This Assignment requires a dropbox.

Assignment:  To complete this icebreaker activity

Essay/Paper 1– Compose a paragraph as directed below and then submit your essay in the SafeAssign drop box – this is where I would evaluate it if it were a graded assignment.

 I need to find out quickly the best way I can help you to succeed in this class .  So…first, please tell me whatever you can about your writing strengths and weaknesses.  I’ll give you some ideas to consider below.

Based on past writing experiences:

1. Are you good at coming up with ideas, brainstorming, mapping, making lists, pre-writing?  OR–do you get STUCK looking at a blank page and not knowing where to start.

2.  Are you good at organizing your ideas logically, so a reader can follow your train of thought and understand your points? OR–do you tend to ramble, go off-the topic, write vague statements that leave readers confused?

3.  Is your writing interesting?  Do you use good details, examples, personal anecdotes, specific images, so your reader can “get into” your writing?  OR–do you get comments like “vague,” or ‘needs development” on your papers?

4.  Do you understand how to avoid sentence structure problems like fragments or comma splices/run on sentences?  OR–is this an area that needs work?

5.  Do you have a lot of trouble with basic grammar/spelling/usage of correct words?  OR–are you basically okay with these?  ****GOOD NEWS–A SPELLING PROBLEM IS THE BEST Problem to have–it’s so easy to fix.

6.  Do you check your writing for errors?  Do you read it aloud to someone else to catch any mistakes?  Or– do you write one fast draft and turn it in?

Write a paragraph about your own writing as you understand it.  Feel free to include examples or details to help me understand your particular situation. THEN submit it in the drop box.

Write for only 10-15 minutes, no longer.  Do not pay any attention to spelling mistakes/grammar errors/punctuation.  In other words, do not stop to worry if what you are writing is “correct.”  That does not matter until later in the course.  Just try to get content down.