GC] George Carlin Fun:“People Who ___” List (pg2), “7 Things I’m Tired of,” List (Pg4), “A Few Things I Like” List (Pg7), “Things You Never
See” List (pg?)…
11. [GC] Quotes Project w/George. Find a Creative Commons image on Flickr that isn’t of Carlin, but relates to a quote of his (chosen by you).
Then use Pixlr.com to add the quote to the image. Save to desktop before uploading to eCompanion.
12. [Before P1.5] Collect people: Interview someone you admire but don’t necessarily know. [leahpeah.com/blog]
13. Dear Abby: Write an essay modeled on an advice column, like Savage Love, Dear Abby, or the like. [Steve Carell’s essay?]
14. Examine your paperwork: Find an old note or journal entry or email – Exploit ‘em. [queserasera.org]
15. Make it easy: Tell us about the small habits you’ve adopted to make your life run more smoothly. [lifehacker.com]
16. It’s classified: Create an ad for something you need or something you’d like to get rid of.
17. Show some love: Tell us who your friends are and why they are a part of your life.
18. Blow your budget: You’ve come into ten million dollars – How do you spend it?
19. Spread the words: Pull out great paragraphs and quotes from things you are currently reading. Even headlines from the newspaper work.
20. [Before P1.5] My Family: Write about the members of your family. Describe each person and what they mean to you.
21. [Before P1.5] New Student Questions: If there was a new student in class and you could only ask that person three questions to get to
know them, what would you ask them?
22. [Before P1.5] Make your timeline: Make a personal timeline of your past.
23. [Before P1.5] Surveys: It can be so satisfying to test people, and then put them into neat little categories. [surveymonkey.com]
24. [Before P1.5] Make contact: You miss real mail; send postcards to readers, etc.
25. Timecapsule: Take a pic of your current cell phone so years down the road your kids can laugh at the size. What else do you think will
change?
26. [Before P2] Become an expert. On something. You have a foolproof hangover cure, and you’re keeping it from the world?
[www.43folders.com] Ex: Sybil’s Guide To ___ (Brain Droppings, pg 8).
27. [Before P3] Show us your B-side: What is the soundtrack to your life?
28. Opposite Day: Always sunny & happy? Write a serious/sad post.
29. Share the joke: When something makes you laugh, take note. Brain Droppings, Pg63.
30. Leave the house: Go spend a day in the world. Report back.
31. Reading Experiment:Write a mini-essay using sentences from our assigned reading for today.
32. [Before P3]Musical Experiment:Use the lyrics of a favorite song to write an essay on a topic completely different than the topic of the
song. Additional words may be used, but every word from the lyrics must be in the essay.
33. [Before P6]Name Experiment:Using your first name only, in an essay explain how your name describes who you are (or does not). Use
each letter of your first name (in order) as the first letter of each sentence. There should be the same number of sentences as there are
letters in your name. You cannot state your name in the essay, but you may make the first letters of each sentence bold. Ex:
Personally I feel my name…
Also, ...
My mother decided to name … [Brain Droppings, Pg21-28]
34. [Before P6]ABC Experiment: Alphabetical Essay. Each letter should connect to a quality of yourself. A could stand for “Artistic” for
example. See how many letters (out of 26) you can connect something to.
35. Racial Experiment: Discuss how one element of your life would be different had you been born into a different race.
36. Essay of Place: George Carlin sample pages 16-20 of Brain Droppings.
37. Blue Collar: “You Know You’re _____ When _____” List. Brain Droppings, Pg21.
38. Book Titles: Create Your Own. Brain Droppings, Pg44.
39. Metaphors: Baseball vs football. Brain Droppings, Pg53-63?
40. [Before P5.5]Homosexuality:Brain Droppings, Pg64-65.
41. [Before P4] Language is Fun:Verbs (Brain Droppings, Pg66), Word Usage (Brain Droppings, Pg67), and Unnecessary Words (Brain
Droppings, Pg69).
42. Connect the dots: Of what we’ve read thus far, what connections can you make? How many? Make a list if necessary.
43. Like, Yeah, Like: Write some dialogue like a “Californian Ditzy Blonde.”
44. On the spot: _______.
45. TBA: _______.
46. What would you do for a Klondike bar?
47. Cliché creation: Create a list of ___ new clichés. Instead of “I was running around like a chicken with my head chopped off” you could
use/say, “I was running around like a soccer mom with ten kids and two blue mini-vans.”
 100 words that all high school graduates should know
®
BOSTON, MA — The editors of the American Heritage dictionaries have compiled a list of 100 words they recommend every high school graduate
should know.

