How Ideas About Intelligence and College Impact Academic Success
Writing Assignment One
How Ideas About Intelligence and College Impact Academic Success
Overview:
In the first unit of the course, we have been discussing strategies for academic success and engaging with scholars whose work is intended to help teachers better understand the challenges students face. These scholars do research with students to identify beliefs that might have a negative impact on academic performance, and they suggest ways teachers might help students think more productively. They believe that when teachers provide this kind of help, students are more likely to achieve their academic goals.
Essay Prompt:
Rebecca Cox identifies the “college fear factor”, Carol Dweck discusses “fixed mindsets”, and Frank Harris III and Shaun Harper discusses “male gender role conflict.” For this assignment, select one of the above concepts and write an academic essay that explains the following three points:
the belief and how it might negatively impact student success;
why it is important for students to replace that belief with more productive thinking;
what ideas and behaviors would be more likely to contribute to academic success.
Essay Requirements:
Clear, specific introduction that directly addresses the prompt and summarizes your entire essay.
thesis statement that introduces the concept you will write about and a general statement explaining why it has a negative impact on student success.
I will allow you to use the first-person “I.” In other words, you can talk about your own experiences in this essay.
Multiple body paragraphs that
are guided by topic sentences that explain the main idea of paragraph
follow an organizational strategy
apply concepts from the reading(s) You can use any of the readings (or film) from this unit.
use examples from the reading in the form of quotes (use quote sandwiches)
Explanation of key concepts from the reading (You can also use the film THE MASK YOU LIVE IN). You will need a one-sentence summary and longer summary in different places.
Acknowledgement and citation, in text and with a Works Cited page, of the author and article from which you are drawing ideas.
A conclusion that sums up your main points.
Careful proofreading.
Between 1,200 and 1,300 words (3-5 pages) of meaningful, well-supported, and developed ideas.
Format in MLA and with Times New Roman 12pt font.
Two things I want us to focus on for this essay are body paragraphs (with Quote Sandwiches) and Introductory Paragraphs (with good attention grabbers or “hooks). I have created short videos for each.
INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPHS (Hooks/Attention Grabbers)
Here is a handoutPreview the document on different strategies to write an introductory paragraph.
BODY PARAGRAPHS (Quote Sandwiches)
Here is the handoutPreview the document I reference in the video.
When you submit your draft, please include the following in the comments:
Take a few minutes and read through your draft. After you have read through it, choose your two biggest concerns that you want to have an Academic Coach look at. Maybe you want some feedback about your thesis, or maybe you want your Quote Sandwiches looked at. It is up to you. Record your two concerns in the comments.
As the Coaches look through your essay, they will comment on the two things you ask them to, and they will also comment on things that they feel need to be addressed too. You will also be meeting with a coach to review your paper. You don’t have to fill this out, but this is the handoutPreview the document that I usually give to students. This might help you understand what I want you to do.
I do not expect you to have a complete draft, but try to shoot for 2-3 pages.
