Literacy Narrative Essay: Introductions, Titles, Ethos, and Brainstorming Activity Guide

Course Updates and Office Hours

  • Office Hours Schedule and Location:
    • Schedule: Office hours are hosted every Monday and Wednesday from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM.
    • Access: Office hours are accessible via a dedicated "office hours" join button inside the Zoom room interface.
    • Purpose: Provides an optional individual workspace where students can ask questions, review draft writing, and receive one-on-one feedback.
    • Grading Impact: Office hours are 100% optional; participating or choosing not to participate has zero effect on grades.
    • Class Time Reminder: Standard class instruction occurs during the 10:00 AM classroom session, not during the 5:00 PM office hours block.

Fundamentals of Essay Introductions

  • Role of Introductions in Traditional Academic Essays:

    • Introductions lead the reader into the paper, frame the overall argument, and provide all necessary contextual details required to understand the body paragraphs.
    • They act as an itinerary statement previewing the structure and path of the paper.
    • In traditional academic essays, introductions feature a thesis statement that provides a clear distillation of the central argument.

  • Introductions in Literacy Narratives:

    • Literacy narratives do not require a hard-and-fast or arguable thesis statement because the genre does not involve making a formal argument.
    • The primary objective is to recount a personal experience, provide an account of a narrative, or illustrate a life-changing event.
    • Despite lacking a traditional arguable thesis, the literacy narrative introduction still serves the vital structural function of transitioning smoothly into the body paragraphs.

  • K-12 Myths and Structural Expansion:

    • K-12 instruction often incorrectly enforces a rule that introductions must consist of exactly one paragraph.
    • Academic writing allows flexibility to expand the introduction into two full paragraphs if more space is needed to properly introduce and frame the topic.
    • Reference materials include Slide 6 for debunked K-12 introduction myths and Slide 8 for structural examples of A-level and B-level introductory paragraphs.

Introduction Strategies and Requirements

  • Module 2 Assignment: Getting Started:

    • Due Date: Due on Sunday by 11:59 PM.
    • Deliverables: Requires creating a title and writing a complete introduction paragraph (or two) specifically for the literacy narrative essay.
    • Direct Transfer: Principles from assigned readings directly inform the requirements of this assignment.

  • Effective Opening Strategies (UNC Chapel Hill Guidelines):

    • Directly address the central prompt questions selected for the assignment.
    • Four recommended approaches for opening introduction paragraphs:
      • An intriguing, real-world example.
      • A puzzling or complex scenario.
      • A vivid or unexpected anecdote.
      • A thought-provoking question.
    • Warning on Questions: Opening essays with a question is heavily overused, repetitive, and cliché due to standard K-12 teaching patterns. Alternative strategies (examples, scenarios, anecdotes) are strongly recommended over opening questions.
    • Review UNC Chapel Hill materials to identify and avoid five common types of ineffective introductions.

Title Crafting, Tone, and Ethos

  • Functions of Effective Titles (John Lammoth Guidelines):

    • Convey Content: Titles must explicitly communicate the core subject matter of the essay (refer to Slide 4 for specific approaches).
    • Establish Genre: Titles position the paper within its appropriate genre (literacy narrative) by providing hints about personal identity, personal voice, and the central life event being recounted.
    • Set Essay Tone:
      • The title sets an initial tone that must remain consistent throughout the rest of the paper.
      • Comedic titles can be highly effective, provided the humor matches the tone of the essay itself.
      • A comedic title attached to an analytical, serious essay devoid of humor creates a mismatch and results in a bad title.

  • Establishing Ethos:

    • Definition and Origins: Ethos derives from Aristotelian rhetorical theory (commonly introduced in AP English Language or AICE courses).
    • Core Meaning: Refers to personal character, credibility, trustworthiness, identity, and established credentials.
    • Real-World Credibility Mechanics:
      • Institutional authorization (e.g., FSW deeming an instructor qualified to teach).
      • Financial and formal commitments (e.g., enrolling in and paying for a higher education course).
      • Formal qualifications and titles (e.g., holding a PhD).
    • Ethos in Essay Titles: Titles should actively build ethos by signaling personal voice, authentic character, and authorial credibility to demonstrate why the reader should trust the writer.

Module 2 Brainstorming Activity Workflow

  • Required Webpages to Access in Canvas:

    1. 8/26 Read: Literacy Narrative Assignment Guidelines in Brief: Contains three distinct prompt options. Choose exactly one prompt to guide all narrative writing and brainstorming.
    2. 9/2 Watch: Video Resources on Prewriting: Located under Module 2; contains the direct download link for the mind mapping file template.
    3. Brainstorming Activity: The final assignment upload page.

  • Activity Rules:

    • Students must complete exactly ONE of the three provided technological options.
    • Brainstorming is non-binding: if an initial prompt proves difficult during mind mapping, students may switch to a different prompt without penalty.

Brainstorming Options and Execution Methods

  • Option 1: Hardcopy Print and iPhone Scan:

    • Prerequisite: Requires access to a printer.
    • Steps:
      1. Download the mind mapping activity template file.
      2. Print out the document.
      3. Complete the mind map by hand using a pen or pencil.
      4. Scan the physical document using an iPhone (following the instructional video "How to Scan a Document Using an iPhone").
      5. Upload the scanned file to the Brainstorming Activity page.

  • Option 2: PowerPoint Digital Editing (Simple Digital Method):

    • Format: Microsoft PowerPoint (.pptx) download.
    • Steps:
      1. Click the template link and download the mind mapping exercise in PowerPoint format.
      2. Open the file and click the yellow Enable Editing button at the top banner.
      3. Select the Insert tab from the top toolbar.
      4. Click Text Box.
      5. Locate the upside-down cross cursor, then click and drag inside each mind map bubble to generate text boxes.
      6. Type answers answering the central questions of the selected literacy narrative prompt.
      7. Save the modified presentation file and upload it to Canvas.

  • Option 3: MindMup Web Application (Tech-Savvy Method):

    • Tool: Free web-based application called MindMup (accessible by creating a free account via Gmail).
    • Navigation Shortcuts & Controls:
      • Repositioning Canvas: Left-click and drag the mouse to move across the map layout.
      • Add Child Node: Select a node and press Tab to create a subordinate sub-branch.
      • Add Sibling Node: Select a node and press Enter to create a parallel node at the same level.
      • Edit Text: Select any node box and press Spacebar to highlight and type text.
      • Zooming: Hold Ctrl and scroll the mouse wheel up or down.
    • Sharing and Submission Procedure:
      1. Click the Share button in the top interface (functions similarly to Google Docs).
      2. Change access settings from private to "Anyone with the link can view".
      3. Copy the generated sharing link.
      4. Paste and submit the copied link directly into the Brainstorming Activity submission portal.