"The words we suggest," says senior editor Steven Kleinedler, "are not meant to be exhaustive but are a benchmark against which graduates and
their parents can measure themselves. If you are able to use these words correctly, you are likely to have a superior command of the language."

The following is the entire list of 100 words:

abjure lugubrious
abrogate metamorphosis
abstemious mitosis
acumen moiety
antebellum nanotechnology
auspicious nihilism
belie nomenclature
bellicose nonsectarian
bowdlerize notarize
chicanery obsequious
chromosome oligarchy
churlish omnipotent
circumlocution orthography
circumnavigate oxidize
deciduous parabola
deleterious paradigm
diffident parameter
enervate pecuniary
enfranchise photosynthesis
epiphany plagiarize
equinox plasma
euro polymer
evanescent precipitous
expurgate quasar
facetious quotidian
fatuous recapitulate
feckless reciprocal
fiduciary reparation
filibuster respiration
gamete sanguine
gauche soliloquy
gerrymander subjugate
hegemony suffragist
hemoglobin supercilious
homogeneous tautology
hubris taxonomy
hypotenuse tectonic
impeach tempestuous
incognito thermodynamics
incontrovertible totalitarian
inculcate unctuous
infrastructure usurp
interpolate vacuous
irony vehement
jejune vortex
kinetic winnow
kowtow wrought
laissez faire xenophobe
lexicon yeoman
loquacious ziggurat
 10 grammar mistakes that make you look stupid
http://www.bspcn.com/2007/05/16/10-grammar-mistakes-that-make-you-look-stupid/

These days, we tend to communicate via the keyboard as much as we do verbally. Often, we’re in a hurry, quickly dashing off e-mails with typos,
grammatical shortcuts (I’m being kind here), and that breezy, e.e. cummings, no-caps look. It’s expected. It’s no big deal. But other times, we try to
invest a little care, avoiding mistakes so that there’s no confusion about what we’re saying and so that we look professional and reasonably bright.

In general, we can slip up in a verbal conversation and get away with it. A colleague may be thinking, Did she just say “irregardless”?, but the words
flow on, and our worst transgressions are carried away and with luck, forgotten.

That’s not the case with written communications. When we commit a grammatical crime in e-mails, discussion posts, reports, memos, and other
professional documents, there’s no going back. We’ve just officially gone on record as being careless or clueless. And here’s the worst thing. It’s not
necessary to be an editor or a language whiz or a spelling bee triathlete to spot such mistakes. They have a way of doing a little wiggle dance on the
screen and then reaching out to grab the reader by the throat.

So here we are in the era of Word’s red-underline “wrong spelling, dumb ass” feature and Outlook’s Always Check Spelling Before Sending option,
and still the mistakes proliferate. Catching typos is easy (although not everyone does it). It’s the other stuff — correctly spelled but incorrectly
wielded — that sneaks through and makes us look stupid. Here’s a quick review of some of the big ones:

