K. Douglass - 1B – Spring 2018

Assigned: February 14, 2018

Critical Thinking Mini-Paper

(750 words is the bare minimum length requirement – more is fine.)

Due: Wednesday, February 28 -- 7% of your final grade

(attach this sheet to the back of your paper when you turn it in)

This paper should employ some of the concepts of critical thinking that you have begun to read about in Beyond Feelings and may remember from English 1A. A reminder: the paper must be formatted using MLA paper format guidelines. See the mediasite video on my course webpage page for a reminder. One other formatting request, please place your thesis in bold, and list your word count at the end. Finally, don’t forget your electronic copy.

Choose ONE of the following prompts to write your first paper; be sure you have a clear, direct thesis statement for whichever topic you choose. Make sure you include in your title the prompt number you have chosen. Also, while class discussion may influence the direction of your thinking on the prompt you choose, it is important that your argument is your own and not just a restatement of others’ ideas in class:

  1. Use the Kingston selection "The Laws" to infer and help provide context for what is happening for some of the anonymous immigrant poets from Angel Island. Your thesis should address in some general way how the laws and the poetry explain each other. Your essay will cite and discuss examples to prove your assertion.
  1. Umberto Eco analyzes the fantasy of Disneyland, and our willingness to participate in that fantasy, in “City of Robots”. Using evidence from his essay for support, make an argument about how the fantasy of Disneyland correlates to the “dream and disaster” dichotomy of our mythologies about California. (So you are using Eco’s example of Disneyland to analyze the California dichotomy – you are not analyzing Disneyland; Eco has already done that.)
  1. Make a claim about why the sunny glamour / ghoulish noir is such a powerful dichotomy for expressions of California culture using David Thomson and/or Umberto Eco’s essay(s) for support and use one other example of this dichotomy from literature, art, or pop culture that you are aware of to illustrate your argument.
  1. Move Time #1 – 2018 Oscars edition: If you have seen Ladybird and enjoyed it, this prompt is a chance to re-visit it from an academic perspective. I argue, as the director herself certainly would based on the epigraph at the beginning, that this is a very Didion-esque movie. It is a love letter to Sacramento of the truest kind: it loves Sacramento even as it sees its limitations for the main character Christine/Ladybird. Joan Didion, a daughter of Sacramento, writes about our capital city in her essay “Notes from a Native Daughter.” In this mini-paper, you will find and explore a connection between those two text’s, Didion’s essay and Gerwig’s film. How does the film illustrate a key argument you think Didion is making in her essay. (The essay was not assigned to the class, but is attached.)
  1. Movie Time #2! (Only choose this option if you have some free time – the film you have to watch is almost three hours long). For film fans, there is a great documentary that you can watch on Netflix DVD (or on youtube for $3.99 or for free if you are subscribed to Sundance Now on Amazon) called Los Angeles Plays Itself that examines the role of Los Angeles in film history, making many arguments about the setting, treatment and mistreatment of Los Angeles as both a backdrop and a character or topic in movies. Using either the full Joan Didion essay or the David Thomson as your text support for your argument (you must incorporate at least one quote from one of their essays in your essay), respond to one of the following prompts below (some of which may involved watching another movie so choose very carefully – this is a short essay due in one week):
  1. Thom Anderson’s film uses the terms “low tourist” and “high tourist” without ever defining them. Create your own definitions based on his contextual uses in the documentary.
  2. Anderson argues that Who Framed Roger Rabbit?is a film that is “about transportation”. Use Thomson’s essay and Anderson’s film to support your analysis of the idea that Who Framed Roger Rabbit? is about transportation, and what the argument being made about it is.
  3. Joan Didion is mentioned in about the last ten minutes of Los Angeles Plays Itself; the film is critical of her assessment of Los Angeles as often too white-centered, too upper middle class myopic. Based on the “Los Angeles Notebook” essay of Didion’s and what you learned about how the city is represented in film from watching the documentary (especially the last 45 minutes), argue whether or not that is a fair criticism of Didion’s lines that are quoted in the film.

