yup, I'm at it again

[tsukikage]

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作文を書くことが大嫌い！I've been stuck for hours on trying to decide why it's important for members of Campus Crusade for Christ to learn more about the term 'Mormon'. I mean, all I can think of is "umm... because it's important to learn about other religions", but that doesn't provide incentive for Cru members to (hypothetically) read my paper. Especially since one of the main intents of this paper is to learn how to write for an audience, the answer to this question could affect what the thesis of my paper will be.
And to think that my introduction is due at midnight tomorrow. ><;

(I could always say that the reason for them to read the paper would be so they can know how to convert members of the LDS church away from Mormonism, but I don't think that'd fly with my teacher. But I do think I should bring up how many people, Christian or otherwise, believe Mormonism is a cult...)

Comments

[weemumlessmngrl.livejournal.com]

Do you need any help? I'm Mormon. ;)

[tsukikage85.livejournal.com]

Oh, man, I could defnitely use help. I understand enough about Mormonism (I think) to actually write the paper, but most of my friends know very little so I don't know how much help they'd be.
Wanna come on AIM?

[weemumlessmngrl.livejournal.com]

I don't have AIM on this computer. :(

[tsukikage85.livejournal.com]

Awww... Well, LJ comment thread it is!

So, here's the deal:
For the writing process, I recommend you proceed as follows:

1. Pick a word to define.
See the list below for pre-approved words. Feel free to e-mail me if you want to write about a word not on the list. Your word must be relevant to a class with a multicultural focus.

2. Look up the definition in a regular dictionary.

3. Research the etymology.
Research the etymology in the Oxford English Dictionary, through the University Libraries' Web site.

4. Pick an audience.
Your audience will be first-year college students who belong to a particular club. You pick the club. Here is a link to the University of Minnesota's current student groups. If you want to make up a club, that's fine, but make it realistic.

5. Brainstorm.
What will that audience already know about the term? What assumptions does that audience have about that term? Why is it important for that particular audience to learn more about the term? How can you make a definition of the term relevant to their lives? How can you interest them in learning more about the term (i.e., what's in it for them)?

6. Decide on your topic.
Based on what you know about the term and what your audience knows and wants, decide what the paper will be about.
For example, you could track:
* how use of the term has changed over time
* OR how different micro-cultures' use of the term varies
* OR how the term gets used in political rhetoric
* OR what elisions the term creates
* OR the legal uses of the term
* OR how the term is defined differently by insiders vs. outsiders
* OR your experience with the term (placed in a larger context of term usage)
* OR some other uses or abuses of the term (you must get my okay for this option)

A thesis should:
* fulfill the assignment.
* be focused.
* make an argument.
* not be a question.
* not be obvious (passes the "nut-uh" test).
* have exigence (passes the "so what?" test).
* engage the reader.
* forecast the organization of the paper.
* be as clearly written as possible.

Like good papers, good theses usually go through several drafts before they are ready to be turned in.

Start with an audience:
* Students

Narrow the audience:
* Students registering for composition classes at Penn State

Decide on a topic:
* Gun control

Narrow the topic:
* Gun control and student writing

Say something about the topic, keeping the audience in mind:
* Many students in composition classes at Penn State write about gun control.

Turn the topic into a question (optional):
* Should students in composition classes at Penn State write about gun control?

Answer your own question. Make sure your answer is a bit controversial. For example, this thesis is controversial because many students would disagree:
* Students in composition classes at Penn State should not write about gun control.

Make the thesis relevant to the audience:
* Students who want good grades in composition classes at Penn State should not write about gun control.

Make the thesis forecast the organization of the paper:
* Because it makes teachers suspicious of plagiarism, it is hard to create specificity in a paper with such a broad topic, and it is a topic about which teachers are tired of reading, students who want good grades in composition classes at Penn State should not write about gun control.

I'm this far:
Start with an audience:
* first-year college students who belong to a particular club

Narrow the audience:
* first-year college students who are non-Mormons belong to Campus Crusade for Christ

Decide on a topic:
* 'Mormon'

Narrow the topic:
* the definition of 'Mormon'

Say something about the topic, keeping the audience in mind:
* Mormons believe that they are Christians

Turn the topic into a question (optional):
* Are Mormons Christians?

Answer your own question. Make sure your answer is a bit controversial. For example, this thesis is controversial because many students would disagree:
* Mormons are Christians.

Make the thesis relevant to the audience:
* ?????

I really don't even like what I have, though. It's so... diluted.