CLAUDIA FERREIRA

INTRODUCTION FOR FACULTY TO SEQUENCED WRITING ASSIGNMENTS

The three short assignments that I designed for IDS 159 (Strength Through Cultural Diversity) during the Center for Writing Excellence/CELT Workshop on Improving Student Writing do not have an evident, direct interaction; however, I tried to push students’ intellectual maturity throughout the three assignments. The first assignment was designed for students whose intellectual maturity is characterized by a dualistic, passive eagerness to store information. I expect a progression of students’ intellectual abilities to the point that the last assignment asks for the exposition of students’ views, backed with evidence, and demonstrating that they have a chosen opinion within a universe of other valid ones.

One of the many lessons of this workshop is the importance of defining a purpose and an audience for a written assignment, in addition to the importance of communicating clearly to the students what the expected purpose and audience are.  These were two important elements that I tried to define from the beginning of the process through which I designed and wrote the assignment.

Learning by doing was the big lesson of designing the short, as well as the long writing assignments. The class discussions, peer discussions, readings, etc., were informative, illustrative, and helpful. But putting all of these into practice I will be able to learn more and refine these assignments when I actually teach the seminars for which I designed them.

CLAUDIA FERREIRA

SEQUENCED WRITING ASSIGNMENTS FOR STUDENTS

IDS 153 American and World Cultures Seminar

Claudia Ferreira

Assignment 1

Choose one of the articles provided. Using the following questions, write a 2-page analysis paper.

• How does the author/work help you understand one or more topics in this class?
• What is the key question(s) that the author wants to explore and answer?
• Why is the author asking this question(s)? How does the question relate to his/her research?
• How will the author/work help your research?

Even though the assignment is based on your ability to practice critical reading, present your findings in a coherent, clear, and consistent way.

Assignment 2

You are a consultant to the Secretary of Development of a Latin American country. Your mission is to advise the secretary on new ways to improve the economy and living conditions. At the beginning of your visit you happen to see this job announcement in a newspaper:

Multinational Company seeks internal auditor. Requirements: CPA (Certified Public Accountant), male 25-30 years old. Good knowledge of US GAAP (General Accounting Accepted Principles). Big five experience preferred. Availability to travel 50%. English proficiency. (Please note that this is a translation of a real announcement from another country.)

• You decide to write a letter to the Secretary of Development before you start your consulting process; this job announcement will help you illustrate the implications that this accepted procedure has in the development of a country.
• Draw on reading materials and class discussion to argue why it is inadmissible to let companies advertise this type of job announcements, and follow this type of hiring procedures.
• Compare this case with the reality in other societies; you can use The United States example or any other that is most familiar to you, and in which you would not see such job announcement.

Assignment 3

Write a 2-page explanation to a freshman of why it is important to take this seminar. Think about him/her as a college student, as a human being, as a future employee/employer.

• How did this class affect you?
• What is the most valuable lesson that you will take?
• What are the benefits of taking this class?
• The type of dialectic that you can follow is something like: “While there is probably no one best answer, I think…”
• Integrate evidence, different perspectives, assumptions, analyses, etc.

IDS 153 American and World Cultures Seminar

Assignment 1 and Rubric

Assignment 1

Choose one of the articles provided. Using the following questions, write a 2-page analysis paper.

1.  How does the author/work help you understand one or more topics in this class?

2.  What is the key question(s) that the author wants to explore and answer?

3.  Why is the author asking this question(s)? How does the question relate to his/her research?

4.  How will the author/work help your research?

Even though the assignment is based on your ability to practice critical reading, present your findings in a coherent, clear, and consistent way.

Assignment 1 Rubric (24 points)

CLAUDIA FERREIRA

SEQUENCED WRITING ASSIGNMENTS FOR STUDENTS

IDS 153 American and World Cultures Seminar

Claudia Ferreira

Assignment 1

Choose one of the articles provided. Using the following questions, write a 2-page analysis paper.

• How does the author/work help you understand one or more topics in this class?
• What is the key question(s) that the author wants to explore and answer?
• Why is the author asking this question(s)? How does the question relate to his/her research?
• How will the author/work help your research?

Even though the assignment is based on your ability to practice critical reading, present your findings in a coherent, clear, and consistent way.

Assignment 2

You are a consultant to the Secretary of Development of a Latin American country. Your mission is to advise the secretary on new ways to improve the economy and living conditions. At the beginning of your visit you happen to see this job announcement in a newspaper:

Multinational Company seeks internal auditor. Requirements: CPA (Certified Public Accountant), male 25-30 years old. Good knowledge of US GAAP (General Accounting Accepted Principles). Big five experience preferred. Availability to travel 50%. English proficiency. (Please note that this is a translation of a real announcement from another country.)

• You decide to write a letter to the Secretary of Development before you start your consulting process; this job announcement will help you illustrate the implications that this accepted procedure has in the development of a country.
• Draw on reading materials and class discussion to argue why it is inadmissible to let companies advertise this type of job announcements, and follow this type of hiring procedures.
• Compare this case with the reality in other societies; you can use The United States example or any other that is most familiar to you, and in which you would not see such job announcement.

Assignment 3

Write a 2-page explanation to a freshman of why it is important to take this seminar. Think about him/her as a college student, as a human being, as a future employee/employer.

• How did this class affect you?
• What is the most valuable lesson that you will take?
• What are the benefits of taking this class?
• The type of dialectic that you can follow is something like: “While there is probably no one best answer, I think…”
• Integrate evidence, different perspectives, assumptions, analyses, etc.

IDS 153 American and World Cultures Seminar

Assignment 1 and Rubric

Assignment 1

Choose one of the articles provided. Using the following questions, write a 2-page analysis paper.

1.  How does the author/work help you understand one or more topics in this class?

2.  What is the key question(s) that the author wants to explore and answer?

3.  Why is the author asking this question(s)? How does the question relate to his/her research?

4.  How will the author/work help your research?

Even though the assignment is based on your ability to practice critical reading, present your findings in a coherent, clear, and consistent way.

Assignment 1 Rubric (24 points)