Also, a caution to those looking to watch this documentary as part of a family movie night: don’t! Though it is Not Rated, that is not the same as rated G. The documentary would definitely be “R” rated; it includes clips from several “R” rated films and one pornographic film (the clip does not depict any sex acts or “porn” but does show violence and nudity) which all include adult language, drug use, nudity, and violence, including a lot of gun violence.

General Grading Rubric

Each of the letter grades listed below have a descriptive paragraph and a percentile range attached to them. The paragraph is a general rubric, a description of the criteria that you will meet in order to earn that grade. Passing grades will usually be one of three scores within a letter grade range; this allows me to give you numerical grades that indicate that you are within a certain skill level (A, B, C) as well as a "+" or "-". Remember that final grades at RCC do not have plus or minus options; I only use them to indicate to you a range of skill proficiency within a certain level. Plus grades should be understood to mean that you performed that skill level consistently throughout the assignment and are illustrating high achievement within that skill range. Minus grades should be interpreted to mean that while you are performing within that skill range for most of the assignment, you don't do so consistently and are still struggling to show a mastery of the skills within that grade range. Non-passing grades (D, F) do not usually receive plus or minus scoring.

A level paper (Final Grade Range: 100-90%) (Actual Paper Grades: A+ 100-98; A 95; A- 92)

This paper is outstanding; that is, it “stands out” in relation to other papers responding to the assignment. It is clear, original, and insightful and addresses the topic fully and explores the issue(s) thoughtfully. The thesis is compelling and distinctive, and the essay features clear, focused, coherent organization. The essay uses appropriate and extensive detail in a clear, interesting manner. Each part of the essay moves logically to the next part. It is nearly free from errors in mechanics, usage and sentence structure, and there is evidence of the student's intelligent and stylistic use of language. In all regards, this paper is an excellent response to the assignment and has a consistent, authoritative "voice."

B level paper (Final Grade Range: 89-80%) (Actual Paper Grades: B+ 88; B 85; B- 82)

In a (B) paper, the writer has in some way moved beyond the basics of the assignment expectations, offering some thoughtful observations and insights. The writer will demonstrate a clear understanding of their writing task and material. Although the paper may have minor weaknesses in paragraphing, it will contain evidence of the writer's ability to organize information into coherent and unified paragraphs that display specific and detailed development. This essay will be largely free from serious errors and will be generally clear and well written and will have a clear, supported thesis.

C level paper (Final Grade Range: 79-70%) (Actual Paper Grades: C+ 78; C 75; C- 72)

A paper in this category will have a discernible plan with a beginning, middle, and end and will complete at least the basic tasks of the assignment – it is competent, adequate, and satisfactory. There may be somewhat ambiguous and imperfect reasoning and ideas may be repeated rather than developed. May fail to show a strong connection between thesis statement and examples used. It may rely on unsupported generalizations or undeveloped ideas in places. But it will be organized and paragraphed well enough to allow the reader to understand the point of the discussion. It may contain errors, but not enough to continually distract the reader from the content.

D level paper (Final Grade Range: 69-60%) (Actual Paper Grades: usually 65%)

A paper will fall into this category if it shows serious difficulty completing or satisfying the tasks of the assignment; if it lacks an overall plan with a beginning, middle, and end; if key ideas in paragraphs lack development or illustration; or if errors in word choice, sentence structure, and mechanics seriously interfere with readability. It may fail to clearly introduce or define its central thesis. Transitions between points are awkward or non-existent. Paragraphs may be somewhat disorganized; though the total effect will not necessarily be chaotic. The writer's control of language may be uncertain and there may be many unsupported generalizations. The paper may contain one or more of the following defects: serious errors in reasoning; little or no development or support of ideas; few or no connections between ideas. Paper substitutes summary of reading for expository discussion.

F level paper and no credit grades (59-0%)

An F (usually 55%-50%) would be assigned to a paper if it simply does not exhibit any of the basic requirements of composition writing: it has no clear thesis; the organization is unclear or non-existent to the point that the logic and/or argument of the paper are unknowable. Serious and frequent errors in word choice, sentence structure, or mechanics interfere with basic readability. Papers that are well-written, but of incomplete length will also receive this grade.

A O% F is given for any paper not turned in, turned in late, or if it is an unapproved essay on

entirely other subject matter than what was assigned.