27 Jan 2012: How do I make my body paragraphs?

Okay, lots of panic about how to make your body paragraphs.  Let’s take it one step at a time.  You brainstormed a list of chunks.

Let’s say my research question is “How can we stop human trafficiking?”

And my chunks are

• A definition of human trafficking
• Where is human trafficking happening?
• What have other people done to stop it?
• Things we can still do to help stop it

Well, then my first paragraph is my first chunk: A definition of human trafficking.

I’ll pull up all my notes that are labeled with chunk 1.

Then, I’ll try to write these notes into an explanation of my chunk.  This explanation will be a body paragraph.  My body paragraph might look like this:

When writers talk about human trafficking, they’re really discussing a “cluster of human rights issues” including forced labor, migrant labor, prostitution and sexual slavery (Smith, 12). Victims of trafficking are “coerced or tricked or sometimes even drugged into going to work in demeaning or unsafe conditions for little or no pay” (Ryingstad).  Often, the people who have manipulated the victims earn profit that the victim should have earned (Smith, 12).  Currently, UNICEF estimates that there are 1.7 million trafficking victiums worldwide each year, predominantly in Asia and Africa (Ryingstad).  However, according to the UNESCO Trafficking Statistics project, “numbers take on a life of their own, gaining acceptance through repetition” and many statistics like these are “accepted an unverified” because the issue is so “emotive” (UNESCO Trafficking Statistics Project).  Aside from emotional reasons for unsubstantiated statistics, three other elements make it difficult to track trafficking.  First, various conflicting definitions of trafficking being used by a wide variety of human rights groups means that few groups know what they’re actually counting (Smith, 12).  Second, shifts in trafficking trends related to wars and natural disasters and ever-changing underground world of traffickers themselves make it difficult to find a reliable way of maintaining trafficking statistics (UNESCO Trafficking Statistics Project).

Yours may not sound so fancy.  And that’s okay.  :)  The important thing is to get all your information in there!

 

25-26 January 2012

During these two days, we continued to work in the lab.

• I asked you to develop “chunks” –or topics that you think your notes cover, and number them.  I suggested you need at least 3 and should probably have no more than 5.  You can see an example of a research question and chunks here.
• Then I asked you to use the numbers to label your notes.  Each note can belong to only one chunk–so choose carefully!  When When you’re done labeling your notes with chunks, they’ll look like this.
• Then I asked you to select all of your notes, starting with the chunk column.  In other words, select this information first, and then move the cursor over to select the rest of the notes like this.
• With all of that information selected, press the  button.
• Once they’re sorted, your notes will look like this.  All the notes that have to do with chunk #1 will be in one place, same for all the notes that have to do with chunk #2, 3, etc.

Why is this useful?  Well, your chunks will become your body paragraphs.  Now you have all the information you need for each body paragraph sorted into one place.  This helps to protect your academic integrity by making sure you’re not looking at just one source for any particular paragraph, and it prevents you from looking at your sources at all while you’re writing your speech.

I will come around and confirm that your chunks are solid topics today.

And YOU get to begin writing–taking those facts and notes and turning them into an explanation of the topic for that paragraph.  There is a sample body paragraph on page 36 of your packet.

Two warnings:

1. Do NOT simply list facts and notes – actually write out an explanation of each topic, using the information from your notes.
2. Do NOT put a fact or note alone in a sentence!

24 January 2012

Today we met in the lab to finish notes.  If you have not completed your notes, then tonight is a stay-up-late and finish-your-work kind of night.  Get busy.  I’m checking them first thing tomorrow while Mrs. Frederickson helps you with something else…

23 Jan 2012

EEEK! I realize I’ve been writing 2011 in the dates.  Sorry for the confusion, scholars!  I’ll go back and fix it in a bit.  In the meantime…

Today we’ll be in the lab, continuing to read and take notes on the sources you’ve found.  A few words of advice:

1. If you end up with less than a full page of notes on your template, you need to go back and find another source.
2. If you finish ahead of schedule, it’s okay to ask me what’s next.  I’ll get you on the road to your next steps.

18-20 January 2012

This week we continued in the lab.  Most of you have completed your work finding sources and are now working on reading/highlighting and taking notes on your Notes Template.  We will continue this through the end of class on Tuesday.

1. Find and evaluate sources until you find 2.
2. Get your evaluation sheets initialed.
3. Copy the citations onto your Works Cited page.
4. Print article(s).
5. Read and highlight articles.
6. Use highlighting to write notes on notes template.

• REMEMBER: Only ONE FACT or IDEA PER LINE.
• Use author’s last name & pg as source for PDF articles
• Use author’s last name as source for HTML articles

If you have enough information to answer your research question, stop.  If you need more, repeat steps 1-5.

17 January 2012

Today we met in the lab to get started on research.  You have a question after our work on Friday (or you should anyhow).  Mrs. Frederickson will spend today helping us figure out how to find sources on EBSCO.

Once you find a source that you think works, you’ll need to evaluate it using your blank evaluation sheets.  Tomorrow we’ll continue working on finding sources.

9-13 January 2012

Goodness!  Mrs. B is WAY behind on blogging this week.  A quick update:

• We’ve now read, highlighted and discussed every article in the “Mrs. B Has a Question” section of your packet.
• Friday in class, we worked on you writing YOUR question.  I’ve asked you to have a question that meets all of our question criteria when you come to class on TUESDAY.

Then, vocabulary for this week:

• sed, sess – sit – as in sedentary, describes someone who is not very active/sits a lot
• sequ, secu – follow – as in sequel, the book or movie that follows the first
• simil – same – as in assimilate, to make the same
• sol – sun – as in solar, describes something having to do with the sun
• soph -wisdom – as in sophomore, a wise fool
• spir – coil – as in spiral, an object that coils repeatedly

5 January 2012

We finished practicing with the ads first.

Then, gave a little explanation about our unit.  My goals are

1.  For you to learn how to read non-fiction successfully enough that…
2.  You can read articles in your research and understand what they’re saying so…
3. You can put together a speech based on the reading you’ve done

I’ve broken the unit into two parts.  Part I: Mrs. B Has a Question and Part II: You have a Question.

Sneak peek: In Part II, you will research and read about a question you want the answer to.

SO…in Part I, we’re reading about a question that I want the answer to.  Along the way, we’ll practice reading strategies and research tools.  That way, when the time comes, you’ll be ready to tackle your own question!

Today I’ll introduce some of the reading & highlighting strategies for non-fiction.  Then you’ll get your first chance to practice.

For tomorrow, please read the “Gamma Girls” article in your packet.  Use the reading strategies we discussed, and try out the “connect/know” highlighting strategy.

4 January 2012

Today I introduced our Non-Fiction & Research Unit. To start with, we talked about how writers convince us to agree with them.  They use three main tools:

• Logos – appealing to logic or reason – for example using facts, common sense or definitions
• Pathos – appealing to our feelings – for example using humor or emotionally charged language
• Ethos – appealing to credibility – for example using famous names, degrees, or straightforward language

And the sad truth of the matter?  The #1 non fiction text we “read” in the US?  Advertisements.  So we’re going to practice identifying logos, ethos and pathos in some advertisements together.

19-20 December 2011

Last days in the lab working on your scrapbooks.  They are due at the end of the hour on Tuesday.