Our good friend CASPER
Ideally, where in your essay should you place your thesis statement?
At the end of the introduction (and keep coming back to it throughout your essay)
At the simplest level, what are the three main parts of an argumentative essay?
Introduction, Body Paragraphs, Conclusion
What basic information should be included when referencing an external source in your essay?
Name of author and date that the text was written. Eg. (Smith, 2018).
How do you raise your hand on Forum?
Press H on your keyoboard or click the handraise icon on your screen
"Changing fonts halfway through a formal academic essay is a great idea and makes my readers think I'm professional and whimsical at the same time". True or False?
False - make sure you stick to one font, colour, and size throughout your essay!
We recommend Times New Roman, size 12.
Which element of CASPER does this thesis need to improve?
"In light of the burgeoning scientific evidence fortified by the consensus of distinguished environmental scholars, the thesis at hand unequivocally indicates the menacing reality of climate change as an inexorable and indisputable intercontinental threat, the veritable existential threat posed by the unprecedented alteration of Earth's climatic patterns primarily driven by anthropogenic activity, warranting acute and coordinated international action to not only mitigate its detrimental effects but also effectuate resilient adaptations, thereby forging a sustainable and viable trajectory for future generations and preserving the fragile ecosystem."
Concision! Aim for 1-2 clear sentences.
True or False: an essay’s conclusion offers space to add novel points that did not fit into the body paragraphs of the essay
False!
In your conclusion, you should remind the reader of your main thesis, summarise your main supporting points, and explain why any counter-arguments do not threaten your overarching argument, without introducing novel points.
Explain the difference between quoting and paraphrasing from an external source
Quoting = directly using another author's words in your own writing. Must be indicated using quotation marks "" and a citation.
Paraphrasing = summarising another author's arguments in your own words. Citations are still needed in this case.
What's the keyboard shortcut to react with a heart on Forum?
Shift 7 (or click the heart icon on your screen)
"My essay should have paragraphs to distinguish between distinct ideas." True or False?
True! Paragraphs make your essay easier to follow and demonstrate professional conventions. Also, be sure to indent the first line of your paragraphs.
Other than the CASPER acronym, what are the three parts of a good thesis (and describe them).
The What: The core point that you are making (your stance)
The How: How you intend to prove your argument to your reader
The Why: Why readers should care about this topic, or why your stance is relevant.
What do the vertical arrows on the 'Basic Essay Organization' Diagram represent
(Instructors should pull up the unlabelled diagram)
Specificity - specifically by narrowing down towards your precise thesis and by broadening out to wider topics that are relevant to the subject.
Why should we cite our sources? Give at least two different reasons.
1. Allows readers to locate your sources, and do further research
2. Gives credibility to your arguments
3. Shows respect to authors
Can anyone think of other reasons?
How do you put up a green check ( ✔) on Forum? Eg. when a professor asks you to agree or disagree with a claim, and you agree.
Press Y on your keyboard (or click the check icon on your screen)
What line spacing is typically used in APA formatting?
Double-spacing (make sure this stays consistent throughout your essay)
What does the acronym CASPER actually stand for?
Concise, Arguable, Substantial, Precise, (sets up) Evidence, and Relevant.
The process of reading through your paper paragraph by paragraph, taking notes of the main points, allowing you to evaluate the essay organization on a more abstract level.
Reverse outlining
Identify at least four different types of evidence
Observation
News articles
Official Documents
Interviews
Surveys
Experiments
Academical papers
Expert testimony
What key should you press to see all the keyboard shortcuts on Forum?
k
"The post summer assessments don't require me to include a wordcount at the end of my submission because it's only a 3-4 hour assessment." True or False?
False! You must include an accurate word count at the end of your submission, and at the end of your reflection question answer.
What element of CASPER is improved between these two theses:
1. "Trams are effective at getting people to where they need to go."
2. "More money should be invested into trams in the United States, as they provide a more environmentally friendly and cost effective way to move people from suburbs into central business districts."
A - Arguable (could give half points for Substantial or Precise)
1. Hook = engage the readers (keep it brief)
2. Background = a concise summary of information needed to contextualize your argument
3. Relevance = demonstrate to your readers why they should care about your thesis statement and the rest of your paper
4. Thesis Statement = introduce the arguments being made in a paper
How should we integrate evidence into a paragraph?
Hint: what four steps should we take to ensure our evidence adds to our overall argument?
1. Identify - what kind of evidence you will need to support your argument
2. Introduce - Let the reader know that you are going to quote someone by using a signal phrase: Eg. "According to..."
3. Quote - either a direct quote or a paraphrase
4. Explain - How does this connect to your topic sentence and thesis?
Oh no! You are trying to speak on Forum, but no one can hear you!! What should you do next?
If you're having technical issues, you can (1) hover the mouse around your 'face' on the screen, click the three dots, and reload yourself, or (2) click on the settings icon -> Refresh AV, or (3) click on the question mark -> Live Tech Support.
The academic integrity statement. This lets us know that you have read and agree with the statement and will conduct the assessments in good faith.