ASSIGNMENT ON DAVIS ESSAY: THE PLANTS OF THE GODS

Paper due in Corbett's email box: July 10th

Assignment # 11A

• ASSIGNMENT: Write a lengthy and thoughtful essay about Davis' essay. Comment on things you found especially interesting or puzzling. However, since this is a rather difficult piece in part, be sure to focus on thos things which are most central the to POSITIONS Davis develops. This is not just a travel adventure piece. Along the way NAME and NUMBER two (no more, no less) specific questions that you wish answered. They should be on this that you regard as central to the essay. You may certainly ask other questions, but don't name and number them as your "assigned" questions. When appropriate you should write in critical form, but you are not limited to it and may use a more informal style if it gets the job done.

• PRE-WRITING TASKS:
  1. First read Davis' essay all the way through with some care and reflect on it.
  2. If you have initial simple questions of understanding, e-mail Corbett privately and indicate whether this e-mail may or may not be used to the whole class. (Note at times your puzzles will be likely puzzles that others will have as well. Getting them out to all may be a genuine class service.) But, on these e-mails, it is as you wish.

• WRITING THE ASSIGNMENT:
  1. Be sure to put your name and the number of the assignment at the top of every paper. See topic of this page for the number of this assignment. Also, please give the brief "name" of the assignment.
  2. Be sure your remarks reflect some depth of reading and thought.
  3. Be sure to begin seriously using the critical thinking format of speaking in thesis and argument form.
  4. Don't belabor the obvious and trivial. Focus on the specially interesting or puzzling.
  5. Use careful and acceptable standard English. Give attention to spelling, grammar and style. These will matter throughout the course. Caution: internet writing often suggests contrary writing habits, allowing much less attention to these matters. In this regard this assignment (and all others) are quite different than many internet writings.

     This is a class assignment at a university and norms of university level writing at every level will be expected.

• GRADING CRITERIAL I WILL USE:
  1. Does the paper reflect a careful reading of Davis' paper?
  2. Is it a paper of serious probing and some depth and length?
  3. Do the comments reflect a transcending of reading this as mere travel/adventure literature?
  4. Does it reflect some careful thought about the material commented upon?
  5. Is the student using the critical thinking form of making claims (theses) and giving arguments for the thesis?
  6. Are the two questions clear and significant?
  7. Are grammar, punctuation, spelling problems minimal?
  8. Is the writing style free of confusion and awkwardness?

• THE GRADES THEMSELVES:
  • A grade of A will mean: Well-written reflective paper of significant length and depth with a keen eye to what is central to the intellectual focus of the paper and with few mechanical mistakes. Questions of some significance. All expressed in clear and thoughtful language. There is depth in paper and the critical thinking form is well used.
  • A grade of B will mean: Well-written and reflective paper, but without the significant edge of revealing depth of thought and attention to detail of expression (writing), or lacking in significant length and depth.
  • A grade of C will mean: Paper does what is asked and all parts are there. The paper suggests an adequate attention to the reading of Davis' paper, but doesn't reflect a significant depth of thought or expression of that thought. Or paper may contain too many lapses of mechanics and style. Or, the depth is not there, or critical form is lax.
  • A grade of D will mean: Paper falls short of an adequate university level response to the assignment. This may be in fulfillment of the content or in more serious problems with mechanics and style.
  • A grade of F may mean anyone of three things:
    1. Not turned in at all.
    2. Not turned in on time.
    3. Significant failures to meet the assignment at the level of reasonable university level expectations of thought, attention to detail, attention to reading or expression. (specifics will be pointed out).
  • NO ASSIGNMENT MAY BE REWRITTEN FOR HIGHER CREDIT.  You are welcome to rewrite them to improve them, and I will happily comment on them. But the original grade will remain as it was on the first and only graded attempt.

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