1. Loose for lose Yes: The outage shouldn’t affect any users during work hours.
No: I always loose the product key. Yes: The outage should have no impact on users during work hours.
Yes: I always lose the product key.
6. You’re for your
2. It’s for its (or god forbid, its’) No: Remember to defrag you’re machine on a regular basis.
No: Download the HTA, along with it’s readme file. Yes: Remember to defrag your machine on a regular basis.
Yes: Download the HTA, along with its readme file. No: Your right about the changes.
No: The laptop is overheating and its making that funny noise again. Yes: You’re right about the changes.
Yes: The laptop is overheating and it’s making that funny noise
again. 7. Different than for different from
No: This setup is different than the one at the main office.
3. They’re fortheir for there Yes: This setup is different from the one at the main office.
No: The managers are in they’re weekly planning meeting. Yes: This setup is better than the one at the main office.
Yes: The managers are in their weekly planning meeting.
No: The techs have to check there cell phones at the door, and their 8. Lay for lie
not happy about it. No: I got dizzy and had to lay down.
Yes: The techs have to check their cell phones at the door, and Yes: I got dizzy and had to lie down.
they’re not happy about it. Yes: Just lay those books over there.

4. i.e. for e.g. 9. Then for than

No: Use an anti-spyware program (i.e., AdAware).
Yes: Use an anti-spyware program (e.g., AdAware).
Note: The term i.e. means “that is”; e.g. means “for example.” And a
comma follows both of them.
5. Effect for affect
No: The outage shouldn’t effect any users during work hours.
Yes: The outage shouldn’t affect any users during work hours.
Yes: The outage shouldn’t have any effect on users.
Yes: We will effect several changes during the downtime.
Note: Impact is not a verb. Purists, at least, beg you to use affect
instead:
No: The outage shouldn’t impact any users during work hours.
No: The accounting department had more problems then we did.
Yes: The accounting department had more problems than we did.
Note: Here’s a sub-peeve. When a sentence construction begins
with If, you don’t need a then. Then is implicit, so it’s
superfluous and wordy:
No: If you can’t get Windows to boot, then you’ll need to call Ted.
Yes: If you can’t get Windows to boot, you’ll need to call Ted.
10. Could of, would of for could have, would have
No: I could of installed that app by mistake.
Yes: I could have installed that app by mistake.
No: I would of sent you a meeting notice, but you were out of town.
Yes: I would have sent you a meeting notice, but you were out of
town.
"I’m a modern man, a man for the millennium. Digital and smoke free. A diversified multi-cultural, post-modern deconstruction
that is anatomically and ecologically incorrect. I’ve been up linked and downloaded, I’ve been inputted and outsourced, I know
the upside of downsizing, I know the downside of upgrading. I’m a high-tech low-life. A cutting edge, state-of-the-art bi-coastal
multi-tasker and I can give you a gigabyte in a nanosecond!

I’m new wave, but I’m old school and my inner child is outward bound. I’m a hot-wired, heat seeking, warm-hearted cool
customer, voice activated and bio-degradable. I interface with my database, my database is in cyberspace, so I’m interactive, I’m
hyperactive and from time to time I’m radioactive.

Behind the eight ball, ahead of the curve, ridin the wave, dodgin the bullet and pushin the envelope. I’m on-point, on-task, on-
message and off drugs. I’ve got no need for coke and speed. I've got no urge to binge and purge. I’m in-the-moment, on-the-edge,
over-the-top and under-the-radar. A high-concept, low-profile, medium-range ballistic missionary. A street-wise smart bomb. A
top-gun bottom feeder. I wear power ties, I tell power lies, I take power naps and run victory laps. I’m a totally ongoing big-foot,
slam-dunk, rainmaker with a pro-active outreach. A raging workaholic. A working rageaholic. Out of rehab and in denial!

I’ve got a personal trainer, a personal shopper, a personal assistant and a personal agenda. You can’t shut me up. You can’t dumb
me down because I’m tireless and I’m wireless, I’m an alpha male on beta-blockers.

I’m a non-believer and an over-achiever, laid-back but fashion-forward. Up-front, down-home, low-rent, high-maintenance.
Super-sized, long-lasting, high-definition, fast-acting, oven-ready and built-to-last! I’m a hands-on, foot-loose, knee-jerk head case
pretty maturely post-traumatic and I’ve got a love-child that sends me hate mail.

But, I’m feeling, I’m caring, I’m healing, I’m sharing-- a supportive, bonding, nurturing primary care-giver. My output is down, but
my income is up. I took a short position on the long bond and my revenue stream has its own cash-flow. I read junk mail, I eat
junk food, I buy junk bonds and I watch trash sports! I’m gender specific, capital intensive, user-friendly and lactose intolerant.

I like rough sex. I like tough love. I use the “F” word in my emails and the software on my hard-drive is hardcore--no soft porn.

I bought a microwave at a mini-mall; I bought a mini-van at a mega-store. I eat fast-food in the slow lane. I’m toll-free, bite-sized,
ready-to-wear and I come in all sizes. A fully-equipped, factory-authorized, hospital-tested, clinically-proven, scientifically-
formulated medical miracle. I’ve been pre-wash, pre-cooked, pre-heated, pre-screened, pre-approved, pre-packaged, post-dated,
freeze-dried, double-wrapped, vacuum-packed and, I have an unlimited broadband capacity.

I’m a rude dude, but I’m the real deal. Lean and mean! Cocked, locked and ready-to-rock. Rough, tough and hard to bluff. I take it
slow, I go with the flow, I ride with the tide. I’ve got glide in my stride. Drivin and movin, sailin and spinin, jiving and groovin,
wailin and winnin. I don’t snooze, so I don’t lose. I keep the pedal to the metal and the rubber on the road. I party hearty and
lunch time is crunch time. I’m hangin in, there ain’t no doubt and I’m hangin tough, over and out!"

~George Carlin ,
a comedic genius and poet extraodinaire
English 110 Pre-“Test.”
Please do not write your name on this. Thank you.

<------->
“YES/NO” SECTION.
Please fill in the blank with a Y for Yes or N for No.

_____ I know how to brainstorm to find a topic to write about or research.

_____ I get writer’s block.
_____ I have completed research papers in other classes (high school or otherwise).
_____ I have completed personal essays in other classes (high school or otherwise).
_____ I have used MLA format in other classes (high school or otherwise).
_____ I know how to correctly use sources in my research papers.
_____ I have created an annotated bibliography for a class (high school or otherwise).
_____ I know what a “genre” of writing is.
_____ I can name a “genre” of writing/composition. Here’s one: __________________________________.
_____ I have created multi-genre projects in other classes (high school or otherwise).
_____ I like to use slang in everyday speech.
_____ I like to swear.
_____ I use a dictionary (online or book) on a weekly basis.
_____ I’ve been to a library at least five (5) times in my life.
_____ I think the English language is very weird.
_____ I can spell better than my friends.
_____ I use Facebook or Twitter or MySpace, etc. on a daily basis to communicate to friends/family.
_____ I text my friends/family on a daily basis.
_____ I’ve used YouTube to listen to songs or learn how to do something.
_____ I’m familiar with the different search engines: Yahoo!, Google, and Bing.

<------->
“LETTER/NUMBER” SECTION.
Please fill in the blank with your best answer or guess.

_____ The longest paper/essay I have ever completed was…

_____ The highest grade I’ve ever earned on a paper was…
_____ The grade I think I will earn in this course is…
_____ My vocabulary will probably increase this semester by ____ words.
_____ My effort level in this course will be…

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“ABOUT YOU” SECTION.
List anything you can think of in each category:

Favorite Movies/TV
Shows: Favorite Words: Favorite Foods:
_________________ _________________ _________________ Favorite Hobbies:
_________________ _________________ _________________ _________________
_________________ _________________ _________________ _________________
_________________ _________________ _________________ _________________
_________________ _________________ _________________ _________________
_________________ _________________ _________________